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Robert Siegel talks about the history of beer with Tom Standage, technology editor at The Economist. A History of the World in Six Glasses is Standage's new book that traces the history of civilization through beer, wine, distilled spirits, coffee, tea and coca cola. Beer was first produced at the end of the ice age and became popular with the Sumarians.

Photographer and filmmaker Gregory Colbert has traveled the world photographing encounters between humans and large animals. His exhibit "Ashes and Snow" has found a similarly distinctive display area. The Nomadic Museum, now in Manhattan, is designed to be portable.

The Philadelphia producer and DJ known as Diplo has built his reputation by combining wildly different styles of music. He recently released an underground mix of rapper M.I.A.'s critically acclaimed Arular to generate buzz before the CD's official release date. Joel Rose of member station WHYY has a profile.

Sleight-of-hand artist Ricky Jay has astounded audiences with his physical abilities. And readers have also been impressed with the wealth of facts he has gathered from the world of carnivals and conmen. Jay has also acted in the films of David Mamet -- who produces his stage shows -- and in the HBO series Deadwood.

Among Katrina's victims was Shearwater, an art and pottery complex. The belongings of the Anderson family, known for the late watercolor painter Walter Inglis Anderson, were badly damaged.

Tank and the Bangas' third studio album, Red Balloon, celebrates Black life and reckons with America's ills. NPR's Leila Fadel talks to lead singer Tarriona "Tank" Ball.

The daughter of sitar master Ravi Shankar and sister of Grammy-winning jazz singer Norah Jones, Anoushka Shankar has an impeccable musical pedigree. On her new CD, Rise, she mixes a range of styles and instruments to create a sensual, ethereal sound.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews two new shows having their debuts this week: My Name is Earl, on NBC, and Everybody Hates Chris, on UPN.

Many Americans got their first news on the Iraq war from embedded reporters. Steve Mumford embedded himself as an artist, working in Baghdad four times between 2003 and 2004.

Writer Mark Vaz's new book is Living Dangerously: The Adventures of Merian C. Cooper, Creator of King Kong. Cooper was an explorer, war hero, filmmaker and cinema pioneer. A new biography tells of this larger-than-life personality.