Search results for

Writer William Loiseaux faints -- frequently. He has done quite a bit of scientific, linguistic, cultural and historical research on the act of fainting, and has come to feel proud of his "gift." He's written a treatise of sorts on the topic. It's called In Defense of Fainting. William Loizeaux's essay was originally published, in a much longer version, in The American Scholar.

The former President gives us a walking tour of his family's farm near Plains, Georgia, now a national historic site, and talks to Lisa about what it was like to grow up there in the 1930s. Mr. Carter's latest book is called An Hour Before Daylight: Memories of a Rural Boyhood.

Xena: Warrior Princess, the popular action-adventure show starring Lucy Lawless as the fierce -- but repentent -- warrior princess is ending after six years. The show was enormously popular because of its strong, sympathetic female characters, its humor, its fight scenes, and its creative risk-taking. Scott Simon talks with Lucy Lawless; Rob Tapert, the creator and executive producer of the series; and Sharon Delaney, editor of the official Xena fan club about the popularity and controversies surrounding the show.

In the first of a two-part series, NPR's Ketzel Levine reports on author Michael Pollan. His new book, The Botany of Desire, suggests that plants have evolved to be attractive to humans.

It's been twenty-five years since Sissy Spacek's memorable performance in the 1976 horror film Carrie, based on a Stephen King novel. Her new film is In The Bedroom, a family drama/tragedy. It won several awards in this year's Sundance festival. Spacek won an Oscar for her performance in Coal Miner's Daughter, and she's been nominated for Best Actress 5 times. She got her start in the film Badlands. She's had roles in numerous films and TV dramas, including Three Women, Raggedy Man, Night Mother, and The Straight Story.

Singer-songwriter Natalie Merchant has a new CD out called Motherland. She and her band stop to chat with Scott Simon, and to play some music.

The renowned photographers of Magnum photos have assembled their startling images of the attack on the World Trade Center in a new book called New York: September 11. On Weekend Edition Saturday, Scott Simon talks with two of the photographers.

Every December, cowboys invade the Rat Pack's turf in Las Vegas for the annual National Finals Rodeo -- and transform the town into a heartfelt and high-stakes roundup. Join NPR commentator John Ridley for a trip to the "Super Bowl of Rodeo."

Lyle Lovett has released an anthology of his early country songs. He chats with Morning Edition host Bob Edwards and performs a few tunes.

Frank Conrad's garage near Pittsburgh is widely considered to be the birthplace of modern broadcasting. For 94-year-old Harry Mills, memories of Conrad's earliest broadcasts still ring with excitement. Hear the story of radio's early days on All Things Considered. It's part of NPR's continuing Lost and Found Sound series.