Arts & Culture 2008 Archive | PBS NewsHour

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	2008 DECEMBER Dec. 31, 2008 Author Peter Matthiessen Reflects on a Life in Words Peter Matthiessen, a 2008 National Book Award winner, is best known as both a novelist and non-fiction writer, but he's also an environmental activist and American Indian rights advocate. Jeffrey Brown talks to the award-winning author of "Shadow Country."

	Dec. 31, 2008 Conversation: Peter Matthiessen Peter Matthiessen, a 2008 National Book Award winner, is best known as both a novelist and non-fiction writer, but he's also an environmental activist, American Indian rights advocate and former C.I.A. recruit.

	Dec. 31, 2008 Trumpeter Freddie Hubbard Dies at Age 70 Freddie Hubbard, the influential and prolific jazz trumpeter, died Monday of complications from a heart attack. He was 70. Called the "most magnificent technically endowed trumpeter of his generation," Hubbard worked with the biggest names in jazz of his time.

	Dec. 31, 2008 For Arts Funding, 2008 Was a Rough Year As the clock ticks down on 2008's roller coaster of economic turmoil and time runs out for charitable giving this year, non-profits are under pressures they weren't feeling a year ago and communities are struggling to support art programs during the downturn.

	Dec. 31, 2008 Harlem Quartet, Strads 'Take the A Train' The Harlem Quartet continues to break new ground in the world of classical music, and at the group's recent performance at the Library of Congress, a bit of music history was made, too.

	Dec. 29, 2008 W.S. Merwin: A Passion for Poetry and the Natural World W.S. Merwin is one of the nation's greatest living poets and is the author of more than 50 books. In a house he built on the island of Maui, he cultivates his other life long passion: gardening.

	Dec. 29, 2008 Weekly Poem: 'Rain Light' W.S. Merwin is one of the nation's greatest living poets and is the author of more than 50 books. For more than 30 years, he has lived with his wife in a house he built on the island of Maui. There he cultivates his other life long passion: gardening.

	Dec. 29, 2008 Poet Profile: W.S. Merwin Poet W.S. Merwin reads some of his poems.

	Dec. 29, 2008 Sculptor Robert Graham Dies at Age 70 Sculptor Robert Graham, master of the bronze monument, died Saturday at age 70 following an illness. Graham's monuments captured and honored many noteworthy Americans, from Franklin Delano Roosevelt to jazz greats Duke Ellington and Charlie Parker and boxing champ Joe Louis.

	Dec. 29, 2008 The Work of Sculptor Robert Graham Sculptor Robert Graham, whose massive bronze works mark civic monuments across the United States, including the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, D.C., has died at 70. The following images are courtesy of his studio in Venice, Cailf.

	Dec. 26, 2008 Famed Singer Eartha Kitt Dies of Cancer at Age 81 Entertainer Eartha Kitt gained international celebrity for her sultry and elegant style before dying of colon cancer at age 81 on Christmas Day. Kitt recently spoke with Gwen Ifill for a PBS special.

	Dec. 26, 2008 Art Beat Preview for Next Week I'm sure our regular NewsHour viewers will understand when I say that, first and foremost, we are "news people." One of our goals in starting Art Beat was to make sure we stay on top of the news in the art world even as we offer features and interviews.

	Dec. 26, 2008 Singer, Performer Eartha Kitt Dies at 81 Eartha Kitt, the singer, dancer and actress, who amazed and seduced audiences for six decades, died Thursday at age 81. The cause was colon cancer, a family spokesman said.

	Dec. 25, 2008 Influential Nobel-laureate Playwright Pinter Dies at 78 Harold Pinter, the Nobel Prize-winning playwright who has been lauded as the most influential dramatist of his generation, died Wednesday after battling cancer. Jeffrey Brown discusses Pinter's life and work with theater critic Ben Brantley.

	Dec. 25, 2008 Influential Playwright Pinter Dies at 78 Harold Pinter, the Nobel Prize-winning playwright who has been lauded as the most influential dramatist of his generation, died Wednesday at age 78 after a long battle with cancer.

