Month: May 2026

May God have mercy on our millennial souls.

Survivor is a sport, a metaphor for society and yes, entertainment. As its 50th season ends, NPR critic Stephen Thompson ranked every season so far.

Eleven historically significant sites across the country will receive $25,000 from the National Trust for Historic Preservation to commemorate the country’s 250th anniversary.

(Image credit: Whitney Browne, National Parks Conservation Association)

The novel is the first work translated from Mandarin Chinese to win the award, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.

(Image credit: Adrian Dennis)

Reid’s quartet makes music that seems inspired by a variety of sources, ranging from modern dance to children’s games. Her latest album is one of her most compelling.

Ward learned the term “respair” — meaning the recovery of hope after despair — during the pandemic. Her new book On Witness and Respair is an essay collection on grief, motherhood and survival.

(Image credit: Beowulf Sheehan)

Don’t worry—we have the most brilliant scientists in the world working to make sure it’s not in the Cuisinart mixer’s best interest to kill us all.

A gothic horror tale, a creepy science-fiction romp, a sweeping romance, an intergenerational saga, a book about birds — here are the fiction and nonfiction our critics are most looking forward to.

Stephen Colbert spent Monday’s show revisiting material that never made it to air, performing for a studio audience made up entirely of his staff.

(Image credit: Angela Weiss)

The latest season of Saturday Night Live felt transitional in many ways, but it was full of blockbuster pop stars, up-and-coming bands and musical legends. We ranked them from worst to best.

(Image credit: Will Heath)