Fresh Air
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Fresh Air

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 features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries. Subscribe to Fresh Air Plus! You'll enjoy...

Episodes 879
Books 1,286
The New York Trilogy / La Trilogie New Yorkaise (MANUSCRIT): (Le manuscrit original des trois opus de Paul Auster) (2018) Cover

Paul Auster

The New York Trilogy / La Trilogie New Yorkaise (MANUSCRIT)

(Le manuscrit original des trois opus de Paul Auster) (2018)

The host listed it among Auster's major works, noting it as one of the titles that defined his career.

"

His books include The New York Trilogy, Moon Palace, Leviathan and the Book of Illusions.

— Episode: Remembering Writer Paul Auster

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Episode: Remembering Writer Paul Auster

The host listed it among Auster's major works, noting it as one of the titles that defined his career.

"

His books include The New York Trilogy, Moon Palace, Leviathan and the Book of Illusions.

The Jailhouse Lawyer Cover

Calvin Duncan

The Jailhouse Lawyer

The book was introduced as Calvin Duncan's new memoir cowritten with Sophie Cull, detailing his experience as a jailhouse lawyer and his path to freedom.

"

His new book, coauthored with Sophie Cull, is called The Jailhouse Lawyer.

— Episode: The 'Jailhouse Lawyer' Who Freed Innocen...

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Episode: The 'Jailhouse Lawyer' Who Freed Innocent People —...

The book was introduced as Calvin Duncan's new memoir cowritten with Sophie Cull, detailing his experience as a jailhouse lawyer and his path to freedom.

"

His new book, coauthored with Sophie Cull, is called The Jailhouse Lawyer.

Calvin Duncan's new book is called The Jailhouse Lawyer. It's cowritten by Sophie Cull.

Servants of the Damned: Giant Law Firms, Donald Trump, and the Corruption of Justice Cover

David Enrich

Servants of the Damned

Giant Law Firms, Donald Trump, and the Corruption of Justice

The book examined how giant law firms, Donald Trump, and corrupt justice practices intertwined to protect powerful interests.

"

He's written several books about the intersection of law, business, and power, and Servants of the Damned, Giant Law Firms, Donald Trump, and the Corruption of Justice.

— Episode: The Campaign To Silence Journalists & Un...

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Episode: The Campaign To Silence Journalists & Undermine Fr...

The book examined how giant law firms, Donald Trump, and corrupt justice practices intertwined to protect powerful interests.

"

He's written several books about the intersection of law, business, and power, and Servants of the Damned, Giant Law Firms, Donald Trump, and the Corruption of Justice.

Torn Apart: How the Child Welfare System Destroys Black Families--and How Abolition Can Build a Safer World Cover

Dorothy Roberts

Torn Apart

How the Child Welfare System Destroys Black Families--and How Abolition Can Build a Safer World

This was one of Dorothy Roberts' landmark books that helped reshape how the policing of reproduction, parenting, and race in America was understood.

"

Her landmark books, Killing the Black Body and Torn Apart, helped reshape how we understand the policing of reproduction, parenting, and race in America.

— Episode: Best Of: Mixed Marriage Project / How Ra...

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Episode: Best Of: Mixed Marriage Project / How Racism Costs...

This was one of Dorothy Roberts' landmark books that helped reshape how the policing of reproduction, parenting, and race in America was understood.

"

Her landmark books, Killing the Black Body and Torn Apart, helped reshape how we understand the policing of reproduction, parenting, and race in America.

Lincoln in the Bardo: A Novel Cover

George Saunders

Lincoln in the Bardo

A Novel

It was a 2017 novel that imagined Abraham Lincoln's grief in the afterlife Bardo, set in a CivilWar era mausoleum.

"

If heaven, according to the talking heads, is the place where nothing ever happens, the Bardo, according to George Saunders, is as jampacked and frantic as Costco on Black Friday. Saunders set much of...

— Episode: Best Of: Novelists Liz Moore & Julian Ba...

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Episode: Best Of: Novelists Liz Moore & Julian Barnes

It was a 2017 novel that imagined Abraham Lincoln's grief in the afterlife Bardo, set in a CivilWar era mausoleum.

