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"content": "\u003cp>Walking into Oakland Theater Project’s \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandtheaterproject.org/ships\">\u003cem>A Thousand Ships\u003c/em>\u003c/a> is like walking into an Oakland neighborhood hair salon just before business hours. Quite literally, in fact. The intimate set — designed by Randy Wong-Westbrooke and sumptuously lit by Dr. Stephanie Anne Johnson — encloses the assembled audience within the salon’s interior. Leatherette-covered swivel chairs extend into the seating arrangements. An assortment of framed photographs of notable Black women adorn the walls, spiraling around a small sandpit in the center of the room. This sandpit grounds the action from scene to scene — from 1944 to 2008 — from the banks of a baptismal river to the last car of a West-bound train. [aside postid='arts_13968828']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This ever-present sand shifting beneath the feet of the actors provides a tangible symbol for so many of the play’s fleeting themes. Of arrival and departure. Of baptism and beauty. Of being cast upon a foreign shore and made to work the land. Of the longing to reclaim a piece of land lost for oneself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There must have been a moment during the development of Marcus Gardley’s script for \u003cem>A Thousand Ships\u003c/em> when its current storyline emerged — as it’s quite a departure from the original concept that garnered it a Hewlett 50 Arts Commission (in association with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13966472/cal-shakes-to-close-down-citing-insurmountable-financial-impasse\">Cal Shakes\u003c/a>) in 2017. That production promised to revisit the Richmond shipyards during World War II through oral history and vernacular music, a concept Gardley explored in \u003cem>This World in a Woman’s Hands\u003c/em>, produced by Shotgun Players in 2009. But while there’s a single scene in the play that does take place in the shipyards (with choreography by Latanya d. Tigner and music by longtime Gardley collaborator Molly Holm), this play is mainly centered around an Oakland salon on the brink of foreclosure — and the decades-long friendship between its co-owners.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13969609\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13969609\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_113-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1769\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_113-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_113-800x553.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_113-1020x705.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_113-160x111.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_113-768x531.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_113-1536x1061.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_113-2048x1415.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_113-1920x1327.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dawn L. Troupe as Laney Melrose Durant in ‘A Thousand Ships’ at Oakland Theater Project. \u003ccite>(Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Gardley’s work frequently blurs the lines between the earthly and the epic, and threads of the metaphysical are woven throughout this piece. At the top, Adrian Roberts as the Father of Water delivers a stately, poetic monologue ruminating on the nature of water and the cycles of history. The play’s matriarchs bestow blessings upon their kin that simultaneously reach into the past for inspiration yet call on an unwritten future. Like mythic ancestors, the two protagonists — Adeline Merritt Lake (Halili Knox), and Laney Melrose Durant (Dawn L. Troupe) — represent so much of Oakland even in their names alone. They’re everywomen who are both enchantingly 100% themselves, but also the culmination of those who came before them and those yet to be.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Knox and Troupe are equally charismatic, and their respective performances complement each other’s strengths (even if neither \u003cem>quite\u003c/em> pulls off a convincing octogenarian). But it might be Rolanda D. Bell who really steals the show as neighborhood gossip and unapologetic Republican, “First Lady” Bella Vista Montclair. From the instant she enters the room shaking a miniature tambourine, she grabs hold of our attention and does not let it go. Wonderfully worldly — yet deeply concerned with the matters of the spirit — Bell’s First Lady encompasses multitudes, and leaves an indelible impression.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13969610\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13969610\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_132-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1832\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_132-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_132-1-800x572.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_132-1-1020x730.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_132-1-160x114.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_132-1-768x550.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_132-1-1536x1099.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_132-1-2048x1465.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_132-1-1920x1374.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rolanda D. Bell as First Lady in ‘A Thousand Ships’ at Oakland Theater Project. \u003ccite>(Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Somewhat less impactful, the play’s younger generation feel less fully realized as characters and more like filler foils for their storied elders. Two are Laney’s grown children — played by Sam Jackson and William Heartfield — and the third is First Lady’s personal assistant Dimond, played humorously by Jasmine Milan Williams, who exaggerates her character’s advancing pregnancy with much huffing and mincing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s a disappointingly tepid embezzlement plot point that doesn’t really amp up the tension, and results in an even more lukewarm conflict between Jackson’s Laurel Durant Bancroft and Heartfield’s MacArthur Bancroft. It’s almost impossible to really root for either of them as written, although Jackson at least is given a transformative moment of music that hints at the emotional depths her character struggles to otherwise reveal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13969611\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13969611\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_197-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_197-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_197-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_197-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_197-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_197-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_197-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_197-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_197-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dawn L. Troupe (left) as Laney Melrose Durant, William Hartfield (center) as MacArthur Bancroft and Sam Jackson (right) as Laurel Durant Bancroft. \u003ccite>(Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It should be noted that despite the Dec. 15 show being originally billed as opening night, Oakland Theater Project made a last minute decision to extend their previews — but to still let press review that preview. So it’s to be expected that evident lags in momentum and memorization will be ironed out by their new official opening night, on Dec. 19. Director Michael Socrates Moran has been bringing Gardley’s work to life for ten years now, and has a keen ear for the distinctive rhythms of his work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What will likely not be addressed for this run is the puzzling disconnect between the play’s elders and their heirs, who stand to inherit their legacy, but who feel ill-suited to bear that weight. I’d love to see Gardley revisit these characters again when they’re better prepared to step into their own power, and shape a narrative of their own. With ancestors as magnificent as Adeline and Laney, they’ll have a solid foundation to build from, and plenty of forward momentum.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘\u003ca href=\"https://oaklandtheaterproject.org/ships\">A Thousand Ships\u003c/a>’ runs at Oakland Theater Project through Jan. 5. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"title": "Review: ‘A Thousand Ships’ at Oakland Theater Project | KQED",
"description": "Marcus Gardley's long-awaited play at Oakland Theater Project travels through six decades of local history.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Walking into Oakland Theater Project’s \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandtheaterproject.org/ships\">\u003cem>A Thousand Ships\u003c/em>\u003c/a> is like walking into an Oakland neighborhood hair salon just before business hours. Quite literally, in fact. The intimate set — designed by Randy Wong-Westbrooke and sumptuously lit by Dr. Stephanie Anne Johnson — encloses the assembled audience within the salon’s interior. Leatherette-covered swivel chairs extend into the seating arrangements. An assortment of framed photographs of notable Black women adorn the walls, spiraling around a small sandpit in the center of the room. This sandpit grounds the action from scene to scene — from 1944 to 2008 — from the banks of a baptismal river to the last car of a West-bound train. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This ever-present sand shifting beneath the feet of the actors provides a tangible symbol for so many of the play’s fleeting themes. Of arrival and departure. Of baptism and beauty. Of being cast upon a foreign shore and made to work the land. Of the longing to reclaim a piece of land lost for oneself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There must have been a moment during the development of Marcus Gardley’s script for \u003cem>A Thousand Ships\u003c/em> when its current storyline emerged — as it’s quite a departure from the original concept that garnered it a Hewlett 50 Arts Commission (in association with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13966472/cal-shakes-to-close-down-citing-insurmountable-financial-impasse\">Cal Shakes\u003c/a>) in 2017. That production promised to revisit the Richmond shipyards during World War II through oral history and vernacular music, a concept Gardley explored in \u003cem>This World in a Woman’s Hands\u003c/em>, produced by Shotgun Players in 2009. But while there’s a single scene in the play that does take place in the shipyards (with choreography by Latanya d. Tigner and music by longtime Gardley collaborator Molly Holm), this play is mainly centered around an Oakland salon on the brink of foreclosure — and the decades-long friendship between its co-owners.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13969609\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13969609\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_113-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1769\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_113-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_113-800x553.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_113-1020x705.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_113-160x111.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_113-768x531.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_113-1536x1061.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_113-2048x1415.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_113-1920x1327.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dawn L. Troupe as Laney Melrose Durant in ‘A Thousand Ships’ at Oakland Theater Project. \u003ccite>(Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Gardley’s work frequently blurs the lines between the earthly and the epic, and threads of the metaphysical are woven throughout this piece. At the top, Adrian Roberts as the Father of Water delivers a stately, poetic monologue ruminating on the nature of water and the cycles of history. The play’s matriarchs bestow blessings upon their kin that simultaneously reach into the past for inspiration yet call on an unwritten future. Like mythic ancestors, the two protagonists — Adeline Merritt Lake (Halili Knox), and Laney Melrose Durant (Dawn L. Troupe) — represent so much of Oakland even in their names alone. They’re everywomen who are both enchantingly 100% themselves, but also the culmination of those who came before them and those yet to be.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Knox and Troupe are equally charismatic, and their respective performances complement each other’s strengths (even if neither \u003cem>quite\u003c/em> pulls off a convincing octogenarian). But it might be Rolanda D. Bell who really steals the show as neighborhood gossip and unapologetic Republican, “First Lady” Bella Vista Montclair. From the instant she enters the room shaking a miniature tambourine, she grabs hold of our attention and does not let it go. Wonderfully worldly — yet deeply concerned with the matters of the spirit — Bell’s First Lady encompasses multitudes, and leaves an indelible impression.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13969610\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13969610\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_132-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1832\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_132-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_132-1-800x572.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_132-1-1020x730.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_132-1-160x114.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_132-1-768x550.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_132-1-1536x1099.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_132-1-2048x1465.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_132-1-1920x1374.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rolanda D. Bell as First Lady in ‘A Thousand Ships’ at Oakland Theater Project. \u003ccite>(Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Somewhat less impactful, the play’s younger generation feel less fully realized as characters and more like filler foils for their storied elders. Two are Laney’s grown children — played by Sam Jackson and William Heartfield — and the third is First Lady’s personal assistant Dimond, played humorously by Jasmine Milan Williams, who exaggerates her character’s advancing pregnancy with much huffing and mincing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s a disappointingly tepid embezzlement plot point that doesn’t really amp up the tension, and results in an even more lukewarm conflict between Jackson’s Laurel Durant Bancroft and Heartfield’s MacArthur Bancroft. It’s almost impossible to really root for either of them as written, although Jackson at least is given a transformative moment of music that hints at the emotional depths her character struggles to otherwise reveal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13969611\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13969611\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_197-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_197-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_197-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_197-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_197-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_197-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_197-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_197-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/1000_Ships_2024_197-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dawn L. Troupe (left) as Laney Melrose Durant, William Hartfield (center) as MacArthur Bancroft and Sam Jackson (right) as Laurel Durant Bancroft. \u003ccite>(Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It should be noted that despite the Dec. 15 show being originally billed as opening night, Oakland Theater Project made a last minute decision to extend their previews — but to still let press review that preview. So it’s to be expected that evident lags in momentum and memorization will be ironed out by their new official opening night, on Dec. 19. Director Michael Socrates Moran has been bringing Gardley’s work to life for ten years now, and has a keen ear for the distinctive rhythms of his work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What will likely not be addressed for this run is the puzzling disconnect between the play’s elders and their heirs, who stand to inherit their legacy, but who feel ill-suited to bear that weight. I’d love to see Gardley revisit these characters again when they’re better prepared to step into their own power, and shape a narrative of their own. With ancestors as magnificent as Adeline and Laney, they’ll have a solid foundation to build from, and plenty of forward momentum.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘\u003ca href=\"https://oaklandtheaterproject.org/ships\">A Thousand Ships\u003c/a>’ runs at Oakland Theater Project through Jan. 5. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "barry-jenkins-brings-fresh-energy-to-the-lion-king-prequel-mufasa",
"title": "Barry Jenkins Brings Fresh Energy to the ‘Lion King’ Prequel ‘Mufasa’",
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"headTitle": "Barry Jenkins Brings Fresh Energy to the ‘Lion King’ Prequel ‘Mufasa’ | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>Mufasa: The Lion King\u003c/em> has one very important thing going for it: an original story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That may seem like faint praise or at least a very, very low bar in the grand scheme of things. But in a landscape where Disney continues to remake its animated catalogue in slightly different, and usually less interesting, forms whether “live action” or “photorealistic” that usually only serves to remind how good the 2D animation was, originality is not to be undervalued.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='pop_112841']And this story isn’t simply checking off fan service boxes and overexplaining origins that never needed them: It’s actually good. A prequel to \u003cem>The Lion King\u003c/em>, opening in theaters Thursday, it’s a tale of found family, betrayal and destiny, one that begins to explain the estrangement between brothers Scar and Mufasa that we all know will end in murder, how Mufasa ( Aaron Pierre ) ends up as king of the pride lands and, perhaps most importantly, why only one has an English accent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In this telling, Scar was once Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), destined to be king of his pride, and Mufasa was a lost cub, separated from his parents in a dramatic flood. Taka saves Mufasa and brings him into his family. His mother (Thandiwe Newton) embraces the newcomer; his father (Lennie James) rejects him as nothing but a stray. Not that it matters much to the cubs; both are thrilled to have a brother. They play and protect one another and grow up together. But fissures start to appear in this foundation as Mufasa emerges as the exceptional one and Taka as the coward. And then a lioness enters the picture in Sarabi (Tiffany Boone). We’ve all seen enough movies to know what happens with that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o17MF9vnabg\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The screenplay comes from veteran screenwriter Jeff Nathanson, whose credits include the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/pop/112871/new-lion-king-remake-is-more-creative-dead-end-than-circle-of-life\">2019 \u003cem>Lion King\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, this year’s lovely \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13958855/young-woman-and-the-sea-review-daisy-ridley-as-trudy-ederle-channel-swim\">\u003cem>Young Woman and the Sea\u003c/em> \u003c/a>and Catch Me If You Can. He clearly took a corporate mandate (give us more \u003cem>Lion King\u003c/em>) and made the absolute least cynical version of that. There are still questionable corporate-feeling choices, like straining to tie it to a current and future \u003cem>Lion King\u003c/em> by having Rafiki (John Kani) tell the story to Simba (\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/pop/tag/donald-glover\">Donald Glover\u003c/a>) and Nala’s (\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/beyonce\">Beyoncé\u003c/a>) daughter Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter), Pumbaa (Seth Rogen) and Timon (Billy Eichner). These comedic breaks, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/lin-manuel-miranda\">Lin-Manuel Miranda\u003c/a>’s songs peppered throughout, aren’t additive. They really only serve to break up the momentum of the compelling main story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the biggest issue remains the form itself. The photo-realistic computer-generated animals may have technically improved since the 2019 \u003cem>Lion King\u003c/em>, but they still aren’t movie stars like their 2D animation counterparts. Impressive though it may be intellectually, the reality of watching these animals for two hours is a somewhat numbing and dull experience despite the best efforts of director Barry Jenkins.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13969527']The Oscar-winning filmmaker of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13927554/barry-jenkins-nicholas-britell-interview-soundbox-san-francisco-symphony\">\u003cem>Moonlight\u003c/em>\u003c/a> did an admirable job adding visual interest and color into the landscapes, bringing it closer to the vibrancy of animation than ever before, and making it as cinematic as possible. The original story also helps here in that he was never going to have to recreate iconic sequences in a less stimulating form. There are just inherent limitations that filmmakers have not yet figured out, including how odd it looks for these animals’ mouths to be moving and speaking English words. It’s strangest when they’re singing, mouths agape to hold the long notes in a way that no lion’s mouth should ever appear.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If this is one future for filmmaking there’s still a lot of room for improvement and experimentation. That doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be embraced while the kinks are worked out. But it also doesn’t mean the moviegoing public has to get excited about every rehash. \u003cem>Mufasa: The Lion King\u003c/em> is better than the ones that came before it, but that doesn’t mean it’s great.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ is released nationwide on Dec. 20, 2024.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>And this story isn’t simply checking off fan service boxes and overexplaining origins that never needed them: It’s actually good. A prequel to \u003cem>The Lion King\u003c/em>, opening in theaters Thursday, it’s a tale of found family, betrayal and destiny, one that begins to explain the estrangement between brothers Scar and Mufasa that we all know will end in murder, how Mufasa ( Aaron Pierre ) ends up as king of the pride lands and, perhaps most importantly, why only one has an English accent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In this telling, Scar was once Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), destined to be king of his pride, and Mufasa was a lost cub, separated from his parents in a dramatic flood. Taka saves Mufasa and brings him into his family. His mother (Thandiwe Newton) embraces the newcomer; his father (Lennie James) rejects him as nothing but a stray. Not that it matters much to the cubs; both are thrilled to have a brother. They play and protect one another and grow up together. But fissures start to appear in this foundation as Mufasa emerges as the exceptional one and Taka as the coward. And then a lioness enters the picture in Sarabi (Tiffany Boone). We’ve all seen enough movies to know what happens with that.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/o17MF9vnabg'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/o17MF9vnabg'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The screenplay comes from veteran screenwriter Jeff Nathanson, whose credits include the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/pop/112871/new-lion-king-remake-is-more-creative-dead-end-than-circle-of-life\">2019 \u003cem>Lion King\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, this year’s lovely \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13958855/young-woman-and-the-sea-review-daisy-ridley-as-trudy-ederle-channel-swim\">\u003cem>Young Woman and the Sea\u003c/em> \u003c/a>and Catch Me If You Can. He clearly took a corporate mandate (give us more \u003cem>Lion King\u003c/em>) and made the absolute least cynical version of that. There are still questionable corporate-feeling choices, like straining to tie it to a current and future \u003cem>Lion King\u003c/em> by having Rafiki (John Kani) tell the story to Simba (\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/pop/tag/donald-glover\">Donald Glover\u003c/a>) and Nala’s (\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/beyonce\">Beyoncé\u003c/a>) daughter Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter), Pumbaa (Seth Rogen) and Timon (Billy Eichner). These comedic breaks, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/lin-manuel-miranda\">Lin-Manuel Miranda\u003c/a>’s songs peppered throughout, aren’t additive. They really only serve to break up the momentum of the compelling main story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the biggest issue remains the form itself. The photo-realistic computer-generated animals may have technically improved since the 2019 \u003cem>Lion King\u003c/em>, but they still aren’t movie stars like their 2D animation counterparts. Impressive though it may be intellectually, the reality of watching these animals for two hours is a somewhat numbing and dull experience despite the best efforts of director Barry Jenkins.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The Oscar-winning filmmaker of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13927554/barry-jenkins-nicholas-britell-interview-soundbox-san-francisco-symphony\">\u003cem>Moonlight\u003c/em>\u003c/a> did an admirable job adding visual interest and color into the landscapes, bringing it closer to the vibrancy of animation than ever before, and making it as cinematic as possible. The original story also helps here in that he was never going to have to recreate iconic sequences in a less stimulating form. There are just inherent limitations that filmmakers have not yet figured out, including how odd it looks for these animals’ mouths to be moving and speaking English words. It’s strangest when they’re singing, mouths agape to hold the long notes in a way that no lion’s mouth should ever appear.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If this is one future for filmmaking there’s still a lot of room for improvement and experimentation. That doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be embraced while the kinks are worked out. But it also doesn’t mean the moviegoing public has to get excited about every rehash. \u003cem>Mufasa: The Lion King\u003c/em> is better than the ones that came before it, but that doesn’t mean it’s great.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ is released nationwide on Dec. 20, 2024.