
Fresh Air
Weekdays at 7:00pm
Opening the window on contemporary arts and issues with guests from worlds as diverse as literature and economics.

'The Shrouds' introduces a new stage of grief: Watching your loved one decompose
David Cronenberg's thriller centers on an unusual technology that allows people to watch their loved ones decompose in real time. The Shrouds is both deeply morbid and disarmingly funny.
'Fresh Air' Remembers Fountains Of Wayne Co-Founder Adam Schlesinger
by Terry Gross
Schlesinger, who died April 1 of COVID-19, won three Emmy Awards for his songs for the TV series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. He spoke to Fresh Air with bandmate Chris Collingwood in 1999.
'Fresh Air' Remembers Jazz Guitar Great Bucky Pizzarelli
by Terry Gross
Pizzarelli, who died April 1 of COVID-19, played with Benny Goodman, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Rosemary Clooney, among others. He spoke to Fresh Air in '92 and again, with his son John, in '06.
Heaven And Hell Are 'Not What Jesus Preached,' Religion Scholar Says
by Terry Gross
Bart Ehrman says the ideas of eternal rewards and punishments aren't found in the Old Testament or in the teachings of Jesus. His new book is Heaven and Hell: A History of the Afterlife.
How Winston Churchill Pulled Britain Through The Early Years Of WWII
by Dave Davies
In The Splendid And The Vile, author Erik Larson details the British prime minister's first year in office, during which England endured a Nazi bombing campaign that killed more than 44,000 civilians.
'Fresh Air' Celebrates Broadway Legend Stephen Sondheim (Part 2)
by Terry Gross
Sondheim, who turned 90 on March 22, composed the music and lyrics for Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, Company and other shows. He spoke about his career in musical theater in this 2010 interview.
'Fresh Air' Remembers Broadway Playwright Terrence McNally
by Terry Gross
McNally, who died March 24 due to complications related to COVID-19, won Tony awards for Love! Valour! Compassion!, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Ragtime and Master Class. Originally broadcast June 1993.
Trump Has Declared 'War' On The Presidency, Author Says
by Terry Gross
Benjamin Wittes says Trump has changed the presidency fundamentally — and we're seeing the impact during the COVID-19 pandemic. He is the author, with Susan Hennessey, of Unmaking the Presidency
Michael Pollan Explains Caffeine Cravings (And Why You Don't Have To Quit)
by Terry Gross
When Pollan decided to write about caffeine, he gave it up — cold turkey. "I just couldn't focus," he says. "I was irritable. I lost confidence." Originally published Feb. 10, 2020.
Jazz Guitarist Jeff Parker Crosses Musical Genres On 'Suite For Max Brown'
by Kevin Whitehead
Parker's breezy new album, which mixes live music with vintage synthesizers, draws on R&B, early hip-hop, droning electronica, jazz-funk, Afropop and flailing '60s-rock solos.