Film offers 'Hard Truths' about why some people are happy — and others are miserable
Marianne Jean-Baptiste gives a phenomenal performance as a profoundly unhappy woman. There isn't a lot of plot, but director Mike Leigh builds his stories from the details and detritus of daily life.
Provocative Book Explores The Connection Between Loneliness And Art
Olivia Laing surveys the landscape of urban alienation in her new book, a work that is part-memoir and part-criticism. Critic Maureen Corrigan says The Lonely City is "absolutely one of a kind."
'The Ballad Of Black Tom' Offers A Tribute And Critique Of Lovecraft
Growing up, Victor LaValle loved reading the horror stories of H.P. Lovecraft. It wasn't until later that LaValle recognized the racism in Lovecraft's work and felt the need to respond.
Fresh Air Weekend: 'Hap And Leonard'; 'All My Yesterdays'; Maggie Smith
Joe R. Lansdale worked as a janitor before finding success as a writer. Kevin Whitehead reviews a two-CD set featuring Thad Jones and Mel Lewis. Maggie Smith discusses the pressures of acting.
Film Shines A 'Spotlight' On Boston's Clergy Sex Abuse Scandal
Director Tom McCarthy and former Globe editor Walter Robinson discuss Spotlight, the Oscar-nominated film about Boston's clergy sex abuse scandal. Originally broadcast Oct. 29, 2015.
Adam McKay Of 'Funny Or Die' Dissects The '08 Economic Crash In 'The Big Short'
Not only do the characters in McKay's Oscar-nominated film warn about the collapse of the global economy — they make money off of it. Originally broadcast Dec. 23, 2015.
Going For Broke: Atlantic City Falls On Hard Times
Once a grand seaside destination, Atlantic City now faces the prospect of a takeover by the state of New Jersey. Historian Bryant Simon and reporter Amy Rosenberg discuss the city's rise and fall.
'All My Yesterdays' Captures The Beginning Of A 50-Year Engagement
Music from Thad Jones and Mel Lewis' first and seventh Mondays at the Village Vanguard is out on a new two-CD set. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says All My Yesterdays explodes with creative energy.
'Hap And Leonard' Creator Needed To 'Burn Bridges' To Make It As A Writer
Joe R. Lansdale grew up poor in east Texas and worked as a janitor and in a potato field before finding success as a writer. Honky Tonk Samurai is the latest book in his mystery series.