Latest news with #RobertCosta
CBS News
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Book excerpt: "Three Days in June" by Anne Tyler
Knopf We may receive an affiliate commission from anything you buy from this article. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Anne Tyler's latest novel, the New York Times bestseller "Three Days in June" (Knopf), details a long weekend in the life of a divorced school administrator, bookended by the loss of her job and her daughter's wedding. Read an excerpt below, and don't miss Robert Costa's interview with Anne Tyler on "CBS Sunday Morning" May 25! "Three Days in June" by Anne Tyler Prefer to listen? Audible has a 30-day free trial available right now. The clock gathered itself together with a whirring of gears and struck a series of blurry notes. Nine o'clock, I was thinking; but no, it turned out to be ten. I'd been sitting there in a sort of stupor, evidently. I stood up and hung my purse in the closet, but then outside the window I saw some movement on the other side of the curtain, some dark and ponderous shape laboring up my front walk. I tweaked the curtain aside a half inch. Max, for God's sake. Max with a duffel bag slung over one shoulder, and a bulky square suitcase dangling from his left hand. I went to the front door and opened it and looked out at him through the screen. "What on earth?" I asked him. "You're home!" he said. "Yes ..." "Debbie is at something called a Day of Beauty." "Right," I said. "But she knew ahead I was coming. I told her I was coming. I get there and no one's home. I call her cell phone and she says she didn't expect me so early." "Why did you come so early?" I asked him. "I wanted to beat the rush. You know what Fridays are like on the Bay Bridge." All the more reason not to live on the other side of it, I could have pointed out. I opened the screen door for him and reached for his suitcase, but it wasn't a suitcase; it was some kind of animal carrier. Square patch of wire grid on the end and something watchful and alert staring out from behind it gleaming-eyed. Max moved the carrier away from me a bit and said, "I've got it." "What is it?" "It's a cat." "A cat!" "Could I come in, do you think?" I retreated and he lumbered in, out of breath, shaking the floorboards. Max was nowhere near fat, but he was weighty, broad shouldered; he always gave the impression of taking up more than his share of room, although he was not much taller than I was. In the years since we'd divorced he had grown the kind of beard that you're not quite sure is deliberate; maybe he'd merely forgotten to shave for a while. A short gray frizzle with a frizzle of gray hair to match, and he seemed to have given up on his clothes; generally he wore stretched-out knit tops and baggy khakis. I hoped he'd brought a suit for the wedding. You never could be sure. "Couldn't you have just left your cat at home with food and water?" I asked, following him through the living room. "I mean, it's already bad enough that you're staying with Debbie yourself. In the middle of her wedding preparations, for God's sake!" "She said it would be fine if I stayed," Max told me. "She said it wasn't a problem." "Okay, but then to add a cat to the mix ... Cats do very well on their own. They almost prefer it, in fact." "Not this one," he said. He set the carrier on my kitchen counter. "This one is too new." "It's a kitten?" "No, no, it's old." "You just said—" "It's an elderly female cat who belonged to a very old woman, and now the woman has up and died and the cat is in mourning," he told me. There was a lot I could have asked about this, but it didn't seem worth the effort. I leaned closer to peer at the cat. "Does Debbie know you're bringing it?" I asked him. "Now she does." I waited. "It's complicated," he said. He blotted his face on his shoulder. "I phoned her; I said, 'Where are you?' She says she's at a Day of Beauty. 'Did you leave a key out someplace?' I asked her, and she says no, but she'll be home in a few hours. 'A few hours!' I say. 