Fresh Air
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Opening the window on contemporary arts and issues with guests from worlds as diverse as literature and economics.
This collection may be the closest we'll ever come to a Dickinson autobiography
by Maureen Corrigan
The Letters of Emily Dickinson collects 1,304 letters, starting with one she wrote at age 11. Her singular voice comes into its own in the letters of the 1860s, which often blur into poems.
How Globalized Capitalism Drives Worldwide Fear And Discontentment
by Terry Gross
Author Robert Kuttner says the decline of social contracts in Western democracies has led to the rise of right-wing populism. His new book is Can Democracy Survive Global Capitalism?
Recalling The Athletic Style Of Pianist And Composer Cecil Taylor
by Kevin Whitehead
Critic Kevin Whitehead remembers the late musician, who was known for his animated piano recitals and group improvisations, and who sometimes used his forearm to play dense clusters on the keys.
Meg Wolitzer Traces The Arc Of The Feminist Movement In 'The Female Persuasion'
by Maureen Corrigan
'The Rider' Offers An Aching Portrait Of Masculinity In Crisis
by Justin Chang
Writer-director Chloé Zhao's new film tells the true story of a Lakota cowboy recovering from a serious rodeo accident. Critic Justin Chang says The Rider has "a bone-deep authenticity."
How Rodgers And Hammerstein Revolutionized Broadway
by Terry Gross
Todd Purdum's new book, Something Wonderful, is about the creative partnership and strained personal relationship behind such hit shows as Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific and The Sound of Music.
Largely Forgotten Osage Murders Reveal A Conspiracy Against Wealthy Native Americans
Members of the Osage Indian Nation became very wealthy in the 1920s after oil deposits were found on their land. Then local whites began targeting the tribe. Originally broadcast April 17, 2017.
Giddy, Over-The-Top 'Blockers' Makes Parents The Butt Of Prom Night Jokes
by David Edelstein
Three teenage girls make a pact to lose their virginity after senior prom — and three parents embark on a hysterical odyssey to stop them — in Kay Cannon's raunchy new sex comedy.
Post 'Downton Abbey,' Dan Stevens Embraces His Role As A Mutant On 'Legion'
by Dave Davies
Stevens, who played Matthew Crawley on Downton Abbey, now plays a young man who's grown up thinking he has schizophrenia on Legion, an FX drama that's a spin-off of the Marvel Comics X-Men series.
Martial Solal Keeps His Mind And Fingers Nimble On 'My One And Only Love'
by Kevin Whitehead
The Algeria-born French pianist combines serious improvising with a playful attitude on his solo recital album. Critic Kevin Whitehead says Solal pulls listeners along "like a great storyteller."