Fresh Air
Weekdays at 7:00pm
Opening the window on contemporary arts and issues with guests from worlds as diverse as literature and economics.
Fresh Air Weekend: Jon Bon Jovi; Novelist Leigh Bardugo
Bon Jovi talks about his vocal surgery and the road to recovery. Maureen Corrigan reviews a collection of Emily Dickinson's letters. Bardugo's new novel, The Familiar, is set in 16th century Spain.
Betrayal, Ruination And Dark Comedy Converge In 'A Very English Scandal'
by John Powers
A new BBC miniseries streaming on Amazon and starring Hugh Grant tells the story of Britain's Thorpe affair, a 1970s tabloid fiesta that brought together politics, illicit sex and a criminal trial.
'Squeezed' Explores Why America Is Getting Too Expensive For The Middle Class
by Terry Gross
Author Alissa Quart writes that the costs of housing, child care, health care and college are outpacing salaries and threatening the livelihoods of middle class Americans.
Black Lung Disease Can't Keep Frank Newsome From Singing Hymns
by Sam Briger
Newsome, a former coal miner who has black lung disease, started singing when he joined a church in 1963. His sings a cappella in a lined-out hymn style — one of America's oldest music traditions.
Fresh Air Weekend: John Prine; Novelist Stephen McCauley
Prine explains why he never thought he'd be a recording artist. Critic Justin Chang reviews the documentary The King. McCauley's novel, My Ex-Life, centers on couple whose marriage ended decades ago.
'The King' Fuses Elvis' Turbulent Life Story With The Soul Of America
by Justin Chang
Eugene Jarecki's documentary uses the rise and fall of Elvis Presley to track the ups and downs of America's past century. Critic Justin Chang calls The King a "feverishly analytical" musical essay.
In The Event Of Attack, Here's How The Government Plans 'To Save Itself'
by Terry Gross
In Raven Rock, Garrett Graff describes the bunkers designed to protect government leaders and the roles for various agencies in the event of catastrophe. Originally broadcast June 21, 2018.
2 Books Find Fuel In The American Landscape
by Maureen Corrigan
2 First-Rate Novels Celebrate The Humor And Heroism Of Unconventional Women
by John Powers
Authors Dorthe Nors and Sayaka Murata use bracing good humor to subvert readers' expectations about single women in their new novels, Mirror, Shoulder, Signal and Convenience Store Woman.
Novelist Stephen McCauley Embraces Life On A 'Small, Everyday Scale'
by Terry Gross
McCauley's novel, My Ex-Life, is a comedy about a couple whose marriage ended years ago when the husband came out as gay. "All relationships evolve — even for people who stay together," he says.