Fresh Air

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Fresh Air episodes

June 18, 2019 Uncovering The Story Of Major Taylor, America's 1st Black Sports Hero
At the height of the Jim Crow era, Taylor broke barriers by becoming the country's fastest and most famous cyclist. Author and 'Washington Post' journalist Michael Kranish tells his story in the new book, 'The World's Fastest Man.' "He really belongs in the pantheon of civil rights leaders as a sports athlete," Kranish says. "He was able to use his athleticism and his championships for a greater purpose to show that the racist theories of eugenics and other things were wrong."

Also, book critic Maureen Corrigan recommends two new noir suspense novels for summer — 'This Storm' by James Ellroy and 'Conviction' by Denise Mina. And Ken Tucker reviews Willie Nelson's new album 'Ride Me Back Home.'
49 min
June 17, 2019 Rethinking 'Elderhood'
Geriatrician Dr. Louise Aronson treats patients who are in their 60s — as well as those who are older than 100. "I need to be a different sort of doctor for people at different ages and phases of old age," she says. Aronson writes about changing approaches to elder health care in the book, 'Elderhood.'

Also, jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews a live recording from saxophonist Stan Getz.
49 min
June 15, 2019 Best Of: How Ordinary People Got Us To The Moon / Actor Damian Lewis
This summer marks 50 years since the first Apollo moon landing. Journalist Charles Fishman's new book 'One Giant Leap' focuses on the untold stories of the ordinary men and women who worked behind-the-scenes on the Apollo missions. "Apollo was the biggest non-military effort in the history of human civilization," Fishman says. He talks about the team at Playtex who designed the spacesuits, the computer programmers, and the state of the U.S. space program today.

Ken Tucker reviews Bruce Springsteen's new solo album, 'Western Stars.'

Classically-trained British actor Damian Lewis plays a ruthless hedge-fund manager on Showtime's 'Billions,' which recently ended its fourth season. He also starred in the series 'Homeland' as Nicholas Brody, a Marine sergeant who converts to Islam in captivity.
51 min
June 14, 2019 'I Wrote This Book Because I Love You'
Writer and cartoonist Tim Kreider admits unabashedly that the longest relationship of his adult life was with the stray cat that became his companion for 19 years. His collection of personal essays details his many unconventional relationships, which include the girlfriend he traveled with on a circus train, a married woman he fell in love with and his whirlwind romance with a sexual performance artist. "One of the few conclusions I may have reached from writing this book is that when we say 'relationship' or 'marriage' we all think we're talking about the same thing," Kreider says. "But I think there are a lot of different deals out there." (Originally broadcast Feb. 2018)

Also, TV critic David Bianculli reviews the new Showtime cop drama 'City on a Hill.'
49 min
June 13, 2019 How Hackers Pose A Threat To Cities & Elections
'New York Times' cybersecurity correspondent Nicole Perlroth says hacking tools developed by the NSA were stolen, posted online and are now being used in cyberattacks, including one on the city of Baltimore.

Also, film critic Justin Chang reviews 'The Last Black Man in San Francisco.'
49 min
June 12, 2019 How Ordinary People Got Us To The Moon
This summer marks 50 years since the first Apollo moon landing. Journalist Charles Fishman's new book 'One Giant Leap' focuses on the untold stories of the ordinary men and women who worked behind-the-scenes on the Apollo missions. "Apollo was the biggest non-military effort in the history of human civilization," Fishman says. He talks about the team at Playtex who designed the spacesuits, the computer programmers, and how NASA nearly forgot to send an American flag into space.
49 min
June 11, 2019 Inside Kim Jong Un's North Korea
'Washington Post' journalist Anna Fifield visited North Korea and interviewed many of its citizens — including members of Kim Jong Un's family — for her new book about the country and its leader. Her book is 'The Great Successor.'

Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews the novel 'The Body in Question' by Jill Ciment, about jurors on a murder trial.
49 min
June 10, 2019 Actor Damian Lewis
The classically-trained British actor plays a ruthless hedge-fund manager on Showtime's 'Billions,' which recently ended its fourth season. Lewis describes his character as "the embodiment of the American dream." He also starred in the series 'Homeland' as Nicholas Brody, a Marine sergeant who converts to Islam in captivity.

Also, Soraya Nadia McDonald reviews 'When They See Us,' Ava DuVernay's devastating new miniseries about the Central Park Five.
49 min
June 08, 2019 Best Of: Christina Applegate / The Future Of Food
Christina Applegate stars in the Netflix series 'Dead to Me,' opposite Linda Cardellini, as a woman grieving the sudden death of her husband. She speaks with Terry Gross about her own experience with grief and loss, her double mastectomy, and working as a teen actress in 'Married with Children.'

Also, TV critic David Bianculli reviews the new installments of the Netflix anthology series 'Black Mirror.'

Environmental journalist Amanda Little talks about efforts to create a global food supply for a world that will be hotter, drier and more crowded. Little writes about meat cultured in a lab, 3D printed food, and indoor vertical farming in 'The Fate of Food.'
51 min
June 07, 2019 Remembering Musician Dr. John
New Orleans musician Mac Rebennack, A.K.A. Dr. John, died yesterday at 77. He was known for his raspy voice and hits such as "Right Place, Wrong Time" and "Such A Night." Rebennack spoke with Terry Gross in 1986.

Contributor Zahra Noorbakhsh, who is Muslim and Iranian-American, shares a story about how the Christchurch shooting coincided with a personal health crisis.

Film critic Justin Chang reviews 'Late Night,' starring Emma Thompson as a seasoned late night talk show host whose recent drop in ratings has her fighting for her job. She hires a new writer (Mindy Kaling) in hopes of saving the show.
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

Number 1: The Roy Cohn Playbook, from McCarthyism to Trump
Sep 1746 min
Number 2: Investigating the system that protected Sean “Diddy” Combs
Sep 2446 min
Number 3: Inside the 'modern slavery' where cyber scammers are victims themselves
Sep 2246 min
Number 4: New drones, deadlier attacks: Dystopian reality in Ukraine
Sep 3046 min
Number 5: Is Jared Kushner a 'walking conflict of interest'?
Sep 1647 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.