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Mark L. Plummer on "The Aspirin Wars."

Writer Mark L. Pummer, co-author (with Charles Mann) of "The Aspirin Wars: Money, Medicine, and 100 Years of Rampant Competition." The book traces the history of aspirin from its discovery in Germany in 1897. Eventually it spread overseas and the competition began. Because all aspirins are essentially identical, companies had to use marketing and advertising to promote their product as better than another. "The Aspirin Wars," is a "history of the mixture of marketing, litigation, technology and reluctant competition that characterizes so much of business...in this century." (published by Knopf).

14:37
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Other segments from the episode on November 18, 1991

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, November 18, 1991: Interview with Volker Schlondorff; Interview with Mark L. Plummer; Commentary on cumbia.
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22:24

German Film Director Volker Schlondorff Discusses his Work and Germany after the Fall of the Berlin Wall.

German Film Director Volker Schlondorff. His films include "The Tin Drum," and as "The Handmaid's Tale." He's also directed for television: "Death of a Salesman," starring Dustin Hoffman and "A Gathering of Old Men." His new film is "Voyager," starring Sam Shepard. He talks with Terry about the new film as well as how life has changed for he and his friends since the reunification of Germany.

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05:26

A Different Colombian Export.

World music critic Milo Miles discusses Cumbia (COOM-bia), the leisurely musical form that took shape in the northern regions of Colombia, and now influences bands in Mexico and the Southwestern United States. You may have already heard a Cumbia tune on TV, during a Colombian coffee commercial.

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