	Dec. 24, 2008 The 'True' Hollywood Story: Rudolph It was the Sixties -- a time of counter culture and social revolution, radical trends and liberal attitudes. And in 1964, an unlikely iconoclast for the times was born: the "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" Christmas special. More than 40 years after its debut, Rudolph's tale of individualism still charms television audiences.

	Dec. 24, 2008 Poetry at Obama's Inauguration It has been widely noted that President-elect Barack Obama is a reader of poetry. Only days after winning the election, Mr. Obama was spotted with a copy of Derek Walcott's collected poems. The president-elect even tried his hand at writing poetry, publishing two pieces in a 1981 literary journal.

	Dec. 23, 2008 Conversation: David Thomson on Film For more than 30 years, film critic and scholar David Thomson has been asked one question over and over again: "So, what movies should I see?" His latest book, "Have You Seen....?," is an extended romp of an answer, with short essays on 1,000 films.

	Dec. 22, 2008 LA MOCA Accepts Financial Help From Philanthropist, Director Resigns The Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art has agreed to accept $30 million in financial assistance from billionaire philanthropist Eli Broad.

	Dec. 22, 2008 Weekly Poem: 'Your Art History' Jason Gray is the author of "Photographing Eden," winner of the 2008 Hollis Summers Prize, as well as two chapbooks, "How to Paint the Savior Dead" and "Adam & Eve Go to the Zoo." He co-edits the online journal, Unsplendid and reviews poetry on his blog, Line Art.

	Dec. 19, 2008 Conversation: 'Milk's' Cleve Jones Jeffrey Brown talks to Harvey Milk's associate and friend Cleve Jones. The new film, "Milk," by director Gus Van Sant, tells the story of Milk, who in 1977 became the first openly gay elected official in the United States.

	Dec. 19, 2008 Art Beat Preview for Next Week ... and a Thank You I want to thank all of you 'first responders' who've written here and reached us in other ways with comments on our new Art Beat blog. The positive feedback has been very gratifying and encourages us to go forward with this effort.

	Dec. 19, 2008 LA MOCA Postpones Decision on Rescue Deal The board of the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art postponed an official decision on two competing proposals aimed to stabilize its financial situation.

	Dec. 19, 2008 The Voice of Harvey Milk The "Hope Speech" became Harvey Milk's stump speech. He gave a skeletal version when he declared his candidacy in 1977 and an expanded version in 1978 for the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade, later known as the Gay Pride Parade.

	Dec. 18, 2008 Soweto Gospel Choir: Songs of Hope Dressed in vibrant costumes, the Soweto Gospel Choir blends the rich sounds of traditional African music with dance and a variety of musical genres -- rock and hip-hop, and American gospel and R&B -- and the combination has earned the choir legions of fans and awards from around the globe.

	Dec. 17, 2008 LA MOCA Weighs Options in Face of Financial Struggles The Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) is struggling to keep its doors open and hold onto one of the world's best collections of post-World War II art. The museum's board of trustees will meet Thursday and is expected to decide among two competing rescue offers.

	Dec. 17, 2008 Curator Darsie Alexander Talks About the Work of Franz West Baltimore Museum of Art curator Darsie Alexander talks about the work of Austrian artist Franz West.

	Dec. 17, 2008 Franz West: Sit Down and Stay a While Having arrived in the port of Baltimore from Vienna, the work of Austrian sculptor Franz West is showing in its most comprehensive American survey to date in "Franz West, To Build a House You Start with the Roof: Work 1972 -2008" at the Baltimore Museum of Art.

	Dec. 16, 2008 After Tough Year, Republicans Mull Next Steps After a historic 2008 presidential election, the Republican Party is facing new questions on how it should shape its agenda in the years to come. The co-authors of "Grand New Party: How Republicans Can Win the Working Class and Save the American Dream" discuss the road ahead for the GOP.

