Fresh Air
Weekdays at 7:00pm
Opening the window on contemporary arts and issues with guests from worlds as diverse as literature and economics.
Why anti-fascist vigilantes are infiltrating far-right white nationalist groups
by Terry Gross
New Yorker writer David Kirkpatrick says anti-fascists are using extra judicial methods to do what the FBI can't, by infiltrating white nationalist groups to expose them and planned attacks.
'Becoming Nicole' Recounts One Family's Acceptance Of Their Transgender Child
When Kelly and Wayne Maines adopted identical twin boys in 1997, they didn't anticipate raising one of their sons as a daughter. They tell their story, with author Amy Ellis Nutt, in Becoming Nicole.
'Bridge Of Spies' Offers A Fresh, Measured Take On The Cold War
by John Powers
Tom Hanks plays an American attorney charged with defending a captured Soviet spy in Steven Spielberg's latest film. Critic John Powers calls Bridge of Spies a "highly entertaining new thriller."
Poetry Is Set To Melody In Iris DeMent's 'The Trackless Woods'
by Ken Tucker
Poems by the Russian writer Anna Akhmatova form the basis of singer Iris DeMent's new album. Critic Ken Tucker says Akhmatova and DeMent share an urge to articulate "sorrow, sacrifice and gratitude."
'Dope' Director On Geekdom, The N-Word And Confronting Racism With Comedy
Rick Famuyiwa's film, Dope, is about a black high-school student who's into 90s hip-hop and Japanese comic books. Originally broadcast July 1, 2015.
'Room' Transforms A Lurid Crime Story Into A Fairy Tale With A Boy Hero
by David Edelstein
In Lenny Abrahamson's new film, a 5-year-old boy lives with his mother in a prison fashioned by a psychopath. Critic David Edelstein calls Room an amazing and "heart-stopping" survival story.
Early On, Comedian John Cleese Says, He Had Good Timing But Little Else
The co-founder of the Monty Python troupe admits he wasn't "naturally gifted" at physical comedy. His memoir, So, Anyway..., covers his boyhood and early career. Originally broadcast Dec. 16, 2014.
Revisiting The Soul-Stirring Sounds Of Decades-Old Gospel Music
by Ed Ward
Post-war black gospel music shaped soul sounds through the mid-1970s, but it's increasingly hard to find today. Rock historian Ed Ward discusses a few recent gospel reissues.
Journalist Describes How The Freedom Caucus Hijacked Congress
Rolling Stone's Tim Dickinson says that the ongoing search to replace Rep. John Boehner as speaker of the House reveals the influence that 40 conservative Republicans hold in the House.