A culture critic reflects on the limits of language -- and the magic of silence
Pulitzer Prize-winning New Yorker writer Hilton Als says we "don't actually have much silence left" in our world. His latest exhibition challenges the way we see art, identity and storytelling.
Last Days Of Dave: Paying Homage To Letterman's Weird And Quirky Legacy
The off-beat funnyman retires this month after 33 years hosting late-night television. Fresh Air's David Bianculli says that David Letterman's humor "provided a new blueprint for the TV talk show."
Silence On The Sidelines: An MLB Insider's 'Manifesto' On Youth Sports
Baseball's Mike Matheny speaks with Fresh Air's Dave Davies about his playing career, managing in the big leagues and the pressures of youth sports. Matheny is the author of The Matheny Manifesto.
Hollywood Offers Up A Bevy Of Superheroes In 'Avengers: Age of Ultron'
Reviewer David Edelstein says Joss Whedon's new film plays like "a strategic set-up for a Hollywood franchise." Viewers will be blitzed by sound and fury — and a certain amount of "gobbledegook."
Nellie McKay Celebrates The '60s With 'My Weekly Reader'
McKay's new album My Weekly Reader is a collection of covers of songs made famous in the 1960s. The range of material is wide — from the Beatles' "If I Fell" to Frank Zappa's "Hungry Freaks, Daddy."
Timothy Spall Takes On Painter J.M.W. Turner, A 'Master Of The Sublime'
Spall had to "dig deep" to play the title role in Mr. Turner, which is now out on DVD. The 19th century painter was a "man of massive contradictions," he says. Originally broadcast Dec. 15, 2014.
Brooklyn Rider Blurs Classical Boundaries On 'Almanac'
The string quartet invited composers like Vijay Iyer and Bill Frisell to compose pieces inspired by something outside of their world.
Drought In Calif. Creates Water Wars Between Farmers, Developers, Residents
Fresno native Mark Arax has written about the war over water in his state for decades. "It used to be the farmers against the delta smelt fish, and now it's the urbanite against the almond," he says.
Two Takes On Billie Holiday
Fresh Air critic Kevin Whitehead looks at a couple tribute albums to the jazz singer.