'I can't wait a few hours! I've got a cat here!' She says, 'A what?' Then she hits the roof. Tells me I can in no way bring a cat to her house, because Kenneth is allergic." "He is?" I said. "Deathly allergic, is how she put it." "But ... Kenneth doesn't live there," I said. "Don't kid yourself," Max told me. "You know he stays over a lot, and besides, he does plan to live there after the wedding." "Well, sure, after the wedding." "'Deathly' allergic, Gail. As in, if he walks into a house where a cat has left a smidgen of dander behind, even if the cat is long gone he'll need a respirator." "A respirator!" "Or whatever you call those things that asthmatics have to carry around with them." "You mean an atomizer," I said. "No, not an atomizer; a what's- it. A vaporizer, maybe?" I thought it over. "At any rate, that's what Debbie claimed. She claimed that even if he's just standing next to her and she has cat dander on her sweater, he will start choking up and he'll need a ..." We both stood there, considering. The cat said, "Hmm?" We looked over at the carrier. "Anyhow," Max said, and he unfastened the two latches and lifted the lid. Instead of stepping out, the cat hunched lower and stared up at me. A gray-and-black tabby with a chunky face. "So I couldn't think where to go except here," Max said. "I knew where you hide your key. It didn't occur to me that you would be home on a weekday." "Yes, well ...," I said. And then I told the cat, "Hey there." She squared her eyes at me. "What's her name?" I asked Max. "I don't know." "What? How could you not know?" "I'm just the fosterer," he told me. "I volunteer at this shelter where they need people to foster animals until they can be adopted. Ordinarily it's kittens, batches of feral kittens that need domesticating first, but this one's a senior citizen. I'm thinking of naming her 'Pearl,' at least for as long as I have her around." "Pearl!" "On account of her color." "You can't name a cat 'Pearl.'" "Why not?" "Cats are so bad at language," I told him. "They're not the least bit like dogs. Cats just get your general tone, and 'Pearl' has a tone like a growl." "It does?" "So does 'Ruby.' So does 'Rhinestone.'" "Aha!" Max said. "See there? Everything turns out for the best." "It does?" I said. "What are you talking about?" "You can advise me on cat lore," he said. "Plus you might even decide to adopt her; who knows?" "Max," I said, "sometimes I wonder if you understand the least little thing about me." "But you love cats! You used to have that homely little calico cat. And this one's accustomed to older women." "Thanks," I said. "'Older,' I said. Not 'old.'" "I do not want a cat in any way, shape, or form," I told him. "What do you think of 'Mary?'" he asked. "Or 'Carol.' How about that?" "Forget it, Max," I said. Then I added, "And you want to steer away from the r sound. An r is a growl, straight out." "Oh, right. Yes. Thank you." He paused. "How about 'Lucy'?" he said. "Forget it, I told you." He sighed. "Maybe you could drop her off at a shelter here in Baltimore," I said. "I mean, surely they wouldn't refuse her." "We're not allowed to just dump our charges any-old-where," he told me. "No, I'd better keep her here at your house, and then take her back to Cornboro if you really don't want her." "I most emphatically do not want her," I said. Then, "Nor do I want a houseguest." "Yes, but, see, there's dander all over my clothes now. I can't possibly go back to Debbie's, even without the cat." "In fact, I wonder if you should come to the wedding, even," I said. "Just think if Kenneth starts choking during the vows." This was pure mischief, on my part. I seriously doubted that Kenneth would choke; he'd always struck me as a sturdy type of guy. But Max looked stricken. He said, "Not attend my own daughter's wedding?" "Well, you could maybe wear a raincoat," I said. "Or one of those hazmat suits." The kitchen phone rang. We both glanced over at it. It rang again, and then a third time. "Aren't you going to get that?" Max asked me. But I was thinking it might be Marilee, and sure enough, after my outgoing message Marilee came on and asked, "Gail? Are you there?" This was why I still had an actual, physical answering machine: there were too many people I might not feel like talking to. "Because we really need to discuss this," Marilee said. "Could you pick up, please?" Max wrinkled his forehead at me. "Ignore that," I told him. "What's going on?" "Nothing's going on." "Okay ..." The answering machine clicked off, and I turned back to the cat. I briefly closed my eyes at her. Cats take that as reassurance; to them it's like a smile. Then I looked off in another direction. I heard a rustle, and when I slid a glance sideways I saw her unfolding herself from the carrier by degrees and stepping gingerly onto the counter. "A little weight problem," I murmured. As if to demonstrate, she landed on the floor with a noticeable thud. "I think it's from stress," Max said. "Apparently she'd been alone for some time before anyone realized her owner had died." I made a sympathetic tsking sound. "What's up with Marilee?" Max asked. He'd never been very good at minding his own business. I said, "Nothing's up with Marilee." The cat was heading into the living room now, so I made a big show of following her. She paused to sniff at the fringe on the rug