MEMETERIA by Thomas May

Arts & Culture Stories from NPR

• 'Things We Lost To The Water' Is A Literal And Allegorical Look At Dislocation
  Eric Nguyen's debut novel plays off a Vietnamese word that means both country and water, examining all the ways those two things affect a family of Vietnamese refugees who resettle in New Orleans.
• 'Girls5eva' Is Just Catchy Enough
  The Peacock comedy series about a has-been fictional girl group from the '90s has great, big performances and a lot of nostalgia.
• Far From The Internet, These Big, Benevolent Trolls Lure Humans To Nature
  "Recycle art activist" Thomas Dambo makes these gentle giants out of scrap wood, old pallets, twigs and debris. Dozens of them now preside over mountains, forests and parks around the world.
• 'Everybody' Examines The Idea That Bodies Can Confine Or Free
  Olivia Laing weaves the history of people and ideas in with her own life, bringing readers on a fleet, gracious tour of bodily distress and joy that takes in Malcolm X, the Marquis de Sade and others.
• One Listener Can't Forget 1991 Story On Haitian Cane Cutters
  All Things Considered listener Joel Abrams shares how a story about Haitian farmworkers has stuck with him since it aired on the show in 1991.
• Ed Ward, Rock Critic And Historian, Dead At 72
  Ward spent time writing and editing reviews for a young Rolling Stone – and later became both a broadcast critic and historian, publishing two volumes on the beginnings of rock and roll.
• Alison Bechdel Takes On Exercise Trends In 'The Secret to Superhuman Strength'
  Bechdel's new graphic memoir is about her lifelong obsession with exercise. She says she has a "predisposition of being extremely self-conscious and very caught up in my head" — and exercise helps.
• 'The Disciple' Is Triumphant, Even As It Tells A Story Of Failure
  A young man from Mumbai aspires to be a great classical singer — but he's an erratic performer at best. The Disciple is a richly layered story of artistic struggle.
• Need Aid For Your Shuttered Venue? End Of May Is The Earliest You Might Get It
  Qualified applicants can expect to see emergency relief money by the end of the month.
• A Daughter Rediscovers Her Deceased Father's Life In 'Negative Space'
  Lilly Dancyger's memories, coupled with her father's art and conversations with his friends, create a map she uses to navigate her past, her childhood and growing up, and her father's life and legacy.