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Weekly Roundup: Boston Athenaeum, The Rolling Stones, Jay Z

Here’s our weekly compilation of arts coverage from all four of WBUR’s radio programs – Here & NowOnly A GameOn Point and Radio Boston.

sights

'With Eclat': The Athenaeum And The MFA

A statue of Nathaniel Bowditch’s (1773-1838) is seen inside The Boston Athenaeum Library, which is one of the oldest and most distinguished independent libraries in the United States and was founded in 1807. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/AP)
A statue of Nathaniel Bowditch’s (1773-1838) is seen inside The Boston Athenaeum Library, which is one of the oldest and most distinguished independent libraries in the United States and was founded in 1807. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/AP)

In the mid-1800s, the Boston Athenaeum Library was the most important art venue in Boston, and the Museum of Fine Arts was just an idea. Radio Boston spoke with the curator of painting and sculpture at the Athenaeum.

sounds

50 Years On, The Stones Are Still Rocking

The Rolling Stones: Charlie Watts, Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Ronnie Wood. (Mark Seliger)
The Rolling Stones: Charlie Watts, Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Ronnie Wood. (Mark Seliger)

The Rolling Stones have been making their special blend of music since the early 60s. And they're still playing to sold-out crowds in huge arenas. A new book digs into their catalog of great songs.

The Fame And Fortune Of Jay Z

Rapper and businessman Jay Z came up hard in Brooklyn to become a major mogul. On Point discussed his rise, impact and growing empire and heard criticism from the African American community.

words

Award-Winning Novel On Asian American Artists

Author Don Lee at Here & Now studios at WBUR in Boston. (Jesse Costa/Here & Now)
Author Don Lee at Here & Now studios at WBUR in Boston. (Jesse Costa/Here & Now)

Don Lee's novel "The Collective" is a meditation on friendship and what it means to be Asian and an artist in the United States. It won the 2013 Asian/Pacific American Award for literature.

Story By 'Catch-22' Author Published For First Time

"Almost Like Christmas" is a story of racism and violence that author Joseph Heller wrote sometime between the late 1940s and early 1950s, but never published. It's now seeing the light of day.

12-Year-Old Learns Perils Of Day Trading In New Novel

In Elissa Brent Weissman's new book for young adults, "The Short Seller," 12-year-old Lindy Sachs is bored by math until her dad teaches her how to trade on the stock market.

The Ad-Woman Who Made Diamonds ‘Forever’

The new novel "The Engagements" interweaves four tales about the significance of diamonds with the real-life story of Frances Gerety, a young advertising copywriter in the 1940s.

screens

The ‘Difficult Men’ Who Made Great TV

From left to right: James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano in HBO’s “The Sopranos” (Abbot Genser/HBO via AP), Jon Hamm as Don Draper in AMC’s “Mad Men” (Jordin Althaus/AMC via AP), Bryan Cranston as Walter White in AMC’s “Breaking Bad” (Frank Ockenfels/AMC via AP).
From left to right: James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano in HBO’s “The Sopranos” (Abbot Genser/HBO via AP), Jon Hamm as Don Draper in AMC’s “Mad Men” (Jordin Althaus/AMC via AP), Bryan Cranston as Walter White in AMC’s “Breaking Bad” (Frank Ockenfels/AMC via AP).

If you're a fan of "The Sopranos," "The Wire," "Mad Men" or "Breaking Bad," you don't want to miss this. Brett Martin joined On Point TV dramas are the "signature American art form" of the first part of the 21st century.

What Is It About ‘The Big Lebowski’?

"The Big Lebowski" baffled critics and audiences when it came out 15 years ago, but it now has a cult following. We drop in on Lebowski Fest in Louisville, Kentucky to find out what inspires fans' devotion.

experiences

Vermont Hosts Battle Between Prose And Poetry

As teams gather, a poet's notebook is repurposed for keeping track of the batting order. (Karen Given/Only A Game)
As teams gather, a poet's notebook is repurposed for keeping track of the batting order. (Karen Given/Only A Game)

Every year, prose writers and poets gather at Vermont College of Fine Arts for a friendly game of softball. They aren't very good, but athletic talent is of little consequence.

This program aired on July 27, 2013. The audio for this program is not available.

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