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Messengers From the Good Earth

Nov. 19, 12 a.m.

Forget those giant pandas — there’s a new China-themed craze about to take Washington by storm, this one featuring a unit of ancient soldiers.

Fringe Fest Takes on Fall Feeling

Nov. 19, 12 a.m.

This weekend is your last chance to catch three one-person alternative theater pieces in downtown D.C.

Hill Talk: Capitol Hill Bikes To Close, but Seeks New Hill Location

Nov. 19, 12 a.m.

The closing of Capitol Hill Bikes at 709 and 705 Eighth St. SE will mark the end of an era. The shop replaced another bike shop at the same location in May 2000, and customers in a neighborhood where cycling is common have relied on the shop for bikes, accessories and maintenance services.

Political Grooming Starts Early

Nov. 18, 12 a.m.

When lobbyist Susannah Wellford Shakow founded the Women Under Forty Political Action Committee in 1999, she expected it to be a successful vehicle for getting women to run for and win political office. While the PAC did help some women get elected — Reps. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) and Mary Bono Mack (R-Calif.) owe some of their success to the organization — Shakow wasn’t seeing the numbers she’d dreamed of.

James Polk Is Finally on the Map

Nov. 17, 12 a.m.

“Who is James Polk?” That isn’t just a question posed to reveal modern-day ignorance. In the presidential election battle of 1844, these words were a campaign slogan. Supporters of Whig nominee Henry Clay transformed the question into a chant of condescension against his Democratic opponent, James Polk.

When Ronald Reagan Stood for Change

Nov. 17, 12 a.m.

If you read enough political history and biographies, you’ll realize that while the cast of characters may change, the themes rarely do. Sure, every era has its own defining crises, but the underlying messages are fairly consistent. The promise of change, the professed belief in the American spirit, the promise to improve the life of the common man.

Obama Campaign Leader Recalls Historic Journey

Nov. 17, 12 a.m.

Former Obama campaign manager David Plouffe’s latest book, “The Audacity to Win,” recalls the highs and lows of the dramatic 2008 campaign — but his loyalty to Obama and his personal involvement with the campaign results in a largely flattering portrait of the president-to-be and his historic campaign effort.

Eyes on a Changing Land

Nov. 16, 12 a.m.

Standing in front of the enormous Dust Bowl scene that artist John Gerrard created for his new show, “Directions,” at the Hirshhorn Museum, one might almost get the sense of being inside a video game. A dust storm looms from the floor to the ceiling, moving steadily forward in a billowing, constant rhythm.

At Age 40, Sesame Street Is Still Sunny

Nov. 16, 12 a.m.

It seems there are still no cloudy days in sight for Sesame Street.

‘Messenger’ Delves Into a Hidden Aspect of War

Nov. 16, 12 a.m.

Hollywood has certainly produced plenty of films that deal with war and its aftermath. “The Messenger,” however, looks at what happens to a soldier’s family when that soldier dies in the line of combat.

One More Vote to Fix Congress

Nov. 10, 12 a.m.

Congress scores poorly in its performance review. At least that’s the opinion of Lee Hamilton in his new book, “Strengthening Congress.”

Some Women Are Born to Be Blue

Nov. 10, 12 a.m.

Metropolitan Police Chief Cathy Lanier’s rise to power seems ripped from a book: Pregnant at 14, she dropped out of high school, got married (and soon divorced) and put herself through college while becoming an officer.

GOP, You Got Punked

Nov. 10, 12 a.m.

I Am Martin Eisenstadt: One Man’s (Wildly Inappropriate) Adventures With the Last Republicans” is the somewhat true memoir of a completely fictitious pundit.

The Beauty of Everyday People

Nov. 9, 12 a.m.

You know these people. The working-class guy in the baseball cap with the grooved lines on his face looks like your uncle. The dark-eyed Latina woman was on the Metro with you during your commute home from work. You saw the freckled boy with slightly protruding ears at the grocery store. They’re the people you’ve grown up with. Or at least they could be.

Generation Obama Eyes Work on Hill

Nov. 9, 12 a.m.

They are young, educated and unemployed. But the terrible job market has not dissuaded this group of political professionals who have set their sights on Capitol Hill.

Sommelier Teaches Vino Love

Nov. 5, 12 a.m.

Having grown up in Venezuela with parents who don’t drink, the wine director at Alain Ducasse’s downtown restaurant, Adour, is obsessed with vino. Not only does Narvaez spend his career tasting it, but he also married a wine distributor and says his house is crowded with bottles and cases of his favorite vintages.

Giving Foster Kids a Chance

Nov. 5, 12 a.m.

Lily Dorman-Colby’s story is the kind you should listen to with tissues handy. A foster child since age 12, Dorman-Colby was shuffled through five homes in two years and was subjected to the kind of instability and abuse that can permanently damage a child.

