Fresh Air : NPR

Novel 'Forest Dark' And Dog Book 'Afterglow' Consider The Meaning Of Life

Wed, 20 Sep 2017 12:54:25 -0400

Critic Maureen Corrigan reviews two books that use experimental forms to tackle weighty topics. "Both of these odd new books offer something special," she says.

Jerry Seinfeld's New Netflix Special Puts His Comic Life Into Perspective

Wed, 20 Sep 2017 12:53:04 -0400

After more than 40 years in the business, Seinfeld revisits the clubs where he got his start. Critic David Bianculli says Jerry Before Seinfeld will make you laugh — a lot.

'Cuz' Examines The Tragic Life And Death Of A Young Black Man In LA

Wed, 20 Sep 2017 12:52:25 -0400

Danielle Allen's memoir centers on her cousin Michael, who was sentenced to a long prison term for carjacking when he was 15. Three years after his release, he was found shot to death in a parked car.

Matthew Sweet's Melodic Hooks Tug At The Heart On 'Tomorrow Forever'

Tue, 19 Sep 2017 14:55:47 -0400

Sweet recalls the time just before rock 'n' roll became self-consciously "rock" on his first album of new songs in six years. Critic Ken Tucker calls the music on Tomorrow Forever "wholly unironic."

Could The Trump Presidency Lead To An Era Of Democratic Renewal?

Tue, 19 Sep 2017 14:55:47 -0400

Journalists E.J. Dionne and Norm Ornstein say that a new wave of political activism springs from the fact that Trump is unfit for office. Their new book (with Thomas Mann) is One Nation After Trump.

Exhibit Highlights The Work Of The Late Avant-Garde Artist Florine Stettheimer

Tue, 19 Sep 2017 14:55:47 -0400

Stettheimer, who died in 1944, had only one public showing of her paintings during her lifetime. Now the Jewish Museum in New York has the first new exhibit of her work in more than 20 years.

Clinton Won't Rule Out Questioning 2016 Election, But Says No Clear Means To Do So

Mon, 18 Sep 2017 12:49:00 -0400

Hillary Clinton tells Fresh Air the mechanism for such a challenge does not exist in the U.S. "and usually we don't need it." She also says she is "optimistic about our country, but I am not naive."

Self-Aggrandizing, Interminable 'Mother!' Mixes Fantasy And Reality

Fri, 15 Sep 2017 15:43:27 -0400

Writer-director Darren Aronofsky's new film is set in a large country house where a young woman, played by Jennifer Lawrence, finds herself under siege by unwanted guests.

Bruce Springsteen: On Jersey, Masculinity And Wishing To Be His Stage Persona

Fri, 15 Sep 2017 15:43:27 -0400

"People see you onstage and, yeah, I'd want to be that guy," Springsteen says. "I want to be that guy myself very often." Originally broadcast Oct. 5, 2016.

Musician Fred Hersch Recounts A Life 'In And Out Of Jazz' In His New Memoir

Thu, 14 Sep 2017 14:50:47 -0400

Nearly 30 years ago, Hersch was among the first jazz musicians to come out as both gay and HIV positive. His memoir looks back on that time, as well as the time he spent in a medically induced coma.

New Ken Burns Series Remembers Vietnam War Through The Eyes Of Everyday People

Thu, 14 Sep 2017 13:48:04 -0400

Burns made a name for himself by finding the small stories that lend perspective and emotion to larger narratives. Critic David Bianculli says his latest effort is "compelling from the start."

Journalist Says: In North Korea, Talk Of War And Nuclear Weapons Is 'Everywhere'

Wed, 13 Sep 2017 14:08:02 -0400

New Yorker writer Evan Osnos visited North Korea in August to understand what they really mean when they talk about nuclear war. He found that nuclear weapons are an essential part of their society.

Adolescent Friendship Fades Away In Claire Messud's Gothic 'Burning Girl'

Tue, 12 Sep 2017 13:50:00 -0400

Messud's novel centers on best friends from different class backgrounds who begin to drift apart in 7th grade. Critic Maureen Corrigan calls The Burning Girl a story of "betrayal and isolation."

Reporter Katy Tur Shares Her 'Front-Row' View Of The Trump Campaign

Tue, 12 Sep 2017 13:12:00 -0400

Tur was at a rally in South Carolina when Trump called her name and pointed at her from the podium. Then, she says, "The entire place turns and they roar as one ... like a giant, unchained animal."

Sept. 11 First Responder Fights On Behalf Of Others Who Rushed To Help

Mon, 11 Sep 2017 15:16:00 -0400

Demolition supervisor John Feal was working at ground zero 16 years ago when an 8,000-pound piece of steel crushed his foot. After being denied medical compensation, he became an advocate for others.

Comments (0) - Read and Add your own Comments