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Terry Gross at her microphone in 2018

Terry Gross

Terry Gross is the host and an executive producer of Fresh Air, the daily program of interviews and reviews. It is produced at WHYY in Philadelphia, where Gross began hosting the show in 1975, when it was broadcast only locally. She was awarded a National Humanities Medal from President Obama in 2016. Fresh Air with Terry Gross received a Peabody Award in 1994 for its “probing questions, revelatory interviews and unusual insight.” America Women in Radio and Television presented her with a Gracie Award in 1999 in the category of National Network Radio Personality. In 2003, she received the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s Edward R. Murrow Award for her “outstanding contributions to public radio” and for advancing the “growth, quality and positive image of radio.” Gross is the author of All I Did Was Ask: Conversations with Writers, Actors, Musicians and Artists, published by Hyperion in 2004. She was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, and received a bachelor’s degree in English and M.Ed. in communications from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She began her radio career in 1973 at public radio station WBFO in Buffalo, NY.

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21:41

Writer Julie Hecht on Living in the World as a Normal Person

Hecht's stories have appeared in "Harper's" and "The New Yorker." All of the stories in her debut collection "Do the Windows Open?" were first published in the "The New Yorker." The book features one narrator: a married, childless, 40-something photographer who takes pictures of flowers in decline. One reviewer writes, "the stories are breathtakingly funny. . . like other classic deadpan talkers. . . she doesn't even seem to realize how funny she is."

Interview
35:17

"Graduate" Screenwriter Buck Henry

Henry was also screenwriter for the popular film "Get Smart" with Mel Brooks, "Catch-22," "What's Up Doc," and other films. He also co-wrote the script for the 1967 film "The Graduate" and played the role of the hotel clerk. It is now 30 years later and an anniversary presentation of the film is being held at the New York Film Forum February 14th to the 27th. (This interview was held before an audience at the Film Forum, Feb 13th).

Interview
13:31

A Married Couple on the Politics of Names

Justin Kaplan and Anne Bernays are the authors of the new book, "The Language of Names: What We Call Ourselves and Why It Matters." Both have written previous books: Ms. Bernays is the author of eight novels, including the award-winning "Growing Up Rich" and "Professor Romeo," as well as numerous short stories. Mr. Kaplan won a Pulitzer Prize for his biography, "Mr. Clemens and Mark Twain." He's also the General Editor of Barlett's Familiar Quotations.

27:16

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. on the Social and Artistic Lives of Black Americans

Gates is the W.E.B. DuBois Professor of Humanities and chair of the Department of Afro-American Studies at Harvard University as well as a staff writer for "The New Yorker." In his new book, "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Black Man," Gates records the thoughts of some of society's most revered black American men. The men debate the current state of black men and the difficulties of race and gender relations in American society.

21:43

A Mourning Family Finds Justice in the Simpson Civil Trial

Fred & Kim Goldman, father and and sister of the late Ron Goldman, who was murdered in June 1994. They were present throughout the criminal trial against O.J. Simpson, who was charged with the crime, and recently won their case against him at the civil trial. In a new book "His Name is Ron: Our Search for Justice," the family recounts their experiences at the criminal trial and shares their memories of Ron Goldman.

44:55

Actress Mia Farrow on the History of Her Life

Farrow has a new memoir called "What Falls Away." She's the daughter of actress Maureen O'Sullivan and writer John Farrow. As a young actress she starred in "Peyton Place" and "Rosemary's Baby." She was married to Frank Sinatra and then Andre Previn, and has 14 children, many of them adopted. Her 12-year relationship with Woody Allen ended with his affair with Farrow's adopted daughter Soon-Yi.

Interview
44:26

Actor Alan Alda on Singing and Science

Alda was the star of the TV show M*A*S*H, for which he won Emmys for acting, writing, and directing. He's in Woody Allen's latest "Everyone Says I Love You," and hosts Scientific American Frontiers on PBS.

Interview
43:01

Washington Post Publisher Katherine Graham

Graham's father owned "the Post" in 1933 and later her husband, Phil Graham, took over. Following her husband's suicide in 1963, Graham became publisher, knowing little about the managerial or journalistic aspects of the job. But, learning while she worked, she transformed the paper into one of the country's most respected newspapers. "The Post" broke the Watergate scandal and published the Pentagon Papers against a federal judge's ruling. Graham also became chairman and CEO of the Washington Post Media company.

Interview
21:45

Norwegian Explorer Borge Ousland Crosses Antarctica

Ousland was the first man to complete a solo expedition to both the North and South Poles. In November of 1996 he began a solo crossing of the Antarctic continent. He reached his destination on January 17, 1997. The 64-day trek covered 1,764 miles and was made unsupported, meaning Ousland carried all the necessary supplies for the journey.

Interview

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