Fresh Air
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Fresh Air episodes

  • Best Of: Writer Tim O'Brien / Inside The Capitol Insurrection
    Known for his novel 'The Things They Carried,' Tim O'Brien is now the subject of a new documentary, 'The War and Peace of Tim O'Brien.' When he became a father in his late 50s, he initially feared parenthood would curtail his writing. "Much as Vietnam did, [parenthood] gave me a body of material, that kind of context to write about," he says.

    Also, TV critic David Bianculli reviews 'Behind Her Eyes,' a thriller series on Netflix with many twists and turns.

    George Polk Award-winning journalist Luke Mogelson followed a mob of MAGA supporters into the Capitol on Jan. 6 and filmed what he saw. His video footage from inside the Senate chamber was used as evidence in the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump.
    50 min
  • Novelist James McBride
    James McBride's novel 'Deacon King Kong' takes place in 1969, in a Brooklyn housing project similar to the one he grew up in. "In this book and in this community, people generally love each other," he says. McBride's novel 'The Good Lord Bird' was adapted last year into a miniseries starring Ethan Hawke.

    Also, Kevin Whitehead reviews the new box set of music by jazz saxophonist and composer Julius Hemphill. And Justin Chang reviews the new Disney animated film 'Raya and the Last Dragon.'
    48 min
  • What's Next For The War In Afghanistan?
    America's 19-year war in Afghanistan may soon be coming to an end. The Trump administration negotiated a deal with the Taliban, in which the U.S. agreed to withdraw all its troops by May 1. But the Afghan government was not included in those talks. Now President Biden has to decide whether to honor the Trump deal and risk that the Taliban will try to take over the country again. We speak with 'New Yorker' reporter Dexter Filkins about what he saw in Afghanistan while he was there in January.
    48 min
  • 'Minari' Director Lee Isaac Chung
    Based on Chung's own childhood, 'Minari' is about a Korean American family that moves to rural Arkansas to start a farm. The director spoke with contributor Arun Venugopal about the memories that inspired the film, why he initially kept the project a secret from his family, and choosing the title of the movie. 'Minari' just won a Golden Globe for best foreign language film.

    Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews 'Klara and the Sun,' by Kazuo Ishiguro.
    49 min
  • How Bellingcat's Web Sleuths Solve Global Crimes
    Eliot Higgins is the founder of an online collective that picks apart conspiracy theories and investigates war crimes and hate crimes using clues from the Internet — like social media posts, leaked databases and free satellite maps. We talk about how Bellingcat traced the origin of the missile that shot down flight MH17 in Ukraine, the ethics of the Bellingcat methods, and the emotional impact of seeing atrocities online. His new book is 'We Are Bellingcat.'

    Also, David Bianculli reviews the Netflix miniseries 'Behind Her Eyes.'
    48 min
  • From Card Cheat To Illusionist: Magician Derek DelGaudio
    The sleight-of-hand master explores themes of identity, honesty and the emotional cost of keeping secrets in the memoir, 'AMORALMAN.' DelGaudio's one-man show 'In & Of Itself' is now available on Hulu. "[Secrets] are like a drug," he says. "They enter your system and they intoxicate you and they get you to modify your behavior, whether you know it or not. And so it's learning to control the effects of secrecy that really were key for me, in terms of creating a convincing illusion."

    John Powers reviews Mick Herron's spy thriller 'Slough House.'
    48 min
  • Best Of: Sacha Baron Cohen / Changing Policing From The Inside
    British actor Sacha Baron Cohen is known for taking his absurd characters like Borat, Brüno and Ali G into the world and interacting with unwitting real people. Baron Cohen has been chased, sued and nearly arrested while in character. We talk about why he revived Borat after a 13-year hiatus and playing Yippie leader Abbie Hoffman in 'The Trial of the Chicago 7.'

    Also, John Powers reviews the film 'Minari.'

    For four years, Georgetown Law professor and human rights activist Rosa Brooks carried a badge and a gun and worked a minimum of 24 hours a month for the DC police department — all on a voluntary basis. Brooks writes about her experiences with the police in 'Tangled Up in Blue.'
    51 min
  • The Legacies Of Sam Cooke, Muhammad Ali & Malcolm X
    The movie 'One Night in Miami,' directed by Regina King, imagines the conversations between four Black icons in 1964: Cassius Clay, Sam Cooke, Jim Brown and Malcolm X, on the night of Clay's surprise win over Sonny Liston. We listen back to archival interviews about three of those men. We hear from Peter Guralnick, who wrote a biography of Sam Cooke, the popular singer and one of the first gospel artists to cross over to soul music; with Jonathan Eig, who spent four years researching and writing a biography of Muhammad Ali (previously known as Cassius Clay); and with Alex Haley, who was chosen by Malcolm X to help write his now famous autobiography. This was before Haley wrote his seminal book 'Roots'.

    Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews the film 'The United States vs. Billie Holiday' on Hulu.
    48 min
  • Behind-The-Scenes Of The Capitol Insurrection Video
    George Polk Award-winning journalist Luke Mogelson followed a mob of MAGA supporters into the Capitol on Jan. 6 and filmed what he saw. His video footage from inside the Senate Chamber was used as evidence in the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump. "I think that the majority of people who were there were generally geared up and prepared for some kind of violence," he says. "So once all these folks were gathered on the Mall and listening to Trump, I think that they could have been sent in any number of directions. What did happen was Trump specifically directed them towards a target, a specific target, and that was the Capitol."
    48 min
  • Writer Tim O'Brien On Fatherhood & The Burden Of Vietnam
    Known for his novel 'The Things They Carried,' O'Brien is now the subject of a new documentary, 'The War and Peace of Tim O'Brien.' When he became a father in his late 50s, he initially feared parenthood would curtail his writing. "Much as Vietnam did, [parenthood] gave me a body of material, that kind of context to write about," he says. "Maybe it's biology just keeping the species going, but I feel that I'm part of something age-old that's going to continue long after I'm gone."

    Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews the true crime book 'Two Truths and a Lie,' about a botched execution and a quest for justice.
    48 min

About Fresh Air

From the publisher's feed

Fresh Air from WHYY, the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues, is one of public radio's most popular programs. Hosted by Terry Gross and Tonya Mosley, the show…

Best of Fresh Air

Ranked by our users in the last 21 days

FAQ about Fresh Air

  • What's this show about?

    Fresh Air, hosted by Terry Gross and Tonya Mosley, features intimate conversations with luminaries in contemporary arts and issues.

  • What's it like to listen to?

    The show delivers in-depth interviews in a conversational format. Expect a focus on the guest's work and life, with thoughtful questions and a relaxed atmosphere.

  • What are recent episodes about?

    Recent episodes feature Jessie Buckley discussing her role in the film *Hamnet*, Delroy Lindo reflecting on his career, and discussions about Paul McCartney's post-Beatles life and plans to restrict voting in the U.S..

  • Who's behind the mic?

    Terry Gross has hosted Fresh Air since 1975, winning a Peabody Award and countless other honors for her insightful interviews. Tonya Mosley is a Peabody Award-winning journalist and co-host of Fresh Air.

  • How long is each episode?

    Each episode is typically around 45 minutes to an hour.

  • When do new episodes drop?

    The show releases new episodes regularly.

  • What are the main topics?

    Arts, books, film, society, culture, interviews, music, politics

  • Who should listen to this?

    Listeners interested in the arts, film, music, and society, as well as those who enjoy in-depth interviews with a wide range of notable figures.

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