	Dec. 16, 2008 Architect Bryan Bell Discusses Freret St. Bus Shelter Project One project Bryan Bell is particularly proud of is a bus shelter in his hometown of New Orleans. Using input from city and neighborhood officials and from members of the community, Design Corps' design and construction is as aesthetically pleasing as it is functional.

	Dec. 16, 2008 Architecture for the Masses Bryan Bell's North Carolina-based non-profit Design Corps provides architectural and design services for communities that can have their needs addressed by situation-specific solutions.

	Dec. 16, 2008 Jeffrey Brown Unveils Art Beat on the Program Correspondents Jeffrey Brown and Judy Woodruff talk about Art Beat on the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.

	Dec. 15, 2008 Online NewsHour Launches Art Beat Blog The Online NewsHour has created a blog devoted to arts news from around the world. NewsHour correspondent Jeffrey Brown explains what kinds of information viewers can find on the blog.

	Dec. 15, 2008 New Orleans Art Exhibition Aims to Help City Heal A new contemporary art exhibit in New Orleans that's billed as the largest of its kind to ever be held in the U.S. seeks to help bring about the healing and rebirth of the vibrant city that was devastated by Hurricane Katrina three years ago. Jeffrey Brown reports.

	Dec. 15, 2008 Welcome to Art Beat! Welcome to Art Beat, a blog covering news, issues and events in art and entertainment, brought to you by NewsHour correspondent Jeffrey Brown and NewsHour reporters. You will find interviews with authors, artists and musicians, coverage of exhibitions and concerts, and multimedia features such as videos and narrated slide shows.

	Dec. 15, 2008 Conversation with Alaa al Aswany Since the release of his first novel, "The Yacoubian Building," in 2002, Alaa al Aswany has catapulted from being a dentist with a literary bent to the Arab-speaking world's best-selling fiction writer. But that hasn't stopped him from continuing to see patients a couple times a week in his Cairo dental office.

	Dec. 15, 2008 Rebuilding New Orleans with Prospect.1 Three years after Hurricane Katrina all but destroyed the city of New Orleans, the rebuilding effort continues and there is an enormous amount of work left to do. The city's population is 25 percent lower than it was before Hurricane Katrina -- a figure that includes many displaced artists, of course.

	Dec. 15, 2008 Prospect.1 New Orleans Prospect.1 New Orleans [P.1], the largest biennial of international contemporary art ever organized in the United States, opened to the public on November 1, 2008, in museums, historic buildings and found sites throughout New Orleans.

	Dec. 12, 2008 Sol LeWitt: Paint and Share Alike The work of great painters is typically thought to have come from the skill of their own hand. But for Sol LeWitt, the ideas behind the art mattered most, and those were to be shared, even replicated.

	Dec. 11, 2008 A Wall Drawing Retrospective A team of over 50 assistants, local artists, interns and students created wall drawings by Sol LeWitt by following the detailed but often open-ended instructions left by the artist.

	Dec. 3, 2008 Famed Civils Rights Folk Singer Odetta Dies Prominent civil rights folk singer Odetta died at 77 from heart disease at New York's Lenox Hill Hospital Tuesday. The NewsHour remembers the Grammy-nominated artist and her influence on fellow musicians.

	Dec. 2, 2008 Lessons From Presidents Past As President-elect Barack Obama prepares to take office amid an economic crisis and conflicts overseas, the experiences of former presidents Abraham Lincoln and Franklin D. Roosevelt are being regularly recalled, including by Mr. Obama himself.



	NOVEMBER Nov. 27, 2008 Lincoln, Roosevelt Presidencies Offer Lessons for Obama Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Delano Roosevelt both took office during times of crisis, and their leadership may provide President-elect Barack Obama with some insight into the road ahead. Authors with new biographies of Lincoln and FDR examine what Mr. Obama may learn from presidents past.

	Nov. 24, 2008 Smithsonian Overhaul Ushers in Change at Institution Recent outrage over the Smithsonian's management practices tarnished the cultural and scientific giant's image. Days after its National Museum of American History reopened in Washington, Jeffrey Brown reports on changes that are underway and new funding challenges.

