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(Re)defining Orphans

Book critic John Leonard says the memoir section of Eileen Simpson's new hybrid book, about her own experiences as an orphan, is compelling and insightful; her later meditations on the idea of orphanhood are less successful.

03:57
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Other segments from the episode on June 23, 1987

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, June 23, 1987: Interview with Frank Deford; Commentary on Wynonie Harris; Interview with Ornette Coleman; Review of Eilleen Simpson's book "Orphans: Real and Imaginary."
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27:07

Covering the Drama of Sports

Sportswriter Frank Deford has a new collection of his work for Sport Illustrated called The World's Tallest Midget. He says writing long form pieces has helped sustain his career; he'd falter under the pressure of a daily deadline.

Interview
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06:16

Mr. Blues is Coming to Town

Rock historian Ed Ward remembers the brash and powerful blues "shouter" Wynonie Harris, whose raucous songs had a strong influence on early rock and roll.

Commentary

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07:40

'Perfect Little World' Imagines Family Drama Inside A Utopian Compound

Utopian communities don't fare much better in fiction than they do in real life. As the plot usually unfolds, a brave new world loses its luster fast when the failings of its founder are exposed, or when the community itself begins to morph into a cult. Think of Lauren Groff's Arcadia or Carolyn Parkhurst's Harmony, two recent novels that have imagined alternative communities and their inevitable crack-up.

Review

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52:30

Daughter of Warhol star looks back on a bohemian childhood in the Chelsea Hotel

Alexandra Auder's mother, Viva, was one of Andy Warhol's muses. Growing up in Warhol's orbit meant Auder's childhood was an unusual one. For several years, Viva, Auder and Auder's younger half-sister, Gaby Hoffmann, lived in the Chelsea Hotel in Manhattan. It was was famous for having been home to Leonard Cohen, Dylan Thomas, Virgil Thomson, and Bob Dylan, among others.

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43:04

This fake 'Jury Duty' really put James Marsden's improv chops on trial

In the series Jury Duty, a solar contractor named Ronald Gladden has agreed to participate in what he believes is a documentary about the experience of being a juror--but what Ronald doesn't know is that the whole thing is fake.

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08:26

This Romanian film about immigration and vanishing jobs hits close to home

R.M.N. is based on an actual 2020 event in Ditrău, Romania, where 1,800 villagers voted to expel three Sri Lankans who worked at their local bakery.

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