Episode #951
Achebe, Fela, Extra Golden
Friday, December 19, 2008
Chinua Achebe
(Jerry Bauer)
This week Studio 360 looks at "Things Fall Apart." The book that changed the face of West African literature turns 50. Author Chinua Achebe looks back. And the young Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Adichie describes how Achebe's pioneering work shaped her writing. Another Nigerian cultural legend, Fela Kuti, is the inspiration for New York choreographer Bill T. Jones’ new musical. Plus the music of Extra Golden.
Chinua Achebe
The author of Things Fall Apart has been called the father of a generation of writers. His enduring novel has been translated into 50 languages, has sold 10 million copies, and is required reading in countless high schools. Kurt asked Achebe to look back at what's happened in ...
Things Fall Apart
In this excerpt, readers get a glimpse of Igbo life in Nigeria before the Europeans arrive to impose their strange customs. Read by WNYC's evening host Terrance McKnight.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Like Chinua Achebe, Chimamanda Adichie is an award-winning Nigerian author whose writing has brought her country's history to global audiences. She tells Kurt why Achebe has played such a large role in her work. Produced by Studio 360's David Krasnow and
Bill T. Jones on Fela Kuti
What Achebe did for literature, Fela Kuti did for music. The Nigerian composer and father of Afrobeat inspired a generation of artists--one of whom is choreographer Bill T. Jones. Kurt talks with Jones about his musical "Fela!" which celebrates the art and life of ...
Extra Golden
Extra Golden is an unusual collaboration of musicians from Western Kenya and the Eastern USA. They recorded their first CD in Kenya, on a laptop, in a bar. Studio 360's Rob Weisberg asks the motley crew about how they manage to mix ...
Web Extra: "Obama"
Listen to the track from Extra Golden's latest album, "Hera Ma Nono."
Unsilent Night
It's become a holiday tradition: every year, hundreds of people gather with boomboxes to perform Phil Kline's ambient, techno Christmas carol called "Unsilent Night." Jonathan Mitchell went along for the ride.
Design for the Real World: Santa
Design guru Steven Heller explains how Father Christmas became branded as a jolly bearded old man in a red suit.





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