"

If heaven, according to the talking heads, is the place where nothing ever happens, the Bardo, according to George Saunders, is as jampacked and frantic as Costco on Black Friday. Saunders set much of his magnificent 2017 debut novel, Lincoln in the Bardo, in the actual mausoleum and surrounding cemetery, where in February of 1862, Abraham Lincoln sat cradling the body of his 11yearold son, Willie.

Stay True: A Memoir Cover

Hua Hsu

Stay True

A Memoir

The memoir was praised for its eloquent and poignant comingofage account of friendship, loss, and identity, and it earned the Pulitzer Prize for Memoir.

"

The book is called Stay True and was awarded a Pulitzer this year, cited as an eloquent and poignant comingofage account that considers intense youthful friendships, but also random v...

— Episode: Writer Hua Hsu On Friendship, Grief & Po...

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Episode: Writer Hua Hsu On Friendship, Grief & Pop Culture

The memoir was praised for its eloquent and poignant comingofage account of friendship, loss, and identity, and it earned the Pulitzer Prize for Memoir.

"

The book is called Stay True and was awarded a Pulitzer this year, cited as an eloquent and poignant comingofage account that considers intense youthful friendships, but also random violence that can suddenly and permanently alter the presumed logic of our personal narratives.

His memoir, Stay True, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize this year. His book is about his teenage and college years and his search for identity.

Hearts of Darkness: Serial Killers, the Behavioral Science Unit, and My Life as a Woman in the FBI Cover

Jana Monroe

Hearts of Darkness

Serial Killers, the Behavioral Science Unit, and My Life as a Woman in the FBI

This was a documentary by Eleanor Coppola that chronicled the chaotic filming of her husband Francis Ford Coppola's movie *Apocalypse Now*. The result was described as a hauntingly honest look at the difficult production.

"

The result was the 1991 Showtime documentary Hearts of Darkness of filmmakers apocalypse a hauntingly honest look at a film and filmmaker lost in the jungle just like the story's prot...

— Episode: Remembering PBS Anchor Robert MacNeil

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Episode: Remembering PBS Anchor Robert MacNeil

This was a documentary by Eleanor Coppola that chronicled the chaotic filming of her husband Francis Ford Coppola's movie *Apocalypse Now*. The result was described as a hauntingly honest look at the difficult production.

"

The result was the 1991 Showtime documentary Hearts of Darkness of filmmakers apocalypse a hauntingly honest look at a film and filmmaker lost in the jungle just like the story's protagonist.

Barrens Cover

Donald G. Williams

Barrens

This new book about the food industry was cited when discussing the concentration of power among coffee brands.

"

Yeah it's amazing there's a wonderful new book called Barrens about the food industry written by Austin Freerich and he told me in the book something I had no idea that there's one co...

— Episode: Our Fragile Food System

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Episode: Our Fragile Food System

This new book about the food industry was cited when discussing the concentration of power among coffee brands.

"

Yeah it's amazing there's a wonderful new book called Barrens about the food industry written by Austin Freerich and he told me in the book something I had no idea that there's one company called J.A.B. Holding Company and it's controlled by this very secretive family in Germany, the Rymans and J.A.B. Holding Company sells more coffee than Starbucks.

Briefly Perfectly Human: Making an Authentic Life by Getting Real About the End – The New York Times Bestselling Memoir on Death and Human Connection Cover

Alua Arthur

Briefly Perfectly Human

Making an Authentic Life by Getting Real About the End – The New York Times Bestselling Memoir on Death and Human Connection

The host mentioned this book by a death doula who helps people plan for their deaths and suggested that living life through the lens of death can actually lead to greater happiness.

"

Arthur says that living your life through the lens of death can actually make you happier her new book is called Briefly Perfectly Human

— Episode: Salman Rushdie On Surviving Attempted Mu...

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Episode: Salman Rushdie On Surviving Attempted Murder

The host mentioned this book by a death doula who helps people plan for their deaths and suggested that living life through the lens of death can actually lead to greater happiness.

"

Arthur says that living your life through the lens of death can actually make you happier her new book is called Briefly Perfectly Human

The Satanic Verses Cover

Salman Rushdie

The Satanic Verses

This book prompted an Iranian religious ruling calling for the author's death decades before he was attacked while on stage.

"

On tomorrow's show writer Salman Rushdie talks about the knife attack while he was on stage that doctors didn't expect him to survive. This was 33 years after Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa...

— Episode: A First Date Turns Into A Whodunit In 'D...

