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.
Patti Smith Looks Back On Life Before She Became The Godmother Of Punk
The singer joins Fresh Air for a conversation about her career and her relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. Smith's new memoir is M Train. Originally broadcast in 1996 and 2010.
'Portrait of an American Singer' Revives The Memory Of Tennessee Ernie Ford
Tennessee Ernie Ford was a hugely popular singer in the 1950s and 60s. Now, a new 5-disc boxed set attempts to reintroduce Ford to a new audience. Rock critic Ken Tucker has a review.
Flights Of Fancy: Exploring The Songs And Pathways Of 'The Living Bird'
Wildlife photographer Gerrit Vyn and essayist Scott Weidensaul share bird calls and discuss some of the remarkable abilities of birds. Both men contributed to a new book about North American birds.
Poetic And Expansive, 'City On Fire' Ultimately Falls Short Of Its Reach
Garth Risk Hallberg's 900-page debut novel is an intricately-plotted story set in chaotic 1970s New York. Critic Maureen Corrigan says City On Fire has much to admire, even if its ending falls flat.
'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
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'
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."