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John Grisham's new novel The King of Torts takes a savage view of lawyers who live lavishly on huge contingency fees earned by successful lawsuits against corporate defendants. Grisham speaks with NPR's Scott Simon.

Actress Lynne Thigpen dies at her Los Angeles home this week. The cause of death is not immediately known. She was 54. Born and raised in Joliet, Ill., she distinguished herself on the stage -- winning a Tony for An American Daughter -- and in film and television appearances. Most recently she was a co-star of the CBS drama The District.

Devotees of Irish novelist James Joyce celebrate today as Bloomsday by reading from his 1922 novel Ulysses. Actress Fionnula Flanagan shares a short excerpt from the closing pages of the book.

The ancient culture of the land that is now called Iraq is the subject of a "draw in" at the Assyrian Gallery of the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art in New York. Artists make new sketches interpreting some of civilized man's earliest creative efforts. NPR's Jacki Lyden reports.

What Tiger Woods is to Golf, Torums Scarf Michael is to being a dog. The Kerry blue terrier known as "Mick" for short, wins Best In Show at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show in New York. NPR's Robert Siegel talks with David Frei, the show's commentator.

The new CD by minimalist composer Terry Riley is a spiritual and personal journey for the composer. In Atlantis Nath, Riley uses common sounds such as street sounds, his keyboard playing and his voice to take the listener on a journey. Michelle Mercer has a review.

Pacifica Radio's audio archives, a collection featuring recordings of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Lenny Bruce and other artists and political figures, are in danger of fading away. NPR's Bob Edwards discusses the network's effort to preserve 50 years of historic recordings with archive director Brian DeShazor.

There's a long tradition of British Shakespearean actors coming to the colonies and wowing the locals with performances of the Bard's greatest hits. British actor Steven Berkoff talks about his one-man show, Shakespeare's Villains: a Master Class in Evil.

The economic downturn forces state officials to slash budgets for many government-funded services. New Jersey, one of 40 states in which funding for the arts is expected to plummet, become the third state to propose eliminating arts spending entirely. Joel Rose of member station WHYY reports.

Filmmaker Ismail Merchant, of Merchant and Ivory fame, publishes a memoir called My Passage from India. It traces his steps from star-struck youngster in India to major force in the movie world. Merchant speaks with NPR's Scott Simon.