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Veteran documentarian Alex Gibney, who in a decades-long career has tackled many a thorny issue, wasn’t planning a film about Israel — until one day last year, when a stunning leak fell into his hands.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The leak turned out to be more like a deluge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13968446']Suddenly, Gibney, through a source who contacted him on the Signal messaging app, was being offered access to copious video recordings of police interviews with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his wife Sara, his son Yair, and a host of associates and benefactors, all conducted as part of the sprawling corruption case against Netanyahu. It amounted to an astonishing 1,000-plus hours of tapes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Oscar-winning filmmaker didn’t speak Hebrew, but sensed this was something big. He turned to longtime Israeli investigative reporter Raviv Drucker, who did a deep dive into the material, Gibney says, and showed him that “we had something that was very explosive.” Then Gibney enlisted colleague Alexis Bloom, who had worked in Israel, to direct.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The result: \u003cem>The Bibi Files\u003c/em>, a hard-hitting documentary that certainly has timing on its side — this week, as it was released on streaming, Netanyahu took the stand in the long-running case.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the timing is fortuitous, the film faced other obstacles. For one thing, Gibney and Bloom had to raise funds without disclosing to potential backers what they had, given the secrecy involved. Many potential backers and distributors were also nervous about getting involved, especially once war broke out after the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then there was the biggest obstacle of all: The film cannot legally be shown in Israel, due to privacy laws regulating such proceedings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That doesn’t mean Israelis aren’t seeing it, though. Many have managed to watch the film either by using a VPN to bypass streaming restrictions, or by watching leaked versions that made their way to social media. “The film is being pirated like wildfire in Israel,” says Bloom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And it has made a predictable splash, just as Netanyahu becomes the first sitting Israeli leader to take the stand as a criminal defendant. On Tuesday, he promised defiantly to knock down the “absurd” corruption allegations against him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaA4uZ5zbHM&rco=1\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The longest-serving prime minister in Israel’s history is charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate cases. He is accused of accepting tens of thousands of dollars worth of cigars and champagne from a billionaire Hollywood producer in exchange for assistance with personal and business interests, and of promoting advantageous regulations for media moguls in exchange for favorable coverage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13967651']In the leaked police videos, the 75-year-old leader sits at his desk in a surprisingly cramped office, a map of the region behind him. He expresses outrage at the proceedings, calls witnesses liars, and notes he has much weightier matters to attend to. At one point, asked about numbers of champagne bottles, he says he spends his time counting missiles threatening Israel, not bottles. Frequently, his answer is he doesn’t remember.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have a number of people on the record telling us what a great memory he has,” says Gibney. “And almost every question that could be possibly incriminating, he says ‘I can’t recall.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Reviews in Israeli media for \u003cem>The Bibi Files\u003c/em> have mostly been positive, while noting that Netanyahu is portrayed in a harsh light. Not surprisingly, public reaction reflects longstanding divisions over the polarizing leader. He and his supporters say he’s the subject of a witch hunt orchestrated by a hostile media and biased justice system out to topple his rule.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Netanyahu’s opponents will swear by the film and will only become more convinced that he is corrupt, dizzy with power and leading us to destruction,” Nir Wolf, TV critic for the Netanyahu-friendly \u003cem>Israel Hayom\u003c/em> paper, wrote. “His supporters will want to embrace him more.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Netanyahu has also noticed the film. In September, his lawyer asked the country’s attorney general to investigate Drucker, who is a co-producer with Gibney, accusing him of trying to influence the legal proceedings. No investigation has been launched. (In the film, Drucker notes that Netanyahu has previously sued him three times.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The film, which intersperses police footage with commentary from former officials, Netanyahu associates, journalists and other analysts — including, frequently, Drucker — begins with the prime minister sitting for his first interview.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13966836']“With Netanyahu, nothing concentrates his mind more than the sound of the prison gate slammed behind his back,” comments Nimrod Novik, a former adviser to late Prime Minister Shimon Peres. One of Gibney and Bloom’s key arguments will be that Netanyahu’s fear of potential prison time has influenced his policy decisions — from judicial reform to war.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Netanyahu appears indignant throughout. “You’re asking me delusional questions,” he tells his questioners. “This is preposterous and insane.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In other footage, Arnon Milchan, the billionaire Hollywood mogul, Netanyahu friend and, more recently, prosecution witness, describes delivering fancy pink champagne on demand for Sara Netanyahu, sometimes toting a cooler himself, as part of an alleged gifts-for-favors scheme. Elsewhere, Sara Netanyahu sits for questioning herself. “How are you not ashamed of yourselves?” she sharply admonishes the interviewers. She tells them that outside Israel, her husband is justly received as a king.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Footage also includes interviews with Israeli-American billionaires Sheldon and Miriam Adelson. Sheldon Adelson expresses discomfort with the friendship — “I don’t think I’ll continue the relationship with them” — and dismay over the cost of Netanyahu’s preferred Cuban cigars: $1,100 for a box of 10.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And a combative Yair Netanyahu, the couple’s 33-year old son, tells his questioners: “You’re investigating me because the Israeli police has become the Stasi secret police, wanting to overthrow the government.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Director Bloom insists the film is not intended to preach to the choir — that it is made not for leftist opponents of Netanyahu, but for centrists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You know, a hardcore Bibi-ist is probably going to remain a hardcore Bibi-est,” the director says. “But there are a lot of centrists. … And it’s very much a portrait of one family. I don’t think it’s anti-Israel, in the slightest.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The filmmakers say they paused after the Oct. 7 attack, trying to figure out how to approach it. As part of the historical context in the film, they include chilling scenes of the raid on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What was this going to mean?” Gibney says they wondered. “With a bit of time, it became clear that this tale that we started before Oct. 7 remained a story of corruption — the size of the corruption kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13966737']The film, which began streaming Wednesday on the new service Jolt, draws a direct connection between Netanyahu’s legal problems and the war. Through various commentators, it argues that the criminal cases led the prime minister to launch a campaign to weaken the country’s judiciary, which in turn sparked mass protests and divisions that created an image of national weakness and led Hamas to attack. (Netanyahu rejects all such accusations).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bloom says she hopes people will, having watched \u003cem>The Bibi Files\u003c/em>, consider the idea that “term limits are a good idea.” (Netanyahu has served a total of 17 years as prime minister.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And she also hopes they will take away a simple concept. “It’s OK to criticize the prime minister of Israel, and it’s not antisemitic and it’s not anti-Israel,” the director says. “He’s a political leader, like any other. “\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.jolt.film/watch/the-bibi-files\">‘The Bibi Files’ is streaming on Jolt\u003c/a> until March 16, 2025.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Associated Press writer Tia Goldenberg in Jerusalem contributed to this report\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the timing is fortuitous, the film faced other obstacles. For one thing, Gibney and Bloom had to raise funds without disclosing to potential backers what they had, given the secrecy involved. Many potential backers and distributors were also nervous about getting involved, especially once war broke out after the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then there was the biggest obstacle of all: The film cannot legally be shown in Israel, due to privacy laws regulating such proceedings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That doesn’t mean Israelis aren’t seeing it, though. Many have managed to watch the film either by using a VPN to bypass streaming restrictions, or by watching leaked versions that made their way to social media. “The film is being pirated like wildfire in Israel,” says Bloom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And it has made a predictable splash, just as Netanyahu becomes the first sitting Israeli leader to take the stand as a criminal defendant. On Tuesday, he promised defiantly to knock down the “absurd” corruption allegations against him.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/qaA4uZ5zbHM'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/qaA4uZ5zbHM'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>The longest-serving prime minister in Israel’s history is charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate cases. He is accused of accepting tens of thousands of dollars worth of cigars and champagne from a billionaire Hollywood producer in exchange for assistance with personal and business interests, and of promoting advantageous regulations for media moguls in exchange for favorable coverage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>In the leaked police videos, the 75-year-old leader sits at his desk in a surprisingly cramped office, a map of the region behind him. He expresses outrage at the proceedings, calls witnesses liars, and notes he has much weightier matters to attend to. At one point, asked about numbers of champagne bottles, he says he spends his time counting missiles threatening Israel, not bottles. Frequently, his answer is he doesn’t remember.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have a number of people on the record telling us what a great memory he has,” says Gibney. “And almost every question that could be possibly incriminating, he says ‘I can’t recall.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Reviews in Israeli media for \u003cem>The Bibi Files\u003c/em> have mostly been positive, while noting that Netanyahu is portrayed in a harsh light. Not surprisingly, public reaction reflects longstanding divisions over the polarizing leader. He and his supporters say he’s the subject of a witch hunt orchestrated by a hostile media and biased justice system out to topple his rule.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Netanyahu’s opponents will swear by the film and will only become more convinced that he is corrupt, dizzy with power and leading us to destruction,” Nir Wolf, TV critic for the Netanyahu-friendly \u003cem>Israel Hayom\u003c/em> paper, wrote. “His supporters will want to embrace him more.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Netanyahu has also noticed the film. In September, his lawyer asked the country’s attorney general to investigate Drucker, who is a co-producer with Gibney, accusing him of trying to influence the legal proceedings. No investigation has been launched. (In the film, Drucker notes that Netanyahu has previously sued him three times.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The film, which intersperses police footage with commentary from former officials, Netanyahu associates, journalists and other analysts — including, frequently, Drucker — begins with the prime minister sitting for his first interview.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“With Netanyahu, nothing concentrates his mind more than the sound of the prison gate slammed behind his back,” comments Nimrod Novik, a former adviser to late Prime Minister Shimon Peres. One of Gibney and Bloom’s key arguments will be that Netanyahu’s fear of potential prison time has influenced his policy decisions — from judicial reform to war.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Netanyahu appears indignant throughout. “You’re asking me delusional questions,” he tells his questioners. “This is preposterous and insane.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In other footage, Arnon Milchan, the billionaire Hollywood mogul, Netanyahu friend and, more recently, prosecution witness, describes delivering fancy pink champagne on demand for Sara Netanyahu, sometimes toting a cooler himself, as part of an alleged gifts-for-favors scheme. Elsewhere, Sara Netanyahu sits for questioning herself. “How are you not ashamed of yourselves?” she sharply admonishes the interviewers. She tells them that outside Israel, her husband is justly received as a king.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Footage also includes interviews with Israeli-American billionaires Sheldon and Miriam Adelson. Sheldon Adelson expresses discomfort with the friendship — “I don’t think I’ll continue the relationship with them” — and dismay over the cost of Netanyahu’s preferred Cuban cigars: $1,100 for a box of 10.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And a combative Yair Netanyahu, the couple’s 33-year old son, tells his questioners: “You’re investigating me because the Israeli police has become the Stasi secret police, wanting to overthrow the government.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Director Bloom insists the film is not intended to preach to the choir — that it is made not for leftist opponents of Netanyahu, but for centrists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You know, a hardcore Bibi-ist is probably going to remain a hardcore Bibi-est,” the director says. “But there are a lot of centrists. … And it’s very much a portrait of one family. I don’t think it’s anti-Israel, in the slightest.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The filmmakers say they paused after the Oct. 7 attack, trying to figure out how to approach it. As part of the historical context in the film, they include chilling scenes of the raid on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What was this going to mean?” Gibney says they wondered. “With a bit of time, it became clear that this tale that we started before Oct. 7 remained a story of corruption — the size of the corruption kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The film, which began streaming Wednesday on the new service Jolt, draws a direct connection between Netanyahu’s legal problems and the war. Through various commentators, it argues that the criminal cases led the prime minister to launch a campaign to weaken the country’s judiciary, which in turn sparked mass protests and divisions that created an image of national weakness and led Hamas to attack. (Netanyahu rejects all such accusations).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bloom says she hopes people will, having watched \u003cem>The Bibi Files\u003c/em>, consider the idea that “term limits are a good idea.” (Netanyahu has served a total of 17 years as prime minister.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And she also hopes they will take away a simple concept. “It’s OK to criticize the prime minister of Israel, and it’s not antisemitic and it’s not anti-Israel,” the director says. “He’s a political leader, like any other. “\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.jolt.film/watch/the-bibi-files\">‘The Bibi Files’ is streaming on Jolt\u003c/a> until March 16, 2025.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Associated Press writer Tia Goldenberg in Jerusalem contributed to this report\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "10 Biographies and Memoirs for the Nonfiction Reader in Your Life",
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"content": "\u003cp>There’s one in every family — that uncle or sister-in-law who \u003cem>only \u003c/em>reads nonfiction. As you seek out \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13969192/the-best-books-i-read-in-the-final-months-of-2024\">the perfect read\u003c/a> for your loved ones this year, we can help you find beautifully told true stories. There are more than 50 biographies and memoirs featured in Books We Love, NPR’s annual year-end reading guide. \u003ca href=\"https://apps.npr.org/best-books/#tags=biography+%26+memoir&view=covers&year=2024\">Check them all out here,\u003c/a> or browse a sampling, below.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1045x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F2b%2F28%2Face5ecaa4efda6d5aa3ef8ca86a2%2Fconsent.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Pantheon)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Consent: A Memoir \u003c/em>by Jill Ciment\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>After the death of her husband of nearly 50 years, Jill Ciment reconsiders their relationship, which began when she was 17 and he was her much older, married drawing instructor. She first wrote about their early years together in \u003cem>Half a Life,\u003c/em> when she was in her 40s and he was in his 70s. In \u003cem>Consent,\u003c/em> she scrutinizes and amplifies that account in light of the #MeToo movement and changing social attitudes. Did she have the agency to consent? Was he a letch? Was she a vixen? How could she have known as a teenager that he was the love of her life? — \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/131512385/heller-mcalpin\">Heller McAlpin\u003c/a>, book critic\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/987x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fed%2F38%2F5759a7e74fcb8aac590733c22528%2Fa-fatal-inheritance.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Henry Holt and Co.)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘A Fatal Inheritance: How a Family Misfortune Revealed a Deadly Medical Mystery’ by\u003c/strong> \u003cstrong>Lawrence Ingrassia\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In 1968, when journalist Lawrence Ingrassia was 15, his mother died of breast cancer at age 42. “It was tragic, but what was there to say?” he writes. Ingrassia couldn’t know then that in the decades to come, his three siblings would each die from a different kind of cancer and that a nephew would too. In \u003cem>A Fatal Inheritance\u003c/em>, Ingrassia movingly intertwines his family’s oncological experiences with the winding story of how researchers worked to uncover the roles that heritable genetic mutations play in cancer risk. — \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kristenmartin.net/\">Kristin Martin\u003c/a>, book critic\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/993x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F86%2F61%2F018e0ad4433eab5ad70abee201ea%2Fgather-me.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Ballantine Books)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Gather Me: A Memoir in Praise of the Books That Saved Me’ by Glory Edim\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Tenderly written, Glory Edim’s \u003cem>Gather Me\u003c/em> is a beautiful memoir that serves as a powerful testament to resilience. It pays tribute to the art of community building from someone whose career and identity are deeply rooted in literature. Edim, founder of \u003ca href=\"https://www.wellreadblackgirl.org/about\">Well-Read Black Girl\u003c/a>, thoughtfully navigates her emotionally complex life, highlighting the books and authors that have shaped her journey. The chapter about Nikki Giovanni’s work — Edim’s spiritual exploration through it and the solace it brought her — is particularly poignant. Overall, it is an emotional narrative about family bonds and a meaningful gift to her community. — \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://keishelawilliams.wordpress.com/\">Keishel Williams\u003c/a>,\u003c/em> \u003cem>book critic\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1000x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F93%2Fb2%2F07ba0b2f44f88052bcf165ba81bf%2Fknife.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Random House)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder’ by Salman Rushdie\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>For much of his adult life, Salman Rushdie has lived beneath a shadow — he’s as famous for his novels as he is for being the \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2022/08/13/1117389122/salman-rushdie-satanic-verses-controversy\">target of a fatwa\u003c/a>. But in 2022, that threat went from theoretical to very real when Rushdie was \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2022/08/12/1117164727/salman-rushdie-condition-stabbing-new-york\">stabbed repeatedly\u003c/a> at a literary conference. That attack resulted in multiple long-term health issues, including blindness in his right eye. You might expect Rushdie’s memoir detailing the attack and its aftermath to be somewhat grim. And it is. But it’s also in turn warm, vulnerable, acerbic and, surprisingly, very funny. — \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/477473044/leah-donnella\">Leah Donnella\u003c/a>, senior editor, Code Switch\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/993x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7f%2Fa2%2Fb9f290df4e1ba74f98430bfc5b91%2Flife-after-power.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Simon & Schuster)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Life After Power: Seven Presidents and Their Search for Purpose Beyond the White House’ by Jared Cohen\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The American presidency is viewed as the most powerful position in the world. What happens when the job ends? History is often surprising. Not everyone found the role to be the most fulfilling one they ever had. Jared Cohen looks at some fascinating case studies that back that up. John Quincy Adams and William Howard Taft found greater joy in other branches of government: Congress and the Supreme Court. George Bush enjoys his private life and art studio. Life after power \u003cem>can\u003c/em> be much more rewarding. —\u003cem> \u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/people/153024115/edith-chapin\">Edith Chapin\u003c/a>, senior vice president and editor in chief\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/969x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5c%2F48%2Fdef703d64320917d1380ea6ff3a6%2Fthe-mango-tree.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Little, Brown and Company)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘The Mango Tree: A Memoir of Fruit, Florida, and Felony’ by Annabelle Tometich\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This family memoir begins with a courtroom scene like no other. After a night in jail, Annabelle Tometich’s mom is charged with firing at a man who, she says, was stealing mangoes from the tree in her front yard. Tometich then hits rewind, taking readers back through her Fort Myers, Fla., childhood — with her Filipino American mom and white dad, a couple whose personality differences do not make them stronger together. The writing is both jewel-like and effortless, and Tometich’s memories — some mundane, some extraordinary — are mesmerizing. — \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/349278028/shannon-rhoades\">Shannon Rhoades\u003c/a>, senior editor, Weekend Edition\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/962x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F94%2F65%2F063fafdb48bfa1a583ae33c210ad%2Fmy-beloved-monster.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Little, Brown and Company)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘My Beloved Monster: Masha, the Half-Wild Rescue Cat Who Rescued Me’ by Caleb Carr\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This unusual and beautiful “meow-moir” by \u003cem>The Alienist\u003c/em> author and military historian Caleb Carr — the last book he wrote before dying of cancer at age 68 this year — explores the author’s lifelong affinity for cats and his particular relationship with one enormous, fluffy Siberian named Masha. Masha and the writer enjoyed 17 years of adventures together, mostly in and around their rugged rural home in upstate New York. The book chronicles their mutual zest for life and their struggles through illness and financial woes. Even though this is a book for cat lovers, it’s really for everyone: It explores, with somber pathos and wry humor, how we form attachments in life and how they keep us going through it all. —\u003cem> \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/1113762078/chloe-veltman\">Chloe Veltman\u003c/a>,\u003c/em> \u003cem>correspondent, Culture Desk\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/994x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F73%2F96%2Fd372f4fb4b288d4ede49af507663%2Fpast-tense.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Avery)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Past Tense: Facing Family Secrets and Finding Myself in Therapy’ by Sacha Mardou\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>British cartoonist Sacha Mardou began posting her highly readable comics — about her experiences going to therapy when her daughter was young — on social media. \u003cem>Past Tense\u003c/em> chronicles this story — the many steps that led Mardou to an earnest bridging of the past, her family’s history, into the present. Somewhere between Allie Brosh’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2013/11/12/244758140/even-when-it-hurts-alot-brosh-faces-life-with-plenty-of-hyperbole\">\u003cem>Hyperbole and a Half\u003c/em>\u003c/a> and Stephanie Foo’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2022/02/27/1083361192/what-my-bones-know-is-stephanie-foos-memoir-on-living-with-complex-ptsd\">\u003cem>What My Bones Know\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, Mardou’s brightly tinted, clear-eyed comics reveal how active self-reflection — combined with art, storytelling and professional supports — can powerfully reshape a person’s sense of self and community. — \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.tahneeroksman.com/\">Tahneer Oksman\u003c/a>, writer, professor and cultural critic\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/979x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9a%2F06%2Fd9d7d6344fe380a71861d57cd992%2Fpatriot.