Search results for

There's a book that can help you walk the walk and talk the talk of fictional spy hero James Bond. Steve Inskeep speaks with Author Christopher Hitchens about The Book of Bond by Sir Kingsley Amis, published in 1965 under the pen name William (Bill) Tanner.

The star of NBC's 30 Rock talks to Terry Gross about his tough childhood, how he made the grade in the comedy college that was Saturday Night Live, and why even though he may cry a little on the radio, "the funny bus is still sitting downstairs." (Rebroadcast from Oct. 22, 2009)

David Lipsky says that his favorite comic, Runaways, is both a brilliant reading experience — and an embarrassment festival. The tiny digests by Brian K. Vaughan have been a fount of guilt, awkwardness and grave personal doubts, but he still pulls them out on the subway, because they are just that good.

The humorist, who made his name with personal essays and other nonfiction, tells Steve Inskeep that his return to fiction kept taking him to surprising places. But the unhappy endings? Those he could have predicted.

It was 10 years ago that a white supremacist opened fire at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek. Seven people died. A decade later, hate crimes against Sikhs and other South Asians are on the rise.

In April of 1943, the body of a British Royal Marine washed ashore in Spain, carrying top secret letters about Allied plans to invade Greece and Sardinia. Or so it seemed. In reality, the body was that of a homeless Welsh laborer, and the letters were fakes designed to direct German attention away from the real Allied invasion target: Sicily.

Cookbooks usually come in two varieties: glossy food porn with impenetrable recipes or easy peasy with canned shortcuts. Somewhere in the middle you'll find Pam Anderson's Perfect One-Dish Dinners, a collection that has all the flavor — without skimping on the shortcuts.

In the U.S., racing on gravel roads has become the dominant form of bike racing in just a few years. Organizers have prioritized diversity and inclusiveness in a way that other sports have not.

Dizzy Gillespie wasn't content to stick with music people could dance to. The jazz trumpeter had more complex melodies, harmonies and rhythms in mind.

It's early November, and for many in America, that means that when we go outside, we're likely to get wet. Whether we're dodging sprinkles, showers or downpours, November is part of a rainy season. Hear five songs from vocalists inspired by rain, including Gene Kelly, Patricia Barber and Mahalia Jackson.