	Nov. 24, 2008 Smithsonian American History Museum Reopens The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History reopened Friday, Nov. 21, after a two-year, $85 million renovation. While most visitors know the museum houses the Star-Spangled Banner, the following are a few of the 5,000 objects on display.

	Nov. 19, 2008 N.M. Spoken Word Club Explores Indian Identity, History Through verse, members of the Spoken Word Club at the Santa Fe Indian School articulate identities both modern and traditional, and maintain links to the past through native language and culture.

	Nov. 7, 2008 The Electorate Process Inspires 'Election Day' Poem In the week that Americans cast their ballots and elected Sen. Barack Obama to the presidency, J.D. McClatchy, a professor, poet and critic, reads "Election Day," a poem about voting.

	Nov. 4, 2008 Supreme Court to Hear TV Profanity Case The Supreme Court on Tuesday takes up a dispute between the broadcast networks and Federal Communication Commission over the use of profanity during live television programs when children are likely part of the viewing audience.



	OCTOBER Oct. 30, 2008 Viewers Flock to Comedy Shows for Dose of Campaign Humor Sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live has seen its ratings soar in recent weeks as viewers have tuned in to watch skits about political candidates and campaigns. SNL executive producer Lorne Michaels and head writer Seth Meyers discuss political comedy.

	Oct. 7, 2008 Dawes, Pulitzer Center Take On HIV/AIDs in Jamaica Poet Kwame Dawes teamed up with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting to create a multimedia Web site called "HOPE: Living and Loving with HIV in Jamaica." The interactive site pairs his poetry with music, essays and video from people living with the disease and their caretakers.

	Oct. 7, 2008 Poet Profile: Kwame Dawes Poet Kwame Dawes reads some of his poems.

	Oct. 3, 2008 Oregon Poet Laureate Inada Reflects on Internment Along with more than 100,000 other Japanese-Americans, Lawson Inada was sent to internment camps for the duration of World War II. He was one of the youngest to live in the camps, and much of his writing addresses that childhood experience.

	Oct. 3, 2008 Poet Profile: Lawson Fusao Inada Poet Lawson Fusao Inada reads some of his poems.



	SEPTEMBER Sept. 30, 2008 Mexico's Violent Drug War Wreaks Havoc on Innocent Lives Just south of the U.S. in Mexico, a ruthless drug war is taking a heavy toll on residents' lives on both sides of the border. Essayist Richard Rodriguez reflects on the increasingly unmanageable conflict.

	Sept. 25, 2008 Amy Tan, San Francisco Opera Take Novel From Page to Stage Spencer Michels reports on how best-selling author Amy Tan's darkest family secrets from China became the focal points for a world-premiere opera in San Francisco.



	AUGUST Aug. 25, 2008 Composer on 'Bang on a Can' Pulitzer Prize winning composer David Lang founded the experimental classical music festival "Bang on a Can" or "Banglewood" over two decades ago with two college friends. Now, every summer, 35 young musicians are invited to perform at the festival.

	Aug. 21, 2008 'Bang on a Can' Showcases Inventive Classical Music For the past several years, classical music composers have gathered to share their more eclectic scores at the "Bang on a Can" festival in North Adams, Mass. Jeffrey Brown explores the origins of the event.

	Aug. 20, 2008 Filmmakers Answered Your Questions on 'The Judge and the General' The documentary "The Judge and the General" follows the investigation into the brutal murders of thousands of Chileans during the 1970s and 1980s. Filmmakers Elizabeth Farnsworth, a former NewsHour correspondent, and her co-producer and director Patricio Lanfranco answered your questions.

	Aug. 19, 2008 Chilean History Examined in 'The Judge and the General' Decades after Augusto Pinochet's military dictatorship claimed the lives of thousands of Chileans, a new documentary by Elizabeth Farnsworth and Patricio Lanfranco sheds light on Chile's troubled past. Jeffrey Brown speaks with Farnsworth, a former NewsHour correspondent, about the film.