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Knopf)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Patriot: A Memoir’ by Alexei Navalny\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died in an Arctic Russian penal colony in February. But even in death, he continues his fight against President Vladimir Putin. This posthumous memoir has two sections: The first half is a traditional narrative, beginning with a true crime story when Navalny is poisoned with a nerve agent on a flight from Siberia in 2020. Halfway through, the book pivots to become his prison diary. Through even the darkest episodes, Navalny’s sunniness and humor shine through — whether he’s describing an episode of \u003cem>Rick and Morty\u003c/em> that he left unfinished when he collapsed on that flight, or taking joy in the indulgence of bread and butter that he only ate on Sunday mornings behind bars. — \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/2101154/ari-shapiro\">Ari Shapiro\u003c/a>, host, All Things Considered\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/988x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa3%2F04%2Fb52ff1d44de6acd5e8fcd6c0aead%2Fwhiskey-tender.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Harper)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In straightforward and affecting prose, Deborah Jackson Taffa writes about being brought up by a Quechan (Yuma) and Laguna Pueblo father and a Catholic Latina mother, both on and off the Yuma reservation. Although her parents were united in their approach to maintaining a family, their attitudes toward the world diverged in other ways, and Taffa received mixed messages about her Indigeneity, her proximity to whiteness and how she was meant to carry herself. As a teenager, she began to experience anger at the injustices her people were subjected to and, at the same time, began to learn that all change is sacred. — \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ilanamasad.com/\">Ilana Masadbook\u003c/a>, critic and author of ‘All My Mother’s Lovers’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>This is just a fraction of the 350+ titles we included in Books We Love this year. \u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://apps.npr.org/best-books/#view=covers&year=2024\">\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Click here to check out this year’s titles, \u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>or browse nearly 4,000 books from the last 12 years.\u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>There’s one in every family — that uncle or sister-in-law who \u003cem>only \u003c/em>reads nonfiction. As you seek out \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13969192/the-best-books-i-read-in-the-final-months-of-2024\">the perfect read\u003c/a> for your loved ones this year, we can help you find beautifully told true stories. There are more than 50 biographies and memoirs featured in Books We Love, NPR’s annual year-end reading guide. \u003ca href=\"https://apps.npr.org/best-books/#tags=biography+%26+memoir&view=covers&year=2024\">Check them all out here,\u003c/a> or browse a sampling, below.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1045x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F2b%2F28%2Face5ecaa4efda6d5aa3ef8ca86a2%2Fconsent.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Pantheon)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Consent: A Memoir \u003c/em>by Jill Ciment\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>After the death of her husband of nearly 50 years, Jill Ciment reconsiders their relationship, which began when she was 17 and he was her much older, married drawing instructor. She first wrote about their early years together in \u003cem>Half a Life,\u003c/em> when she was in her 40s and he was in his 70s. In \u003cem>Consent,\u003c/em> she scrutinizes and amplifies that account in light of the #MeToo movement and changing social attitudes. Did she have the agency to consent? Was he a letch? Was she a vixen? How could she have known as a teenager that he was the love of her life? — \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/131512385/heller-mcalpin\">Heller McAlpin\u003c/a>, book critic\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/987x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fed%2F38%2F5759a7e74fcb8aac590733c22528%2Fa-fatal-inheritance.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Henry Holt and Co.)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘A Fatal Inheritance: How a Family Misfortune Revealed a Deadly Medical Mystery’ by\u003c/strong> \u003cstrong>Lawrence Ingrassia\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In 1968, when journalist Lawrence Ingrassia was 15, his mother died of breast cancer at age 42. “It was tragic, but what was there to say?” he writes. Ingrassia couldn’t know then that in the decades to come, his three siblings would each die from a different kind of cancer and that a nephew would too. In \u003cem>A Fatal Inheritance\u003c/em>, Ingrassia movingly intertwines his family’s oncological experiences with the winding story of how researchers worked to uncover the roles that heritable genetic mutations play in cancer risk. — \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kristenmartin.net/\">Kristin Martin\u003c/a>, book critic\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/993x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F86%2F61%2F018e0ad4433eab5ad70abee201ea%2Fgather-me.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Ballantine Books)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Gather Me: A Memoir in Praise of the Books That Saved Me’ by Glory Edim\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Tenderly written, Glory Edim’s \u003cem>Gather Me\u003c/em> is a beautiful memoir that serves as a powerful testament to resilience. It pays tribute to the art of community building from someone whose career and identity are deeply rooted in literature. Edim, founder of \u003ca href=\"https://www.wellreadblackgirl.org/about\">Well-Read Black Girl\u003c/a>, thoughtfully navigates her emotionally complex life, highlighting the books and authors that have shaped her journey. The chapter about Nikki Giovanni’s work — Edim’s spiritual exploration through it and the solace it brought her — is particularly poignant. Overall, it is an emotional narrative about family bonds and a meaningful gift to her community. — \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://keishelawilliams.wordpress.com/\">Keishel Williams\u003c/a>,\u003c/em> \u003cem>book critic\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1000x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F93%2Fb2%2F07ba0b2f44f88052bcf165ba81bf%2Fknife.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Random House)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder’ by Salman Rushdie\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>For much of his adult life, Salman Rushdie has lived beneath a shadow — he’s as famous for his novels as he is for being the \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2022/08/13/1117389122/salman-rushdie-satanic-verses-controversy\">target of a fatwa\u003c/a>. But in 2022, that threat went from theoretical to very real when Rushdie was \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2022/08/12/1117164727/salman-rushdie-condition-stabbing-new-york\">stabbed repeatedly\u003c/a> at a literary conference. That attack resulted in multiple long-term health issues, including blindness in his right eye. You might expect Rushdie’s memoir detailing the attack and its aftermath to be somewhat grim. And it is. But it’s also in turn warm, vulnerable, acerbic and, surprisingly, very funny. — \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/477473044/leah-donnella\">Leah Donnella\u003c/a>, senior editor, Code Switch\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/993x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7f%2Fa2%2Fb9f290df4e1ba74f98430bfc5b91%2Flife-after-power.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Simon & Schuster)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Life After Power: Seven Presidents and Their Search for Purpose Beyond the White House’ by Jared Cohen\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The American presidency is viewed as the most powerful position in the world. What happens when the job ends? History is often surprising. Not everyone found the role to be the most fulfilling one they ever had. Jared Cohen looks at some fascinating case studies that back that up. John Quincy Adams and William Howard Taft found greater joy in other branches of government: Congress and the Supreme Court. George Bush enjoys his private life and art studio. Life after power \u003cem>can\u003c/em> be much more rewarding. —\u003cem> \u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/people/153024115/edith-chapin\">Edith Chapin\u003c/a>, senior vice president and editor in chief\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/969x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5c%2F48%2Fdef703d64320917d1380ea6ff3a6%2Fthe-mango-tree.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Little, Brown and Company)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘The Mango Tree: A Memoir of Fruit, Florida, and Felony’ by Annabelle Tometich\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This family memoir begins with a courtroom scene like no other. After a night in jail, Annabelle Tometich’s mom is charged with firing at a man who, she says, was stealing mangoes from the tree in her front yard. Tometich then hits rewind, taking readers back through her Fort Myers, Fla., childhood — with her Filipino American mom and white dad, a couple whose personality differences do not make them stronger together. The writing is both jewel-like and effortless, and Tometich’s memories — some mundane, some extraordinary — are mesmerizing. — \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/349278028/shannon-rhoades\">Shannon Rhoades\u003c/a>, senior editor, Weekend Edition\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/962x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F94%2F65%2F063fafdb48bfa1a583ae33c210ad%2Fmy-beloved-monster.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Little, Brown and Company)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘My Beloved Monster: Masha, the Half-Wild Rescue Cat Who Rescued Me’ by Caleb Carr\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This unusual and beautiful “meow-moir” by \u003cem>The Alienist\u003c/em> author and military historian Caleb Carr — the last book he wrote before dying of cancer at age 68 this year — explores the author’s lifelong affinity for cats and his particular relationship with one enormous, fluffy Siberian named Masha. Masha and the writer enjoyed 17 years of adventures together, mostly in and around their rugged rural home in upstate New York. The book chronicles their mutual zest for life and their struggles through illness and financial woes. Even though this is a book for cat lovers, it’s really for everyone: It explores, with somber pathos and wry humor, how we form attachments in life and how they keep us going through it all. —\u003cem> \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/1113762078/chloe-veltman\">Chloe Veltman\u003c/a>,\u003c/em> \u003cem>correspondent, Culture Desk\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/994x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F73%2F96%2Fd372f4fb4b288d4ede49af507663%2Fpast-tense.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Avery)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Past Tense: Facing Family Secrets and Finding Myself in Therapy’ by Sacha Mardou\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>British cartoonist Sacha Mardou began posting her highly readable comics — about her experiences going to therapy when her daughter was young — on social media. \u003cem>Past Tense\u003c/em> chronicles this story — the many steps that led Mardou to an earnest bridging of the past, her family’s history, into the present. Somewhere between Allie Brosh’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2013/11/12/244758140/even-when-it-hurts-alot-brosh-faces-life-with-plenty-of-hyperbole\">\u003cem>Hyperbole and a Half\u003c/em>\u003c/a> and Stephanie Foo’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2022/02/27/1083361192/what-my-bones-know-is-stephanie-foos-memoir-on-living-with-complex-ptsd\">\u003cem>What My Bones Know\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, Mardou’s brightly tinted, clear-eyed comics reveal how active self-reflection — combined with art, storytelling and professional supports — can powerfully reshape a person’s sense of self and community. — \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.tahneeroksman.com/\">Tahneer Oksman\u003c/a>, writer, professor and cultural critic\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/979x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9a%2F06%2Fd9d7d6344fe380a71861d57cd992%2Fpatriot.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Knopf)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Patriot: A Memoir’ by Alexei Navalny\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died in an Arctic Russian penal colony in February. But even in death, he continues his fight against President Vladimir Putin. This posthumous memoir has two sections: The first half is a traditional narrative, beginning with a true crime story when Navalny is poisoned with a nerve agent on a flight from Siberia in 2020. Halfway through, the book pivots to become his prison diary. Through even the darkest episodes, Navalny’s sunniness and humor shine through — whether he’s describing an episode of \u003cem>Rick and Morty\u003c/em> that he left unfinished when he collapsed on that flight, or taking joy in the indulgence of bread and butter that he only ate on Sunday mornings behind bars. — \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/2101154/ari-shapiro\">Ari Shapiro\u003c/a>, host, All Things Considered\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/988x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa3%2F04%2Fb52ff1d44de6acd5e8fcd6c0aead%2Fwhiskey-tender.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Harper)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In straightforward and affecting prose, Deborah Jackson Taffa writes about being brought up by a Quechan (Yuma) and Laguna Pueblo father and a Catholic Latina mother, both on and off the Yuma reservation. Although her parents were united in their approach to maintaining a family, their attitudes toward the world diverged in other ways, and Taffa received mixed messages about her Indigeneity, her proximity to whiteness and how she was meant to carry herself. As a teenager, she began to experience anger at the injustices her people were subjected to and, at the same time, began to learn that all change is sacred. — \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ilanamasad.com/\">Ilana Masadbook\u003c/a>, critic and author of ‘All My Mother’s Lovers’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>This is just a fraction of the 350+ titles we included in Books We Love this year. \u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://apps.npr.org/best-books/#view=covers&year=2024\">\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Click here to check out this year’s titles, \u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>or browse nearly 4,000 books from the last 12 years.\u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>News junkies will find much to love in \u003cem>September 5\u003c/em>, a fictionalized account of ABC’s live coverage of the hostage crisis during the 1972 Munich Olympics. There are spirited debates about reporting with only one source, use of words like “terrorism” and what to do if violence breaks out during a live shot. There are negotiations with rival networks over satellite usage, disguises and fake badges made to get reels of 16mm film in and out of the locked down Olympic village and plenty of confused men (and a few women) trying to keep up with an ever-escalating situation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13969006']The film is a moment by moment retelling of how a group of sports broadcasters brought this story to the world in real time, despite the technical limitations and their own inexperience across a confusing 22 hours. Everyone came to the studio that night ready for breaking sports news, scores and pre-packaged interviews. Even that was going to be a test for the man running the control room for the first time. Geoffrey Mason, portrayed by John Magaro, was a 28-year-old coordinating producer. Someone wonders about his experience and is assured that he’s covered minor league baseball games.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in the early hours of Sept. 5, 1972, eight members of a Palestinian group called Black September broke into the Olympic village and attacked the Israeli delegation killing wrestling coach Moshe Weinberg and weightlifter Yossi Romano. Some escaped, but nine others were taken hostage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the tragedy of the Munich Olympics has certainly been told many times, writer and director Tim Fehlbaum saw an opportunity in the team behind the live broadcast. And he commits fully to staying in the newsroom, with all of its glorious old technologies, from the walkie-talkies they used to stay in touch and to taking time to show how they had to manually add text to the screens. He and his screenwriter were able to reconstruct the events almost minute-by-minute, which helped shape the screenplay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Azud40CQ3IE\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The players are many in this large ensemble. Peter Sarsgaard, who’s looked right in a newsroom since \u003cem>Shattered Glass\u003c/em>, gives gravitas to Roone Arledge, then-president of ABC Sports, and Ben Chaplin is operations engineer Marvin Bader. Leonie Benesch is Marianne Gebhardt, a German-speaking interpreter who is the only person there able to understand the language of the country. She might be a bit of a composite who checks off a lot of boxes as both an entrepreneurial woman and a younger German offering perspective and insight into what this moment might mean for the country trying to put on a good front in the aftermath of World War II. An actor (Benjamin Walker) plays broadcaster Peter Jennings, and real archival footage of anchor Jim McKay from that day is used in the film.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And while they all rise to the occasion, mistakes are made — including a rather big one at the end, following imperfect secondhand information from the Fuerstenfeldbruck airfield. They don’t call it the first draft of history for nothing, after all, and it may be illuminating for audiences to see how it’s handled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13969363']The film looks of its time, but it also feels fairly modern in its sensibilities which makes it always seem more like a re-telling than an in-the-moment experience. This may be to its detriment, yet it’s still an undeniably riveting and compelling watch. The word thrilling doesn’t seem appropriate, however. This is not \u003cem>Apollo 13\u003c/em> after all. The end is not a happy one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But at time when trust in the media is in crisis, this film is a great humanizer, reminding audiences that the media is far from a monolith, but a group of individuals under immense pressure to get the story right, get the story out and go back and do it again the next day.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘September 5’ is out nationwide on Dec. 13, 2024.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>News junkies will find much to love in \u003cem>September 5\u003c/em>, a fictionalized account of ABC’s live coverage of the hostage crisis during the 1972 Munich Olympics. There are spirited debates about reporting with only one source, use of words like “terrorism” and what to do if violence breaks out during a live shot. There are negotiations with rival networks over satellite usage, disguises and fake badges made to get reels of 16mm film in and out of the locked down Olympic village and plenty of confused men (and a few women) trying to keep up with an ever-escalating situation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The film is a moment by moment retelling of how a group of sports broadcasters brought this story to the world in real time, despite the technical limitations and their own inexperience across a confusing 22 hours. Everyone came to the studio that night ready for breaking sports news, scores and pre-packaged interviews. Even that was going to be a test for the man running the control room for the first time. Geoffrey Mason, portrayed by John Magaro, was a 28-year-old coordinating producer. Someone wonders about his experience and is assured that he’s covered minor league baseball games.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in the early hours of Sept. 5, 1972, eight members of a Palestinian group called Black September broke into the Olympic village and attacked the Israeli delegation killing wrestling coach Moshe Weinberg and weightlifter Yossi Romano. Some escaped, but nine others were taken hostage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the tragedy of the Munich Olympics has certainly been told many times, writer and director Tim Fehlbaum saw an opportunity in the team behind the live broadcast. And he commits fully to staying in the newsroom, with all of its glorious old technologies, from the walkie-talkies they used to stay in touch and to taking time to show how they had to manually add text to the screens. He and his screenwriter were able to reconstruct the events almost minute-by-minute, which helped shape the screenplay.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/Azud40CQ3IE'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/Azud40CQ3IE'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The players are many in this large ensemble. Peter Sarsgaard, who’s looked right in a newsroom since \u003cem>Shattered Glass\u003c/em>, gives gravitas to Roone Arledge, then-president of ABC Sports, and Ben Chaplin is operations engineer Marvin Bader. Leonie Benesch is Marianne Gebhardt, a German-speaking interpreter who is the only person there able to understand the language of the country. She might be a bit of a composite who checks off a lot of boxes as both an entrepreneurial woman and a younger German offering perspective and insight into what this moment might mean for the country trying to put on a good front in the aftermath of World War II. An actor (Benjamin Walker) plays broadcaster Peter Jennings, and real archival footage of anchor Jim McKay from that day is used in the film.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And while they all rise to the occasion, mistakes are made — including a rather big one at the end, following imperfect secondhand information from the Fuerstenfeldbruck airfield. They don’t call it the first draft of history for nothing, after all, and it may be illuminating for audiences to see how it’s handled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The film looks of its time, but it also feels fairly modern in its sensibilities which makes it always seem more like a re-telling than an in-the-moment experience. This may be to its detriment, yet it’s still an undeniably riveting and compelling watch. The word thrilling doesn’t seem appropriate, however. This is not \u003cem>Apollo 13\u003c/em> after all. The end is not a happy one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But at time when trust in the media is in crisis, this film is a great humanizer, reminding audiences that the media is far from a monolith, but a group of individuals under immense pressure to get the story right, get the story out and go back and do it again the next day.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘September 5’ is out nationwide on Dec. 13, 2024.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Shot in Secret, ‘The Seed of the Sacred Fig’ Calls Out Iran’s Authoritarian Regime",
