Fresh Air
Weekdays at 7:00pm
Opening the window on contemporary arts and issues with guests from worlds as diverse as literature and economics.
Rachel Kushner's new espionage thriller may be her coolest book yet
In Creation Lake, a hard-drinking American spy infiltrates a radical farming collective in a remote region of France. Kushner challenges readers to keep up with her and not to flinch.
From Injury To Recovery, A Ballet Dancer Fought To Retire On Her Own Terms
by Terry Gross
Restless Creature, now available on Netflix, chronicles Wendy Whelan's recovery from hip surgery and her final performance with the New York City Ballet. Originally broadcast July 10, 2017.
A Look Back At How Virtuoso Jimmy Blanton Changed The Bass Forever
by Kevin Whitehead
On what would have been Blanton's 100 birthday, jazz critic Kevin Whitehead recounts the ways in which the bassist revolutionized his instrument during his brief time on the music scene.
Michael Lewis: Trump's Approach To Government Shows 'Neglect And Misunderstanding'
by Terry Gross
Lewis' new book, The Fifth Risk, examines three federal departments under Trump: energy, agriculture and commerce. He warns that half of the top 700 positions in the administration remain unfilled.
On 'SNL,' '60 Minutes' And More, How Networks And Cable Covered Kavanaugh
by David Bianculli
Critic David Bianculli looks back at the history of televised government hearings, including the Senate Confirmation Hearings of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
Robert Redford: The 'Fresh Air' Interview
by Terry Gross
Redford has announced that he's retiring from acting, and that his role in the new film The Old Man and the Gun, will be his last. In 2013, he said it was "sort of weird" being known for his looks.
A Single Act Of Violence Inspires Outrage And Anger In 'Monsters And Men'
by Justin Chang
Reinaldo Marcus Green's haunting new film tells the story of three Brooklyn men whose lives are impacted by the shooting of an unarmed black man by a white police officer in their neighborhood.
Journalist: Poland's Shift Toward Authoritarianism Is A 'Red Flag' For Democracy
by Terry Gross
Atlantic journalist Anne Applebaum says the changes taking place in Poland — including a rise of conspiracy theories and attacks on the free press — mirror similar shifts happening in the U.S.