	Aug. 12, 2008 Author Takes a New Look at America's Old History By tracing the paths of European settlers in the 16th century, Tony Horwitz tells the history of America's colonization of the new world during an oft-forgotten century. Ray Suarez discusses Horwitz's new book, "A Voyage Long and Strange: Rediscovering the New World."

	Aug. 4, 2008 Russian Author Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Dies at 89 Acclaimed Russian author Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, who wrote extensively about the gulag prison system and won the Nobel literature prize for his books on abuses in the Soviet Union, died Sunday at age 89 after a reclusive life fraught with challenges.

	Aug. 1, 2008 New Exhibit Focuses on Civil Rights Movement Images Jeffrey Brown takes a look at a new exhibit exploring the Civil Rights movement through photographs, including some that have never been seen before, and finds the stories behind the powerful images.



	JULY July 31, 2008 Jeff Smith Answers Your Questions on 'Bone' Comics Jeff Smith, the artist who draws the wildly popular "Bone" comics says he grew up hiding his drawings in math books. Now, his work is featured at the Wexler Center for the Arts in Columbus, Ohio, where he is based. He answered your questions on his craft.

	July 28, 2008 The Inescapable Lure of Superheroes NewsHour essayist Julia Keller reveals what lures the average person to the unlikely characters of superheroes, who are cramming the action into many a blockbuster this summer.

	July 28, 2008 Print Book Reviews Shrink While Online Versions Grow The Los Angeles Times published its last standalone book review section Sunday due to a growing shift of readers and writers to review forums on the Internet. A literary agent and an editor debate the virtues of keeping reviews in print versus fostering book dialogue online.

	July 25, 2008 Poet Ricardo Pau-Llosa Reflects on Influences, Art Ricardo Pau-Llosa, a prolific Miami-based poet and critic of Latin American art, remembers the colors, tastes and memories that shaped his youth and his writing, taking him back to his native Cuba.

	July 24, 2008 Art Exhibit Tackles Stereotypes of Surburban Life An exhibit at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis aims to examine stereoptypes tied to life in the suburbs and shows the work of artists and architects influenced by the slew of social issues outside of cities. Fred de Sam Lazaro reports.

	July 21, 2008 Jeff Smith's 'Bone' Goes From Comic Book to Gallery Wall After launching his first issue in 1991, Jeff Smith's popular comic book series, "Bone," has sold over 4 million copies and is part of a new exhibition at the Wexner Center For the Arts at Ohio State University. Jeffrey Brown profiles Smith's work and influences.

	July 21, 2008 Jeff Smith's 'Bone' Comics Jeff Smith, the artist who draws the hugely popular "Bone" comics, says he grew up hiding his drawings in math books. Now, his drawings are on display at the Wexner Center for the Arts at Ohio State University.

	July 17, 2008 Kay Ryan Discusses New Collection of Poems Award-winning poet Kay Ryan describes her writing process as "self imposed emergencies." She reads some selections from her new collection, "The Niagara River."

	July 17, 2008 Biographer Recaps U.K. Scientist's Fascination With China Prolific author Simon Winchester discusses his latest book, "The Man Who Loved China," which chronicles the adventures of scientist Joseph Needham in the Asian nation.

	July 17, 2008 Kay Ryan Is Appointed U.S. Poet Laureate The Library of Congress announced Thursday the appointment of Kay Ryan as the 16th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry for 2008-2009.

	July 4, 2008 Columnist Values the Right to Pursue Happiness Chicago Tribune columnist Clarence Page measures the importance of happiness and its part in one of the most famous phrases of the Declaration of Independence as the United States turns another year older.

	July 2, 2008 Antiquities Exhibit Illuminates Ancient Afghan Trading A museum exhibit of ancient Afghan art demonstrates the country's rich and diverse culture. Jeffrey Brown visits the relics that have survived the tumult of recent history in Afghanistan.



	JUNE June 23, 2008 Irreverent Comedian George Carlin Dies at 71 George Carlin, 71, an American comedic icon, died on Sunday of heart failure. The NewsHour looks back at some of his memorable work.