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"content": "\u003cp>In the nearly 20 years that I’ve been attending the Cannes Film Festival, I’ve rarely witnessed anything as emotional as I did last May, when the Iranian director \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2024/11/26/nx-s1-5163638/mohammad-rasoulof-iran-seed-of-sacred-fig\">Mohammad Rasoulof\u003c/a> arrived for the world premiere screening of his new movie, \u003cem>The Seed of the Sacred Fig\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As he walked up the red carpeted steps and entered the theater to thunderous applause, Rasoulof didn’t look like a man who had been on the run just two weeks earlier. He fled his country after receiving an eight-year prison sentence — hardly the first time he’s run afoul of the government, which, since 2010, has frequently arrested him, jailed him and banned him from filmmaking. Like some of his other movies, \u003cem>The Seed of the Sacred Fig\u003c/em> was shot entirely in secret.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13969167']That can’t have been easy to pull off, though in some ways, it makes a certain sense for a drama that’s all about the corrosive nature of secrets and lies. Misagh Zare plays a lawyer named Iman, who’s just been promoted to investigating judge, a job so dangerous that he’s been issued a gun for his protection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Iman’s wife, Najmeh, played by Soheila Golestani, is excited about the news; with Iman’s higher salary, they can at last afford a bigger home. But they warn their two daughters — 21-year-old Rezvan and teenage Sana — that they must be irreproachable in their behavior, so as not to harm their father’s reputation. That means wearing the hijab in public, keeping a low profile on social media and not hanging out with the wrong people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Rezvan and Sana are both smart, observant and increasingly critical of their parents’ traditionalism, especially in light of the news. The story takes place in 2022, during the early days of the “\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2022/10/27/1131436766/kurdish-roots-iran-protest-slogan\">Woman, life, freedom” movement\u003c/a>. Those protests erupted after a 22-year-old \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/09/15/1199463066/iran-mahsa-amini-anniversary-women-rights-protests\">Kurdish Iranian woman\u003c/a> died in the custody of the morality police, which had arrested her for allegedly wearing a hijab improperly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rasoulof includes real-life footage of the protests and ensuing acts of police violence, giving the movie a jolt of documentary immediacy. But he also shows us how Iran’s social unrest impacts the family directly. When one of her friends is injured at a rally, Rezvan becomes increasingly supportive of the movement, to her parents’ chagrin. But even Iman has his doubts about the government he serves. He’s demoralized by his new job, which forces him to interrogate — and likely imprison — hundreds of protestors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TV3Sk2zwqK4\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rasoulof has never been shy about calling out Iran’s authoritarian regime, as he did in earlier movies like \u003cem>Manuscripts Don’t Burn\u003c/em> and \u003cem>There Is No Evil\u003c/em>. What makes \u003cem>The Seed of the Sacred Fig\u003c/em> so gripping over its nearly three-hour running time is how assuredly it blends domestic drama and topical thriller, the personal and the political.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The family home becomes a psychological war zone, where secrets fester behind closed doors and every character has something to hide. The actors are uniformly superb; I especially liked the nuanced sibling dynamic between Mahsa Rostami, as the sensitive, thoughtful older sister, and Setareh Maleki, as the slyer, more mischievous younger one. Rasoulof’s sympathies are clearly with them and the Woman, Life, Freedom protestors. But he also extends compassion to the parents, especially Iman, who, as Rezvan courageously points out, is too entrenched in the system to see that the system is wrong.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13969006']Just as the family’s home is starting to feel unbearably claustrophobic, the movie shifts gears. There’s a sudden change in scenery, and after the slow-simmering suspense of the first half, Rasoulof pushes the drama into full-blown action-movie territory: there’s a high-speed car chase, an on-camera interrogation and, finally, a tense climax that suggests a showdown out of a classic Western.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a bold stroke, and while not everyone will make the leap, I appreciate Rasoulof’s willingness to flex his genre muscles in service of a larger point. The family in this story isn’t just a family; it’s a kind of microcosm of middle class Iranian society, with deep rifts between people across genders and generations. Meaningful change may be possible, Rasoulof seems to be saying, but it will be inevitably painful and violent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a bleak conclusion, but it’s also suffused with a deep sense of mourning. Mohammad Rasoulof may have left Iran, but not once during this stunning movie is his love for his country ever in doubt.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘The Seed of the Sacred Fig’ is in theaters now.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>That can’t have been easy to pull off, though in some ways, it makes a certain sense for a drama that’s all about the corrosive nature of secrets and lies. Misagh Zare plays a lawyer named Iman, who’s just been promoted to investigating judge, a job so dangerous that he’s been issued a gun for his protection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Iman’s wife, Najmeh, played by Soheila Golestani, is excited about the news; with Iman’s higher salary, they can at last afford a bigger home. But they warn their two daughters — 21-year-old Rezvan and teenage Sana — that they must be irreproachable in their behavior, so as not to harm their father’s reputation. That means wearing the hijab in public, keeping a low profile on social media and not hanging out with the wrong people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Rezvan and Sana are both smart, observant and increasingly critical of their parents’ traditionalism, especially in light of the news. The story takes place in 2022, during the early days of the “\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2022/10/27/1131436766/kurdish-roots-iran-protest-slogan\">Woman, life, freedom” movement\u003c/a>. Those protests erupted after a 22-year-old \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/09/15/1199463066/iran-mahsa-amini-anniversary-women-rights-protests\">Kurdish Iranian woman\u003c/a> died in the custody of the morality police, which had arrested her for allegedly wearing a hijab improperly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rasoulof includes real-life footage of the protests and ensuing acts of police violence, giving the movie a jolt of documentary immediacy. But he also shows us how Iran’s social unrest impacts the family directly. When one of her friends is injured at a rally, Rezvan becomes increasingly supportive of the movement, to her parents’ chagrin. But even Iman has his doubts about the government he serves. He’s demoralized by his new job, which forces him to interrogate — and likely imprison — hundreds of protestors.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/TV3Sk2zwqK4'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/TV3Sk2zwqK4'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>Rasoulof has never been shy about calling out Iran’s authoritarian regime, as he did in earlier movies like \u003cem>Manuscripts Don’t Burn\u003c/em> and \u003cem>There Is No Evil\u003c/em>. What makes \u003cem>The Seed of the Sacred Fig\u003c/em> so gripping over its nearly three-hour running time is how assuredly it blends domestic drama and topical thriller, the personal and the political.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The family home becomes a psychological war zone, where secrets fester behind closed doors and every character has something to hide. The actors are uniformly superb; I especially liked the nuanced sibling dynamic between Mahsa Rostami, as the sensitive, thoughtful older sister, and Setareh Maleki, as the slyer, more mischievous younger one. Rasoulof’s sympathies are clearly with them and the Woman, Life, Freedom protestors. But he also extends compassion to the parents, especially Iman, who, as Rezvan courageously points out, is too entrenched in the system to see that the system is wrong.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Just as the family’s home is starting to feel unbearably claustrophobic, the movie shifts gears. There’s a sudden change in scenery, and after the slow-simmering suspense of the first half, Rasoulof pushes the drama into full-blown action-movie territory: there’s a high-speed car chase, an on-camera interrogation and, finally, a tense climax that suggests a showdown out of a classic Western.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a bold stroke, and while not everyone will make the leap, I appreciate Rasoulof’s willingness to flex his genre muscles in service of a larger point. The family in this story isn’t just a family; it’s a kind of microcosm of middle class Iranian society, with deep rifts between people across genders and generations. Meaningful change may be possible, Rasoulof seems to be saying, but it will be inevitably painful and violent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a bleak conclusion, but it’s also suffused with a deep sense of mourning. Mohammad Rasoulof may have left Iran, but not once during this stunning movie is his love for his country ever in doubt.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘The Seed of the Sacred Fig’ is in theaters now.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>It’s a discombobulating experience, after a \u003cem>Lord of the Rings\u003c/em> trilogy that was built, down to every frame and hobbit hair, for the big screen, to see something so comparatively minor, small-scaled and TV-sized as \u003cem>The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The film, set 183 years before the events of \u003cem>The Hobbit\u003c/em>, is a return to Middle-earth that, despite some very earnest storytelling, never supplies much of an answer as to why, exactly, it exists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13969182']\u003cem>Rohirrim\u003c/em>, which sounds a little like the sound an orc might make sneezing, is perhaps best understood as a placeholder for further cinematic universe extrapolation from J.R.R. Tolkien’s books. (A live-action movie about Gollum is due out in 2026.) Here, the thin basis in Tolkien comes from the \u003cem>Lord of the Rings\u003c/em> appendix, which lists a history of Rohan, the plains kingdom south of the Elven forest of Lothlórien.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A small army of screenwriters — Jeffrey Addiss, Will Matthews, Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou — have from those faint embers conjured a fiery war movie, made as an anime by director Kenji Kamiyama (\u003cem>Ghost in the Shell: Stand Along Complex\u003c/em>, \u003cem>Blade Runner: Black Lotus\u003c/em>). The obviously talented Kamiyama fashions some dazzling vintage anime visuals that — and perhaps this isn’t all bad — feels a world apart from Peter Jackson’s Middle-earth features.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But \u003cem>The War of Rohirrim\u003c/em> also feels conspicuously closer to 1990s direct-to-video release than an heir to some of the grandest big-screen fantasy storytelling of the past 25 years. Though there are many — too many — examples of Hollywood over-mining once-rich intellectual property, this dull, appendix-extracted anime adds to a not particularly Tolkienist tradition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCUg6Td5fgQ\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tolkien diehards, though, may be grateful for whatever \u003cem>The Lord of the Rings\u003c/em> morsels they can find. And there is some precedent. Before Jackson (an executive producer here) built Middle-earth in New Zealand, \u003cem>The Lord of the Rings\u003c/em> prompted a pair of 1970s animated TV specials and a not-much-remembered animated 1978 movie.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The War of Rohirrim\u003c/em> concerns the adventures of Hera (voiced by Gaia Wise), daughter of Helm Hammerhand ( Brian Cox ), the Rohan king. Cox, coming off of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/succession\">\u003cem>Succession\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, again finds himself beset with trouble over the future of his throne.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13969055']Things get underway when Freka (Shaun Dolley), leader of the Dundelings, offers his son Wulf (Luke Pasqualino) to marry Hera and take the throne. After a swift refusal, a fight ensues, and with a mere punch, Helm accidentally kills Freka. Given how extreme Wulf’s vengeance is following this punch, it’s fair to wonder if \u003cem>The War of Rohirrim\u003c/em> could have been started just as easily with a slap or, perhaps, an overly aggressive noogie.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But only self-seriousness reigns in this \u003cem>Lord of the Rings\u003c/em> adventure. When the battle begins, Hera must save her people, which she strives to do by retreating to a fortress dug into a mountainside. Hera’s story is said to be one lost to history in the opening narration, but \u003cem>The War of Rohirrim\u003c/em> is just as much an origin story for the stronghold that will later be known as Helm’s Deep.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I don’t begrudge any Tolkien addict a little anime fun — and maybe these references and callbacks will be enough to conjure some of the majesty of the books or Jackson’s movies. You can tell \u003cem>Rohirrim\u003c/em> was made with sincere belief in the world Tolkien created. But I found the connective tissue, like the few notes from Howard Shore’s original score that float in, only reinforced how such grander movie ambitions once came to Rohan. \u003cem>The War of the Rohirrim\u003c/em> does manage to recapture one trait of the earlier films: at 134 minutes, it’s long.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim’ is released nationwide on Dec. 13, 2024.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>It’s a discombobulating experience, after a \u003cem>Lord of the Rings\u003c/em> trilogy that was built, down to every frame and hobbit hair, for the big screen, to see something so comparatively minor, small-scaled and TV-sized as \u003cem>The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The film, set 183 years before the events of \u003cem>The Hobbit\u003c/em>, is a return to Middle-earth that, despite some very earnest storytelling, never supplies much of an answer as to why, exactly, it exists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cem>Rohirrim\u003c/em>, which sounds a little like the sound an orc might make sneezing, is perhaps best understood as a placeholder for further cinematic universe extrapolation from J.R.R. Tolkien’s books. (A live-action movie about Gollum is due out in 2026.) Here, the thin basis in Tolkien comes from the \u003cem>Lord of the Rings\u003c/em> appendix, which lists a history of Rohan, the plains kingdom south of the Elven forest of Lothlórien.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A small army of screenwriters — Jeffrey Addiss, Will Matthews, Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou — have from those faint embers conjured a fiery war movie, made as an anime by director Kenji Kamiyama (\u003cem>Ghost in the Shell: Stand Along Complex\u003c/em>, \u003cem>Blade Runner: Black Lotus\u003c/em>). The obviously talented Kamiyama fashions some dazzling vintage anime visuals that — and perhaps this isn’t all bad — feels a world apart from Peter Jackson’s Middle-earth features.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But \u003cem>The War of Rohirrim\u003c/em> also feels conspicuously closer to 1990s direct-to-video release than an heir to some of the grandest big-screen fantasy storytelling of the past 25 years. Though there are many — too many — examples of Hollywood over-mining once-rich intellectual property, this dull, appendix-extracted anime adds to a not particularly Tolkienist tradition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/gCUg6Td5fgQ'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/gCUg6Td5fgQ'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>Tolkien diehards, though, may be grateful for whatever \u003cem>The Lord of the Rings\u003c/em> morsels they can find. And there is some precedent. Before Jackson (an executive producer here) built Middle-earth in New Zealand, \u003cem>The Lord of the Rings\u003c/em> prompted a pair of 1970s animated TV specials and a not-much-remembered animated 1978 movie.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The War of Rohirrim\u003c/em> concerns the adventures of Hera (voiced by Gaia Wise), daughter of Helm Hammerhand ( Brian Cox ), the Rohan king. Cox, coming off of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/succession\">\u003cem>Succession\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, again finds himself beset with trouble over the future of his throne.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Things get underway when Freka (Shaun Dolley), leader of the Dundelings, offers his son Wulf (Luke Pasqualino) to marry Hera and take the throne. After a swift refusal, a fight ensues, and with a mere punch, Helm accidentally kills Freka. Given how extreme Wulf’s vengeance is following this punch, it’s fair to wonder if \u003cem>The War of Rohirrim\u003c/em> could have been started just as easily with a slap or, perhaps, an overly aggressive noogie.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But only self-seriousness reigns in this \u003cem>Lord of the Rings\u003c/em> adventure. When the battle begins, Hera must save her people, which she strives to do by retreating to a fortress dug into a mountainside. Hera’s story is said to be one lost to history in the opening narration, but \u003cem>The War of Rohirrim\u003c/em> is just as much an origin story for the stronghold that will later be known as Helm’s Deep.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I don’t begrudge any Tolkien addict a little anime fun — and maybe these references and callbacks will be enough to conjure some of the majesty of the books or Jackson’s movies. You can tell \u003cem>Rohirrim\u003c/em> was made with sincere belief in the world Tolkien created. But I found the connective tissue, like the few notes from Howard Shore’s original score that float in, only reinforced how such grander movie ambitions once came to Rohan. \u003cem>The War of the Rohirrim\u003c/em> does manage to recapture one trait of the earlier films: at 134 minutes, it’s long.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim’ is released nationwide on Dec. 13, 2024.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "The Best TV of 2024, As Chosen By NPR Critics",
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"content": "\u003cp>If you’re in the mood to binge from the couch this holiday season, NPR critics have gathered together their favorite TV shows of 2024. Have at it!\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13956676/baby-reindeer-netflix-review-problematic-abuse-lgbt-queerness\">Baby Reindeer\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Star and creator Richard Gadd turned his autobiographical one-man-show into an affecting nightmare of a series about a delusional woman who stalks a bartender and terrible aspiring comic. Where it gets complicated is in the details, including the fact that Gadd’s character was sexually abused by a male mentor in ways that reverberate through his life, raising questions about his own actions and the long reach of trauma. On top of all that, a woman who says she inspired the show’s stalker character has sued. — Eric Deggans\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Netflix\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Drama\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Interview with the Vampire’ Season 2\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>AMC’s smart, thrilling and gratifyingly queer version of Anne Rice’s \u003cem>The Vampire Chronicles\u003c/em> improves on the books in ways large and small. Season 2 proved that while the chemistry between Louis (Jacob Anderson) and Lestat (Sam Reid) crackles, the show still works even when they’re apart. Credit the writers for finding new tensions between the cast to play with, especially Daniel (Eric Bogosian) and Armand (Assad Zaman), who each know more than they’re saying. — Glen Weldon\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: AMC, Prime Video\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Drama, Horror and Thriller, Romance\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9pXbNz6Vbw&t=76s\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Agatha All Along’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The best Marvel TV show (\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13891309/wandavision-the-next-era-of-the-mcu-will-be-televised\">\u003cem>WandaVision\u003c/em>\u003c/a>) got the best follow-up to date, as the great Kathryn Hahn reprised her role as the evil (or at least wildly self-involved) witch, Agatha Harkness. From the \u003cem>Mare of Easttown\u003c/em> parody that kicked off the season, to the brilliant and moving episode which sent Patti freaking LuPone’s Lilia ping-ponging through her own memories, AAA delivered a small, specific and highly idiosyncratic peek into one dark corner of the Marvel Universe. — Glen Weldon\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Disney+\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Comedy, Kid Friendly, Science Fiction and Fantasy\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13955549/ripley-netflix-review-style-andrew-scott\">Ripley\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This new adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel \u003cem>The Talented Mr. Ripley\u003c/em> relied on outstanding work from star Andrew Scott as well as stunning black-and-white cinematography. This is an older, darker Tom than the one Matt Damon played in 1999, but he’s just as frightening and manipulative. A stretch of almost 20 wordless minutes in the third episode that deals with the logistics of murder was one of the most inventive and darkly funny things I saw this year. — Linda Holmes\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Netflix\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Drama, Horror and Thriller\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13964175/the-penguin-batman-spinoff-hbo-max-review-colin-farrell\">The Penguin\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>On the surface, it’s still yet another Batman-without-Batman show. But spend even a few minutes with it, and it starts to reveal new, satisfying depths. The central performances of Colin Farrell (as mob underboss Oz Cobb) and Cristin Milioti (as the would-be head of a crime family) are given room to breathe, and complicate, and surprise. The world of Gotham is pulpy but psychologically complex in ways that have nothing to do with a weirdo who dresses up at night to punch crime in the face. — Glen Weldon\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Max, Video on demand\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Drama, Science Fiction and Fantasy\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Photographer’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>For those tempted to dismiss \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/national-geographic\">National Geographic shows\u003c/a> as televised coffee table books, this series shatters those assumptions with revealing tales on the lives and work of seven astoundingly talented visual artists. My favorite story: Paul Nicklen, who was raised among Inuit people in the Arctic, and Cristina Mittermeier, who grew up in Mexico City and faced down racism and sexism throughout her career, have become a couple hailed as iconic ocean photographers, fooling oil rig workers to get crucial, breathtaking photos. — Eric Deggans\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Disney+, Hulu\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Biography, Documentary\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkL7cpG2UhE\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘True Detective: Night Country’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Rising above this anthology’s inconsistent history and some inexplicably ungrateful critiques from its creator, Nic Pizzolatto, director/showrunner Issa López crafted a brilliant fourth season centered on Indigenous culture and women, while tipping a hat to the origins of a notoriously male-centered franchise. López also gave us the spellbinding team of Jodie Foster and Kali Reis as two misanthropic officers forced to rely on each other in a way that was groundbreaking and indelible. — Eric Deggans\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Max, Video on demand\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Action, Drama, Horror and Thriller\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13966481/disclaimer-tv-review-apple-tv-cate-blanchett-thriller-kevin-kline\">Disclaimer\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Cate Blanchett is dynamite as a woman who receives a mysterious self-published novel in the mail and realizes the story is based on a terrible memory she’s tried to forget. She struggles to keep the incident from resurfacing and destroying her life with her husband and son, while unbeknownst to her, the man who sent the book to her (Kevin Kline) closes in. The series explores the slipperiness of what’s true and false, and the notion that people live in different realities based on the information they have. — Linda Holmes\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Apple TV/Apple TV+\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Drama, Horror and Thriller\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13958131/jerrod-carmichael-reality-show-hbo-max-series-analysis-cynthia\">Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Any therapist worth their salt would strongly advise against coercing estranged family members to help process your childhood trauma for a prestige docuseries. But Jerrod Carmichael admits that the camera has always been his security blanket, and for that, we get this fascinating, maddening portrait of a Black queer artist who wants desperately to repair his familial relationships. It’s unclear whether this was good for Carmichael, but it just might have helped someone else watching at home. — Aisha Harris\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Max\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Biography, Documentary\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13965841/industry-season-3-hbo-max-analysis-summary-soap-myhala-abela\">Industry\u003c/a>’ Season 3\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>After bubbling under the radar, Mickey Down and Konrad Kay’s pulpy melodrama finally had its Brat moment, and it couldn’t have happened in a more bonkers season. The fictional investment bank Pierpoint faced rocky institutional challenges, while Gen Z upstarts Yas (Marisa Abela), Harper (Myha’la), and Robert (Harry Lawtey) all encountered death in a myriad of ways. In a show about strivers, there were obvious winners and losers; by the end of the season, it was less clear who, if anyone, maintained any semblance of a soul. — Aisha Harris\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Max\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Drama\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAN5uspO_hk&t=79s\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13953066/new-shogun-series-review-fx-james-clavell\">Shōgun\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This was the biggest swing the TV industry took this year: A sprawling series, set in feudal Japan, centered on the politics of the time, while de-centering the perspective of the British sailor at the heart of the James Clavell novel and 1980 miniseries. Thanks to towering performances from Anna Sawai and Hiroyuki Sanada, along with note-perfect work from an army of writers, artisans and technicians, \u003cem>Shōgun\u003c/em> is an affecting, landmark drama about duty, love, culture and changing times. — Eric Deggans\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: FX, Hulu, Disney+\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Action, Drama, History\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/pop/110589/what-we-do-in-the-shadows-puts-the-dead-in-deadpan\">What We Do in the Shadows\u003c/a>’ Season 6\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The funniest show on TV — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/pop/tag/fx\">FX\u003c/a>’s vampire mockumentary — is going out with a bang, as the world’s most feckless vamps are seized with a renewed sense of purpose. Their new focus takes them variously into corporate America, monster-making, flailing attempts at world conquest and (shudder) the world of Airbnb. These characters aren’t the sort to learn and change, but the final season is making room for small moments of sweetness amid the ever-growing body count. — Glen Weldon\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: FX, Hulu\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Comedy, Science Fiction and Fantasy, Horror and Thriller\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13951374/mr-mrs-smith-are-back-so-are-the-fights-and-bewitching-on-screen-chemistry\">Mr. & Mrs. Smith\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/pop/tag/donald-glover\">Donald Glover\u003c/a> and Maya Erskine have developed distinct comic identities, including on their respective shows \u003cem>Atlanta\u003c/em> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13886663/pen15-is-back-and-girlhood-is-still-painfully-awkward\">\u003cem>PEN15\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. Here, they play a pair of spies who don’t know each other but are recruited for a project that sends them undercover, posing as a married couple. As they complete missions, a real relationship emerges, but it’s constantly imperiled by all that they don’t know about each other. A cool and sexy