and then padded over to an armchair and sprang into it, more nimbly than you might expect. "What does she want to discuss?" Max asked, trailing after me. I gave up. I said, "She's retiring in the fall and she wants the board to hire this other person in her place, this Nashville person. And the Nashville person is asking to bring in her own assistant. So I'm thinking I should just quit before they fire me." "Excellent," Max said. I turned to look at him. "Your great talent is for teaching; you know that," Max said. "Dealing with all the kids who are scared to death of math." "You're forgetting that teachers make no money, though," I told him. "Why else did I put in all that hell time getting my master's degree?" "So? Now that Debbie's finished law school, you can go back to doing what you're good at." "It's not that simple," I told him. Still, it was nice of him to say that I was good at something. But then he changed the subject. "Guess I might as well bring in the cat supplies," he said. And he went on outside, leaving the front door open behind him even though the air conditioning was on. I turned back to the cat. She was a bread-loaf shape in the armchair now with her front paws folded beneath her, and when she saw me looking at her she shut her eyes lazily and then opened them again. Excerpted from "Three Days in June" by Anne Tyler. Copyright © 2025 by Anne Tyler. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Get the book here: "Three Days in June" by Anne Tyler Buy locally from For more info:
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
This week on "Sunday Morning" (May 25)
The Emmy Award-winning "CBS News Sunday Morning" is broadcast on CBS Sundays beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET. "Sunday Morning" also streams on the CBS News app beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET. (Download it here.) Hosted by Jane Pauley COVER STORY: Memorial DayElaine Quijano reports. ALMANAC: May 25"Sunday Morning" looks back at historical events on this date. ARTS: Food as art that's good enough to eatIn the latest issue of Bon Appétit, the venerable food and entertaining magazine is trying something new: recipes designed to imitate notable works of art. "Sunday Morning" host Jane Pauley samples a menu inspired by the works of such artists as Helen Frankenthaler, Judy Chicago, and Wayne Thiebaud. For more info: Bon Appétit WORLD: BBC journalist in RussiaElizabeth Palmer reports. For more info: Steve Rosenberg on Youtube BOOKS: Anne Tyler on a writer's "selfish motive" to explore other livesAnne Tyler's bestselling novels – tales of lives shattered and mended by love – have broken the hearts of countless readers. In her latest, "Three Days in June," Tyler details a weekend in the life of a divorced school administrator, bookended by the loss of her job and her daughter's wedding. "Sunday Morning" national correspondent Robert Costa talks with the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer about finding inspiration in the lives of "humdrum" characters, and what it means to her to create "an extremely believable lie." For more info: "Three Days in June" by Anne Tyler (Random House), in Hardcover, Large Print Trade paperback, eBook and Audio formats, available via Amazon, Barnes & Noble and (Official site) THE BOOK REPORT: Ron Charles on new summer readsThe Washington Post book reviewer offers highlights from the season's fiction and non-fiction releases. For more info: Ron Charles, The Washington PostSubscribe to the free Washington Post Book World NewsletterRon Charles' Totally Hip Video Book (for ordering from independent booksellers) PASSAGE: In memoriam"Sunday Morning" remembers some of the notable figures who left us this week. ARTS: The trailblazing cartoon art of Barbara ShermundArtist Barbara Shermund (1899- 1978) was one of the first women cartoonists for The New Yorker and other major magazines, from the 1920s into the '60s. But she died with barely a trace – and her reputation lay dormant, until a distant relative and a cartoon historian teamed up to connect the dots of Shermund's life and work. Correspondent Faith Salie talks with investigator Amanda Gormley and curator Caitlin McGurk (author of "Tell Me a Story Where the Bad Girl Wins: The Life and Art of Barbara Shermund") about resurrecting a trailblazing humorist and her scintillating takes on sex, marriage and society. For more info: Exhibition: "Tell Me a Story Where the Bad Girl Wins: The Life and Art of Barbara Shermund," at the Brandywine Museum of Art, Chadds Ford, Pa. (through June 1)"Tell Me a Story Where the Bad Girl Wins: The Life and Art of Barbara Shermund" by Caitlin McGurk (Fantagraphics), in Hardcover