Fresh Air
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Opening the window on contemporary arts and issues with guests from worlds as diverse as literature and economics.
'I can only give the best': Bon Jovi on vocal surgery and the road to recovery
by Terry Gross
A few years ago, Jon Bon Jovi stopped performing due to a vocal cord injury. The Hulu docuseries Thank You, Goodnight offers a career retrospective, plus a view of his surgery and return to the stage.
Revisiting The Tenure Of Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, The 'Jewish Jefferson'
One hundred years ago, Brandeis became the first Jewish justice on the Supreme Court. Author Jeffrey Rosen says that Brandeis was also the most far-seeing progressive justice of the 20th century.
A Path From 'Blackout' Drunkenness To Sobriety And Self-Acceptance
Author Sarah Hepola once got so drunk before a presentation that she didn't remember it the next day. She wrestles with her reasons for drinking in her memoir. Originally broadcast July 30, 2015.
Herman's Hermits, A Band That Was In It For The Hits And The Kicks
by Ed Ward
Herman's Hermits hit the American pop charts 22 times in the 1960s and early '70s. Now, a new anthology compiles 66 of the Hermits' tracks. Rock historian Ed Ward considers how the music has held up.
Reporting On The War In Syria, Despite The Obstacles To Being There
Anne Barnard of The New York Times and Thanassis Cambanis from The Century Foundation fell in love when they were reporting on the war in Iraq. Now based in Beirut, they continue to cover the region.
Paul Simon Mixes Music And Mystery On 'Stranger To Stranger'
by Ken Tucker
Simon blends his trademark wordplay with unique rhythms and exotic instruments on his new album. Critic Ken Tucker calls it a daring record that can be appreciated on a number of levels.
Naftule's Dream Returns, With A Fleshy, Folkie New Album
by Milo Miles
After a long absence, the klezmer-fusion band Naftule's Dream turns introspective on it's new release, Blood. Music critic Milo Miles says the band's warmth and cohesion is as rich as ever.
Kindred Spirits Cuong Vu And Pat Metheny Come Together In A New Jazz Album
by Kevin Whitehead
Growing up, trumpeter Vu found inspiration in Metheny's music. Now the two collaborate on the album, Cuong Vu Trio Meets Pat Metheny. Kevin Whitehead says the record showcases their musical chemistry.
From The 'Fresh Air' Archives: G. Gordon Liddy On Conquering His Fears
In 1973, Liddy was convicted for his role in the conspiracy to burglarize and bug the Democratic Party's headquarters at the Watergate office complex. Originally broadcast in 1980.