comedy-drama-thriller that’s delicious throughout. — Linda Holmes\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Prime Video\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Action, Comedy, Drama, Romance\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Rachel Bloom: Death, Let Me Do My Special’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t all that long ago, but the passage of time can lend itself to forgetting or ignoring. Rachel Bloom’s poignant special is a necessary reminder that the scars from that period never fully disappear. In it, through humor and musical numbers (of course), and with a little help from a \u003cem>Crazy Ex-Girlfriend\u003c/em> co-star, she candidly addresses becoming a mother in the early days of lockdown and the sudden passing of her friend and collaborator Adam Schlesinger. — Aisha Harris\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Netflix\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama, Music and Musicals\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhsVj_4ONoA\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘A Man on the Inside’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Michael Schur knows how to balance heartwarming comedy with sharp, irreverent observations, and this project is no different. Here he reteams up with his \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/pop/105436/what-the-good-place-has-taught-us-about-philosophy-and-life-so-far\">\u003cem>The Good Place\u003c/em>\u003c/a> star Ted Danson, who plays Charles, a lonely retired widower hired by a private investigator to be a mole at a senior living facility. Charles is meant to be on the hunt for stolen jewelry, but he befriends the quirky residents while learning to cope with aging and grief. Great cast (including Sally Struthers!), delightful, and moving. — Aisha Harris\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Netflix\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Comedy, Drama\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Fantasmas’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Gay hamsters. A cowgirl toilet. A litigious North Pole elf. \u003ca href=\"https://video.kqed.org/video/julio-torres-2024-vision-award-honoree-rolzwe/\">Julio Torres\u003c/a>’ comedy series \u003cem>Fantasmas\u003c/em> is ostensibly about his character’s search for an earring he lost at a NYC nightclub. But it’s also stuffed with absurd characters and situations that have no business cohering — that would, on any other show, fight for our attention. Not so here, because every aspect first passes through the filter of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13952668/problemista-review-julio-torres-tilda-swinton-hasbro\">Torres’ comic sensibility\u003c/a>. Happily, that sensibility turns out to be an offbeat and idiosyncratic one. — Glen Weldon\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Max, Video on demand\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Comedy\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Shrinking’ Season 2\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This affecting comedy moved beyond the simple pleasures of its first season, which unleashed ace players like Jessica Williams and Michael Urie while deftly leveraging Harrison Ford’s legendary crustiness. For Season 2, we got a potent take on forgiveness, as Jason Segel’s psychotherapist character meets the guy who killed his wife in a drunk driving accident, played by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13929879/five-great-moments-from-the-ted-lasso-finale\">\u003cem>Ted Lasso\u003c/em>\u003c/a> alum Bret Goldstein. That doesn’t sound particularly sidesplitting, that’s true. But somehow, they found the funny to accompany the painful reach toward acceptance. — Eric Deggans\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Apple TV/Apple TV+\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Comedy\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13938662/gary-oldman-had-free-rein-in-spy-thriller-slow-horses-now-back-for-season-3\">Slow Horses\u003c/a>’ Season 4\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>No other series on TV can make as much out of a fart joke. But it’s not just the flatulence from Gary Oldman’s deliberately slovenly MI-5 agent Jackson Lamb that is so compelling; it’s how he uses that sloppiness to disguise his dedication to the misfit agents under his command, especially Jack Lowden’s River Cartwright. When River’s granddad, a magnetic Jonathan Pryce, is caught in crisis while suffering dementia, the only thing that could ratchet up the drama actually happens: Hugo Weaving appears as River’s toxic dad. — Eric Deggans\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Apple TV/Apple TV+\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Action, Drama, Horror and Thriller\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6jbU4jPru8&t=28s\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13954225/quiet-on-set-nickelodeon-abuse-documentary-dan-schneider-drake-bell-brian-peck\">Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It was inevitable that the flurry of documentaries revisiting ’90s pop culture would reach Nickelodeon’s kids TV empire. Investigation Discovery’s series explored allegations of toxic work environments fostered by superstar producer Dan Schneider on series like \u003cem>All That\u003c/em> and \u003cem>The Amanda Show\u003c/em>. It also sparked headlines as former \u003cem>Drake & Josh\u003c/em> star Drake Bell detailed the sexual abuse he suffered by a dialogue coach at the channel. (Schneider has since apologized for some behavior, but also denied other allegations and sued the series producers and Warner Bros. Discovery for defamation, claiming the show unfairly implies he was involved in abuse.) — Eric Deggans\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Max, Discovery+, Video on demand\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Documentary\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13897119/a-comedic-generational-divide-gets-bridged-in-hbos-hacks\">Hacks\u003c/a>’ Season 3\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This may have been the strongest season yet of \u003cem>Hacks\u003c/em>, because it stepped away from the idea that Deborah (Jean Smart) and Ava (Hannah Einbinder) are constantly at war and made them — for now — allies and friends. The sharpness of the dialogue continues to delight, and the fact that both women are lovable and flawed (and less mean to each other) goes a long way. While a twist at the end of the season seems to risk a disappointing reset in their relationship, this show has earned the benefit of the doubt. — Linda Holmes\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Max\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Comedy\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Fight Night: Million Dollar Heist’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Pulling together a blaxploitation-inspired, gangster-fueled series with heavyweights like Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson, Don Cheadle, Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Hart is an achievement. But using them to tell the true story of the dopest heist you never heard of — when powerful Black gangsters got robbed after watching a 1970 Muhammad Ali fight in Atlanta? With Jackson as a fire-breathing Black Godfather and Hart as a fast-talking hustler? That is pure, uncut TV genius. — Eric Deggans\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Peacock, Prime Video, Video on demand\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Action, Drama\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13967594/the-diplomat-season-2-review-netflix-keri-russell\">The Diplomat\u003c/a>’ Season 2\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Set in a fantasy world where hyper-competent government officials fight disaster free of toxic partisan politics, Netflix’s series found new territory this year. \u003cem>West Wing\u003c/em> alum Allison Janney was a surprisingly sharp vice president, complicating efforts by Keri Russell’s no-nonsense ambassador to uncover a conspiracy inside the British government. With scene-stealing performances from Rory Kinnear as the U.K.’s insufferable prime minister, it all built to a diabolically transformative twist ending. — Eric Deggans\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Netflix\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Action, Drama, Horror and Thriller\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"title": "NPR’s Best TV Shows of 2024 | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>If you’re in the mood to binge from the couch this holiday season, NPR critics have gathered together their favorite TV shows of 2024. Have at it!\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13956676/baby-reindeer-netflix-review-problematic-abuse-lgbt-queerness\">Baby Reindeer\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Star and creator Richard Gadd turned his autobiographical one-man-show into an affecting nightmare of a series about a delusional woman who stalks a bartender and terrible aspiring comic. Where it gets complicated is in the details, including the fact that Gadd’s character was sexually abused by a male mentor in ways that reverberate through his life, raising questions about his own actions and the long reach of trauma. On top of all that, a woman who says she inspired the show’s stalker character has sued. — Eric Deggans\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Netflix\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Drama\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Interview with the Vampire’ Season 2\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>AMC’s smart, thrilling and gratifyingly queer version of Anne Rice’s \u003cem>The Vampire Chronicles\u003c/em> improves on the books in ways large and small. Season 2 proved that while the chemistry between Louis (Jacob Anderson) and Lestat (Sam Reid) crackles, the show still works even when they’re apart. Credit the writers for finding new tensions between the cast to play with, especially Daniel (Eric Bogosian) and Armand (Assad Zaman), who each know more than they’re saying. — Glen Weldon\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: AMC, Prime Video\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Drama, Horror and Thriller, Romance\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/R9pXbNz6Vbw'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/R9pXbNz6Vbw'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003ch2>‘Agatha All Along’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The best Marvel TV show (\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13891309/wandavision-the-next-era-of-the-mcu-will-be-televised\">\u003cem>WandaVision\u003c/em>\u003c/a>) got the best follow-up to date, as the great Kathryn Hahn reprised her role as the evil (or at least wildly self-involved) witch, Agatha Harkness. From the \u003cem>Mare of Easttown\u003c/em> parody that kicked off the season, to the brilliant and moving episode which sent Patti freaking LuPone’s Lilia ping-ponging through her own memories, AAA delivered a small, specific and highly idiosyncratic peek into one dark corner of the Marvel Universe. — Glen Weldon\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Disney+\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Comedy, Kid Friendly, Science Fiction and Fantasy\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13955549/ripley-netflix-review-style-andrew-scott\">Ripley\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This new adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel \u003cem>The Talented Mr. Ripley\u003c/em> relied on outstanding work from star Andrew Scott as well as stunning black-and-white cinematography. This is an older, darker Tom than the one Matt Damon played in 1999, but he’s just as frightening and manipulative. A stretch of almost 20 wordless minutes in the third episode that deals with the logistics of murder was one of the most inventive and darkly funny things I saw this year. — Linda Holmes\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Netflix\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Drama, Horror and Thriller\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13964175/the-penguin-batman-spinoff-hbo-max-review-colin-farrell\">The Penguin\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>On the surface, it’s still yet another Batman-without-Batman show. But spend even a few minutes with it, and it starts to reveal new, satisfying depths. The central performances of Colin Farrell (as mob underboss Oz Cobb) and Cristin Milioti (as the would-be head of a crime family) are given room to breathe, and complicate, and surprise. The world of Gotham is pulpy but psychologically complex in ways that have nothing to do with a weirdo who dresses up at night to punch crime in the face. — Glen Weldon\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Max, Video on demand\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Drama, Science Fiction and Fantasy\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Photographer’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>For those tempted to dismiss \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/national-geographic\">National Geographic shows\u003c/a> as televised coffee table books, this series shatters those assumptions with revealing tales on the lives and work of seven astoundingly talented visual artists. My favorite story: Paul Nicklen, who was raised among Inuit people in the Arctic, and Cristina Mittermeier, who grew up in Mexico City and faced down racism and sexism throughout her career, have become a couple hailed as iconic ocean photographers, fooling oil rig workers to get crucial, breathtaking photos. — Eric Deggans\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Disney+, Hulu\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Biography, Documentary\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/WkL7cpG2UhE'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/WkL7cpG2UhE'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003ch2>‘True Detective: Night Country’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Rising above this anthology’s inconsistent history and some inexplicably ungrateful critiques from its creator, Nic Pizzolatto, director/showrunner Issa López crafted a brilliant fourth season centered on Indigenous culture and women, while tipping a hat to the origins of a notoriously male-centered franchise. López also gave us the spellbinding team of Jodie Foster and Kali Reis as two misanthropic officers forced to rely on each other in a way that was groundbreaking and indelible. — Eric Deggans\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Max, Video on demand\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Action, Drama, Horror and Thriller\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13966481/disclaimer-tv-review-apple-tv-cate-blanchett-thriller-kevin-kline\">Disclaimer\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Cate Blanchett is dynamite as a woman who receives a mysterious self-published novel in the mail and realizes the story is based on a terrible memory she’s tried to forget. She struggles to keep the incident from resurfacing and destroying her life with her husband and son, while unbeknownst to her, the man who sent the book to her (Kevin Kline) closes in. The series explores the slipperiness of what’s true and false, and the notion that people live in different realities based on the information they have. — Linda Holmes\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Apple TV/Apple TV+\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Drama, Horror and Thriller\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13958131/jerrod-carmichael-reality-show-hbo-max-series-analysis-cynthia\">Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Any therapist worth their salt would strongly advise against coercing estranged family members to help process your childhood trauma for a prestige docuseries. But Jerrod Carmichael admits that the camera has always been his security blanket, and for that, we get this fascinating, maddening portrait of a Black queer artist who wants desperately to repair his familial relationships. It’s unclear whether this was good for Carmichael, but it just might have helped someone else watching at home. — Aisha Harris\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Max\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Biography, Documentary\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13965841/industry-season-3-hbo-max-analysis-summary-soap-myhala-abela\">Industry\u003c/a>’ Season 3\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>After bubbling under the radar, Mickey Down and Konrad Kay’s pulpy melodrama finally had its Brat moment, and it couldn’t have happened in a more bonkers season. The fictional investment bank Pierpoint faced rocky institutional challenges, while Gen Z upstarts Yas (Marisa Abela), Harper (Myha’la), and Robert (Harry Lawtey) all encountered death in a myriad of ways. In a show about strivers, there were obvious winners and losers; by the end of the season, it was less clear who, if anyone, maintained any semblance of a soul. — Aisha Harris\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Max\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Drama\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/yAN5uspO_hk'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/yAN5uspO_hk'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13953066/new-shogun-series-review-fx-james-clavell\">Shōgun\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This was the biggest swing the TV industry took this year: A sprawling series, set in feudal Japan, centered on the politics of the time, while de-centering the perspective of the British sailor at the heart of the James Clavell novel and 1980 miniseries. Thanks to towering performances from Anna Sawai and Hiroyuki Sanada, along with note-perfect work from an army of writers, artisans and technicians, \u003cem>Shōgun\u003c/em> is an affecting, landmark drama about duty, love, culture and changing times. — Eric Deggans\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: FX, Hulu, Disney+\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Action, Drama, History\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/pop/110589/what-we-do-in-the-shadows-puts-the-dead-in-deadpan\">What We Do in the Shadows\u003c/a>’ Season 6\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The funniest show on TV — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/pop/tag/fx\">FX\u003c/a>’s vampire mockumentary — is going out with a bang, as the world’s most feckless vamps are seized with a renewed sense of purpose. Their new focus takes them variously into corporate America, monster-making, flailing attempts at world conquest and (shudder) the world of Airbnb. These characters aren’t the sort to learn and change, but the final season is making room for small moments of sweetness amid the ever-growing body count. — Glen Weldon\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: FX, Hulu\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Comedy, Science Fiction and Fantasy, Horror and Thriller\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13951374/mr-mrs-smith-are-back-so-are-the-fights-and-bewitching-on-screen-chemistry\">Mr. & Mrs. Smith\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/pop/tag/donald-glover\">Donald Glover\u003c/a> and Maya Erskine have developed distinct comic identities, including on their respective shows \u003cem>Atlanta\u003c/em> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13886663/pen15-is-back-and-girlhood-is-still-painfully-awkward\">\u003cem>PEN15\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. 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But it’s not just the flatulence from Gary Oldman’s deliberately slovenly MI-5 agent Jackson Lamb that is so compelling; it’s how he uses that sloppiness to disguise his dedication to the misfit agents under his command, especially Jack Lowden’s River Cartwright. When River’s granddad, a magnetic Jonathan Pryce, is caught in crisis while suffering dementia, the only thing that could ratchet up the drama actually happens: Hugo Weaving appears as River’s toxic dad. — Eric Deggans\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Apple TV/Apple TV+\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Action, Drama, Horror and Thriller\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/V6jbU4jPru8'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/V6jbU4jPru8'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13954225/quiet-on-set-nickelodeon-abuse-documentary-dan-schneider-drake-bell-brian-peck\">Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It was inevitable that the flurry of documentaries revisiting ’90s pop culture would reach Nickelodeon’s kids TV empire. 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While a twist at the end of the season seems to risk a disappointing reset in their relationship, this show has earned the benefit of the doubt. — Linda Holmes\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Max\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Comedy\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Fight Night: Million Dollar Heist’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Pulling together a blaxploitation-inspired, gangster-fueled series with heavyweights like Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson, Don Cheadle, Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Hart is an achievement. But using them to tell the true story of the dopest heist you never heard of — when powerful Black gangsters got robbed after watching a 1970 Muhammad Ali fight in Atlanta? With Jackson as a fire-breathing Black Godfather and Hart as a fast-talking hustler? That is pure, uncut TV genius. — Eric Deggans\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Where: Peacock, Prime Video, Video on demand\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Genre: Action, Drama\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13967594/the-diplomat-season-2-review-netflix-keri-russell\">The Diplomat\u003c/a>’ Season 2\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Set in a fantasy world where hyper-competent government officials fight disaster free of toxic partisan politics, Netflix’s series found new territory this year. \u003cem>West Wing\u003c/em> alum Allison Janney was a surprisingly sharp vice president, complicating efforts by Keri Russell’s no-nonsense ambassador to uncover a conspiracy inside the British government. With scene-stealing performances from Rory Kinnear as the U.K.’s insufferable prime minister, it all built to a diabolically transformative twist ending. — Eric Deggans\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13969288\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1316px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13969288\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/rental-house.png\" alt=\"A book cover featuring an illustration of an armchair on fire.\" width=\"1316\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/rental-house.png 1316w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/rental-house-800x1216.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/rental-house-1020x1550.png 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/rental-house-160x243.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/rental-house-768x1167.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/rental-house-1011x1536.png 1011w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1316px) 100vw, 1316px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Rental House’ by Weike Wang. \u003ccite>(Riverhead Books)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Vacation rental with the in-laws — for many, it’s a setup for disaster. In Weike Wang’s \u003cem>Rental House\u003c/em>, it’s certainly that. It’s also an opportunity for Wang, a wildly gifted writer, to explore the upside and downside of education, marriage and family. Add to the mix an interracial couple where one partner hails from an Appalachian background like that of JD Vance and the other’s life was shaped by the policies of Chairman Mao, and you have all you need for a laugh-out-loud satire of American dysfunction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13939425']The heroes are Nate and Keru, who meet sort-of-cute at a Halloween party their senior year at Yale. She’s in a leopard-print turtleneck, plaid jacket and shiny gold pants to represent “a bad dress day.” He’s got a fin strapped to his back to stand for “great white,” as in shark, not, Keru later realizes, his status as another well-to-do Caucasian male at an Ivy League school. Nate is anything but that. His background is hillbilly, minus the elegy, the first generation in his family to go to college. Keru is first-gen, too, having emigrated to this country as a child with her Chinese parents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both are whip smart. He studies fruit flies, she’s in consulting. Five years into their marriage, they invite each set of parents to spend a week at their Cape Cod beach house. By then, they’ve become doting parents of a giant sheepdog, Mantou, whose name means “steamed bun” in Chinese. As their parents arrive in staggered shifts, Wang gleefully pokes fun at each family’s prejudices and quirks. “To use a dishwasher is to admit defeat,” Keru’s demanding father tells Nate sternly. But the light-hearted tone darkens when Keru, stressed out by her in-laws’ visit, has a meltdown.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the second half of the book, the stakes are higher. It’s five years later, and Keru is making gobs more money than her tenured professor husband though it requires 80-hour weeks. Easygoing Nate has been diagnosed with anxiety and even Mantou is depressed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13969192']This time, they rent a house in a luxury development in the Catskills, where Keru must harness her considerable problem-solving skills to steer their little ship of family through unexpected visits from nosy, obnoxious neighbors and Nate’s ne’er-do-well brother.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though ostensibly a comedy of manners built around an opposites-attract couple, Wang’s novel, her third after \u003cem>Chemistry\u003c/em> and \u003cem>Joan Is Okay,\u003c/em> is a poignant, profound meditation on this divided country enlivened by her dry wit and deadpan style.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Rental House’ by Weike Wang is out now, via Riverhead Books.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"title": "The 10 Best Classical Albums of 2024",
"publishDate": 1733862935,
