My report. And noting: this year’s number is only five titles fewer than the record high year, 2023. The three most frequently challenged titles: two YA novels, Sold by Patricia McCormick & The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, and a memoir in comic form: Gender Queer, by Maia Kobabe.
My latest. If built, this 250-foot arch would tower over not just the Arc de Triomphe, but also over its two nearest rivals by size: El Monumento à la Revolución in Mexico City (220 ft) and the Arch of Triumph in Pyongyang, North Korea (197 ft).
A sad day. My report for @npr.org. (A memory: taking Ashaji to lunch at a fancy Greek restaurant in midtown by her request, at which point all the Bangladeshi staff tried to mansplain to me how famous and beloved she was…as if I couldn’t possibly know or understand.)
Anastasia Tsioulcas did an expert, concise write-up on the International Booker Prize shortlist for NPR. Thanks for this, @anastasiat.bsky.social.
I can't recall a time when more talented reporters and writers on movies and culture who have real skill and knowledge are struggling to find a foothold. We live in an "Everyone's an expert" era. But everyone isn't. Editors: Please take a chance on folks you haven't tried before. Read their clips!
ICYMI earlier today.
In a statement to me, a White House spokesperson wrote: "President Trump is committed to making the Trump-Kennedy Center the finest performing arts facility in the world. We look forward to ultimate victory on the issue."
I'm currently listening to President Trump's remarks at a Kennedy Center board luncheon. Among other targets, he's specifically mentioned the National Symphony Orchestra for "terrible programming."
It’s snowing, yet again.
(Related: I had a quite vivid nightmare last night in which it was snowing, yet again. I stepped out in my yard to touch the snow and I fell inside, sank hundreds and hundreds of feet down through the snow and ice, and was buried alive.)
Thanks, Anastasia. One of my students asked today how the war will effect the arts. Your list shows that artists have been making relevant verge-of-war, facing oppression work for years.
I made a point of only using work from the past few years. (So: no Persepolis. No Reading Lolita in Tehran.)
Facing a student mental health crisis, a New Jersey school district’s first step was to pull a Junot Díaz novel from a class. PEN America says it’s part of a trend of scrubbing literature about uncomfortable topics. My @npr.org report:
www.npr.org/2026/02/20/n...
Our exclusive report: an internal Kennedy Center memo details planned renovations -- which are far more modest than the "complete rebuilding" promised by President Trump. What we don't know is if this is the full extent of the planned changes. www.npr.org/2026/02/19/n...
A few hours ago I was in Michigan and now I am at Carnegie Hall and I think it is colder inside Stern than it was outside in Detroit please send some kind of help
Is actually pretty good for my personal productivity. 10/10 would recommend. www.npr.org/2024/07/25/n... 2/2
A while ago, I did a piece on body doubling and ADHD... and now I hold office hours for my students via Zoom (bc I mostly teach remotely). Honestly? Having a camera on while I plug away at my to-dos, anticipating the possibility of having folks drop in on me at any moment (which they DO, hooray) 1/
Trump says he is closing the Kennedy Center on July 4th for two years of renovations/"Complete Rebuilding." We have so many questions. www.npr.org/2026/02/02/n...
BREAKING: President Trump just announced plans to CLOSE the Kennedy Center for two years as of July 4 to "begin Construction of the new and spectacular Entertainment Complex."
More coming very soon.
truthsocial.com/@realDonaldT...
Today is the deadline for the Smithsonian to file thousands of documents to the White House for a review that will determine whether they express "improper ideology." Our @npr.org story:
www.npr.org/2026/01/13/n...
11!
Once a copy editor, always a copy editor… 😂
He already does take lessons! And he has fantastic ear. His last self-imposed project was working out the inner voices in Barber’s Adagio for Strings…so I suppose I can’t complain too much about Europe.
@noahmsimon.bsky.social NOAH. I put headphones on so this wouldn’t give him any more ideas
WHAT NO
Me: "HOW DO YOU EVEN KNOW THAT SONG" Him: [crickets]
What sin have I committed that my child is picking out the tune to "The Final Countdown" on our piano
Unsolicited very strong recommendation of the day for the Jad Abumrad-led podcast on Fela Kuti. An absolute masterclass on how to tell a story — many stories — in audio. (And, of course, I adore Fela, as complicated and problematic as he is.) www.audible.com/pd/B0FRCQHHX...
ICYMI
I suggest reading to get the full statement that DHS gave me today re Bad Bunny. (But also broadcast today on All Things Considered.)
An @npr.org exclusive: four Democratic senators are urging the Smithsonian to resist White House attempts to “bully” the institution. Our report:
Today is one of those days I am happy to have studied Russian (with the dashed hopes of reading all the greats in their original language).
My favorite letter continues to be Щ, as in the composer Щедрин — Shchedrin — whose name I wrote out in phonetics for our Newscast team as <<sh-cheh-DREEN>>.