Fresh Air

His latest, Up With the Sun, ends about where the journal excerpts begin.

Up With the Sun by Thomas Mallon is a novel about showbiz strivers in mid to late 20th century America, zeroing in on the real life actor Dick Kallman.

Up With the Sun by Thomas Mallon is a novel about showbiz strivers in mid-to-late 20th century America.

His new memoir is called Actress of a Certain Age, A 20-Year Trail to Overnight Success.

His new memoir is called Actress of a Certain Age.

And the book is called Actress of a Certain Age. And you're pictured on it wearing your regular glasses, but over your head you're wearing like a headscarf, not like an Islamic headscarf, but just like the kind of headscarf that women wore a lot in like 1950s movies.

Okay, so on page 62 of your book, you write, once I was a guest on a podcast, where the host tried to do that serious NPR intro voice that Terry Gross does on Fresh Air.

I was trying to find a photo that looked, you know, the book is called Actress of a Certain Age. And I wanted something that looked glamorous, but also winky and campy.

His memoir is called Actress of a Certain Age, My 20-Year Trail to Overnight Success.

Congratulations on the Emmy nomination and the memoir.

And the book is called Actress of a Certain Age. ... On page 62 of your book, you write, once I was a guest on a podcast where the host tried to do that serious NPR intro voice that Terry Gross does on Fresh Air.

We spoke in August after the publication of his memoir, Actress of a Certain Age.

His memoir is called Actress of a Certain Age, My 20Year Trail to Overnight Success.

And the book is called Actress of a Certain Age.

On page 62 of your book, you write, once I was a guest on a podcast where the host tried to do that serious NPR intro voice that Terry Gross does on Fresh Air ... And the host said, my guest Jeff Hiller is on a new show on HBO called Somebody Out There ... And, of course, the show is called Somebody Somewhere, not Somebody Out There.

I'm not sure. I don't know. You know what? I think I should go. Don't go. I'm going to go.

I wrote about having a midlife crisis when you were 40. What was that about?

His new book, Nothing More of This Land, peels back the postcard image of Martha's Vineyard to reveal a powerful story of Indigenous identity and survival.

Lee uncovers in his new book, Nothing More This Land, Community, Power, and the Search for Indigenous Identity, taking readers beyond the celebrity summer scene and into the heart of Noepe, the name his people have called the island for centuries.

Joseph Lee's new book is Nothing More of This Land, Community Power and the Search for Indigenous Identity.

But beneath that postcard perfect image lies a much older story, one that debut author Joseph Lee uncovers in his new book, Nothing More of This Land, Community, Power, and the Search for Indigenous Identity.

Our guest today is writer Joseph Lee. We're talking about his new book, Nothing More of This Land, Community Power in the Search for Indigenous Identity.

Joseph Lee is the author of No More of This Land, Community Power and the Search for Identity.

Journalist Joseph Lee talks about his new book Nothing More of This Land, an intimate look at what it means to be a member of the Aquinnah Wampanoag tribe on Martha's Vineyard, an island that's both a sacred homeland and a luxury playground.

My next guest is Amanda Hess. She's a journalist, cultural critic, and now author of a new memoir titled Second Life, Having a Child in the Digital Age.

Amanda I really appreciate you writing this book and thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us about it.

joined by Amanda Hess... new memoir titled Second Life, Having a Child in the Digital Age.

our guest today is author and cultural critic Amanda Hess. We're talking about her new book, Second Life, Having a Child in the Digital Age.

author of the memoir Second Life, Having a Child in the Digital Age.

Tomorrow on Fresh Air, we'll talk about how technology now shapes every aspect of parenting. From our online identities to the pressures of sharing our lives in real time. Our guest will be journalist Amanda Hess, author of the new book Second Life, Having a Child in the Digital Age.

Daria Burke's memoir is called Of My Own Making

She's written about all of this in her new memoir, Of My Own Making.

author Daria Burke about her new memoir, Of My Own Making, which is a raw account of growing up in the 1980s and 90s in Detroit.

Daria Burke's memoir is Of My Own Making.

On Monday's show, a conversation with author and executive Daria Burke about her new memoir, Of My Own Making. It explores her growing up in 1980s Detroit amid addiction and instability, and the years she spent trying to outrun that past by building a carefully curated, outwardly successful life.

Melinda FrenchGates also joins us to talk about her new book, The Next Day, which reflects on motherhood, grief, philanthropy, and life after divorce.

In her new book, The Next Day, Transitions, Change, and Moving Forward, Gates reflects on these seismic shifts, not just the end of her marriage or the reinvention of her public life, but the deeply personal evolution that came with those transitions.

One of the things that is very clear in this book is, it's a reminder that really no amount of wealth can really protect us from the human experiences of grief and divorce.

Melinda, I really appreciate your time in this book. ... Melinda FrenchGates' new book is The Next Day, Transitions Change and Moving Forward.

The Next Day, Transitions, Change and Moving Forward, which reflects on philanthropy and life after divorce, was discussed throughout the interview.