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Episode: A First Date Turns Into A Whodunit In 'Diarra From...

This book prompted an Iranian religious ruling calling for the author's death decades before he was attacked while on stage.

"

On tomorrow's show writer Salman Rushdie talks about the knife attack while he was on stage that doctors didn't expect him to survive. This was 33 years after Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa a religious ruling calling for Rushdie's death as punishment for his book The Satanic Versus.

The Talented Mr Ripley (Vintage Quarterbound Classics) Cover

Patricia Highsmith

The Talented Mr Ripley (Vintage Quarterbound Classics)

This novel was adapted into a new Netflix series starring Andrew Scott as Tom Ripley, a con man with no conscience who seeks to assume the life and riches of another man in Italy. The eight-hour adaptation provided an inordinate amount of time to spend with the singular character.

"

Now he's starring as a con man with no conscience in the new Netflix series Ripley, an adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith novel The Talented Mr Ripley.

— Episode: Best Of: Andrew Scott / Women Behind The...

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Episode: Best Of: Andrew Scott / Women Behind The Wheel

This novel was adapted into a new Netflix series starring Andrew Scott as Tom Ripley, a con man with no conscience who seeks to assume the life and riches of another man in Italy. The eight-hour adaptation provided an inordinate amount of time to spend with the singular character.

"

Now he's starring as a con man with no conscience in the new Netflix series Ripley, an adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith novel The Talented Mr Ripley.

you know it's an eight-hour adaptation of the novel so we have a sort of very particular opportunity in this one to spend an inordinate amount of time with a singular character

Andrew Scott stars in the new Netflix series Ripley an adaptation of the Patricia Heismith novel The Talented Mr Ripley.

Inside Warner Brothers Cover

Rudy Behlmer

Inside Warner Brothers

The book was casually mentioned by host Terry Gross during an interview segment dedicated to author Rudy Behlmer's career as a Hollywood historian and film soundtrack producer. Gross cited Inside Warner Brothers as one of Behlmer's notable publications, using it primarily to establish his credentials and expertise on classic cinema history.

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Episode: The History Of King Kong & Godzilla

This book by Rudy Behlmer was mentioned among others he had written, in the context of his work on the King Kong soundtrack release.

"

His books include Inside Warner Brothers and behind the scene.

Behind The Scenes Cover

Christina C. Jones

Behind The Scenes

This book by Rudy Behlmer was mentioned among others he had written, in the context of his work on the King Kong soundtrack release.

"

His books include Inside Warner Brothers and behind the scene.

— Episode: The History Of King Kong & Godzilla

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Episode: The History Of King Kong & Godzilla

This book by Rudy Behlmer was mentioned among others he had written, in the context of his work on the King Kong soundtrack release.

"

His books include Inside Warner Brothers and behind the scene.

The Idiot Cover

Elif Batuman

The Idiot

The main character in *Mania* switched out Dostoevsky's *Crime and Punishment* for this later novel by him in her literature class to act as an incendiary object.

"

she switches out Dostoevsky's crime and punishment for a later novel of his you know the one called The Idiot

— Episode: Best Of: Andrew Scott / Women Behind The...

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Episode: Best Of: Andrew Scott / Women Behind The Wheel

The main character in *Mania* switched out Dostoevsky's *Crime and Punishment* for this later novel by him in her literature class to act as an incendiary object.

"

she switches out Dostoevsky's crime and punishment for a later novel of his you know the one called The Idiot

Explorations and Adventures in Equatorial Africa: With Accounts of the Manners and Customs of the People, and of the Chase of the Gorilla, the ... Elephant, Hippopotamus, and Other Animals Cover

Paul Belloni Du Chaillu

Explorations and Adventures in Equatorial Africa

With Accounts of the Manners and Customs of the People, and of the Chase of the Gorilla, the ... Elephant, Hippopotamus, and Other Animals

During a discussion on the origins of King Kong, Rudy Behlmer highlighted Paul Belloni Du Chaillu's 19th-century work, Explorations and Adventures in Equatorial Africa. Behlmer noted that the book, which featured vivid descriptions of "terrifying gorillas," was given to director Marion Cooper as a young boy and served as a profound inspiration for the creation of the iconic monster.

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Episode: The History Of King Kong & Godzilla

This book, written in the mid-19th century by Paul Ducheloux, electrified director Marion Cooper as a young boy because it described terrifying gorillas.