You Think You Had an Outbreak?

Nov. 5, 12 a.m.

It’s hard to imagine a time when washing hands between patients wasn’t standard practice for doctors, but in the 1840s, that was the case.

Now We’re All Berliners

Nov. 4, 12 a.m.

With due respect to President John F. Kennedy’s proclamation, “Ich bin ein Berliner,” it seems that D.C.’s own Newseum is where we’re all Berliners — at least for a day.

This Garden Grows in a Parking Lot

Nov. 4, 12 a.m.

For the past few decades, the corner of 13th and C streets Southeast has been an eyesore for some area residents. But this December, local residents hope to trade in their blemished landscape for a thriving community green space to grow their own fruits and vegetables.

Where the Wild Things Are Shelved

Nov. 4, 12 a.m.

The Library of Congress has always been a guardian of the country’s cultural heritage, but it has never had a place just for youngsters — until now. Last week, the LOC’s literary outreach arm, the Center for the Book, opened the Young Readers Center, the Library’s first dedicated space for children and young adult readers.

Doctor Without Candor

Nov. 3, 12 a.m.

Most political memoirs are stale rehashes of talking points recycled from a politician’s days in office — Richard Nixon’s explanations of Watergate, for instance, or Bill Clinton’s refusal to honestly address the controversies surrounding Monica Lewinsky, Paula Jones and Whitewater in “My Life.” In fact, candor in a political figure is what really has shock value.

Journalist Dives Into Danger and Lives to Tell the Tales

Nov. 3, 12 a.m.

There’s never a shortage of arguments that people use to bash journalists: They’re in the tank for one political party or another, they can’t be objective, and they’re in the business to feed their egos. While in some cases those accusations may be true, Emmy Award winner Greg Dobbs tries to dispel such stereotypes in his new book.

Founding Fathers Go Digital

Nov. 3, 12 a.m.

Thanks in large part to a grant from the National Archives, America’s Founding Fathers are about to leap into the digital age.

This Hill Is Alive

Nov. 2, 12 a.m.

Never underestimate the power of a lunch break. In just one brief hour, deals can be brokered, fences can be mended and, on Capitol Hill, music can be made. About 20 years ago, a group of Hill staffers decided to make music over their lunch and in the process formed a Washington treasure — the Congressional Chorus.

‘Real World’ Interns Soak In Real D.C.

Nov. 2, 12 a.m.

When MTV’s “The Real World: D.C.” airs next year, viewers likely can expect the typical shenanigans that surround the reality show: drunken nights out, sexual rendezvous and more than a few anger-filled meltdowns.

Don White, 54, Guarded Integrity of the Capitol

Nov. 2, 12 a.m.

For years, Don White was the man behind the Capitol’s gleaming marble walls and furnishings, the guy Members called when they needed a sound system for an event or wood for their fireplaces. He orchestrated countless Rotunda ceremonies and oversaw everything from the nuts and bolts of presidential inaugurations to the capture of a mouse loose in the Capitol.

Get Your Halloween On

Oct. 29, 12 a.m.

With Halloween just around the corner, museums around town are gearing up for celebrations, parades and haunted houses. Washington has everything to offer — from a museum haunted by criminals to a ghost ship. Whether you’ve got young kids who are looking for another reason to put on their costumes or you simply want a good scare, we’ve got a roundup of where to go to celebrate this spooky day.

Who You Gonna Call In D.C.?

Oct. 29, 12 a.m.

OK, admit it. You hear about a guy who hunts ghosts, and you start humming the “Ghostbusters” theme and picturing the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man terrorizing Manhattan. The 1984 movie, in which Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis played recently unemployed academics who start a second career taking on the supernatural, poked fun at paranormal professions. But for one D.C.-area investigator, the job is no laughing matter.

Exhibit Lauds Unsung Parking Sites

Oct. 29, 12 a.m.

I’m an investigative reporter, so I have an affinity for parking garages.

Metro Papers Hail Vibrant Community

Oct. 28, 12 a.m.

When Bruce Robey passed away in September, he left behind more than a legacy as a prominent Capitol Hill resident. He also left a vibrant and — more importantly — still-thriving community media scene.

Edward Brooke to Be Honored

Oct. 28, 12 a.m.

If there were a top 10 list of civil rights pioneers, former Massachusetts Sen. Edward Brooke (R) would unquestionably be among them.

The Hill’s Best Friends

Oct. 28, 12 a.m.

Humans aren’t the only members of the Capitol Police who wear badges. Along with the 1,800 officers on the force, 42 dogs also wear badges in their mission to help keep Congress safe. These four-legged employees are trained to sniff out explosives on people and vehicles that approach the Capitol campus.

Poet Laureate Sets Sights on Community Colleges

Oct. 27, 12 a.m.

The nation’s official poet wants to honor community colleges for the way they “stitch the world together” by making them the focus of her laureate project.

