Fresh Air

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Fresh Air episodes

January 19, 2021 The Story Of The Blackwell Sisters, Pioneers Of Women In Medicine
Elizabeth Blackwell was the first woman to earn her medical degree in the United States. Her sister Emily soon after followed in her footsteps. Janice Nimura tells the story of the "complicated, prickly" 19th century trailblazers in her book 'The Doctors Blackwell.' "To me, [the Blackwells] taught me that it's really important in this moment to kind of relearn how to admire women," Nimura says.

Also Ken Tucker reviews 'Peter Stampfel's 20th Century' a new collection from the folk musician.
49 min
January 18, 2021 The FBI's Effort To Take Down MLK
Filmmaker Sam Pollard talks about his new documentary 'MLK/FBI,' based on newly declassified documents, which exposes the ways that the FBI attempted to discredit Martin Luther King Jr. Pollard talks about how the agency bugged his phones, surveilled hotel rooms, and even sent King a letter suggesting he kill himself.

Maureen Corrigan reviews 'Aftershocks' by Nadia Owusu.
49 min
January 16, 2021 Best Of: Fran Lebowitz / The Legacy Of William Monroe Trotter
The Netflix docuseries 'Pretend It's a City' features iconoclastic humorist Fran Lebowitz's conversations with Martin Scorsese. Lebowitz talks about why she loves living alone, driving a cab in the '70s, and her friendship with Toni Morrison.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews the album 'Cloud Script' from Joshua Abrams' quartet.

Historian Kerri Greenidge tells the story of William Monroe Trotter, a Black newspaper editor who was a forceful crusader for civil rights in the early 20th century. He built a national following in his time as a fierce advocate for the full citizenship rights that had been promised to former enslaved people after the Civil War. Greenidge's new book is called 'Black Radical.'
50 min
January 15, 2021 Remembering Michael Apted, William Link And Neil Sheehan
We look back on the lives and careers of three people who have recently died. First, filmmaker Michael Apted, best-known for his documentary series, 'Up,' which followed the lives of a group of British citizens. He updated their stories with a new episode every seven years, from childhood through their 60s. Apted died last week. We also listen back to our interview with screenwriter William Link, who co-created many long-running TV series, including 'Columbo' and 'Murder She Wrote.' Also we remember Vietnam War correspondent Neil Sheehan. He broke the story of the Pentagon Papers, and wrote 'A Bright Shining Lie,' a Pulitzer-Prize winning book about the war.

David Bianculli reviews 'WandaVision,' the new miniseries on Disney+.
49 min
January 14, 2021 Dir. Paul Greengrass On 'News Of The World'
News of the World' is a Western set five years after the end of the Civil War. It stars Tom Hanks as a former Confederate captain who travels from one small poor Texas town to another, reading aloud from newspapers to townspeople who gather, paying ten cents apiece to be informed and entertained by these stories. We talk with director Paul Greengrass, who also directed Hanks in 'Captain Phillips.'

Also, Ken Tucker reviews the new HBO documentary about the Bee Gees, and a new album by the only one of the three Bee Gee brothers still alive, Barry Gibb.
49 min
January 13, 2021 The Story Of 'Black Radical' William Monroe Trotter
Historian Kerri Greenidge tells the story of William Monroe Trotter, a Black newspaper editor who was a forceful crusader for civil rights in the early 20th century. He built a national following in his time as a fierce advocate for the full citizenship rights that had been promised to former enslaved people after the Civil War. Trotter organized mass protests, confronted presidents, and openly challenged leaders such as Booker T. Washington who took a more cautious approach to Black empowerment. Greenidge's new book is called 'Black Radical.'

Film critic Justin Chang reviews 'Promising Young Woman' and 'Pieces of a Woman.'
49 min
January 12, 2021 The Racist History Of The Senate Filibuster
Adam Jentleson traces the history of the filibuster, which started as a tool of Southern senators upholding slavery and then later became a mechanism to block civil rights legislation. His book is 'Kill Switch: The Rise of the Modern Senate and The Crippling of American Democracy.'
48 min
January 11, 2021 Humorist Fran Lebowitz
The Netflix docuseries 'Pretend It's a City' features Lebowitz's conversations with Martin Scorsese on many topics, Manhattan in particular. "If I dropped the Hope Diamond on the floor of a subway car, I'd leave it there," she says. Lebowitz also talks about getting expelled from school, working for Andy Warhol, and why she loves living alone.

Also, John Powers reviews the book 'The Liar's Dictionary' by Eley Williams.
48 min
January 09, 2021 Best Of: Dr. Sanjay Gupta / Philippine Journalist Maria Ressa
CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks about how learning new skills can optimize brain health. His new book is 'Keep Sharp.'

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews 'Outlawed,' a novel by Anna North, which she describes as 'Handmaid's Tale' meets 'Butch Cassidy.'

Journalist Maria Ressa has faced criminal charges and death threats because of her coverage of the populist, authoritarian Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. We talk about her work in the Philippines and the threats she's faced. Ressa is the subject of a new PBS FRONTLINE documentary, 'A Thousand Cuts.'
51 min
January 08, 2021 Remembering Nature Writer Barry Lopez
We remember the award-winning writer Barry Lopez, who wrote evocatively about nature, and in turn shed light on truths about the human experience. He died Christmas day at the age of 75. Lopez lived among the Arctic's Inuit people for five years, and raised a wolf pup for his book about the relationship between wolves and men.

Also, Kevin Whitehead reviews the new album by Chicago bassist Joshua Abrams. Then David Bianculli remarks on the live TV coverage of the insurrection led by Trump rioters on Wednesday.
49 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

Number 1: The Roy Cohn Playbook, from McCarthyism to Trump
Sep 1746 min
Number 2: Is Jared Kushner a 'walking conflict of interest'?
Sep 1647 min
Number 3: Investigating the system that protected Sean “Diddy” Combs
Sep 2446 min
Number 4: Inside the 'modern slavery' where cyber scammers are victims themselves
Sep 2246 min
Number 5: Global power, rivalry, and A.I.; a preview of the U.S./China summit
Sep 2347 min

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.