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: WNBA star Brittney Griner; Discovering plant 'intelligence'
In Coming Home, Griner reflects on spending nearly 300 days in a Russian prison. Sonny Rollins' music speaks for itself on newly reissued Freedom Weaver. Zoë Schlanger considers plant consciousness.
Author Viet Thanh Nguyen discusses 'The Sympathizer' and his escape from Vietnam
by Terry Gross
Nguyen and his family fled their village in South Vietnam in 1975. Now his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel has been adapted into a series on HBO and MAX. Originally broadcast in 2016.
Peter Jackson's restored 'Let it Be' is a TV treat for Beatles fans
by David Bianculli
Jackson uses his post-production tricks to polish up the 1970 documentary, bringing a new perspective on events in the film and allowing us to focus on the band's creativity instead of their acrimony.
Remembering minimalist painter and sculptor Frank Stella
by Terry Gross
Stella, who died May 4, became famous in the 1950s for his "black paintings" — which were a stark contrast to the abstract expressionism of the time. Originally broadcast in 1985 and 2000.
Remembering rock and roll guitarist Duane Eddy
by Terry Gross
Eddy, who died April 30, was one of the first instrumentalists to become a rock and roll star. His hit songs included "Rebel Rouser," "Ramrod" and "40 Miles of Bad Road." Originally broadcast in 1988.
Silence and secrets permeate an immigrant enclave in Colm Tóibín's 'Long Island'
by Maureen Corrigan
Tóibín's latest, a sequel to his 2009 novel, Brooklyn, is a devastating portrait of an Irish immigrant whose Italian American husband is expecting a baby with another woman.
'Black Twitter' docuseries celebrates the online community with real-world impact
by Tonya Mosley
When it comes to Black Twitter, filmmaker Prentice Penny says "no one is above being joked on." His Hulu docuseries charts the voices and movements that made it a force in politics and culture.
'A Man in Full' chronicles the final 10 days of a wealthy, charismatic villain
by David Bianculli
Jeff Daniels plays the title character in this Netflix series based on Tom Wolfe's novel. The tension isn't about whether he survives — we know he doesn't — but what he does in his final days.
Remembering novelist, screenwriter and memoirist Paul Auster
by Terry Gross
Auster, who died April 30, rose to fame in the 1980s with The New York Trilogy novels. His memoir, Winter Journal, focused on the history of his body. Originally broadcast in 1997, 2004 and 2012.