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"headTitle": "The 10 Best Classical Albums of 2024 | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>The year 2024 was an emotional roller coaster. Wars kept rampaging, a tortured election season further divided an already polarized nation and climate change served up the most scorching summer on record. Still, in the midst of the chaos, I found astonishing beauty in many places: Simone Biles’ performances at the Paris Olympics, the kaleidoscopic late-night aurora borealis light shows and in much soul-nourishing music that helped mitigate those low points in what remains a wild ride.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I witnessed astounding performances this year, too many to describe in total. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/16354188/berlin-philharmonic-orchestra\">Berlin Philharmonic\u003c/a> proved that \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/15033227/antonin-dvorak\">Dvorak\u003c/a>‘s Seventh Symphony is the jewel in his crown, while the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra luxuriated in \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/15438778/sergey-rachmaninov\">Rachmaninoff\u003c/a>‘s Second. Pianist \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/112055562/marc-andre-hamelin\">Marc-André Hamelin\u003c/a> paid homage to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/90901153/charles-ives\">Charles Ives\u003c/a> sesquicentennial with an uncanny performance of the knuckle-twisting “Concord” Sonata, and the redoubtable Evgeny Kissin offered electrifying \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/15866095/sergey-prokofiev\">Prokofiev\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/15379968/frederic-chopin\">Chopin\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/89532661/meredith-monk\">Meredith Monk\u003c/a>, still spry in her 80s, danced and sang in her restorative theatre work \u003cem>Indra’s Net\u003c/em>. Soprano \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/940390176/julia-bullock\">Julia Bullock\u003c/a> delivered a diverse range of songs from \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/15193203/bob-dylan\">Bob Dylan\u003c/a> to \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/89529197/francis-poulenc\">Francis Poulenc\u003c/a> in recital, and took the lead in a colorful version of \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/14996733/john-adams\">John Adams\u003c/a>‘ \u003cem>El Niño\u003c/em> at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/869938581/metropolitan-opera\">Metropolitan Opera\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/15189623/sigur-r-s\">Sigur Rós\u003c/a> toured with a full orchestra. And then, there was the seamless blend of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/570269172/estonian-philharmonic-chamber-choir\">Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir\u003c/a>, pairing \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/91476506/giovanni-pierluigi-da-palestrina\">Palestrina\u003c/a> with \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/16070552/arvo-part\">Arvo Pärt\u003c/a> in an unforgettable evening in a small church.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13967712']Naturally, not all of my favorite artists were touring this year, but many were in the studio, making terrific albums. The 10 recordings below, plus a few honorable mentions, kept my ears focused and delighted throughout the year. Opera singers Aigul Akhmetshina and \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/1050164280/emily-dangelo\">Emily D’Angelo\u003c/a> submitted two satisfying approaches — Akhmetshina releasing a standard arias album while D’Angelo filled hers mostly with folk and pop songs, imaginatively arranged.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Women composers, still too often overlooked in concert halls, have released amazing albums this year — a glittering symphonic tour-de-force from Mexico’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2024/10/04/nx-s1-5081260/the-borderless-music-of-gabriela-ortiz\">Gabriela Ortiz\u003c/a>, ethereal choral works by Lithuania’s Žibuoklė Martinaitytė and warm-hearted melodies for soloists and chamber orchestra from the Brit \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/884906471/anna-clyne\">Anna Clyne\u003c/a>. Lutenist Jakob Lindberg lowered my stubbornly high blood pressure, as did a shimmering ambient adventure from Christopher Rountree.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The albums below were sources of joy, introspection and hope for me this year. Perhaps they’ll do the same for you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmnH7iFEYLk\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 22px;font-weight: bold\">Gabriela Ortiz, \u003c/span>\u003cem style=\"font-size: 22px;font-weight: bold\">Revolución Diamantina\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>For Those Who Like: \u003c/strong>Stravinsky, social justice, Mexico\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Story:\u003c/strong> With a colorful family history in her native Mexico — including a grandfather who worked as Pancho Villa’s physician and parents who founded a popular Latin American folk group — Gabriela Ortiz has slowly emerged as one of today’s must-hear composers. Luckily, hearing her is easier than ever, as she’s in residence this season at Carnegie Hall. Her luminous orchestral works have been championed by star conductor Gustavo Dudamel, who calls her one of the most talented composers in the world and leads the Los Angeles Philharmonic on this dazzling album.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Music: \u003c/strong>Ortiz says \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2024/10/04/nx-s1-5081260/the-borderless-music-of-gabriela-ortiz\">music has no borders\u003c/a>, and she practices what she preaches. Her compositional voice is singular, but the jagged rhythms in Act IV of this politically charged ballet almost out-Stravinsky Stravinsky, just moments after oscillating figures in the winds channel John Adams. A Huichol folk melody from Mexico’s western Sierra Madres inspires the colorful symphonic showpiece \u003cem>Kauyumari\u003c/em>, and in \u003cem>Altar de Cuerda\u003c/em>, an atmospheric violin concerto played with precision and passion by Maria Dueñas, you might hear the ghosts of 20th century modernists György Ligeti and Olivier Messiaen. With this album, the distinctive, hardworking composer finally relishes the spotlight she has deserved for years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3e0Nim9XuM\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Maya Beiser, \u003cem>Maya Beiser x Terry Riley: In C\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>For Those Who Like: \u003c/strong>Steve Reich, cellos, magic mushrooms\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Story:\u003c/strong> It’s pretty gutsy to take on a revered, pioneering piece of minimalism designed for a couple dozen people to play and reduce it to only a stack of cello loops and a pair of percussionists. But cellist Maya Beiser has triumphed, releasing one of the most groove-laden and listenable renditions of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13967712/in-c-terry-riley-minimalism-music-history-maya-beiser\">\u003cem>In C\u003c/em>, Terry Riley\u003c/a>‘s enduring 60-year-old score. And it’s fitting that Beiser deploys loops for her version, given that the seeds of \u003cem>In C\u003c/em> were sown in Riley’s earlier experiments in cutting and looping tape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Music: \u003c/strong>Beiser’s vision is all about pulses, drones and the low C string of her instrument, which tends to ricochet off drummers Shane Shanahan and Matt Kilmer. She likes to unfurl long, singing cello lines over oscillating beats, creating grooves with the power to intoxicate or get you wired for an all-night road trip. In one section, she interleaves her voice with cello in a nod to the medieval vocal technique of hocketing. In another, she distorts her instrument and amps up the beat, creating a kind of headbanging grunge moment. Along the way, Beiser cuts the engine to provide a couple of calming rest stops.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBqsViTL1G8\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Emily D’Angelo, \u003cem>Freezing\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>For Those Who Like: \u003c/strong>June Tabor, Kathleen Ferrier, voluptuous voices\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Story: \u003c/strong>Emerging opera stars aren’t supposed to release albums stuffed with folk and pop songs, but the velvet-voiced Canadian mezzo-soprano has done just that, tossing off old British ballads and a Randy Newman number with supreme beauty and homespun confidence. She can sing Mozart and Rossini as well as anyone today, and never mind at all that she opened the Metropolitan Opera season this fall — her curious mind, smart curation and inherently gorgeous instrument are enough to render this decidedly non-operatic album essential listening.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Music: \u003c/strong>Spanning five centuries, D’Angelo’s eclectic vocal mixtape ranges from \u003cem>Grounded\u003c/em>, the brand new opera written for her by Jeanine Tesori, to a song by Elizabethan gloom master John Dowland, to a synth-laden arrangement of the English ballad “Cold Blows the Wind,” inspired by \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/16518232/ween\">Ween\u003c/a>. The title track is a fresh take of a Philip Glass/Suzanne Vega collaboration that unleashes a molten electric guitar. The mood of \u003cem>Freezing\u003c/em> is wistful, lovelorn and a little chilly, but D’Angelo’s buttery, burgundy-colored voice, concise diction and luxurious phrasing is your warm fire to keep away the cold.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MkoTjjs1jg\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Christopher Rountree, \u003cem>3 BPM\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>For Those Who Like: \u003c/strong>Brian Eno, Julius Eastman, chill rooms\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Story:\u003c/strong> Composer-conductor Christopher Rountree is perhaps best known as the founder and leader of Wild Up, the Los Angeles-based new music outfit responsible for resuscitating (on four extraordinary albums) the lost music of Julius Eastman. This year, with help from his band, the piano duo Hocket and intrepid violist Nadia Sirota, Rountree released \u003cem>3 BPM\u003c/em>, a 28-minute safe haven for calming reflection. The music also serves as a lasting tribute to pianist and composer Sarah Gibson (one half of Hocket), \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2024/07/19/sarah-gibson-composer-dead-obituary/\">who died\u003c/a> in July at 38 — a cruel gut punch to the new music community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Music: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>3 BPM \u003c/em>(three beats per minute) is a flight through tranquil spaces marked with little episodes of euphoria. Brian Eno’s ambient music may come to mind, and Eastman’s jubilance. But Rountree has crafted his own musical language here, one he’s called a musical framework for togetherness. A tolling piano and a whoosh of air usher us into the piece; by the time we reach our final stop with “Almanac,” a wheezy viola emerges and gently rolled piano chords bloom like a celestial portal opening, calling you to travel beyond yourself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RkhxEiXLtw\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Experiential Orchestra, \u003cem>American Counterpoints\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>For those Who Like: \u003c/strong>Bartók, violin concertos, musical archeology\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Story: \u003c/strong>This long overdue release spotlights two singular Black American composers whose music had fallen into neglect. Julia Perry found success in the 1950s after her \u003cem>Stabat Mater\u003c/em> debuted and a Guggenheim Fellowship funded her study with Nadia Boulanger in Paris. But the 1960s brought health and financial problems, and when she died in 1979 her music was all but forgotten. Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson’s music was also overlooked until after his death in 2004. A versatile pianist who collaborated with Marvin Gaye and Max Roach, Perkinson composed in a variety of idioms for television, film and the concert hall. He co-founded an orchestra and was a key figure at the Center for Black Music Research at Chicago’s Columbia College.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Music:\u003c/strong> The album is anchored by Perry’s austere, sometimes Bartók-leaning Violin Concerto from 1968, whose score was left in disarray. This newly reconstructed version receives a probing performance by soloist Curtis Stewart and the Experiential Orchestra. Perry’s experimental style emerges in the darkly hued \u003cem>Symphony in One Movement for Violas and Basses\u003c/em>, while an almost Copland-like freshness pervades her Prelude for Strings. Perkinson proves a formidable presence in his Sinfonietta No. 1, composed when he was all of 22, the opening movement of which elegantly weaves strands of baroque counterpoint that would make Handel jealous. Stewart gets down and gritty for Perkinson’s \u003cem>Louisiana Blues Strut: A Cakewalk\u003c/em>, which, in its slurred and syncopated lines, conjures Black music from before the Civil War.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiZftXoSL3o\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Žibuoklė Martinaitytė, \u003cem>Aletheia\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>For Those Who Like: \u003c/strong>Björk, Tanya Tagaq, choirs\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Story:\u003c/strong> Žibuoklė Martinaitytė, raised in Soviet-era Lithuania and now a denizen of New York, has emerged as a composer poised for maximum visibility. Those following her career understand her command of a symphony orchestra, via recordings released on the Finnish Ondine label. Her latest proves she may also be one of the leading choral composers of our time — a sonically shimmering album for unaccompanied chorus featuring magnificent performances by the Latvian Radio Choir, which continues to assert itself as perhaps the finest chorus singing today.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Music:\u003c/strong> No actual words are sung on \u003cem>Aletheia\u003c/em>. Martinaitytė trusts in styles of vocalizing that communicate beyond language, not unlike Meredith Monk. The title track, composed during the onset of the war in Ukraine, gives voice to resilient people under siege in passages of bottled claustrophobia and joyous “whooping.” \u003cem>Chant des Voyelles\u003c/em>, where only vowels are sung, evokes clouds of heavenly synthesizers, radiant and breathtaking when the choir is in full cry. \u003cem>Ululations\u003c/em> is at once beautiful and terrifying, a symphonic weave of vocalizing that is halfway between howling and yodeling. In this complex music, the choir offers its signature unified blend of sounds, transparent and seemingly limitless in color and lighting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNPYRprKQ6Q\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Anna Clyne, \u003cem>Shorthand\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>For Those Who Like: \u003c/strong>Yo-Yo Ma, strings, mandolins\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Story: \u003c/strong>In college, British composer Anna Clyne made a last-minute pivot from literature to music. She was already 20 when she took up her first formal composition lessons, and after she moved to New York in 2002, she spent time as a florist and even contemplated investment banking. It was a glowing email from Steve Reich, telling her she was “the real deal” after looking over one of her pieces, that helped Clyne’s career to fully blossom. Today, she’s one of the most commissioned composers, writing music that can be experimental — she’s developed software to shapeshift the sounds of individual instruments in live symphonic performances — but always unapologetically melodic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Music: \u003c/strong>Yo-Yo Ma’s burnished cello tone caresses the lachrymose theme of the title track, a miniature cello concerto inspired by Tolstoy’s quote that “Music is the shorthand of emotion.” Clyne isn’t afraid to spin opulent, wistful melodies, nowhere more so than in the album’s impassioned centerpiece, \u003cem>Within Her Arms\u003c/em>, an elegy for strings written in response to the death of her mother. Mandolinist Avi Avital twinkles, shreds and sweetly serenades in the concerto \u003cem>Three Sisters\u003c/em>, inspired by the stars in Orion’s belt. \u003cem>Prince of Clouds\u003c/em>, a sensuous double concerto for two violins, finds committed soloists in Colin Jacobsen and Pekka Kuusisto. And throughout, the New York-based orchestra The Knights plays the music like it was written just for them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3MFRRF189Q\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Aigul Akhmetshina, \u003cem>Aigul\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>For Those Who Like: \u003c/strong>Bizet’s \u003cem>Carmen\u003c/em>, the Republic of Bashkortostan, fresh opera stars\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Story: \u003c/strong>Mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina’s rise to fame reads like a fairy tale. Raised by a single mom in a rural village in Bashkortostan, she learned music on her grandfather’s accordion because space and finances precluded a piano in their small apartment. At just 14, she moved away to study, supporting herself by entertaining as a stilt walker and waiting tables. After being denied admission to a Moscow conservatory, and then suffering a debilitating car accident, she tossed all her singing awards in a box she labeled “Aigul’s Bulls***” and called it quits. But her teacher was persuasive. Akhmetshina rehabilitated her voice, landed in a young artists program in London (without speaking English) and, at 21, got her big break singing \u003cem>Carmen\u003c/em> at London’s storied Covent Garden.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Music: \u003c/strong>Naturally, scenes from \u003cem>Carmen\u003c/em> dominate this debut album. Hearing her plush, aubergine-colored voice, coquettish and confident in the drama, one understands why she’s in top demand for the role. Better still are two arias from Massenet’s emotionally fraught \u003cem>Werther\u003c/em>. In the “Letter Scene,” where the character nervously reads letters from her troubled lover, you can hear a complex swirl of regret, fear and guilt in Akhmetshina’s voice. Selections from Bellini’s \u003cem>I Capuleti e I Montecchi\u003c/em> and Rossini’s \u003cem>La Cenerentola\u003c/em> and \u003cem>The Barber of Seville\u003c/em> show off her seamless agility throughout the registers, with ringing top notes and smoldering low ones. At 28, the young mezzo has a full career ahead, and opera fans will want to keep their ears open.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spaekeaBiVE\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Jakob Lindberg, \u003cem>Robert De Visée: Theorbo Solos\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>For Those Who Like: \u003c/strong>guitars, Baroque elegance, quiet cups of tea\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Story:\u003c/strong> The French lutenist and composer Robert de Visée could often be found serenading his boss, Louis XIV, at his bedside. He also taught the monarch how to play the guitar. Fast forward about 300 years to the Swedish musician Jakob Lindberg, who as a teen picked up the guitar after hearing The Beatles, then turned to early music and studied in London. Now, in his early 70s, Lindberg is a lute magus who performs on his various instruments around the world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Music: \u003c/strong>In this collection of suites and pieces by de Visée, Lindberg deploys a particularly large theorbo — a member of the lute family, in this case a spectacular five-footer that boasts a kaleidoscope of colors and luxurious low bass strings. The “Musette” from the G-major suite offers a sparkling melody, steady bass line and strumming to imitate a bagpipe. But not all is delicate and rosy; deep pain is found in the low, thrumming strings in the “Tombeau” that de Visée wrote to mourn the deaths of his two daughters. This is an exquisite, quiet album for our very loud world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCbFcAG0jJY\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Timo Andres, \u003cem>The Blind Banister\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>For Those Who Like: \u003c/strong>Nico Muhly, piano concertos, Pulitzer finalists\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Story:\u003c/strong> Timo Andres, a thoughtful pianist-composer who turns 40 next year, has his agile fingers in many pies. Last year, he edited \u003cem>Philip Glass Piano Etudes\u003c/em>, a new edition of the music, which he performed in various venues. Earlier this year, his orchestrations graced the Sufjan Stevens-inspired Broadway show \u003cem>Illinoise\u003c/em>. And the title work of his third album, a piano concerto called \u003cem>The Blind Banister\u003c/em>, earned much-deserved street cred after it became a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2016. This is the work’s recorded debut, with the composer as soloist and tailor-made accompaniment by the Metropolis Ensemble.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Music: \u003c/strong>What goes up must come down in \u003cem>The Blind Banister\u003c/em>. The 20-minute concerto, inspired by Beethoven, presents a series of variations on a descending scale, which gets built up again, only to fall even harder — and lower on the keyboard — by the time warm string figures emerge in the coda. Often mesmerizing, \u003cem>Banister\u003c/em> is a beautiful journey that concludes with a satisfying jolt of release. \u003cem>Colorful History\u003c/em> is a darkly textured, cyclically driven solo piano work played by Andres, while \u003cem>Upstate Obscura\u003c/em>, a cello concerto, offers the attentive soloist Inbal Segev opportunities to soar at the top of her instrument’s register, chase themes in strings and winds and, finally, guide us through open spaces, pensive yet filled with promise.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003ch2>10 (Very) Honorable Mentions:\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Reto Bieri, Polina Leschenko:\u003c/strong> \u003cem>Take 3\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>John Luther Adams:\u003c/strong> \u003cem>An Atlas of Deep Time\u003c/em> (South Dakota Symphony)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Yuja Wang:\u003c/strong> \u003cem>The\u003c/em> \u003cem>Vienna Recital\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Yunchan Lim:\u003c/strong> \u003cem>Chopin Etudes\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Christopher Cerrone:\u003c/strong> \u003cem>Beaufort Scales \u003c/em>(Lorelei Ensemble)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>C.P.E. Bach:\u003c/strong> \u003cem>Symphonies — From Berlin to Hamburg\u003c/em> (Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Valentin Silvestrov:\u003c/strong> \u003cem>Postludium & Dedication\u003c/em> (Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kurt Weill:\u003c/strong> \u003cem>The Kurt Weill Album\u003c/em> (Konzerthausorchester Berlin)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danish String Quartet:\u003c/strong> \u003cem>Keel Road\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>John Zorn:\u003c/strong> \u003cem>Hannigan Sings Zorn, Volume One\u003c/em> (Barbara Hannigan)\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>The year 2024 was an emotional roller coaster. Wars kept rampaging, a tortured election season further divided an already polarized nation and climate change served up the most scorching summer on record. Still, in the midst of the chaos, I found astonishing beauty in many places: Simone Biles’ performances at the Paris Olympics, the kaleidoscopic late-night aurora borealis light shows and in much soul-nourishing music that helped mitigate those low points in what remains a wild ride.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I witnessed astounding performances this year, too many to describe in total. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/16354188/berlin-philharmonic-orchestra\">Berlin Philharmonic\u003c/a> proved that \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/15033227/antonin-dvorak\">Dvorak\u003c/a>‘s Seventh Symphony is the jewel in his crown, while the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra luxuriated in \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/15438778/sergey-rachmaninov\">Rachmaninoff\u003c/a>‘s Second. Pianist \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/112055562/marc-andre-hamelin\">Marc-André Hamelin\u003c/a> paid homage to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/90901153/charles-ives\">Charles Ives\u003c/a> sesquicentennial with an uncanny performance of the knuckle-twisting “Concord” Sonata, and the redoubtable Evgeny Kissin offered electrifying \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/15866095/sergey-prokofiev\">Prokofiev\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/15379968/frederic-chopin\">Chopin\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/89532661/meredith-monk\">Meredith Monk\u003c/a>, still spry in her 80s, danced and sang in her restorative theatre work \u003cem>Indra’s Net\u003c/em>. Soprano \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/940390176/julia-bullock\">Julia Bullock\u003c/a> delivered a diverse range of songs from \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/15193203/bob-dylan\">Bob Dylan\u003c/a> to \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/89529197/francis-poulenc\">Francis Poulenc\u003c/a> in recital, and took the lead in a colorful version of \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/14996733/john-adams\">John Adams\u003c/a>‘ \u003cem>El Niño\u003c/em> at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/869938581/metropolitan-opera\">Metropolitan Opera\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/15189623/sigur-r-s\">Sigur Rós\u003c/a> toured with a full orchestra. And then, there was the seamless blend of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/570269172/estonian-philharmonic-chamber-choir\">Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir\u003c/a>, pairing \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/91476506/giovanni-pierluigi-da-palestrina\">Palestrina\u003c/a> with \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/16070552/arvo-part\">Arvo Pärt\u003c/a> in an unforgettable evening in a small church.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Naturally, not all of my favorite artists were touring this year, but many were in the studio, making terrific albums. The 10 recordings below, plus a few honorable mentions, kept my ears focused and delighted throughout the year. Opera singers Aigul Akhmetshina and \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/1050164280/emily-dangelo\">Emily D’Angelo\u003c/a> submitted two satisfying approaches — Akhmetshina releasing a standard arias album while D’Angelo filled hers mostly with folk and pop songs, imaginatively arranged.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Women composers, still too often overlooked in concert halls, have released amazing albums this year — a glittering symphonic tour-de-force from Mexico’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2024/10/04/nx-s1-5081260/the-borderless-music-of-gabriela-ortiz\">Gabriela Ortiz\u003c/a>, ethereal choral works by Lithuania’s Žibuoklė Martinaitytė and warm-hearted melodies for soloists and chamber orchestra from the Brit \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/884906471/anna-clyne\">Anna Clyne\u003c/a>. Lutenist Jakob Lindberg lowered my stubbornly high blood pressure, as did a shimmering ambient adventure from Christopher Rountree.