Culture Art and entertainment commentary plus interviews, book reviews, movie reviews, music reviews, comedy, and visual art. Subscribe to podcasts and follow trends in music, painting, art, architecture, photography, and design.

Sunday

Fireworks light the sky above the Quadriga at the Brandenburg Gate shortly after midnight in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017. Michael Sohn/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Michael Sohn/AP

Germany Takes Steps To Guard Women Against Sexual Assault As They Ring In New Year

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/574778306/574892741" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

The three emojis that didn't make the cut. Emojipedia hide caption

toggle caption
Emojipedia

Emojis Of 2018: Bagels, Kangaroos, Redheads Are In. 'Frowning Pile Of Poo' Is Out

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/574835604/574892735" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

'Green,' By Sam Graham Felsen Claire Harbage/NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Claire Harbage/NPR

In 'Green,' A Pre-Teen Wisens Up To His Privilege

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/574559505/574851022" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Rosi Alvarez celebrated her quinceañera in Cuba, her father's home country. Courtesy of HBO hide caption

toggle caption
Courtesy of HBO

Family Is The Life Of The Party In HBO Doc 'A Quinceañera Story'

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/574256501/574850992" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Friendship bread is the chain letter of baking: A simple starter that you divvy up, keeping some for yourself and sharing the rest with others. It's an old tradition that connect neighbors through the act of sharing food. NPR would like to see you revive it in your community. Share your stories on social media — use #NPRFriendshipBread — and we might feature your experience in a follow-up story. Courtesy of Emily H. Landsman hide caption

toggle caption
Courtesy of Emily H. Landsman

The Friendship Bread Project: Can Baking Promote Unity In A Divided World?

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/562868016/574851028" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Saturday

Mark Rylance (center) plays King Phillipe V in the new play Farinelli And The King. In this scene, opera star Iestyn Davies (left) plays the titular singer whose voice nurses the king back to health. Joan Marcus/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Joan Marcus/Courtesy of the artist

The True Story Of A Spanish Royal And The Very High Voice That Healed Him

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/571209570/574810437" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Claire Harbage/NPR

In 'The Nothing,' A Dirty Old Man Lusts For Life

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/574345957/574753456" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Chef Digby Stridiron cooks up one of his native Caribbean dishes. Tom Kirkman/The James Beard Foundation hide caption

toggle caption
Tom Kirkman/The James Beard Foundation

Celebrating More Than 30 Years Of The James Beard Foundation

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/572981903/574753438" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Friday

Radio Silence, a cocktail developed by Damon Boelte of the Grand Army Bar in Brooklyn to honor Robert Siegel. Jenna Sterner/NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Jenna Sterner/NPR

The Ultimate Cocktail To Send Off An NPR Host: 'Radio Silence'

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/572014284/574693675" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Author Sue Grafton, author of 25 mysteries featuring detective Kinsey Millhone, died Thursday at age 77. Grafton is seen here with a copy of her book R is for Ricochet in 2005. Michael Buckner/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Michael Buckner/Getty Images