The arts community mourns the passing of several notable figures including Pulitzer-winning author Tracy Kidder, painter Pat Steir, British blues producer Mike Vernon, shadow puppetry master Larry Reed, **‘Buffy’ actor Nicholas Brendon, screen siren Valerie Perrine, and libertarian chronicler Brian Doherty**.

• Tracy Kidder, Author of ‘The Soul of a New Machine,’ Dies at 80 — New York Times Arts -
• Brian Doherty, 57, Dies; Chronicled Libertarians and Other Outsiders — New York Times Books -
• Pat Steir, Painter of Luminous ‘Waterfalls,’ Dies at 87 — New York Times Arts -

• Mike Vernon, Who Helped Spark the British Blues Boom, Dies at 81 — New York Times Arts -
• Larry Reed, Master of Shadow Puppetry, Dies at 81 — New York Times Arts -
• Nicholas Brendon, Beloved Sidekick on ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer,’ Dies at 54 — New York Times Arts -
• Valerie Perrine, Screen Siren Who Won Critical Acclaim, Dies at 82 — New York Times Arts -

From Stephen Colbert writing a new 'Lord of the Rings' movie and critiques of Netflix's 'One Piece' adaptation to reviews of 'Bait' and animated features, the latest developments include **showrunner insights into 'Daredevil: Born Again', new streaming recommendations, and late-night political commentary**.

• How ‘One Piece’ Fixed a Common Problem for Anime Adaptations — New York Times Arts -
• Stephen Colbert Is Writing a New ‘Lord of the Rings’ Movie — New York Times Arts -
• ‘Bait’ Review: Bond. Shahjehan Bond. — New York Times Arts -

• A Master of Animation Is Back, With a ‘Magnificent’ Story — New York Times Arts -
• The ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Showrunner Feels Your Pain, Really — New York Times Arts -
• The ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Showrunner Feels Your Pain, Really — New York Times Arts -
• ‘A Little Prayer,’ ‘Splitsville’ and More Streaming Gems — New York Times Arts -
• Late Night Questions the ‘Very Big Present’ Trump Got From Iran — New York Times Arts -

The literary world presents **the month’s best new mystery books alongside reviews of 'The Insatiable Machine', 'How Flowers Made Our World', and Robert Coover's 'The Universal Baseball Association'**.

• The Month’s Best New Mystery Books — New York Times Books -
• Book Review: ‘The Insatiable Machine,’ by Trevor Jackson — New York Times Books -
• Book Review: ‘How Flowers Made Our World,’ by David George Haskell — New York Times Books -

• Book Review: ‘The Universal Baseball Association,’ by Robert Coover — New York Times Books -

Initiatives range from Dave Eggers' new free home for San Francisco artists and discussions on reducing the environmental impact of art collecting to a reassessment of Queen Hatshepsut's legacy and the battle to recover Dave the Potter's artistic inheritance.

• Wicked Stepmother No Longer, a Female Pharoah Gets a Reputational Makeover — New York Times Arts -
• A Free Home for San Francisco Artists, From Dave Eggers and Friends — New York Times Arts -
• How to Reduce the Environmental Impact of Collecting — New York Times Arts -

• Heirs of Dave the Potter, the Enslaved Artist, Are Battling to Recover His Legacy — New York Times Arts -

Significant music news includes Chance the Rapper's legal battle settlement with his former manager, the Supreme Court siding with an internet provider in a music copyright fight, and an **exhibition showcasing foundational objects from Mozart’s life**.

• Jury Awards Chance the Rapper $35 in Legal Fight With Former Manager — New York Times Arts -
• Mozart Wouldn’t Be Mozart Without These Three Objects — New York Times Arts -
• Supreme Court Sides With Internet Provider in Copyright Fight Over Pirated Music — New York Times Music -

The theater scene covers new insights into the 2500-year-old rebel Antigone and **offstage drama with the playwright of ‘Dog Day Afternoon’ being kept from rehearsals**.

• Who Is Antigone? The 2500-Year-Old Rebel With a Cause. — New York Times Arts -
• ‘Dog Day Afternoon’ Playwright Briefly Kept Out of Broadway Rehearsals — New York Times Arts -

AI's evolving depiction in stories like 'Marathon' highlights technological impact, while an inside look at journalists' typing speeds offers a glimpse into media operations.

• In Marathon, A.I. Is Everywhere and Humanity Is an Anomaly — New York Times Arts -
• Write It Up! How Fast Do Our Journalists Type? — New York Times Arts -