	June 16, 2008 Poetry Program Gives Prisoners Unexpected Voice For more than 30 years, poet and professor Richard Shelton has traveled to a high security prison in Arizona to run a program that encourages prisoners to write and read poetry.

	June 13, 2008 Paul Solman Pays Tribute to His Father Paul Solman offers reflections on his father, painter Joseph Solman, on the occasion of Father's Day. Joseph died April 16 at his home in Manhattan at age 99.

	June 13, 2008 Young Brazilian Musicians Try to Go Global Linguistic, political and economic barriers stand between Brazil's most popular acts and global recognition. NewsHour special correspondent Simon Marks caps a series of reports from Brazil by looking at the music scene.



	MAY May 30, 2008 Extended Interview: Magazine Editor Hung Huang While reporting in China in May, Margaret Warner spoke to Hung Huang, CEO of China Interactive Media Group and editor of the lifestyle magazine iLook, about the state of media freedom in China today.

	May 27, 2008 Achebe Discusses Africa 50 Years After 'Things Fall Apart' A half century after Chinua Achebe penned 'Things Fall Apart', Jeffrey Brown discusses Africa's ongoing story with the famed author.

	May 13, 2008 Pop Artist Robert Rauschenberg Dies at 82 American artist Robert Rauschenberg died Monday at age 82. Jeffrey Brown looks back at the life and work of the acclaimed pop artist.

	May 13, 2008 Robert Rauschenberg, Pioneering Artist, Dies at 82 Robert Rauschenberg, the prolific and pioneering American pop artist, died Monday at the age of 82. Following is a selection of some of his works. Thanks to the Rauschenberg Estate/VAGA, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles and the Guggenheim Museum, New York City for photo permission and usage.

	May 9, 2008 Frances Richey's Poetry Speaks to Son's Role as Soldier "The Warrior" by Frances Richey is composed of 28 poems written by the poet to her son, Ben, a Green Beret who has served two tours of duty in Iraq. Jeffrey Brown speaks with Richey and her son about the collection and their unique perspectives on the war.

	May 9, 2008 Poet Profile: Frances Richey Poet Frances Richey reads some of her poems.

	May 8, 2008 Words in Conflict: Israeli, Palestinian Poetry Poets in the Middle East are often held in high regard, and many achieve a level of celebrity and authority not common in the West. Tonight, in recognition of Israel's 60th anniversary, Jeffrey Brown has an encore report on the lives of Israeli and Palestinian poets.

	May 5, 2008 Robert Hass Answered Your Questions on Modern Poetry Robert Hass won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry for "Time and Materials," the first book of poetry since 1983 to win both a Pulitzer and the National Book Award. He answered your questions on his methods, favorite poets and the meaning of poetry.



	APRIL April 30, 2008 Robert Hass Discusses His Pulitzer Prize-Winning Poetry "Time and Materials" by Robert Hass won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for poetry, becoming the first book of poetry since 1983 to win both the Pulitzer and the National Book Award. Hass talks about the collection.

	April 30, 2008 Poet Profile: Robert Hass Poet Robert Hass reads some of his poems.

	April 29, 2008 Novelist Junot Diaz Weaves Cultures and Languages From the "Fuku" of the Dominican Republic to Klingon from Star Trek, the world of author Junot Diaz is a vibrant mix of cultures and languages. He discusses his influences and winning the Pulitzer Prize earlier this month for his novel, "The Brief Wondrous Life of Wao."

	April 24, 2008 For Hayes, Pittsburgh and Poetry Are No Strangers Terrance Hayes is the author of three books of poetry and is a professor of Creative Writing at Carnegie Mellon University. He discusses life as a poet in Pittsburgh, "where no one is a stranger," and shares some of his work.

	April 24, 2008 Poet Profile: Terrance Hayes Poet Terrance Hayes reads some of his poems.

	April 16, 2008 Retracing Roots with 'The African-American National Biography' Renowned African-American writers Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham discuss their latest joint project, 'The African-American National Biography'.

