Linguist Geoff Nunberg believes that the American disdain for foreign language education is a holdover from our isolationist past -- and a detriment to our culture.
Composer John Harbison recently won the Pulitzer Prizer. Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new CD featuring songs inspired by the poet Mirabai.
Allan Arkush is part of a new breed of directors who switches back and forth between film and television. A veteran of B-movies and cult films, he says TV offers more room for experimentation and narrative innovation.
Rock historian Ed Ward looks at how the country music establishment reacted to the burgeoning popularity of rock music in the 1950s and '60s -- sometimes in inept, out-of-touch ways.
Vladimir Vojnovič's first novel since his exile from Russia anticipates what communism might look like 60 years in the future. Book critic John Leonard thinks the the story contains some delightful slapstick.
Each of the photographs in Abigail Heyman's new book documents weddings from across the country. Guests were often confused by her presence -- she was never the official wedding photographer.
TV critic David Bianculli says that the documentary show, which shared a time slot with The Cosby Show, didn't deserve to be canceled -- despite its low ratings.
Jazz critic Francis Davis says that Steve Kuhn, who as a young man performed with John Coltrane's band, is only now finding his voice. Kuhn's new album is called Mostly Ballads.
Director Tim Hunter's new movie is about a teenage murderer and the impact his actions have on his friends. The movie stars Dennis Hopper, Keanu Reeves, and Crispin Glover.
James Lardner's new book examines how videocassette recorders have changed the motion picture industry and viewers' movie and television watching habits. The author also considers how nearly all VHS players are manufactured in Japan, though the technology was developed in the U.S.
Fiddler and folklorist Michael Doucet plays with the band Beausoleil. He tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross about the history of and techniques involved in the Louisiana-based genre.
Award wInning poet Maxine Kumin moved with her husband to a farm in New Hampshire. Her new life in a rural setting inspired her recent collection of essays.
The Australian miniseries, about prisoners in World War II, is presented in full in a new home video release. Critic Ken Tucker says it powerfully illustrates the cultural divide between Great Britain and Australia.
Writers Michael Dorris and Louise Erdrich work together to complete their acclaimed books; however, whoever writes the first draft gets their name on the cover. The couple joins Fresh Air to discuss their marriage and upbringing in Native American communities.
Jay Tarses cut his teeth writing television programs like the Carol Burnett Show and Buffalo Bill. His latest creation is The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd.
Film critic Stephen Schiff credits the success of Beverly Hills Cop II more to its star, Eddie Murphy, than the movie itself -- which doesn't share any of the virtues of its predecessor.
Kati Marton's new autobiographical novel follows the life of journalist who returns to her home country. Like the book's protagonist, Marton's parents were political prisoners in Hungary. She is married to television news anchor Peter Jennings.
