'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 Pulitzer Prize-Winning Playwright Edward Albee
Albee made his debut as a Broadway playwright in 1962 with Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, which went on to win a Tony Award. He died Friday at the age of 88. Originally broadcast in 1984.
Writer Mat Johnson On 'Loving Day' And Life As A 'Black Boy' Who Looks White
As a biracial child growing up in Philadelphia, Mat Johnson identified as black, but looked white. His latest novel is about a man returning to his childhood home. Originally broadcast June 29, 2015.
Oliver Stone Puts A Melodramatic Spin On 'Snowden' And The Surveillance State
Stone's new film presents the exiled former NSA contractor as a heroic whistle-blower. Critic David Edelstein says movie's take on Snowden is entertaining — but also a bit one-sided.
The 'Racial Cleansing' That Drove 1,100 Black Residents Out Of Forsyth County, Ga.
In 1912, white mobs set fire to black churches and black-owned businesses. Eventually the entire black population of Forsyth County was driven out, says Blood at the Root author Patrick Phillips.
Jim Black's Trio Comes Into Its Own With A Lovely, 'Constant' Album
Drummer Jim Black slips rock-ish beats beats under a jazz groove on his trio's new album. Critic Kevin Whitehead says the sound on The Constant has a distinctive edge that "pops out of the speakers."
A First Year College Student Finds Himself Outclassed In 'Loner'
Teddy Wayne's new novel begins as a sharply observed novel of manners, but quickly mutates into a classic tale of obsession. Critic Maureen Corrigan calls Loner a powerful suspense story.
Country Singer Kelsey Waldon Reaches Back To An Earlier Era In 'I've Got A Way'
Waldon puts a distinctive spin on classic country with her new album. Critic Ken Tucker calls her singing, which avoids excessive emotion or embellishment, "the musical version of hard-boiled prose."