	April 11, 2008 Van Cliburn Reflects on 1958 Tchaikovsky Competition Master pianist Van Cliburn reflects on his historic victory at the 1958 Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow and on the vitality of the classical arts.

	April 10, 2008 Mary Jo Bang Examines Grief's Poetic Form, the Elegy Mary Jo Bang is professor of English and director of the Creative Writing Program at Washington University. Her fifth book, "Elegy," which won of the National Book Critics Circle Award, examines the pain and grief following the death of her son. She shares two poems from the collection.

	April 8, 2008 Newsman Roger Mudd Reflects on 'Glory Days of Television News' In his new book, "The Place to Be", veteran television news journalist and former NewsHour correspondent Roger Mudd describes more than 20 years working in the Washington bureau of CBS News and assesses the future of the television news business.

	April 8, 2008 Poet Profile: Mary Jo Bang Poet Mary Jo Bang reads some of her poems.

	April 7, 2008 Most Iraq War Movies Enjoy Little Box Office Success While a plethora of recent movies have focused on the Iraq war, few have succeeded at the box office. The director of the new film "Stop-Loss" and a film critic discuss this phenomenon.

	April 3, 2008 Steve Coll Explores Bin Ladens In his book "The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century," Steve Coll chronicles the lives and fortunes of the family from which Osama bin Laden came. He answers your questions here.



	MARCH March 28, 2008 South by Southwest Festival Changes Music's Tune For about a week each year, hundreds of bands perform at more than 80 venues throughout Austin at the annual South by Southwest festival, which has become a major showcase for budding and established musicians, the music industry and music fans.

	March 28, 2008 Documenting the 'The Bin Ladens:' From the Political to the Personal Author and journalist Steve Coll's new book "The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century" documents Osama bin Laden's upbringing and family environment. Coll discusses his new book with Margaret Warner.

	March 12, 2008 HBO's 'John Adams' Takes Fresh Look at Founding Father A new HBO miniseries based on a Pulitzer-Prize winning biography by David McCullough aims to present an authentic portrayal of the life and times of America's second president, John Adams. McCullough and actor Paul Giamatti, who plays Adams in the series, discuss the production.

	March 3, 2008 Poetry of Li-Young Lee Is 'Descended from Dreamers' Li-Young Lee was born in Jakarta, Indonesia, to Chinese parents who had been exiled from China. After fleeing the regime of Indonesian President Sukarno in 1959 through Hong Kong, Macau and Japan, his family settled in the United States in 1964. He shares two poems from his recent collection.

	March 3, 2008 Poet Profile: Li-Young Lee Poet Li-Young Lee reads some of his poems.



	FEBRUARY Feb. 28, 2008 'Juno' Raises Questions About Teen Pregnancy "Juno" -- a popular film about a teenage girl who gets pregnant and gives her baby away -- won the 2008 Oscar for best original screenplay. Essayist Anne Taylor Fleming reflects on how teen pregnancy is portrayed in popular media.

	Feb. 28, 2008 New York Times Article Questions PBS's Relevancy On Sunday, Feb. 17, The New York Times published an article entitled "Is PBS Still Necessary?" The piece touched off debate within the Times community, and when the paper's Web site later closed its comments section, the article had received more than 800 responses. The NewsHour has received more than 6,600 responses.

	Feb. 26, 2008 N.Y. Philharmonic Strikes Accord in N. Korea with Concert The New York Philharmonic performed in North Korea Tuesday, the first major U.S. cultural organization -- and the largest contingent of Americans -- to visit the isolationist country in more than 50 years. Experts evaluate the event and its historical context.

	Feb. 21, 2008 NAACP Chairman Recalls Work on Civil Rights Documentary Following a reprise of the documentary "Eyes on the Prize" that chronicled the civil rights movement in America, NAACP Chairman Julian Bond, who was part of the movement and the narrator of the series, discusses the series' significance after 20 years.

