
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.
The X-Men Franchise Takes An Intense, Scorched-Earth Turn With 'Logan'
by David Edelstein
Major characters go down in showers of blood and gore in the latest stand-alone Wolverine film. Critic David Edelstein says that Logan is an "incredibly bleak ... crackerjack piece of work."
Comic Louie Anderson Modeled His 'Baskets' Role After His Own Mom
Anderson delivers a standout performance as the mother of an embittered rodeo clown in Baskets, which is now in its second season. Originally published March 2, 2016.
'River On Fire' Explores Genius, Madness And The Poetry Of Robert Lowell
Kay Redfield Jamison's new book describes how Lowell's manic-depressive illness influenced his life and work. "His manias tended to lead him into writing a fresh kind of poetry," she says.
New 'Chimes At Midnight' DVD Recalls Orson Welles' Autobiographical Turn As Falstaff
Welles moved Shakespeare's mostly peripheral character to the center of this 1965 film. Critic Lloyd Schwartz says the performance "may be the most profound moment of Welles' entire film career."
Alto Saxophonist Miguel Zenón Evokes Folkloric Melodies On 'Típico'
by Kevin Whitehead
The Puerto Rican jazz musician leads his long-running quartet on his new album. Critic Kevin Whitead says Típico is full of "feverishly intricate music that ... comes from the heart."
Remembering Actor Bill Paxton, Of 'A Simple Plan' And 'Twister' Fame
Paxton, who died Saturday due to complications with surgery, appeared in the TV series Big Love, as well as in blockbuster films like Titanic, Aliens and Apollo 13. Originally broadcast in 2002.