"

his great uncle gave him a copy of a book that was written in the middle of the 19th century called Explorations and Adventures in Equatorial Africa by a man by the name of Paul Ducheloux and in it he's describing these terrifying gorillas

Lake Effect: A Novel Cover

Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney

Lake Effect

A Novel

This was Nancy Nichols' previous book, which investigated whether elevated cancer rates in her community were due to toxic fumes and dumped hazardous waste from nearby superfund sites.

"

Her previous book the Lake Effect was an investigation into whether the elevated cancer rates in her community including in her own family were a result of toxic fumes from nearby pai...

— Episode: Best Of: Andrew Scott / Women Behind The...

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Episode: Best Of: Andrew Scott / Women Behind The Wheel

This was Nancy Nichols' previous book, which investigated whether elevated cancer rates in her community were due to toxic fumes and dumped hazardous waste from nearby superfund sites.

"

Her previous book the Lake Effect was an investigation into whether the elevated cancer rates in her community including in her own family were a result of toxic fumes from nearby paint factories and hazardous waste that was dumped in nearby superfund sites

Tales of Japan: Traditional Stories of Monsters and Magic Cover

Chronicle Books

Tales of Japan

Traditional Stories of Monsters and Magic

This book by Steve Ryfle was about the making of the original Godzilla film and its many sequels. It was discussed in relation to how the American version changed the original Japanese film's message.

"

We're going to listen to Terry's 2004 interview with Steve Rifle author of a book about the making of Godzilla and its many sequels titled Japan's Favorite Monstar.

— Episode: The History Of King Kong & Godzilla

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Episode: The History Of King Kong & Godzilla

This book by Steve Ryfle was about the making of the original Godzilla film and its many sequels. It was discussed in relation to how the American version changed the original Japanese film's message.

"

We're going to listen to Terry's 2004 interview with Steve Rifle author of a book about the making of Godzilla and its many sequels titled Japan's Favorite Monstar.

rifle is the author of Japan's favorite monstar about the original Godzilla and its many sequels

Wordslut: A Hilarious and Informative Exploration of Gendered Language and Its Impact on Women Cover

Amanda Montell

Wordslut

A Hilarious and Informative Exploration of Gendered Language and Its Impact on Women

Author Amanda Montell introduced her debut book, Wordslut, describing it as a "quick and dirty crash course in feminist sociolinguistics." The host highlighted the book as a feminist guide to reclaiming the English language. Montell explained that the book explores the relationship between language, culture, and power through the lens of gender.

Highly Recommended
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Episode: Internet Brain & The Age Of Overthinking

This book served as a feminist guide to reclaiming the English language, exploring the relationship between language, culture, and power through the lens of gender.

"

She's also the author of two other nonfiction books including Cultish and Word Slut, a feminist guide to taking back the English language.

And I explored that topic in the context of gender in my first book, Word Slut, which is kind of a quick and dirty crash course in feminist sociolinguistics.

Thinking, Fast and Slow Cover

Daniel Kahneman

Thinking, Fast and Slow

During a segment discussing internet brain and the age of overthinking, Amanda Montell referenced Daniel Kahneman's foundational text, Thinking, Fast and Slow. Montell suggested that listeners familiar with the book would already recognize key concepts like cognitive biases, which Kahneman co-developed with Amos Tversky. The book was used as an established reference point for understanding the episode's topic.

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Episode: Internet Brain & The Age Of Overthinking

The speaker mentioned that listeners familiar with this book would recognize the term 'cognitive biases' coined by Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman.

"

And Daniel Kahneman, anyone who's read Thinking Fast and Slow or Noise Will Be Familiar.

The Idiot Cover

Elif Batuman

The Idiot

In the episode, Maureen Corrigan noted that a character replaced Crime and Punishment with the later Dostoevsky novel for a course. She mentioned the title as an alternative reading choice, but the comment was brief and presented the book mainly as a substitute rather than a strong endorsement.

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Internet Brain & The Age Of Overthinking

The character Pierce in *Mania* substituted this later Dostoevsky novel for *Crime and Punishment* in her course.

"

she switches out dostoyevsky's crime and punishment for a later novel of his you know the one called The Idiot

Note: The book recommendations on this page are discovered automatically from podcast transcripts, and may be incorrect or incomplete.