	Feb. 21, 2008 Pittsburgh Museum Reinvents Model of Dinosaur Exhibit The Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh renovated its dinosaur exhibit to provide a more realistic picture of how dinosaurs lived and interacted with one another more than 100 million years ago.

	Feb. 21, 2008 Dinosaur Bones Get a New Look in Pittsburgh Museum Restoration The Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh's recent overhaul of its dinosaur exhibit is drawing worldwide attention because it uses paleontologists' most up-to-date knowledge about how dinosaurs, and the other animals of their time, looked and lived.

	Feb. 19, 2008 Sony's Blu-ray Wins DVD 'Format War' over Rival Toshiba Toshiba said Tuesday that it would stop developing its own high-definition DVD player, known as HD DVD, leaving the market to Sony's Blu-ray format. The Wall Street Journal's technology columnist explains the move and its likely impact on consumers.

	Feb. 18, 2008 Rome's 'Nostoi' Marks Homecoming of Italian Artwork Over the centuries, archaeologists and looters unearthed ancient sculptures and other works of art on the Italian peninsula, taking their finds home with them. Now, with "Nostoi," Greek for "return home," Rome celebrates the return of many of these masterpieces to the land of their creation.

	Feb. 14, 2008 Elizabeth Bishop's Writings Honored by Library of America The Library of America is publishing the collected works and letters of celebrated poet Elizabeth Bishop -- marking the first time it has done so for a woman poet. Two of Bishop's friends discuss and read her work.

	Feb. 13, 2008 TV Writers Vote to End Union's 3-Month Strike Members of the Writers Guild of America returned to work Wednesday, after voting to end a 100-day strike that left many out of work and TV shows in reruns. Michael Winship, president of the WGA-East, discusses the details of the agreement reached with the studios.

	Feb. 13, 2008 Reporter Discusses Impact of the Writers Strike Members of the Writers Guild of America returned to work Wednesday, after voting to end a 100-day strike that left many out of work and TV shows in re-runs. Carl DiOrio of the Hollywood Reporter discusses the impact that the strike has had on Guild members and the Los Angeles economy.

	Feb. 12, 2008 Doctor Explores Decision-making and Diagnoses Harvard Medical School's Dr. Jerome Groopman came up with the idea for his book "How Doctors Think" while watching medical students make snap judgments while diagnosing patients. Groopman talks about how doctors get diagnoses right and sometimes wrong.



	JANUARY Jan. 31, 2008 New Book Looks at Elite Universities Through a Satirical Lens In a conversation with Jeffrey Brown, novelist and NewsHour essayist Roger Rosenblatt discusses his new book, "Beet," which takes a satirical look at college life. The novel focuses on a fictional elite university of the same title, which looks for new ways to regain its past glory.

	Jan. 25, 2008 Writers' Strike Centers on Internet 'Residuals' The Writer's Guild of America has been on strike for several months now, a strike called over a dispute on 'residuals' -- money made mostly by DVD sales and Internet streaming of television shows. Jeffrey Kaye of KCET Los Angeles reports on the status of the negotiating stalemate between the WGA and the networks.

	Jan. 15, 2008 Detroit Museum Struggles to Maintain Identity, Attract New Art Lovers The Detroit Institute of Arts completed a six-year, $158 million makeover in 2007, including the addition of interactive exhibits and a spotlight on local artists. Jeffrey Brown reports on the new efforts to attract visitors and survive amid state economic woes.

	Jan. 10, 2008 'Homo Politicus' Takes Jab at Washington Political Circles Ray Suarez talks to Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank about his new book "Homo Politicus: The Strange and Scary Tribes That Run Our Government," -- which takes a humorous, anthropological view of Washington D.C.'s politicians and media.

	Jan. 2, 2008 HBO's 'The Wire' Explores Troubled Side of Baltimore Jeffrey Brown reports on the HBO series "The Wire," which looks at the troubled streets of Baltimore through an unusual lens, and talks to creator David Simon about his attempt to break the traditional "cop show" genre.

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	China Prepares for 2008 Olympics Massive construction, pollution and public image are all factors in China's preparations for the 2008 Olympic Games.

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