Latin America
6:03 am
Sat September 8, 2012

Plan For Cuban Ballet School A Dance Of Art, Politics

Originally published on Sat September 8, 2012 9:39 pm

A radical proposal to restore one of Cuba's most important architectural landmarks is rekindling a 50-year-old controversy. At the center is ballet superstar Carlos Acosta, who left the island and went on to a lead role in London's Royal Ballet. Acosta wants to return to the island and restore an abandoned ballet school with help from one of the world's most famous architects.

But the proposal has opened old wounds from the school's past and stirred a debate about the future of Cuba's state-sponsored cultural model.

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The Record
6:03 am
Sat September 8, 2012

The Week In Music: What To Read Now, Back To School Edition

Credit Courtesy of the artist
This week E-40 got the Nardwuar treatment.

Originally published on Mon September 10, 2012 2:59 am

Wave bye-bye to summer. It's gone. Everybody's all hard-eyed on the sidewalks these days, facing down the fall.

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Author Interviews
6:00 am
Sat September 8, 2012

An Invitation To Join 'The Dangerous Animals Club'

Credit Jim Britt / Simon & Schuster
Stephen Tobolowsky is an actor and writer. He also hosts the podcast The Tobolowsky Files.

Originally published on Sat September 8, 2012 8:16 am

Stephen Tobolowsky calls his book, The Dangerous Animals Club, a group of "pieces." They are partly essays, partly short stories, partly memoir. They are anecdotes, stories and insights that are shuffled in and out of order, like cards in a deck.

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Politics
5:59 am
Sat September 8, 2012

As Election Nears, Keeping Donors A Secret Is Trickier

Credit iStockphoto.com

Originally published on Sun September 9, 2012 5:32 pm

Around the Nation
5:58 am
Sat September 8, 2012

Forget The Heels: What It Takes To Be Miss Navajo

Credit Laurel Morales for NPR
Miss Navajo contestants must work in teams to butcher sheep. From left, Wallitta Begay, Leandra "Abby" Thomas and Charlene Goodluck had to cut the sheep's throat, remove the stomach and quarter the carcass.

Originally published on Sat September 8, 2012 12:41 pm

The Miss Navajo contest is not your typical beauty pageant. Instead of swimsuits and high heels, you get turquoise and moccasins. One of the talent competitions is butchering sheep, and speaking Navajo is a must.

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Music News
2:03 am
Sat September 8, 2012

Sauti Sol: Native Sons Sing Straight To Kenya's Youth

Credit Courtesy of the artist
Sauti Sol has become the most popular band in Kenya.

Originally published on Sat September 8, 2012 9:40 pm

The members of Sauti Sol rehearse in a cramped recording studio above a chapati restaurant off a noisy highway in Nairobi. Bien-Aime Baraza, Delvin Mudigi and Willis Chimano — the founding members, all 25 — have been friends since they sang together as part of a gospel ensemble in high school. When they graduated in 2005, they didn't want to stop singing, so they formed Sauti Sol. Sauti is Swahili for voice, while sol is Spanish for sun. "Voices of light."

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Three-Minute Fiction
12:04 am
Sat September 8, 2012

Three-Minute Fiction Round 9: Pick A President

Credit Eric Ogden
Best-selling author Brad Meltzer is our judge for Round 9 of Three-Minute Fiction. His books include The Inner Circle, The Book of Fate and The Millionaires. His latest book, The Fifth Assassin, is due out in January.

Originally published on Fri October 19, 2012 3:49 pm

This election season, Three-Minute Fiction is getting political. Weekends on All Things Considered has a new judge, a new challenge and a new prize for Round 9. For this contest, submit original, short fiction that can be read in about three minutes, which means no more than 600 words.

The judge for this round is writer Brad Meltzer. He's the author of seven novels, including the best-seller The Inner Circle. His newest thriller, The Fifth Assassin, will be out in January.

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Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!
9:39 pm
Fri September 7, 2012

Singer-Songwriter Bonnie Raitt Plays Not My Job

Credit Marina Chavez /

Originally published on Fri February 22, 2013 3:10 pm

Back in the early 1970s, a young woman at Radcliffe College faced a choice: Stay in school and get her degree, or drop out and become a legendary blues singer and guitarist. It's pretty clear Bonnie Raitt made the right choice.

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The Two-Way
7:20 pm
Fri September 7, 2012

Wikipedia Irks Philip Roth With Reluctance To Edit Entry About His Novel

Credit AFP / Getty Images
Author Philip Roth resorted to an open letter to Wikipedia when his efforts to correct an error on the site were rebuffed. The entry in question was about his book, The Human Stain.

Originally published on Fri September 7, 2012 8:24 pm

The Two-Way
6:09 pm
Fri September 7, 2012

Armless Archer Matt Stutzman Describes How He Shoots A Bow — And Wins Medals

Credit Dennis Grombkowski / Getty Images
Archer Matt Stutzman of the U.S. prepares to shoot in the London Paralympics. Born without arms, Stutzman uses a release trigger strapped to his shoulder to fire.

Originally published on Fri September 7, 2012 6:18 pm

American Paralympian Matt Stutzman won the silver medal in archery this week, a feat he accomplished despite being born without arms. In the men's compound open final, he was narrowly beaten by Finland's Jere Forsberg, who has the use of both arms.

In the gold medal match, Forsberg fired a perfect 10 on his final arrow to avoid a shoot-off with Stutzman.

The Paralympics have helped Stutzman, who is from Fairfield, Iowa, become something of a celebrity, thanks to his competitive spirit and his refusal to let his talents go to waste.

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