The Man Who Made The Missiles

Oct. 27, 12 a.m.

Neil Sheehan is a master of presenting one person’s biography as a window into a significant moment in history. His 1989 book, “A Bright Shining Lie,” chronicled the arc of the Vietnam War through the story of Army officer John Paul Vann. And his latest work, “A Fiery Peace in a Cold War,” tells of the race to build the first nuclear missiles by recounting the life and career of Air Force Gen. Bernard Schriever.

How to Stay the Course

Oct. 27, 12 a.m.

Among the many words of advice that Members of Congress give in the new book “Political Rules of the Road: Representatives, Senators, and Presidents Share Their Rules for Success in Congress, Politics, and Life” is former Rep. Al Cederberg’s (R-Mich.) simple poem, “Remember the Congressman’s Lament.”

Players Fall for Indoor Bocce

Oct. 26, 12 a.m.

Devoted bocce players aren’t letting the obstacle of a little unsettled autumn weather prevent them from playing the summer game they love.

Union Station Movie Theater Shuts Down

Oct. 26, 12 a.m.

As part of a broader plan for the remodeling of Union Station, the Union Station 9 movie theater closed earlier this month and is being cleared out in preparation for potential new tenants.

Exhibit Follows Craft’s Process

Oct. 22, 12 a.m.

The first thing ever to resemble a photograph was created somewhere between 1839 and 1844 when William Henry Fox Talbot left a piece of lace on paper in the sun, creating a photogenic drawing and the first negative-positive photographic process.

What Makes a Leader?

Oct. 20, 12 a.m.

What defines a presidency? Is it circumstance — the state of world affairs or the domestic situation left behind by the previous commander in chief? The present administration has made reference to the economic and diplomatic messes left by George W. Bush, possibly as a buffer to criticism that President Barack Obama isn’t doing enough or hasn’t made good on certain promises. But if Princeton professor Fred I. Greenstein is correct, the success or failure of the Obama presidency will rest more on the man himself than on the current point in history.

Civil Rights History Revisits Mississippi’s Troubled Past

Oct. 20, 12 a.m.

Author and lawyer Harry N. MacLean had Mississippi on his mind for at least a year, but it wasn’t until James Ford Seale was indicted in January 2007 that he got the framework he needed to write a story about the state.

The Long War of Four Generals

Oct. 20, 12 a.m.

Few historians excel at providing a detailed look at the lives of military leaders who are charged with commanding thousands of troops through battle and making snap decisions that alter the course of history.

A Portrait of the Justice As a Tightwad Buddy

Oct. 20, 12 a.m.

In his book “Rehnquist: A Personal Portrait of the Distinguished Chief Justice of the United States,” Herman J. Obermayer paints an endearing picture showing how two parallel lives, inside their friendship, discover a bond that not many knew about.

Former Rep. Jay Johnson Dies at 66

Oct. 20, 12 a.m.

Former Wisconsin Rep. Jay Johnson (D), who worked as a journalist, politician and eventually director of the U.S. Mint, died suddenly Saturday in Bristow, Va. He was 66.

Ex-Rep. Davis of Michigan Dies at 77

Oct. 19, 12 a.m.

Former Michigan Rep. Bob Davis (R), known for his work on behalf of issues important to the Upper Peninsula and his resignation following the House Bank scandal, died early Friday morning after his heart and kidneys failed. He was 77.

Hill Talk: A Front Seat

Oct. 19, 12 a.m.

Women will soon be getting a national museum of their own. The National Women’s History Museum Act, which directs the General Services Administration to provide property on the Mall for the creation of the National Women’s History Museum, passed the House last week.

A Sports Lens That Captured a Nation

Oct. 19, 12 a.m.

Nestled between the sports theater and the FBI exhibit on the concourse of D.C.’s Newseum is an exhilarating new photojournalism collection, focusing on the life and work of Sports Illustrated staff photographer Walter Iooss.

Solar Gets Hot Down On the Mall

Oct. 19, 12 a.m.

The winner of the 2009 Solar Decathlon, sponsored by the Department of Energy, is a German-built home that actually produces twice the energy that it uses through its clever use of solar panels.

A Step Back in Time

Oct. 19, 12 a.m.

From its humble beginning as a country estate to its rapid transformation into one of D.C.’s most cosmopolitan and diverse neighborhoods, Columbia Heights has a long and vibrant cultural history. In celebration of the neighborhood’s colorful legacy, the nonprofit coalition Cultural Tourism DC opens its newest self-guided walking trail on Saturday with a grand unveiling and celebration in Civic Plaza, in the heart of the neighborhood.

Photo Exhibit Shows Czech Avant-Garde

Oct. 15, 12 a.m.

A new exhibit at the Phillips Collection proves that Prague was second only to Paris in its surrealist and avant-garde photographic art.