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

A new documentary checks out the many ways libraries are a 'Free For All'
By examining the value of libraries in the distant and recent past, this PBS film makes a compelling case for the importance of the American public library system today.
'Hue 1968' Revisits An American 'Turning Point' In The War In Vietnam
Author Mark Bowden says the capture of Hue, Vietnam, was part of a wave of well-planned Communist attacks that helped turn U.S. public opinion against the war. Originally broadcast June 12, 2017.
Once An Underground Currency, Bitcoin Emerges As 'A New Way To Track Information'
by Terry Gross
The digital currency's value has gone from zero to $120 billion in nine years. Digital Gold author Nathaniel Popper says major banks are looking into the possibilities of its decentralized network.
'Three Billboards' Is a Vigilante-Revenge Thriller That Goes Off The Rails
by David Edelstein
Frances McDormand is a woman seeking justice for her murdered daughter in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. David Edelstein calls the film "fascinating, then perplexing, then annoying."
Remembering Interdisciplinary Composer Muhal Richard Abrams
by Kevin Whitehead
Critic Kevin Whitehead says Abrams, who died last week, was "steeped in jazz, but eager to take on a wider world." Abrams was a co-founder of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians.
Brazilian Pianist Nelson Freire Brings An Uncannily Delicate Touch To 'Brahms'
by Lloyd Schwartz
Freire plays tribute to the noted German composer on his new album. Music critic Lloyd Schwartz doesn't always love Brahms, but he loves this recording.
Michael Lewis: Many Trump Appointees Are Uninterested In The Agencies They Head Up
by Dave Davies
The Moneyball author is writing a series of articles for Vanity Fair about President Trump's picks to lead federal agencies — and the consequences of those appointments.
Netflix Adaptation Of Margaret Atwood's 'Alias Grace' Is Uncannily Relevant
by David Bianculli
Alias Grace tells the true story of an Irish immigrant who worked as a household maid in Canada in the 1850s and was later convicted of murder.
'Lady Bird' Soars With An Intimate Portrait Of Mother-Daughter Angst
by David Edelstein
The title character of Greta Gerwig's new comedy is a Sacramento high school senior who's in a love-hate relationship with her mother. Critic David Edelstein says Lady Bird is "packed with insight."
From Fire Hydrants To Rescue Work, Dogs Perceive The World Through Smell
Dogs can sniff out people, drugs, bombs, cancer and much more. In her book Being A Dog, Alexandra Horowitz explores the mysteries and mechanics of canine noses. Originally broadcast Oct. 4, 2016.