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The albums below were sources of joy, introspection and hope for me this year. Perhaps they’ll do the same for you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/rmnH7iFEYLk'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/rmnH7iFEYLk'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 22px;font-weight: bold\">Gabriela Ortiz, \u003c/span>\u003cem style=\"font-size: 22px;font-weight: bold\">Revolución Diamantina\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>For Those Who Like: \u003c/strong>Stravinsky, social justice, Mexico\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Story:\u003c/strong> With a colorful family history in her native Mexico — including a grandfather who worked as Pancho Villa’s physician and parents who founded a popular Latin American folk group — Gabriela Ortiz has slowly emerged as one of today’s must-hear composers. Luckily, hearing her is easier than ever, as she’s in residence this season at Carnegie Hall. Her luminous orchestral works have been championed by star conductor Gustavo Dudamel, who calls her one of the most talented composers in the world and leads the Los Angeles Philharmonic on this dazzling album.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Music: \u003c/strong>Ortiz says \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2024/10/04/nx-s1-5081260/the-borderless-music-of-gabriela-ortiz\">music has no borders\u003c/a>, and she practices what she preaches. Her compositional voice is singular, but the jagged rhythms in Act IV of this politically charged ballet almost out-Stravinsky Stravinsky, just moments after oscillating figures in the winds channel John Adams. A Huichol folk melody from Mexico’s western Sierra Madres inspires the colorful symphonic showpiece \u003cem>Kauyumari\u003c/em>, and in \u003cem>Altar de Cuerda\u003c/em>, an atmospheric violin concerto played with precision and passion by Maria Dueñas, you might hear the ghosts of 20th century modernists György Ligeti and Olivier Messiaen. With this album, the distinctive, hardworking composer finally relishes the spotlight she has deserved for years.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/F3e0Nim9XuM'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/F3e0Nim9XuM'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003ch3>Maya Beiser, \u003cem>Maya Beiser x Terry Riley: In C\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>For Those Who Like: \u003c/strong>Steve Reich, cellos, magic mushrooms\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Story:\u003c/strong> It’s pretty gutsy to take on a revered, pioneering piece of minimalism designed for a couple dozen people to play and reduce it to only a stack of cello loops and a pair of percussionists. But cellist Maya Beiser has triumphed, releasing one of the most groove-laden and listenable renditions of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13967712/in-c-terry-riley-minimalism-music-history-maya-beiser\">\u003cem>In C\u003c/em>, Terry Riley\u003c/a>‘s enduring 60-year-old score. And it’s fitting that Beiser deploys loops for her version, given that the seeds of \u003cem>In C\u003c/em> were sown in Riley’s earlier experiments in cutting and looping tape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Music: \u003c/strong>Beiser’s vision is all about pulses, drones and the low C string of her instrument, which tends to ricochet off drummers Shane Shanahan and Matt Kilmer. She likes to unfurl long, singing cello lines over oscillating beats, creating grooves with the power to intoxicate or get you wired for an all-night road trip. In one section, she interleaves her voice with cello in a nod to the medieval vocal technique of hocketing. In another, she distorts her instrument and amps up the beat, creating a kind of headbanging grunge moment. Along the way, Beiser cuts the engine to provide a couple of calming rest stops.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/MBqsViTL1G8'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/MBqsViTL1G8'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003ch3>Emily D’Angelo, \u003cem>Freezing\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>For Those Who Like: \u003c/strong>June Tabor, Kathleen Ferrier, voluptuous voices\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Story: \u003c/strong>Emerging opera stars aren’t supposed to release albums stuffed with folk and pop songs, but the velvet-voiced Canadian mezzo-soprano has done just that, tossing off old British ballads and a Randy Newman number with supreme beauty and homespun confidence. She can sing Mozart and Rossini as well as anyone today, and never mind at all that she opened the Metropolitan Opera season this fall — her curious mind, smart curation and inherently gorgeous instrument are enough to render this decidedly non-operatic album essential listening.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Music: \u003c/strong>Spanning five centuries, D’Angelo’s eclectic vocal mixtape ranges from \u003cem>Grounded\u003c/em>, the brand new opera written for her by Jeanine Tesori, to a song by Elizabethan gloom master John Dowland, to a synth-laden arrangement of the English ballad “Cold Blows the Wind,” inspired by \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/16518232/ween\">Ween\u003c/a>. The title track is a fresh take of a Philip Glass/Suzanne Vega collaboration that unleashes a molten electric guitar. The mood of \u003cem>Freezing\u003c/em> is wistful, lovelorn and a little chilly, but D’Angelo’s buttery, burgundy-colored voice, concise diction and luxurious phrasing is your warm fire to keep away the cold.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/4MkoTjjs1jg'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/4MkoTjjs1jg'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003ch3>Christopher Rountree, \u003cem>3 BPM\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>For Those Who Like: \u003c/strong>Brian Eno, Julius Eastman, chill rooms\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Story:\u003c/strong> Composer-conductor Christopher Rountree is perhaps best known as the founder and leader of Wild Up, the Los Angeles-based new music outfit responsible for resuscitating (on four extraordinary albums) the lost music of Julius Eastman. This year, with help from his band, the piano duo Hocket and intrepid violist Nadia Sirota, Rountree released \u003cem>3 BPM\u003c/em>, a 28-minute safe haven for calming reflection. The music also serves as a lasting tribute to pianist and composer Sarah Gibson (one half of Hocket), \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2024/07/19/sarah-gibson-composer-dead-obituary/\">who died\u003c/a> in July at 38 — a cruel gut punch to the new music community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Music: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>3 BPM \u003c/em>(three beats per minute) is a flight through tranquil spaces marked with little episodes of euphoria. Brian Eno’s ambient music may come to mind, and Eastman’s jubilance. But Rountree has crafted his own musical language here, one he’s called a musical framework for togetherness. A tolling piano and a whoosh of air usher us into the piece; by the time we reach our final stop with “Almanac,” a wheezy viola emerges and gently rolled piano chords bloom like a celestial portal opening, calling you to travel beyond yourself.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/8RkhxEiXLtw'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/8RkhxEiXLtw'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003ch3>Experiential Orchestra, \u003cem>American Counterpoints\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>For those Who Like: \u003c/strong>Bartók, violin concertos, musical archeology\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Story: \u003c/strong>This long overdue release spotlights two singular Black American composers whose music had fallen into neglect. Julia Perry found success in the 1950s after her \u003cem>Stabat Mater\u003c/em> debuted and a Guggenheim Fellowship funded her study with Nadia Boulanger in Paris. But the 1960s brought health and financial problems, and when she died in 1979 her music was all but forgotten. Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson’s music was also overlooked until after his death in 2004. A versatile pianist who collaborated with Marvin Gaye and Max Roach, Perkinson composed in a variety of idioms for television, film and the concert hall. He co-founded an orchestra and was a key figure at the Center for Black Music Research at Chicago’s Columbia College.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Music:\u003c/strong> The album is anchored by Perry’s austere, sometimes Bartók-leaning Violin Concerto from 1968, whose score was left in disarray. This newly reconstructed version receives a probing performance by soloist Curtis Stewart and the Experiential Orchestra. Perry’s experimental style emerges in the darkly hued \u003cem>Symphony in One Movement for Violas and Basses\u003c/em>, while an almost Copland-like freshness pervades her Prelude for Strings. Perkinson proves a formidable presence in his Sinfonietta No. 1, composed when he was all of 22, the opening movement of which elegantly weaves strands of baroque counterpoint that would make Handel jealous. Stewart gets down and gritty for Perkinson’s \u003cem>Louisiana Blues Strut: A Cakewalk\u003c/em>, which, in its slurred and syncopated lines, conjures Black music from before the Civil War.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/PiZftXoSL3o'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/PiZftXoSL3o'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003ch3>Žibuoklė Martinaitytė, \u003cem>Aletheia\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>For Those Who Like: \u003c/strong>Björk, Tanya Tagaq, choirs\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Story:\u003c/strong> Žibuoklė Martinaitytė, raised in Soviet-era Lithuania and now a denizen of New York, has emerged as a composer poised for maximum visibility. Those following her career understand her command of a symphony orchestra, via recordings released on the Finnish Ondine label. Her latest proves she may also be one of the leading choral composers of our time — a sonically shimmering album for unaccompanied chorus featuring magnificent performances by the Latvian Radio Choir, which continues to assert itself as perhaps the finest chorus singing today.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Music:\u003c/strong> No actual words are sung on \u003cem>Aletheia\u003c/em>. Martinaitytė trusts in styles of vocalizing that communicate beyond language, not unlike Meredith Monk. The title track, composed during the onset of the war in Ukraine, gives voice to resilient people under siege in passages of bottled claustrophobia and joyous “whooping.” \u003cem>Chant des Voyelles\u003c/em>, where only vowels are sung, evokes clouds of heavenly synthesizers, radiant and breathtaking when the choir is in full cry. \u003cem>Ululations\u003c/em> is at once beautiful and terrifying, a symphonic weave of vocalizing that is halfway between howling and yodeling. In this complex music, the choir offers its signature unified blend of sounds, transparent and seemingly limitless in color and lighting.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/pNPYRprKQ6Q'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/pNPYRprKQ6Q'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003ch3>Anna Clyne, \u003cem>Shorthand\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>For Those Who Like: \u003c/strong>Yo-Yo Ma, strings, mandolins\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Story: \u003c/strong>In college, British composer Anna Clyne made a last-minute pivot from literature to music. She was already 20 when she took up her first formal composition lessons, and after she moved to New York in 2002, she spent time as a florist and even contemplated investment banking. It was a glowing email from Steve Reich, telling her she was “the real deal” after looking over one of her pieces, that helped Clyne’s career to fully blossom. Today, she’s one of the most commissioned composers, writing music that can be experimental — she’s developed software to shapeshift the sounds of individual instruments in live symphonic performances — but always unapologetically melodic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Music: \u003c/strong>Yo-Yo Ma’s burnished cello tone caresses the lachrymose theme of the title track, a miniature cello concerto inspired by Tolstoy’s quote that “Music is the shorthand of emotion.” Clyne isn’t afraid to spin opulent, wistful melodies, nowhere more so than in the album’s impassioned centerpiece, \u003cem>Within Her Arms\u003c/em>, an elegy for strings written in response to the death of her mother. Mandolinist Avi Avital twinkles, shreds and sweetly serenades in the concerto \u003cem>Three Sisters\u003c/em>, inspired by the stars in Orion’s belt. \u003cem>Prince of Clouds\u003c/em>, a sensuous double concerto for two violins, finds committed soloists in Colin Jacobsen and Pekka Kuusisto. And throughout, the New York-based orchestra The Knights plays the music like it was written just for them.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/Q3MFRRF189Q'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/Q3MFRRF189Q'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003ch3>Aigul Akhmetshina, \u003cem>Aigul\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>For Those Who Like: \u003c/strong>Bizet’s \u003cem>Carmen\u003c/em>, the Republic of Bashkortostan, fresh opera stars\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Story: \u003c/strong>Mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina’s rise to fame reads like a fairy tale. Raised by a single mom in a rural village in Bashkortostan, she learned music on her grandfather’s accordion because space and finances precluded a piano in their small apartment. At just 14, she moved away to study, supporting herself by entertaining as a stilt walker and waiting tables. After being denied admission to a Moscow conservatory, and then suffering a debilitating car accident, she tossed all her singing awards in a box she labeled “Aigul’s Bulls***” and called it quits. But her teacher was persuasive. Akhmetshina rehabilitated her voice, landed in a young artists program in London (without speaking English) and, at 21, got her big break singing \u003cem>Carmen\u003c/em> at London’s storied Covent Garden.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Music: \u003c/strong>Naturally, scenes from \u003cem>Carmen\u003c/em> dominate this debut album. Hearing her plush, aubergine-colored voice, coquettish and confident in the drama, one understands why she’s in top demand for the role. Better still are two arias from Massenet’s emotionally fraught \u003cem>Werther\u003c/em>. In the “Letter Scene,” where the character nervously reads letters from her troubled lover, you can hear a complex swirl of regret, fear and guilt in Akhmetshina’s voice. Selections from Bellini’s \u003cem>I Capuleti e I Montecchi\u003c/em> and Rossini’s \u003cem>La Cenerentola\u003c/em> and \u003cem>The Barber of Seville\u003c/em> show off her seamless agility throughout the registers, with ringing top notes and smoldering low ones. At 28, the young mezzo has a full career ahead, and opera fans will want to keep their ears open.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/spaekeaBiVE'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/spaekeaBiVE'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003ch3>Jakob Lindberg, \u003cem>Robert De Visée: Theorbo Solos\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>For Those Who Like: \u003c/strong>guitars, Baroque elegance, quiet cups of tea\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Story:\u003c/strong> The French lutenist and composer Robert de Visée could often be found serenading his boss, Louis XIV, at his bedside. He also taught the monarch how to play the guitar. Fast forward about 300 years to the Swedish musician Jakob Lindberg, who as a teen picked up the guitar after hearing The Beatles, then turned to early music and studied in London. Now, in his early 70s, Lindberg is a lute magus who performs on his various instruments around the world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Music: \u003c/strong>In this collection of suites and pieces by de Visée, Lindberg deploys a particularly large theorbo — a member of the lute family, in this case a spectacular five-footer that boasts a kaleidoscope of colors and luxurious low bass strings. The “Musette” from the G-major suite offers a sparkling melody, steady bass line and strumming to imitate a bagpipe. But not all is delicate and rosy; deep pain is found in the low, thrumming strings in the “Tombeau” that de Visée wrote to mourn the deaths of his two daughters. This is an exquisite, quiet album for our very loud world.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/ZCbFcAG0jJY'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/ZCbFcAG0jJY'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003ch3>Timo Andres, \u003cem>The Blind Banister\u003c/em>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>For Those Who Like: \u003c/strong>Nico Muhly, piano concertos, Pulitzer finalists\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Story:\u003c/strong> Timo Andres, a thoughtful pianist-composer who turns 40 next year, has his agile fingers in many pies. Last year, he edited \u003cem>Philip Glass Piano Etudes\u003c/em>, a new edition of the music, which he performed in various venues. Earlier this year, his orchestrations graced the Sufjan Stevens-inspired Broadway show \u003cem>Illinoise\u003c/em>. And the title work of his third album, a piano concerto called \u003cem>The Blind Banister\u003c/em>, earned much-deserved street cred after it became a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2016. This is the work’s recorded debut, with the composer as soloist and tailor-made accompaniment by the Metropolis Ensemble.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Music: \u003c/strong>What goes up must come down in \u003cem>The Blind Banister\u003c/em>. The 20-minute concerto, inspired by Beethoven, presents a series of variations on a descending scale, which gets built up again, only to fall even harder — and lower on the keyboard — by the time warm string figures emerge in the coda. Often mesmerizing, \u003cem>Banister\u003c/em> is a beautiful journey that concludes with a satisfying jolt of release. \u003cem>Colorful History\u003c/em> is a darkly textured, cyclically driven solo piano work played by Andres, while \u003cem>Upstate Obscura\u003c/em>, a cello concerto, offers the attentive soloist Inbal Segev opportunities to soar at the top of her instrument’s register, chase themes in strings and winds and, finally, guide us through open spaces, pensive yet filled with promise.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003ch2>10 (Very) Honorable Mentions:\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Reto Bieri, Polina Leschenko:\u003c/strong> \u003cem>Take 3\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>John Luther Adams:\u003c/strong> \u003cem>An Atlas of Deep Time\u003c/em> (South Dakota Symphony)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Yuja Wang:\u003c/strong> \u003cem>The\u003c/em> \u003cem>Vienna Recital\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Yunchan Lim:\u003c/strong> \u003cem>Chopin Etudes\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Christopher Cerrone:\u003c/strong> \u003cem>Beaufort Scales \u003c/em>(Lorelei Ensemble)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>C.P.E. Bach:\u003c/strong> \u003cem>Symphonies — From Berlin to Hamburg\u003c/em> (Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Valentin Silvestrov:\u003c/strong> \u003cem>Postludium & Dedication\u003c/em> (Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kurt Weill:\u003c/strong> \u003cem>The Kurt Weill Album\u003c/em> (Konzerthausorchester Berlin)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danish String Quartet:\u003c/strong> \u003cem>Keel Road\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>NPR has an appetite for great recipes. Every year, when NPR staffers and critics offer their recommendations for \u003ca href=\"https://apps.npr.org/best-books/#view=covers&year=2024\">Books We Love\u003c/a> — NPR’s annual, year-end books guide — plenty of cookbooks get thrown into the mix. Here are 11 cookbooks with a broad array of recipes from (dare I say it?) Cooks We Love. If you’re hungry for more, head over to Books We Love for \u003ca href=\"https://apps.npr.org/best-books/#tags=cookbooks+%26+food&view=covers&year=2024\">NPR’s full menu of food recommendations for 2024. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/966x1200+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa3%2Fab%2F91e7d8ae4a0c910a5c95c6b894f7%2Famrikan.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (W. W. Norton & Company)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Amrikan: 125 Recipes from the Indian American Diaspora’ by Khushbu Shah\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Amrikan\u003c/em> is Khushbu Shah’s answer to “What is Indian food in America?” It’s a thoughtful celebration of adaptation: American influences on Indian foods, Indian influences on “American” foods and some untouched Indian classics.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This book was my introduction to Rajma — who knew that the humble kidney bean could be so swoon-worthy? I served it alongside the beautifully simple Cabbage Nu Shaak with some rice and yogurt, and the meal was a hit. I am also a convert of Shah’s Masala Deviled Eggs and Jaggery and Fennel Rice Krispie Treats. The photos are gorgeous and the recipes are concise and easy to follow, making this an inviting collection for a range of occasions. — \u003cem>Nicolette Khan, researcher and archivist, Research, Archives and Data Strategy\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1043x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffc%2F53%2F9a6f73b84b37836a9b1de0e68332%2Fdac-biet.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Knopf)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Đặc Biệt: An Extra-Special Vietnamese Cookbook’ by Nini Nguyen with Sarah Zorn\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>According to New Orleans-based chef and teacher Nini Nguyen, “Đặc Biệt” translates loosely to “extra special,” a term that could also be applied to her first cookbook. In addition to the classics (pho, bánh cuón), Nguyen freely riffs on French and Vietnamese techniques and ingredients, as in the succulent and acidic Shaking Beef with Watercress Salad, or mouth-puckering, juicy Shrimp Caramelized with Tamarind. When you feel unadventurous, simple dishes like ginger-braised chicken and cabbage charred with garlic will do nicely. But chances are Nguyen will convince you, like me, to finally venture into shrimp paste territory. Don’t fear the fermented! — \u003ca href=\"https://www.tsusanchang.com/\">T. Susan Chang\u003c/a>\u003cem>, food writer\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1167x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb5%2F31%2Ffe221dc940c6b61591124aed97e2%2Fgreekish.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Bloomsbury Publishing)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Greekish: Everyday Recipes with Greek Roots’ by Georgina Hayden\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Not everyone who loves Greek food is lucky enough to have a Yiayia to teach them to hand-roll dolmas and work with phyllo dough. Fans of the cuisine also don’t necessarily have the time it takes to lovingly prepare specialty dishes that would typically take hours or even days to come together. Enter Georgina Hayden with a collection of recipes inspired by her Greek-Cypriot heritage, adapted for busy home cooks. The flavors and dishes manage to feel both classic and fresh, inspiring Tuesday night dinner options that will transport your family. — \u003cem>Tayla Burney, director, Network Programming and Production\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1209x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F89%2F12%2F448033184b7abf6807a31e516d86%2Fmastering-the-art-of-plant-based-cooking.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Ten Speed Press)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking: Vegan Recipes, Tips, and Techniques’ by Joe Yonan\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Washington Post\u003c/em> food editor Joe Yonan has been marching in a plant-forward direction for years now, but his latest offering is definitive. Flavor-building details add dimension to basics like Spiced Roasted Tomato Soup and Crunchy Kale Chips “Your Way.” Reach for handfuls of fresh herbs for eerily crablike Lion’s Mane Mushroom Cakes; raid the spice cabinet for Avocado Salad with Dukkah Croutons and Harissa.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bringing together two dozen vegan or vegetarian chefs and 300-plus recipes,\u003cem> Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking\u003c/em> demonstrates once and for all that you needn’t sacrifice taste, texture or excitement in a vegan kitchen. — \u003ca href=\"https://www.tsusanchang.com/\">T. Susan Chang\u003c/a>, \u003cem>food writer\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1219x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9c%2F55%2F750616054240969411f8d661655b%2Fmilk-street-365.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Voracious)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Milk Street 365: The All-Purpose Cookbook for Every Day of the Year’ by Christopher Kimball\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you follow\u003cem> Milk Street Magazine\u003c/em> recipes, you’ll recognize the sweet spot: globally inspired, streamlined, about a dozen ingredients. You could cook for over a year from \u003cem>Milk Street 365 \u003c/em>without repeating yourself, and there isn’t a clinker in the bunch. Dry Fried Beef with Celery, Crisp Oven-Fried Cauliflower with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce, Coconut Curry Salmon, Turkey Herb-Mayo Parmesan Burgers: All are crowd-tested and most sail through weeknight prep in under an hour of active cooking time. Do you have, or know where to get, Thai basil, harissa, pomegranate molasses, poblano chiles? Then this one’s for you! — \u003ca href=\"https://www.tsusanchang.com/\">T. Susan Chang\u003c/a>, \u003cem>food writer\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1090x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb5%2F90%2F91b5538a41bb8c3f670e462bb864%2Fottolenghi-comfort.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Ten Speed Press)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Ottolenghi Comfort: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi’ with Helen Goh\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Many celebrity chefs who churn out a yearly cookbook experience a certain mission creep. Not so with Yotam Ottolenghi and his team, who continue to deliver provocative, doable recipes with virtuoso consistency. Slather Curry Leaf Dukkah Butter over your trusty weeknight roast chicken; sizzle some sage leaves and hazelnuts to adorn your orecchiette.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Ottolenghi and his cohorts don’t shy away from some far-flung terminology (Carrot and Vadouvan Quickbread, Peanut \u003cem>Rayu, Tortang Talong\u003c/em> Omelet) thoughtful explanations and substitutions offer a glide path to efficient feasts that make the most of your most obscure pantry items. — \u003ca href=\"https://www.tsusanchang.com/\">T. Susan Chang\u003c/a>, \u003cem>food writer\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1331x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F2a%2Fbb%2Fec3ea8f045c6aecf834797258411%2Fthe-salvisoul-cookbook.