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Culture

Saturday

'Billy Lynn' A Full-Bore Tale Of A Day After Iraq

Ben Fountain sets his new novel in Texas Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys from 1971 to 2008. Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images hide caption

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Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

Author Interviews

'Billy Lynn' A Full-Bore Tale Of A Day After Iraq

Author Ben Fountain's debut novel, Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk, is the story of what happens to a 19-year-old college dropout after he joins Bravo Company in the early years of the Iraq war.

'Billy Lynn' A Full-Bore Tale Of A Day After Iraq

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In 'Gold,' Olympic Rivalry Is Personal, Professional

Author Interviews

In 'Gold,' Olympic Rivalry Is Personal, Professional

Chris Cleave's newest novel chronicles the friendship and rivalry between cyclists training for the 2012 Olympics. He speaks with NPR's Scott Simon about the fascination of athletic rivalries, how he got in shape for the book and what he hopes readers will take away.

In 'Gold,' Olympic Rivalry Is Personal, Professional

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New Artwork Finds A Home At An Old English Manor

De Waal's 2012 work all and more is on display in the Dining Room. It is made up of 23 porcelain dishes: 22 in white and cream glazes and one gilded dish, contained in a clear glass vitrine. Paul Barker/The National Trust, Waddesdon Manor hide caption

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Paul Barker/The National Trust, Waddesdon Manor

Fine Art

New Artwork Finds A Home At An Old English Manor

British ceramicist Edmund de Waal is exhibiting his work at Waddesdon Manor, the historic country retreat of his distant cousin Lord Jacob Rothschild. The manor's lavishly decorated rooms are an unlikely space for such minimalist works, but the collaboration tells a story of collection, belonging and loss.

New Artwork Finds A Home At An Old English Manor

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Eugene Levy Stays Smart, Even In The Cheapest Gag

In Madea's Witness Protection, George Needleman (Eugene Levy, center) is put in witness protection with Madea (Tyler Perry, right) after he discovers he's the fall man for a Ponzi scheme. KC Bailey/Lionsgate hide caption

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KC Bailey/Lionsgate

Movies

Eugene Levy Stays Smart, Even In The Cheapest Gag

Eugene Levy's career has ranged from the witty improv of such movies as Best in Show to the low comedy of American Pie and, most recently, Madea's Witness Protection. Levy talked to NPR's Scott Simon about his comedy origins and what unites his varied roles.

Eugene Levy Stays Smart, Even In The Cheapest Gag

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Friday

Gross-Out Gags AND Life Lessons In 'Wimpy Kid'
Jeff Kinney/Abrams

NPR's Backseat Book Club

Gross-Out Gags AND Life Lessons In 'Wimpy Kid'

Author Jeff Kinney is a rock star in the middle school literary scene. His Diary of a Wimpy Kid books follow the misadventures of sad-sack sixth-grader Greg Heffley, who just wants to fit in. Kids love the gross-out humor, but librarians and teachers say the books also help them laugh at the indignities of life.

Gross-Out Gags AND Life Lessons In 'Wimpy Kid'

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Comedian Drew Carey Plays Not My Job
Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!

Comedian Drew Carey Plays Not My Job

A lot of people leave their hometowns and never come back. But comedian and game show host Drew Carey, proud son of Cleveland, made a special trip back home to play Not My Job. We'll ask a born-and-bred Cleveland guy about Ohio's other city: Cincinnati.

Comedian Drew Carey Plays Not My Job

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R.A. Dickey On 'Winding Up' As A Knuckleballer

R.A. Dickey currently plays for the New York Mets. He was previously with the Seattle Mariners, Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers and Milwaukee Brewers. courtesy of the author hide caption

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courtesy of the author

Sports

R.A. Dickey On 'Winding Up' As A Knuckleballer

Fresh Air

New York Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey is currently the only knuckleball pitcher in the major leagues. His new memoir, Wherever I Wind Up, explains how his life — and career — have mimicked the unpredictable trajectory of the difficult pitch he throws game after game.

R.A. Dickey On 'Winding Up' As A Knuckleballer

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Cabinet Of Wonders: Episode Six

Cabinet host John Wesley Harding kicked off the show with a heart-stopping Conway Twitty cover. NPR hide caption

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NPR

Cabinet Of Wonders

Cabinet Of Wonders: Episode Six

Laughs, musical mash-ups and a Conway Twitty cover on this episode of Cabinet. Comedian and actress Janeane Garofalo is a self-proclaimed bacon-eating vegan, but she takes a stab at the good citizens who shop at Whole Foods.

Cabinet Of Wonders: Episode Six

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A Boy And His Bear, At Large In A Man's World

Ted (voiced by writer-director Seth MacFarlane) and Johnny (Mark Wahlberg) share a laugh in Ted. The talking teddy bear got his powers when 8-year-old Johnny wished upon a falling star for Ted to speak. Universal Pictures/Tippett Studio hide caption

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Universal Pictures/Tippett Studio

Review

Movies

A Boy And His Bear, At Large In A Man's World

Ted, the first film from Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, is about 35-year-old Johnny (Mark Wahlberg) and his decidedly adult talking teddy bear. NPR's Bob Mondello has to confess that in time, he warmed up to this movie for and about overgrown kids.

A Boy And His Bear, At Large In A Man's World

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This Chef Loves Her 'Pig,' From Nose To Tail

Meat Week

This Chef Loves Her 'Pig,' From Nose To Tail

April Bloomfield says she loves the smell of frying liver, the taste of a good thick steak shared with friends, and the crunch of a crispy fried pig's ear. Her new cookbook is a paean to meat — and from snout to tail, every part of the animal appears on her dinner table.

This Chef Loves Her 'Pig,' From Nose To Tail

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