and eBook formats, available via Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum at the Ohio State University PREVIEW: Summer arts HARTMAN: TBD MUSIC: Music producer David Foster on "Boop!," Barbra, and balladsFor the past fifty years, David Foster produced some of music's most iconic artists, and won 16 Grammy Awards along the way. But the hit-maker's latest project is the Tony-nominated "Boop! The Musical," for which Foster wrote about fifty songs. He talks with correspondent Tracy Smith about discovering such unique talents as Celine Dion and Michael Bublé; working with such demanding artists as Barbra Streisand and the rock group Chicago; and what he really thinks about legacy. You can stream selections from the Broadway cast recording of "Boop! The Musical" by clicking on the embed below (Free Spotify registration required to hear the tracks in full): For more info: "Boop! The Musical" at the Broadhurst Theatre, New York City | Ticket PREVIEW: Summer music PREVIEW: Summer movies BUSINESS: Delta Air Lines' 100th year takes flightIn 1925, what would become Delta Air Lines started as the world's first aerial crop-dusting operation in the Mississippi Delta region. Nearly a century after its first passenger flight, the airline has survived mergers, recessions and bankruptcy, growing from a single passenger route to an international carrier with more than 5,000 flights a day. Correspondent Kris Van Cleave talks with Delta's CEO Ed Bastian about the airline's future amid worries about the economy and aviation safety; visits the Delta Flight Museum in Atlanta; and attends a "garage sale" where the airline's fans can buy pieces of aviation history. For more info: Delta Air LinesDelta Flight Museum, AtlantaDelta Flight Museum Surplus SalesHenry Harteveldt, Atmosphere Research Group COMMENTARY: Health expert calls Trump's medical research cuts "reckless destruction"Dr. Timothy Johnson, longtime network TV medical reporter and founding editor of the Harvard Medical School Health Letter, says that by cutting more than $1.8 billion in grants from the National Institutes of Health, the Trump administration risks destroying U.S. medical research infrastructure and prompting a "brain drain" of scientists to other countries. NATURE: TBD WEB EXCLUSIVES: WEB EXTRA: "Survivor" winner Kyle Fraser's pre-game interview (YouTube Video)Prior to the start of Season 48 of "Survivor," correspondent Jonathan Vigliotti spoke with contestant Kyle Fraser, an attorney from Brooklyn, about his road to Fiji; his strategy going into the popular reality TV competition; and how he presented himself to his fellow players. [In the end, Fraser was voted the million-dollar-winner of "Survivor."] MOVIES: The history of the blockbuster movie (YouTube Video) It's been assumed that the Hollywood summer blockbuster was born with the 1975 release of Steven Spielberg's "Jaws," followed two years later by "Star Wars." But the film industry's desire for box office blockbusters existed long before a shark prowled the waters off Amity. Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz talks with actor Stephen Lang (star of the "Avatar" films), critic Dana Stevens, and Charles Acland, author of "American Blockbuster," about the origin of blockbuster movies – both big-budget spectacles of Biblical proportions, and low-budget films with heart that won a huge audience. FROM 2020: Now showing - The return of the drive-in (YouTube Video)Nancy Giles looks into the resurgence of drive-in movie theatres, and their offshoots – projections in parking lots, and screenings on the water. The Emmy Award-winning "CBS News Sunday Morning" is broadcast on CBS Sundays beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET. Executive producer is Rand Morrison. DVR Alert! Find out when "Sunday Morning" airs in your city "Sunday Morning" also streams on the CBS News app beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET. (Download it here.) Full episodes of "Sunday Morning" are now available to watch on demand on and Paramount+, including via Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, Chromecast, Amazon FireTV/FireTV stick and Xbox. Follow us on Twitter/X; Facebook; Instagram; YouTube; TikTok; Bluesky; and at You can also download the free "Sunday Morning" audio podcast at iTunes and at Now you'll never miss the trumpet! Trump confronts South African president during White House meeting, repeats genocide claims Trump takes questions during meeting with South African president Rubio, Jayapal have fiery exchange about Afrikaner refugee's antisemitic tweet, student visas
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Is the U.S. facing a constitutional crisis?
