Fresh Air

Episodes

• 'The Ballad Of Black Tom' Offers A Tribute To And Critique Of Lovecraft

  Growing up, Victor LaValle loved reading the horror stories of H.P. Lovecraft. It wasn't until later that LaValle recognized the racism in Lovecraft's work and felt the need to respond.

  Feb 29, 2016 at 10:44 am

• Chris Offutt Reveals A Family Secret In 'My Father, The Pornographer'

  Offutt's late father went from running a small insurance agency to writing more than 400 books, mostly pornography. Originally broadcast March 2, 2015.

  Feb 05, 2016 at 10:53 am

• Author Richard Ford Says 'Let Me Be Frank' About Aging And Dying

  The Pulitzer Prize-winning writer's most recent book centers on a 68-year-old man dealing with his aging body, a dying friend and his ex-wife, who has Parkinson's. Originally broadcast Nov. 12, 2014.

  Oct 30, 2015 at 10:50 am

• Remembering San Antonio's Horn-Infused Doo-Wop Scene

  From the early '60s until the mid '70s, a multi-cultural music scene thrived on the west side of San Antonio, Texas. Ed Ward looks at two releases on Numero that open a small window on this music.

  Oct 27, 2015 at 10:35 am
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  Fresh Air Weekend: Sarah Silverman; 'Bridge Of Spies'; 'The Living Bird'

  Sarah Silverman opens up about depression and comedy. Critic John Powers reviews Bridge of Spies. Photographer Gerrit Vyn and writer Scott Weidensaul discuss some of the remarkable abilities of birds.

  Oct 24, 2015 at 6:03 am

• Patti Smith Looks Back On Life Before She Became The Godmother Of Punk

  The singer joins Fresh Air for a conversation about her career and her relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. Smith's new memoir is M Train. Originally broadcast in 1996 and 2010.

  Oct 23, 2015 at 10:29 am
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  For Iris DeMent, Music Is The Calling That Forces Her Into The Spotlight

  DeMent describes herself as extremely shy, but says that "when the songs started coming to me, I felt I didn't have the option to hide and avoid" the stage. Her latest album is The Trackless Woods.

  Oct 21, 2015 at 12:02 pm

• Flights Of Fancy: Exploring The Songs And Pathways Of 'The Living Bird'

  Wildlife photographer Gerrit Vyn and essayist Scott Weidensaul share bird calls and discuss some of the remarkable abilities of birds. Both men contributed to a new book about North American birds.

  Oct 20, 2015 at 11:53 am

• Poetic And Expansive, 'City On Fire' Ultimately Falls Short Of Its Reach

  Garth Risk Hallberg's 900-page debut novel is an intricately-plotted story set in chaotic 1970s New York. Critic Maureen Corrigan says City On Fire has much to admire, even if its ending falls flat.

  Oct 20, 2015 at 11:53 am
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  'Becoming Nicole' Recounts One Family's Acceptance Of A Transgender Child

  When Kelly and Wayne Maines adopted identical twin boys in 1997, they didn't anticipate raising one of their sons as a daughter. They tell their story, with author Amy Ellis Nutt, in Becoming Nicole.

  Oct 19, 2015 at 11:15 am

• 'Dope' Director On Geekdom, The N-Word And Confronting Racism With Comedy

  Rick Famuyiwa's film, Dope, is about a black high-school student who's into 90s hip-hop and Japanese comic books. Originally broadcast July 1, 2015.

  Oct 16, 2015 at 11:47 am
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  As One Of 'The Leftovers,' Actor Justin Theroux Explores Loss And Spirituality

  In the HBO series, Theroux is a man trying to make sense of the disappearance of 2 percent of the world's population. He describes Season 2 as moving into "spiritual territory."

  Oct 14, 2015 at 12:06 pm