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.
Fresh Air Remembers British Rock Keyboardist Ian McLagan
McLagan, who died at 69, helped define the sound of '60s British rock with his bands Small Faces and Faces. He toured with the Rolling Stones, Dylan and Billy Bragg. He appeared on Fresh Air in 2004.
Prayers And Holy Water Can't Exorcise The Terrifying 'Babadook'
In the Australian chiller, a bogeyman announces himself in a rhyming, pop-up book on a 7-year-old's shelf. But the real horror is that the boy's mom, a grieving widow, is battling psychic demons.
Three Books For The Jazz Lover On Your List
Fresh Air jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews a singer's biography, a pianist's autobiography, and a fat coffee table book.
Historian Illustrates Racial Intolerance In The Northeast In Post-War U.S.
In his new book All Eyes Are Upon Us, Jason Sokol writes about how Northerners were blind to patterns of segregation, discrimination and racial violence in such states as New York and Massachusetts.
President Obama And The Courts: A Shift In Balance
Journalist Jeffrey Toobin notes how Obama's appointees are a new mix of ethnic minorities, women and gay judges. But a couple of these courts are hearing suits that could undo some of Obama's actions.
P.D. James Believed Mysteries Were Made Of Clues, Not Coincidences
The best-selling author died Thursday. She was 94. In 1987, James told Terry Gross that while the "shock of finding the bodies is important" in her novels, she personally doesn't like "messy lives."
Fresh Air Weekend: A Bob Hope Bio, Christmas Albums And An Accordionist
Richard Zoglin talks about Hope's life and legacy; rock critic Ken Tucker recommends holiday listening; and Will Holshouser plays songs from his new album.
