Public Radio International

Betty Woodman reveals how she keeps coming up with new ideas after 50 years. And Taylor Mead, our candidate for oldest living beatnik, tells of his life as an "extremely semi-famous" artist. Produced by Jonathan Mitchell.

From Studio 360: Alan Moore's ambitious graphic novel Watchmen wowed a generation of readers when it came out in 1986. Twenty-three years later, it's making its big-screen debut.

From Studio 360: Stephen Byram has created album covers for everyone from the Beastie Boys to jazz great Dave Douglas. As a child of the 1960s, Byram became seduced by rock n' roll poster art. Produced by Rob Weisberg.

Alan Moore's ambitious graphic novel Watchmen wowed a generation of readers when it came out in 1986. Twenty-three years later, it's making its big-screen debut. On PRI's Studio 360.

Marlon James's new novel The Book of Night Women is set on a Jamaican sugar plantation at the turn of the 19th century. It follows slave rebellion, but is also a coming-of-age story of Lilith, the enslaved daughter of the plantation's overseer. James talks to Kurt about the challenges of writing voices for nine different women.

"Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail" is the latest in the saga of the gun-toting grandma played by Perry in drag. The movies are hugely popular, but are often panned in reviews. Two critics, Melissa Anderson and Armond White, explain why their colleagues are missing out. Produced by Trent Wolbe.

In Los Angeles, Kurt visits the J. Paul Getty Museum's conservation studio. Sue Ann Chui shows Kurt around the studio and describes what it takes to restore a 16th century Madonna and Child by the Bolognese painter Nosadella.

Foster grew up listening to Aretha Franklin and Sam Cooke, but made her name as a folk singer. She's turned back to soul and blues on her new album, The Truth According to Ruthie Foster. Kurt talked with her in 2007.

Ruthie Foster sings the song live in Studio 360.

The current violence in Somalia is painfully familiar to K'naan, who grew up in Mogadishu in the 1980's. He loved American hip-hop before he understood English. K'naan's new record is called Troubador. Produced by Matthew Cavnar.