In her new book, The Next Day, Transitions Change and Moving Forward, Gates reflects on these seismic shifts, not just the end of her marriage or the reinvention of her public life, but the deeply personal evolution that came with those transitions.

One of the things that is very clear in this book is it's a reminder that really no amount of wealth can really protect us from the human experiences of grief and divorce.

I wrote about it in the book because I felt it would be disingenuous of me not to.

I write about these in the book. One that I've been with for over 20 years, we go on silent retreats together. We meet monthly. I just met with them yesterday. We'll go on silent retreat in May.

In the book I discuss how my faith journey intersected with my work on contraceptives, wrestling with church teachings while advocating for women's access to birth control.

Melinda French Gates talks with me about her new book The Next Day which reflects on motherhood grief philanthropy and life after divorce

check out our podcast. you'll find lots of fresh air interviews. and to find out what's happening behind the scenes of our show and get our producers' recommendations for what to watch, read, and listen to, subscribe to our free newsletter at whyy.org slash freshair. fresh air's executive producer is danny miller. our technical director and engineer is audrey bentham. our managing producer is sam brigger. thea chaloner directed today's show. our co-host is tanya mosley. i'm terry gross. Murder the Truth is about how freedom of the press is being threatened by tech billionaires, corporations, and political figures.

Well, in a new book, author David Enrich explores how Justice Thomas' words coincide with the surge in legal threats and litigation against journalists and media outlets.

In Murder the Truth, Fear, the First Amendment, and a secret campaign to protect the powerful, David Enrich investigates what he calls the secret movement to overturn the landmark Supreme Court decision and what it could mean for press freedom.

David Enrich, welcome back to the show.

David Enrich is the business investigations editor at The New York Times. His new book is Murder the Truth.

David Enrich, thank you so much for this important book.

Tomorrow on Fresh Air, our guest will be New York Times editor David Enrich. He'll talk about his new book, Murder the Truth.

It chronicles a campaign by billionaires, politicians and corporations to silence journalists and undermine free speech protections.

author of the new book, Booster Shots, The Urgent Lessons of Measles and the Uncertain Future of Children's Health

Dr. Ratner's new book, Booster Shots, The Urgent Lessons of Measles and the Uncertain Future of Children's Health, warned that as the number of vaccinations in children decreases and the lack of public trust in science increases, the resurgence of illnesses like measles was a foregone conclusion.

Well, your book is very relevant.

Our guest today is Dr. Adam Ratner. ... his new book, Booster Shots, The Urgent Lessons of Measles, and the Uncertain Future of Children's Health.

His book is called Booster Shots.

Savage is also a constitutional scholar and wrote in 2015, Power Wars, an investigative account of national security and legal policymaking under President Obama.

He's also written a book called Power Wars, the relentless rise of presidential authority and secrecy, which is now in paperback.

He's also written a book about Obama's post-911 presidency called Power Wars, the Relentless Rise of Presidential Authority and Secrecy.

Power Wars, the Relentless Rise of Presidential Authority and Secrecy, which is now in paperback.

She's written a new memoir about her life and career in television news titled Connie, a memoir.

I spoke with her in September when her memoir, Connie, was released.

She's written a new memoir that gives us a behindthescenes look at what it was like for her to climb to the top in the maledominated field of TV news.

She's written a new memoir about her life and career in television news. It's titled, Connie, a memoir.

Her memoir is called Connie.

memoir that chronicles her life growing up with her four older sisters and parents who migrated from China.

Connie, you've written a new memoir that chronicles her life growing up with her four older sisters and parents who migrated from China.

We're talking about her new memoir.

Martyr is Iranian-American poet Kaveh Akbar's debut novel about a young man named Cyrus Shams struggling to make sense of the violent death of his mother and other martyrs, accidental or deliberate, throughout history.

Martyr, Iranian-American poet Kaveh Akbar's debut novel about a young man named Cyrus Shams struggling to make sense of the violent death of his mother and other martyrs, accidental or deliberate, throughout history. Akbar's tone is unexpectedly comic, his story antic, and his vision utterly original.

He's also written a book of poetry called Portrait of the Alcoholic, and now a debut novel called Martyr.

Martyr! Exclamation point. Is wry, blasphemous, grim, grimy, and moving, among other things.

He's written eight, including Tiger Man, Noman, and Titanium Noir.

His other books include The Gone Away World, No Man, Titanium Noir, and Tiger Man.

His other novels include Titanium Noir, Tiger Man, and Gnoman.

His books include The Gone Away World, Titanium Noir, and Tiger Man.

One of his favorite chapter of his memoir, The Pigeon Tunnel, is all about his father and his novel.

It's called The Pigeon Tunnel, which is also the title of le Carre's 2016 memoir.

My father was a confident trickster. Life was a stage where pretense was everything. Being offstage was boring. And risk was attractive.

when he had just published the novel Such Kindness.

His new novel is called Such Kindness.

His new novel is called Such Kindness.

I was reading the opening pages of both books, Such Kindness and then Townie.

