After Romney's winning debate performance last week, last night's vice presidential debate was highly anticipated. Our Washington correspondent, Todd Zwillich, reviews the event. 

The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to the European Union this morning for its success in turning a continent marked by war to one of peace. Even so, the award comes at a time when European is experiencing significant financial strain and political tension.

In "Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher," author Timothy Egan chronicles the life and work of photographer Edward Curtis. Timothy Egan explains that Curtis's goal was to document Native American life before many of their old customs disappeared.

It’s Friday, when we talk about movies on the Takeaway. And today, rather than focus on a specific new release, we’re looking at the big picture. From silent films to youtube videos, from international cinema to Hollwood’s golden age, we’re going to try to cram in as much as we can. It’s all in honor of David Thomson and his new book, “The Big Screen,” which is both a history of, and valentine to, film.

Set in the 1960s, the AMC series "Mad Men," created by Matthew Weiner, documents the dramas of that turbulent decade through the personal, everyday lives of its characters. October 14, 2012 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis, a historical event that serves as the backdrop to Mad Men's season two finale, "Meditations in an Emergency," which Weiner co-wrote and directed.