Fresh Air
Weekdays at 7:00pm
Opening the window on contemporary arts and issues with guests from worlds as diverse as literature and economics.
Why are so many government officials concerned about TikTok?
Congress and President Biden say TikTok must shed its financial ties to China or face a ban in the U.S. But Washington Post tech reporter Drew Harwell says selling the company is complicated.
Priest Responds To Gang Members' 'Lethal Absence Of Hope' With Jobs, And Love
Homeboy Industries founder Father Greg Boyle has spent 30 years working in LA with gang members and young people transitioning out of prison. His new book is Barking to the Choir.
Taylor Swift Pushes Further Into Electro-Pop With 'Reputation'
by Ken Tucker
Swift brings together pulsing drumbeats, surging keyboards and multi-tracked vocals on her new album. The result is a record that mixes passion and emotion with careful control.
'Murder On The Orient Express' Moves In Inspired Fits And Starts
by Justin Chang
Kenneth Branagh's adaptation of Agatha Christie's 1934 mystery novel features a cast that rips into individual roles with gusto — but never fully jells as an ensemble.
'Hue 1968' Revisits An American 'Turning Point' In The War In Vietnam
Author Mark Bowden says the capture of Hue, Vietnam, was part of a wave of well-planned Communist attacks that helped turn U.S. public opinion against the war. Originally broadcast June 12, 2017.
Once An Underground Currency, Bitcoin Emerges As 'A New Way To Track Information'
by Terry Gross
The digital currency's value has gone from zero to $120 billion in nine years. Digital Gold author Nathaniel Popper says major banks are looking into the possibilities of its decentralized network.
'Three Billboards' Is a Vigilante-Revenge Thriller That Goes Off The Rails
by David Edelstein
Frances McDormand is a woman seeking justice for her murdered daughter in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. David Edelstein calls the film "fascinating, then perplexing, then annoying."
Remembering Interdisciplinary Composer Muhal Richard Abrams
by Kevin Whitehead
Critic Kevin Whitehead says Abrams, who died last week, was "steeped in jazz, but eager to take on a wider world." Abrams was a co-founder of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians.
Brazilian Pianist Nelson Freire Brings An Uncannily Delicate Touch To 'Brahms'
by Lloyd Schwartz
Freire plays tribute to the noted German composer on his new album. Music critic Lloyd Schwartz doesn't always love Brahms, but he loves this recording.
Michael Lewis: Many Trump Appointees Are Uninterested In The Agencies They Head Up
by Dave Davies
The Moneyball author is writing a series of articles for Vanity Fair about President Trump's picks to lead federal agencies — and the consequences of those appointments.