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Ten Speed Press)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘The SalviSoul Cookbook: Salvadoran Recipes and the Women Who Preserve Them’ by Karla Tatiana Vasquez\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Karla Tatiana Vasquez was born in El Salvador, but her family fled to Los Angeles because of war. Food became a way for her to stay connected to her culture. She began documenting recipes and stories of the women who preserve Salvadoran traditions. That work led to The SalviSoul Cookbook. It’s her tribute to El Salvador, its people and the diaspora. This is the first cookbook focused on Salvadoran food from a major U.S. publishing house. — \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/706635122/milton-guevara\">Milton Guevara\u003c/a>, \u003cem>producer, \u003c/em>Morning Edition\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1167x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0e%2F07%2F6f7b31f84df3ae60696600a24810%2Fsandwiches-of-history.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Harvard Common Press)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Sandwiches of History: The Cookbook: All the Best (and Most Surprising) Things People Have Put Between Slices of Bread’ by Barry W. Enderwick\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>On social media, Barry W. Enderwick, aka \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/sandwichesofhistory/?hl=en\">@sandwichesofhistory\u003c/a>, makes sandwiches from all sorts of historical sources, to mixed results. In this cookbook, he’s given us a range of 50+ recipes from the classic (Croque Monsieur) to the unexpected (Pineapple Cucumber). Each recipe includes the cookbook and year it came from (\u003cem>Beverages and Sandwiches for Your Husband’s Friends\u003c/em>, 1893, is a particularly delightful example), as well as some light historical context. Sometimes he offers us his signature “Plus Ups” — ways to make an OK sandwich great (often adding heat, spice, texture or contrast).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The book is chatty and accessible, offering coaching and encouragement the way you would to a friend. To borrow a phrase from him, I recommend you give this cookbook … a go. — \u003cem>Melissa Kuypers, audio engineering and operations manager, NPR West\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1161x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F6d%2F84%2Fc375a24144ad8d5458916b4b3e36%2Fsprout-co-saladology.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Mitchell Beazley)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Sprout & Co Saladology: Fresh Ideas for Delicious Salads’ by Theo Kirwan\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>“I’d LOVE salad for dinner!” If you’re like me, you say it every summer — before traitorously throwing another slab of protein on the grill. Behold, a salad book for meat lovers! In \u003cem>Saladology\u003c/em>, restaurateur-farmer Theo Kirwan (who with his brother Jack runs Dublin’s Sprout & Co. franchise) assembles explosively flavored, globally inspired quasi-salads that stand alone as a meal: Shredded Chicken in Mala Sichuan Dressing, Vietnamese-Style Pork Meatballs with Rice Noodles and Lemon Grass Dressing, Smacked Cucumbers with Chili Crisp and Tahini, Miso Butter Bean Mash with Sauteed Leeks and Crispy Aromatics. A salad-esque splash of green appears in each, though lettuce is clearly optional. — \u003ca href=\"https://www.tsusanchang.com/\">T. Susan Chang\u003c/a>,\u003cem> food writer\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1220x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F99%2Fa1%2F23c2d8024a82b3a4d2b8d8be0471%2Fwhat-goes-with-what.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Flatiron Books)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘What Goes with What: 100 Recipes, 20 Charts, Endless Possibilities’ by Julia Turshen\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>What Goes With What\u003c/em> is the fifth accessible, unfussy cookbook from the highly organized brain of Julia Turshen. This time, each section begins with a formula and variations, in chart form. A great lettuce salad has a Base, a Crunchy Thing, a Rich Thing and a Dressing (e.g., chopped romaine, sliced pepperoncini, diced salami, pizzeria vinaigrette). Chicken-Zucchini Meatballs with Dill and Tahini (Meat + Binding + Seasoning + Sauce) light up the palate. The irony is, this book makes you feel so organized … you might just end up thinking you don’t need it. — \u003ca href=\"https://www.tsusanchang.com/\">T. Susan Chang\u003c/a>,\u003cem> food writer\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1275x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F75%2F34%2Fd0b0a5a0403db584bc9eea59c1bb%2Fwhen-southern-women-cook.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (America’s Test Kitchen)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘When Southern Women Cook: History, Lore, and 300 Recipes with Contributions from 70 Women Writers’ by America’s Test Kitchen\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This cookbook geek, and longtime Southern cook and eater, was thrilled to get this gorgeous tome from America’s Test Kitchen and the editors of \u003cem>Cook’s Country. \u003c/em>It’s a bible of Southern cuisine told via stories of remarkable women from the diverse cultures that make up the American South. Think chefs, farmers, seed savers, shrimpers, pitmasters, canning pioneers and even the queen of bootleggers!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I love reading about the roots of Southern classics like hoecakes, shrimp and grits, pimiento cheese and tamale pie. This will be a go-to in my kitchen. I’ve already tried the pickled shrimp recipe, a huge hit on my game day table. Next up — Sweet Potato Corn Bread with Ginger Honey Butter, just in time for the holidays. — \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/2100438/debbie-elliott\">Debbie Elliott\u003c/a>, \u003cem>correspondent, National Desk\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>This is just a fraction of the 350+ titles we included in Books We Love this year. \u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://apps.npr.org/best-books/#view=covers&year=2024\">\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Click here to check out this year’s titles, \u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>or browse nearly 4,000 books from the last 12 years.\u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1934x1088+0+10/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F07%2Fac%2Ff6d903694d95aa8b0c5401ea6972%2F2024-books-we-love-covers.png\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (NPR)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>NPR has an appetite for great recipes. Every year, when NPR staffers and critics offer their recommendations for \u003ca href=\"https://apps.npr.org/best-books/#view=covers&year=2024\">Books We Love\u003c/a> — NPR’s annual, year-end books guide — plenty of cookbooks get thrown into the mix. Here are 11 cookbooks with a broad array of recipes from (dare I say it?) Cooks We Love. If you’re hungry for more, head over to Books We Love for \u003ca href=\"https://apps.npr.org/best-books/#tags=cookbooks+%26+food&view=covers&year=2024\">NPR’s full menu of food recommendations for 2024. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/966x1200+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa3%2Fab%2F91e7d8ae4a0c910a5c95c6b894f7%2Famrikan.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (W. W. Norton & Company)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Amrikan: 125 Recipes from the Indian American Diaspora’ by Khushbu Shah\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Amrikan\u003c/em> is Khushbu Shah’s answer to “What is Indian food in America?” It’s a thoughtful celebration of adaptation: American influences on Indian foods, Indian influences on “American” foods and some untouched Indian classics.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This book was my introduction to Rajma — who knew that the humble kidney bean could be so swoon-worthy? I served it alongside the beautifully simple Cabbage Nu Shaak with some rice and yogurt, and the meal was a hit. I am also a convert of Shah’s Masala Deviled Eggs and Jaggery and Fennel Rice Krispie Treats. The photos are gorgeous and the recipes are concise and easy to follow, making this an inviting collection for a range of occasions. — \u003cem>Nicolette Khan, researcher and archivist, Research, Archives and Data Strategy\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1043x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffc%2F53%2F9a6f73b84b37836a9b1de0e68332%2Fdac-biet.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Knopf)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Đặc Biệt: An Extra-Special Vietnamese Cookbook’ by Nini Nguyen with Sarah Zorn\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>According to New Orleans-based chef and teacher Nini Nguyen, “Đặc Biệt” translates loosely to “extra special,” a term that could also be applied to her first cookbook. In addition to the classics (pho, bánh cuón), Nguyen freely riffs on French and Vietnamese techniques and ingredients, as in the succulent and acidic Shaking Beef with Watercress Salad, or mouth-puckering, juicy Shrimp Caramelized with Tamarind. When you feel unadventurous, simple dishes like ginger-braised chicken and cabbage charred with garlic will do nicely. But chances are Nguyen will convince you, like me, to finally venture into shrimp paste territory. Don’t fear the fermented! — \u003ca href=\"https://www.tsusanchang.com/\">T. Susan Chang\u003c/a>\u003cem>, food writer\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1167x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb5%2F31%2Ffe221dc940c6b61591124aed97e2%2Fgreekish.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Bloomsbury Publishing)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Greekish: Everyday Recipes with Greek Roots’ by Georgina Hayden\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Not everyone who loves Greek food is lucky enough to have a Yiayia to teach them to hand-roll dolmas and work with phyllo dough. Fans of the cuisine also don’t necessarily have the time it takes to lovingly prepare specialty dishes that would typically take hours or even days to come together. Enter Georgina Hayden with a collection of recipes inspired by her Greek-Cypriot heritage, adapted for busy home cooks. The flavors and dishes manage to feel both classic and fresh, inspiring Tuesday night dinner options that will transport your family. — \u003cem>Tayla Burney, director, Network Programming and Production\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1209x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F89%2F12%2F448033184b7abf6807a31e516d86%2Fmastering-the-art-of-plant-based-cooking.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Ten Speed Press)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking: Vegan Recipes, Tips, and Techniques’ by Joe Yonan\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Washington Post\u003c/em> food editor Joe Yonan has been marching in a plant-forward direction for years now, but his latest offering is definitive. Flavor-building details add dimension to basics like Spiced Roasted Tomato Soup and Crunchy Kale Chips “Your Way.” Reach for handfuls of fresh herbs for eerily crablike Lion’s Mane Mushroom Cakes; raid the spice cabinet for Avocado Salad with Dukkah Croutons and Harissa.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bringing together two dozen vegan or vegetarian chefs and 300-plus recipes,\u003cem> Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking\u003c/em> demonstrates once and for all that you needn’t sacrifice taste, texture or excitement in a vegan kitchen. — \u003ca href=\"https://www.tsusanchang.com/\">T. Susan Chang\u003c/a>, \u003cem>food writer\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1219x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9c%2F55%2F750616054240969411f8d661655b%2Fmilk-street-365.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Voracious)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Milk Street 365: The All-Purpose Cookbook for Every Day of the Year’ by Christopher Kimball\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you follow\u003cem> Milk Street Magazine\u003c/em> recipes, you’ll recognize the sweet spot: globally inspired, streamlined, about a dozen ingredients. You could cook for over a year from \u003cem>Milk Street 365 \u003c/em>without repeating yourself, and there isn’t a clinker in the bunch. Dry Fried Beef with Celery, Crisp Oven-Fried Cauliflower with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce, Coconut Curry Salmon, Turkey Herb-Mayo Parmesan Burgers: All are crowd-tested and most sail through weeknight prep in under an hour of active cooking time. Do you have, or know where to get, Thai basil, harissa, pomegranate molasses, poblano chiles? Then this one’s for you! — \u003ca href=\"https://www.tsusanchang.com/\">T. Susan Chang\u003c/a>, \u003cem>food writer\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1090x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb5%2F90%2F91b5538a41bb8c3f670e462bb864%2Fottolenghi-comfort.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Ten Speed Press)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Ottolenghi Comfort: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi’ with Helen Goh\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Many celebrity chefs who churn out a yearly cookbook experience a certain mission creep. Not so with Yotam Ottolenghi and his team, who continue to deliver provocative, doable recipes with virtuoso consistency. Slather Curry Leaf Dukkah Butter over your trusty weeknight roast chicken; sizzle some sage leaves and hazelnuts to adorn your orecchiette.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Ottolenghi and his cohorts don’t shy away from some far-flung terminology (Carrot and Vadouvan Quickbread, Peanut \u003cem>Rayu, Tortang Talong\u003c/em> Omelet) thoughtful explanations and substitutions offer a glide path to efficient feasts that make the most of your most obscure pantry items. — \u003ca href=\"https://www.tsusanchang.com/\">T. Susan Chang\u003c/a>, \u003cem>food writer\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1331x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F2a%2Fbb%2Fec3ea8f045c6aecf834797258411%2Fthe-salvisoul-cookbook.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Ten Speed Press)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘The SalviSoul Cookbook: Salvadoran Recipes and the Women Who Preserve Them’ by Karla Tatiana Vasquez\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Karla Tatiana Vasquez was born in El Salvador, but her family fled to Los Angeles because of war. Food became a way for her to stay connected to her culture. She began documenting recipes and stories of the women who preserve Salvadoran traditions. That work led to The SalviSoul Cookbook. It’s her tribute to El Salvador, its people and the diaspora. This is the first cookbook focused on Salvadoran food from a major U.S. publishing house. — \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/706635122/milton-guevara\">Milton Guevara\u003c/a>, \u003cem>producer, \u003c/em>Morning Edition\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1167x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0e%2F07%2F6f7b31f84df3ae60696600a24810%2Fsandwiches-of-history.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Harvard Common Press)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Sandwiches of History: The Cookbook: All the Best (and Most Surprising) Things People Have Put Between Slices of Bread’ by Barry W. Enderwick\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>On social media, Barry W. Enderwick, aka \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/sandwichesofhistory/?hl=en\">@sandwichesofhistory\u003c/a>, makes sandwiches from all sorts of historical sources, to mixed results. In this cookbook, he’s given us a range of 50+ recipes from the classic (Croque Monsieur) to the unexpected (Pineapple Cucumber). Each recipe includes the cookbook and year it came from (\u003cem>Beverages and Sandwiches for Your Husband’s Friends\u003c/em>, 1893, is a particularly delightful example), as well as some light historical context. Sometimes he offers us his signature “Plus Ups” — ways to make an OK sandwich great (often adding heat, spice, texture or contrast).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The book is chatty and accessible, offering coaching and encouragement the way you would to a friend. To borrow a phrase from him, I recommend you give this cookbook … a go. — \u003cem>Melissa Kuypers, audio engineering and operations manager, NPR West\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1161x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F6d%2F84%2Fc375a24144ad8d5458916b4b3e36%2Fsprout-co-saladology.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Mitchell Beazley)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Sprout & Co Saladology: Fresh Ideas for Delicious Salads’ by Theo Kirwan\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>“I’d LOVE salad for dinner!” If you’re like me, you say it every summer — before traitorously throwing another slab of protein on the grill. Behold, a salad book for meat lovers! In \u003cem>Saladology\u003c/em>, restaurateur-farmer Theo Kirwan (who with his brother Jack runs Dublin’s Sprout & Co. franchise) assembles explosively flavored, globally inspired quasi-salads that stand alone as a meal: Shredded Chicken in Mala Sichuan Dressing, Vietnamese-Style Pork Meatballs with Rice Noodles and Lemon Grass Dressing, Smacked Cucumbers with Chili Crisp and Tahini, Miso Butter Bean Mash with Sauteed Leeks and Crispy Aromatics. A salad-esque splash of green appears in each, though lettuce is clearly optional. — \u003ca href=\"https://www.tsusanchang.com/\">T. Susan Chang\u003c/a>,\u003cem> food writer\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1220x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F99%2Fa1%2F23c2d8024a82b3a4d2b8d8be0471%2Fwhat-goes-with-what.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (Flatiron Books)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘What Goes with What: 100 Recipes, 20 Charts, Endless Possibilities’ by Julia Turshen\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>What Goes With What\u003c/em> is the fifth accessible, unfussy cookbook from the highly organized brain of Julia Turshen. This time, each section begins with a formula and variations, in chart form. A great lettuce salad has a Base, a Crunchy Thing, a Rich Thing and a Dressing (e.g., chopped romaine, sliced pepperoncini, diced salami, pizzeria vinaigrette). Chicken-Zucchini Meatballs with Dill and Tahini (Meat + Binding + Seasoning + Sauce) light up the palate. The irony is, this book makes you feel so organized … you might just end up thinking you don’t need it. — \u003ca href=\"https://www.tsusanchang.com/\">T. Susan Chang\u003c/a>,\u003cem> food writer\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1275x1500+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F75%2F34%2Fd0b0a5a0403db584bc9eea59c1bb%2Fwhen-southern-women-cook.jpg\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (America’s Test Kitchen)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘When Southern Women Cook: History, Lore, and 300 Recipes with Contributions from 70 Women Writers’ by America’s Test Kitchen\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This cookbook geek, and longtime Southern cook and eater, was thrilled to get this gorgeous tome from America’s Test Kitchen and the editors of \u003cem>Cook’s Country. \u003c/em>It’s a bible of Southern cuisine told via stories of remarkable women from the diverse cultures that make up the American South. Think chefs, farmers, seed savers, shrimpers, pitmasters, canning pioneers and even the queen of bootleggers!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I love reading about the roots of Southern classics like hoecakes, shrimp and grits, pimiento cheese and tamale pie. This will be a go-to in my kitchen. I’ve already tried the pickled shrimp recipe, a huge hit on my game day table. Next up — Sweet Potato Corn Bread with Ginger Honey Butter, just in time for the holidays. — \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/2100438/debbie-elliott\">Debbie Elliott\u003c/a>, \u003cem>correspondent, National Desk\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>This is just a fraction of the 350+ titles we included in Books We Love this year. \u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://apps.npr.org/best-books/#view=covers&year=2024\">\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Click here to check out this year’s titles, \u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>or browse nearly 4,000 books from the last 12 years.\u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1934x1088+0+10/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F07%2Fac%2Ff6d903694d95aa8b0c5401ea6972%2F2024-books-we-love-covers.png\">\u003cfigcaption>\u003ccite> (NPR)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Of all the post-apocalyptic landscapes we’ve been treated to over the years, none is as beautiful nor peaceful as that of \u003cem>Flow\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Gints Zilbalodis’ wondrously shimmering animated fable, a solitary black cat, after escaping a cataclysmic flood, navigates a water world. What brought things to this point is never explained. We’re left to look upon this strange, verdant and overgrown landscape through the amber eyes of our unnamed feline protagonist. Humans are completely absent, and it’s part of this beguilingly meditative film to wonder not just about what role we played in the flood, but to ponder the grace of the animal life left to inherit the Earth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13969167']As much as I didn’t have a wordless Latvian animated movie on my 2024 bingo card, \u003cem>Flow\u003c/em> — an expected Oscar contender currently in theaters — is quite easily the best animated movie of the year and one of the most poetic ecological parables in recent memory. It’s an all-audiences movie, and by that, I’m tempted to include not just young and old, but cats and dogs, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the waters rise, the cat encounters a friendly Labrador, a long-legged secretary bird, a dozing capybara and a bauble-hoarding ring-tailed lemur. Cute as they are, they aren’t quite your typical animated animals. Part of the allure of \u003cem>Flow\u003c/em> is seeing animal characters that would normally be anthropomorphized and voiced by celebrity actors — the lemur, in particularly, has until now been ruled by Sacha Baron Cohen’s King Julian of \u003cem>Madagascar\u003c/em> — move and sound authentically.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Well, mostly. Circumstances bring these five together aboard a small sailboat, an ark sans Noah. And while \u003cem>Flow\u003c/em> doesn’t exactly go for realism — the secretary bird, for instance, proves an especially adept captain in steering the rudder — it is most decidedly drawn in closer harmony to the natural world than your average animation. Together they sail through mountain tops-turned-islands and an abandoned city with rivers for streets.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82WW9dVbglI\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That \u003cem>Flow\u003c/em> is made with computer generated animation adds to its dreamy, curiously real surrealism. Zilbalodis created \u003cem>Flow\u003c/em> with Blender, the free, open-source graphics software tool. His camera moves less with the prescribed, storyboarded form of traditional animation than as a nimble, roving perspective within a virtual world. That such a natural and sensory movie is made possible by cutting-edge technology is one reason why the dystopic world of \u003cem>Flow\u003c/em> always feels more hopeful than it ought to.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13969006']Another reason is the animals. Though they come from different species and have little means of communication, they together form an odd partnership. The cat is initially wary of each, but they slowly form an evident bond. Their survival hinges on their cooperation, which is occasionally threatened by the self-interest of others (there’s a pack of less community-minded dogs) or the cat’s own timid reluctance. Staying to face a problem or trust another animal, rather than scampering away, goes against its nature.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In that way, these two- and four-legged creatures, digitally rendered in a human-less future, are both worthy heirs to the planet and furry figures of inspiration for today. Reflections run through \u003cem>Flow\u003c/em> — in a mirror clutched by the lemur, in the water the cat peers into — but none more so than the image of ourselves gazing back at it.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Flow’ is in theaters now.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
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"mindshift": {
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"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
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"order": 12
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"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
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"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
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"possible": {
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"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
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},
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"pri-the-world": {
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"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
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"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
"title": "Radiolab",
"info": "A two-time Peabody Award-winner, Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder. WNYC Studios is the producer of other leading podcasts including Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, On the Media and many more.",
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},
"reveal": {
"id": "reveal",
"title": "Reveal",
"info": "Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, Reveal is public radios first one-hour weekly radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting. Credible, fact based and without a partisan agenda, Reveal combines the power and artistry of driveway moment storytelling with data-rich reporting on critically important issues. The result is stories that inform and inspire, arming our listeners with information to right injustices, hold the powerful accountable and improve lives.Reveal is hosted by Al Letson and showcases the award-winning work of CIR and newsrooms large and small across the nation. In a radio and podcast market crowded with choices, Reveal focuses on important and often surprising stories that illuminate the world for our listeners.",
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