Arts
Patchett: In Bad Relationships, 'There Comes A Day When You Gotta Go'
Ann Patchett got married and divorced young. When she met the man who would eventually become her second husband she said: "I'll be true, I'll be faithful, I'll see you every day ... but I don't want to get married and I don't want to live together." Her new book is This Is The Story of a Happy Marriage.
Skeptic Takes A Tour Of Self-Help's 'Promise Land'
Despite being the daughter of a child psychologist and self-help author, Jessica Lamb-Shapiro has spent most of her life recoiling from the self-help industry. But eventually, her curiosity got the best of her. She tells Fresh Air about self-help's high- and low-brow iterations and the ways the industry helped her address her fears.
Music Director Dmitry Sitkovetsky Plays with the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra for Two Performances
In April of 2002 a renowned Russian violinist was invited to perform Beethoven's Concerto for Violin with the Greensboro Symphony. That performance left a lasting impression. The chemistry between soloist and orchestra was just right, and the following year the guest artist was appointed Music Director of the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra. It's a position Dmitry Sitkovetsky holds to this day, and this week he joins the orchestra once more as soloist performing Beethoven's amazing concerto. Dmitry spoke with David Ford by phone from his studio in London, and he began by asking him about his musical use of time in his 2004 recording of the Beethoven Concerto with Sir Neville Marriner and the Academy of St, Martin in the Fields.
For World Superpowers, The Negotiating Table Often Had A Net
Melissa Block talks with Nicholas Griffin about his book, Ping-Pong Diplomacy, which explores the importance of the tabletop game in Chinese political history and foreign policy.
The Politics Of Passing 1964's Civil Rights Act
The act, among other things, ended the era of legal segregation in public accommodations, like restaurants and hotels. This year marks the 50th anniversary of its passage. Author Todd Purdum joins Fresh Air to talk about the legislative and political battles that surrounded it.
How Breakthrough 'Captain Phillips' Actor Connected To The Role
This past week, Somali-born actor Barkhad Abdi received an Academy Award nomination for his role opposite Tom Hanks in the film Captain Phillips. The part was his first acting role. Abdi plays a Somali pirate who leads the hijacking of the Maersk Alabama. He spoke with NPR's Arun Rath in October about learning to relate to his character. (This story originally aired on All Things Considered on Oct. 20, 2013.)