Moran's latest album is his take on the music of James Reese Europe, and we'll hear from writer Andre Dubus, his new novel Such Kindness asks how a person can get on with life after an accident that leads to disability and flames of chronic pain.

His new novel is called Such Kindness. Andre Dubus, welcome back to Fresh Air. Let's start with a very short reading from early in your book on page 15.

maybe like my character Tom Lowe in Such Kindness.

Andre Debusse III learned what it was like to have money after his novel House of Sand and Fog became an Oprah Book Club selection, a bestseller, and was adapted into a film.

Andre Debusse III learned what it was like to have money after his novel House of Sand and Fog became an Oprah Book Club selection, a best-seller, and was adapted into a film.

Andre Dubus III learned what it was like to have money after his novel, House of Sand and Fog, became an Oprah Book Club selection, a bestseller, and was adapted into a film.

I write about all that in my memoir, Townie, about how I transformed myself from a small, sedentary, scared, bullied kid into somebody with some muscles and some fighting skills.

We're also talking about his 2011 memoir, which is called Townie.

I put it in Townie.

His earlier books include the best-selling novel House of Sound and Fog and the best-selling memoir Townie.

I love this line by the writer Paul Engle. He said that writing is frigging endless. I began with a horrible metaphor of rats gnashing at his pelvis and his hip bones. ... I wrote a memoir Townie about how I transformed myself from a small, sedentary, somebody with some muscles and some fighting skills.

I write about all that in my memoir, Townie, about how I transformed myself from a small, sedentary, scared, bullied kid into somebody with some muscles and some fighting skills.

Townie came out in 2011, but especially the first five or six years, I would get all these letters and, you know, from all sorts of people, a lot of whom grew up poor and were single moms ...

Bardugo's new adult novel, The Familiar, set during the Spanish Inquisition, is about a young woman who can perform miracles.

The heroine of The Familiar is Lucia, a young woman with little prospects, working in the kitchen of a not very important noble and his wife in Madrid. However, Lucia has a secret. She's able to unburn burnt bread.

Thank you for having me. I'd like to start, if you're willing, with a reading from the new book The Familiar.

When I was writing this book The Familiar I wanted to pose the question of what magic might look like to the Church of the Time and where the line between magic and miracle actually exists.

The first two books came out before The Familiar - it's I guess I'm gonna call it the Ninth House series - there are two of them so far, Ninth House and Hellbent.

Lee Bardugo, welcome to Fresh Air. I'd like to start... with a reading from the new book The Familiar.

When I was writing this book, The Familiar, I wanted to pose the question of what magic might look like to the Church of the Time.

Bardugo's new novel is called The Familiar.

Her new adult novel, The Familiar, set in 16th century Spain is about a young woman who can make miracles happen, but she has to hide her identity as a converted Jew from the Inquisition.

She became famous with her Shadow and Bone novels which took place in a world inspired by 19th century Russia.

best known for her YA series Shadow and Bone.

Lee Bardugo is well known for her YA books in The Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows series.

She's best known for her YA series Shadow and Bone.

Maureen Corrigan reviews Stephen McCauley's new novel You Only Call When You're in Trouble.

She says his latest one, You Only Call When You're in Trouble, couldn't have been published at a better time of year.

McCauley's new novel is entitled You Only Call When You're in Trouble.

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews Stephen McCauley's new novel, You Only Call When You're in Trouble.

McCauley's new novel is entitled You Only Call When You're in Trouble, and like its seven predecessors, it offers readers not only the expansive gift of laughter, but also a more expansive image of what family can be.

Maureen Corrigan reviews Stephen McCauley's new novel, You Only Call When You're in Trouble.

She says his latest one, You Only Call When You're in Trouble, couldn't have been published at a better time of year.

McCauley's new novel is entitled You Only Call When You're in Trouble, and like its seven predecessors, it offers readers not only the expansive gift of laughter, but also a more expansive image of what family can be.

In its own sparkling way, You Only Call When You're in Trouble is concerned with the question of endings, of what we leave behind, whether it be our work, our worst mistakes, our most loving if flawed relationships.

Absolution by Alice McDermott tells the story of Trisha, a shy newlywed in 1963 who arrives in Vietnam with her husband, an engineer on loan to Navy intelligence, and meets Charlene, a strawberryblonde dynamo who conscripts her into a dogooders' army.

Absolution by Alice McDermott tells the story of Tricia, a shy newlywed in 1963 who arrives in Vietnam with her husband, an engineer on loan to Navy Intelligence.

Alice McDermott, who won the National Book Award for her 1997 novel, Charming Billy, has come out with her ninth novel. It's called Absolution, and our book critic Maureen Corrigan says it leaves the old neighborhood far behind.

Humility is the one virtue you wouldn't expect Alice McDermott's characters would need to learn. Her characters are almost always Irish-American, Catholic, working class... but in McDermott's new novel, Absolution, humility, both on an individual and a national level, is the virtue that's in catastrophically short supply.

Absolution takes the form of memories shared between two American women some 60 years after they left Saigon, transporting McDermott's signature characters to Vietnam circa 1963.