James McBride tells how he resurrected John Brown in ‘Good Lord Bird’

Conjure the image of John Brown in your head and you see the fearsome emancipator, a righteous prophet who gave his life to fight slavery with the Harpers Ferry raid of 1859. The Union turned his death into a rallying cry with the anthem “John Brown’s Body.” His soul is marching on.Brown’s story might have moved from history to legend, but it still contains some truth. It’s also ripe for mischievous revision, which is exactly what James McBride provides in his National Book Award-winning novel “

BooksDec. 19, 2013

A ‘downstairs’ history of England

Servants: A Downstairs History of Britain from the Nineteenth Century to Modern TimesBy Lucy Lethbridge(W.W. Norton & Company)Fictional Downton Abbey is supposed to be one of the grandest houses in England, inhabited by the distinguished Crawley family; but on this smash television hit, it’s the servants who steal the show. From Mr. Carson, the butler with the bushy eyebrows that practically dare you to defy him, to the earthy Mrs. Patmore, who rules over the kitchen with a stern hand, the staff

BooksDec. 19, 2013

There’s nothing cute about this ELF

Going DarkBy James W. Hall(Minotaur)Fatherhood has not come easily to Thorn, the taciturn hero making his 13th appearance in James W. Hall’s series.Still, it’s easy to cut the Key Largo loner a break. Thorn only recently discovered he even had a grown son and while he can never make up for lost time, he wants to at least hope for a future. But Hall isn’t after a touchy-feely father-and-son reunion between Thorn and Miami actor Flynn Moss, especially considering how their first meeting in 2011’s

BooksDec. 19, 2013

Jackpot nets one ticket seller $1m

ATLANTA (AP) ― Two lucky winning tickets have been sold in the near-record $636 million U.S. Mega Millions drawing: one at a tiny newsstand in Atlanta, and the other at a gift shop in California. A Georgia woman, Ira Curry, of Stone Mountain, bought just one ticket and used family birthdays and lucky No. 7 to choose her numbers in the second-largest jackpot in U.S. history, lottery officials said. “She has not decided how she’ll spend those winnings,” Georgia Lottery chief executive Debbie Alfor

PeopleDec. 19, 2013

[Photo News] Deal on medical tourism

PeopleDec. 19, 2013

Baucus to be named ambassador to China

WASHINGTON (AP) ― President Barack Obama intends to nominate Sen. Max Baucus as ambassador to China, Democratic officials said Wednesday, turning to a lawmaker well-versed in trade issues to fill one of the nation’s most sensitive diplomatic posts. If confirmed by the Senate, Baucus would replace Ambassador Gary Locke, who announced last month he was stepping down. The Montanan’s departure from the Senate would have an instant impact on one of Congress’ most powerful committees and on the 2014 e

PeopleDec. 19, 2013

‘Great Train Robber’ Ronnie Biggs dies

LONDON (AFP) ― Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs, whose audacious escape from jail and decades spent on the run made him one of Britain’s most notorious criminals, died on Wednesday aged 84.Biggs, who was unable to speak and could barely walk after a series of strokes, was being cared for at a nursing home in north London at the time of his death, reports said.He was part of the gang that robbed a night mail train traveling from Glasgow to London on Aug. 8, 1963, seizing 2.6 million pounds ― a rec

PeopleDec. 19, 2013

[Photo News] Bea Rose Santiago crowned Miss International in Tokyo

Bea Rose Santiago, a Filipina fashion model, was crowned the new Miss International 2013 in a beauty pageant ceremony held Tuesday in Tokyo. “I’m going to use the crown and my title to help the victims of super-typhoon Haiyan, which raked the Phillipines last month, leaving nearly 8,000 people dead or missing,” said the 23-year-old beauty queen.The beauty pageant, however, was marred by allegations made by the absent former title-holder Ikumi Yoshimatsu. She claimed the organizers have prevented

TelevisionDec. 19, 2013

Koreans take pride in cultural heritage, K-pop

Koreans take great pride in their culture, especially their pop culture, thanks to the K-pop boom, and think that the level of culture is way above the level of their economy, a government survey showed Wednesday. In the “mindset and values of Koreans 2013” survey by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, involving 2,537 people aged between 19 and 79, the respondents showed pride in cultural heritage (93.1 percent); the traditional costume hanbok and Korean food (92.7 percent); Confucian v

CultureDec. 18, 2013

[Graphic News] 200 million go to the movies

More than 200 million people were expected to have watched films in theaters this year as of Wednesday, setting a record in Korean cinema history. Last year, a total of 194,890,587 people hit theaters to watch films in Korea. Korean films alone attracted 118,160,000 viewers this year, exceeding last year’s record of 114,613,190. The market share of Korean movies also reached 59.1 percent this year, surpassing that of foreign films, which stood at 40.9 percent. This year saw releases of English-l

FilmDec. 18, 2013

Craft Trend Fair offers gift ideas for holiday season

The biggest showcase of craftwork in Korea will be held from Thursday to Sunday at Coex in Seoul, presenting unique and creative works made by more than 600 artists.The 8th Craft Trend Fair will feature a wide range of craftworks such as tableware, home decor items, accessories, stationary and clothes designed by Korean, French and British artists. Craft galleries and lifestyle brands are also participating in the fair, presenting a diverse array of lifestyle objects and gift ideas for the holid

Arts & DesignDec. 18, 2013

[Photo News] Warding off bad spirits

CultureDec. 18, 2013

Greenwich Village gets N.Y. landmark status

NEW YORK (AP) ― The city’s newest historic landmark is part of a neighborhood where generations of American cultural greats staged their art, music, literature and politics ― from Edgar Allan Poe and Bob Dylan to Miles Davis and Allen Ginsberg.About 250 buildings in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village that reach back to the 1800s gained historic district status Tuesday after a unanimous vote by the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission. Row houses, small theaters, cafes and clubs that welcomed the

CultureDec. 18, 2013