A culture critic reflects on the limits of language -- and the magic of silence
Pulitzer Prize-winning New Yorker writer Hilton Als says we "don't actually have much silence left" in our world. His latest exhibition challenges the way we see art, identity and storytelling.
'Mercury Rising' explores treacherous U.S. attempts to control space
Historian Jeff Shesol recalls the early days of the space program, when Cold War fears ruled and no one knew if John Glenn would survive America's first orbital flight. Originally broadcast June 2021.
'Bros' offers lots of laughs — plus a serious commentary on queer identity
Billy Eichner and Luke Macfarlane star in a nuanced comedy about how opposites can attract and also learn from each other. Bros means to send you out of the theater in a good mood — and it does.
'Searching in Grenoble' showcases the unique style of jazz pianist Mal Waldron
Nobody sounds like Waldron, a fact proved by a new 2-CD recording the artist made during a 1978 solo concert. Searching in Grenoble is a good introduction to the pianist's compelling sound.
The Colorado River water shortage is forcing tough choices in 7 states
Forty million people rely on the river. ProPublica's Abrahm Lustgarten says that water scarcity in the West hasn't been recognized as the national emergency that it is.
'Words & Music' offers 15 demos Lou Reed recorded as a fledgling artist
Reed died in 2013. A new collection, recorded in 1965, captures the earliest-known versions of some of the Velvet Underground's best known songs, including "Heroin" and "Pale Blue Eyes."
Remembering Hilary Mantel, Booker Prize-winning author of the 'Wolf Hall' saga
The British writer, who died Sept. 22, wrote a trilogy of critically acclaimed historical novels on the life of Thomas Cromwell, one of Henry VIII's most trusted advisors. Originally broadcast in '12.
Law professor unearths cases of racial violence from the Jim Crow era
In her new book, By Hands Now Known, Margaret Burnham reports on little-known cases of racial violence in the Jim Crow era, including crimes that went unreported and murderers who were never punished.
A novelist's time in the MMA cage informed his book on memory loss and identity
John Vercher trained in mixed martial arts as a young man. His novel, After the Lights Go Out, is about a veteran MMA fighter struggling to remember everyday things. Originally broadcast June 2022.