Some Democrats are concerned over President Trump's use of executive power and are warning of a "constitutional crisis." The Trump administration rejects these claims, saying the president follows the Constitution "to a tee." CBS News chief election and campaign correspondent Robert Costa spoke with legal experts about the issue.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
CBS News Names Robert Costa Chief Washington Analyst
Robert Costa has been named CBS News' chief Washington analyst as well as a national correspondent for 'CBS Sunday Morning,' marking a rapid rise for the former Washington Post correspondent since joining the Paramount Global news unit in 2022. Costa is expected to cover a range of issues for 'Sunday Morning,' including politics as well as culture and the arts. He will continue to report on all things in the the world of U.S. politics for CBS News, including Congress, the Trump administration, President Trump and potential 2028 candidates. More from Variety Donald Trump Calls for '60 Minutes' to Be 'Terminated' Amid Lawsuit Over Kamala Harris Interview, Claims 'CBS Should Lose Its License' CBS News Posts '60 Minutes' Transcripts, Video Sought by FCC: 'Not Doctored or Deceitful' '60 Minutes' Staffers Urged to Keep Show Ticking as Paramount Tangles With Trump His new assignments were unveiled Thursday by Adrienne Roark, CBS News' president of editorial and newsgathering, along with a handful of other moves tied to the news operation's Washington personnel. There have been reports of concern among CBS News correspondents assigned to cover Beltway affairs after 'CBS Evening News' moved to New York from a perch in D.C. ., and changed its format to focus more on enterprise and issue reporting from across the nation. The amount of time the broadcast devotes to daily news coming out of D.C. has been reduced. CBS News also announced other changes. Mary Hager, the longtime overseer of 'Face The Nation,' has been elevated to senior executive producer, while continuing as executive editor for politics for all of CBS News. Hager has led 'Nation' since 2011, working alongside three different moderators. She will be tasked with managing the future direction of the program, examining ways to expand its content across many CBS platforms. Anne Hsu will take the reins as executive producer of the show. She had been senior broadcast producer, and joined 'Face The Nation' in December of 2019 after working on CBS News streaming properties. She will be responsible for booking, production and content tied to the show's venerable Sunday telecast. Major Garrett was named anchor of 'America Decides,' a streaming program devoted to Washington news and the daily political cycle. He will continue as CBS News' chief Washington correspondent. He will work with senior executive producer of Washington streaming coverage Allie Sandza to reimagine the daily program. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Grammy Predictions, From Beyoncé to Kendrick Lamar: Who Will Win? Who Should Win? What's Coming to Netflix in February 2025
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Robert Costa And Major Garrett Named To New CBS News Roles; Anne Hsu Will Become EP Of ‘Face The Nation' And Mary Hager Upped To Senior EP
CBS News announced a series of staffing changes this morning with Robert Costa and Major Garrett getting new roles and a new executive producer named to Face the Nation. Anne Hsu has been named the executive producer of Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan, upped from senior broadcast producer. She will oversee day-to-day operations and production of the broadcast. Mary Hager, who has led the show since 2011, will get the new title of senior executive producer of Face the Nation, overseeing the big picture of future of the show, while she also serves as CBS News' executive editor for politics. More from Deadline Elon Musk's X Settles Donald Trump Lawsuit For Reported $10 Million White House Press Secretary Says AP Was Blocked From Oval Office Event To Hold It "Accountable" For Not Changing Name Of Gulf Of Mexico Shonda Rhimes Resigns From Kennedy Center After Donald Trump's Takeover Of Performing Arts Institution Major Garrett will become the full-time anchor of America Decides on the CBS News 24/7 streaming network, while continuing as CBS News chief Washington correspondent. Garrett will work with Allie Sandza, senior executive producer of Washington streaming coverage, to retool the daily politics show. Garrett recently ended his podcast The Takeout after eight years. Robert Costa was named national correspondent for CBS News Sunday Morning and chief Washington analyst for the network. He's contributed to the broadcast over the past three years, including an interview with President Joe Biden, his first since exiting the 2024 presidential race. Costa will cover a range of stories including national affairs and pieces on culture and the arts. He also will offer analysis across CBS News platforms, and report in the political world in D.C. and on potential 2028 candidates. Best of Deadline A Full Timeline Of Blake Lively & Justin Baldoni's 'It Ends With Us' Feud In Court, Online & In The Media Everything We Know About 'The Night Agent' Season 3 So Far 'A Complete Unknown's Monica Barbaro On Finally Meeting The 'Thoughtful And Wonderful' Joan Baez And A Sweet Moment With Ariana Grande
