You may still not know who Tèa Obreht is, but by now you may have heard of the list that will supposedly make her a household name: The New Yorker's 20 writers under 40 list, which was featured in the recent fiction double issue.  The New Yorker claims that "these twenty men and women dazzlingly represent the multiple strands of inventiveness and vitality that characterize the best fiction being written in this country today."

If all goes well, you're going to take a lot of pictures this summer.  Artist and filmmaker Miranda July would like to help you out.

The author of Don't Cry and Veronica visits Brooklyn's Powerhouse Books with Stacked Up TV. Watch the video.

Tonight in Manhattan,  the best and worst book trailers produced in the last year will be honored at the first annual Moby Awards.

The poet had a way with words, and a killer green thumb. In honor of her passion for plants and poetry, the New York Botanical Garden just opened a new exhibit. Watch the video.

During author Salman Rushdie's visit to The Leonard Lopate Show to talk up the PEN World Voices Festival, we asked him a couple of questions. Here's what he told us:

Writer Kathryn Harrison keeps some of her most prized possessions on her bookcase. Aside from novels, one can find miscellaneous trinkets from family members to a fetal pig in a glass jar. (Um, one man's bookend is another man's fetal pig?)

WNYC's Janaya Williams shines her highly arbitrary spotlight on some of the city's happenings. From the Civil Rights Movement, to new leadership at the Cooper-Hewitt, to getting ready for Passover.

This writer is not afraid to admit many books on display at his home were chosen simply because they look good. Watch the video.

The founder of the Sullivan St Bakery created the easy "no knead" technique to make bread at home. Watch the video for the recipe.

Novelist and blogger Ken Wheaton takes a "whatever fits" approach to his literary collection. "If there's a spot, cram it in there," he says. His shelves are a lot like his treasured recipe for gumbo: a little traditional, a lot spicy and all about the mix. Watch the video.

"Genteel" is not a word generally associated with the artistic output of Andre Williams, a 1950s hero for the gutter-minded.

The worst-kept secret in geekdom was actually the focus of a 2007 Mad TV skit. Watch the video.

Writer Joshua Ferris rails against metaphor, allegory and reading like an 11th grader. Watch the video.

Tips on how to salvage a horribly boring conversation. Watch the video.

The author shows off his book collection to Stacked.TV. Watch the video!

Alan Alda has straddled art and science through his work as an actor and as host of science programs over the years. He's says the worlds aren't so far apart. Watch the video for more.

Check out this revolving door of cultural luminaries; it's a chance to remember some of the highlights of 2009's best theater, film and books. 

A studio visit with composer Marvin Hamlisch.  A retirement home for former entertainers. A debate about race in the theater. Those were some of the top stories from Kurt Andersen, and Studio 360, this year.

The Disneyland of spa resorts is right in our own backyard. From the outside, Spa Castle looks more like a suburban mall than a place to unwind. Once you enter the building in College Point, Queens, it's pure sensory explosion.