Novelist Richard Price suffered from spinal cancer; surgery left him wheelchair-bound. Instead of taking pain medicine, he opted for hypnosis, which stirred long-forgotten memories of his early life. He turned those recollections into a new memoir, called Clear Pictures.
Film critic Stephen Schiff says that the new take on the comic book superhero is downright Wagnerian. Despite minor pacing issues and a few weak plot points, it's a bleak, operatic take on film noir, with excellent performances throughout.
A live concert with songwriter and pianist Charles Brown. Brown is credited with creating an expressive style of blues that blended rough Texas blues with the soft glamour of Hollywood. Between 1946 and 1952, Brown recorded 20 hits, nine on his own, the rest as part of Johnny Moore's Blazers. He is featured in a new PBS documentary on the history of rhythm and blues.
The new Batman film has spawned two soundtrack albums -- one of Danny Elfman's orchestral score, and the latter a collection of songs written and performed by Prince. Rock critic Ken Tucker says the artist doesn't quite succeed in crafting the rock opera he strove for, but it's refreshing to hear hear him loosen up and let it all hang out.
Maureen Corrigan reviews the new novel by feminist author Marge Piercy. The book focuses on a love triangle between a woman and a married couple, as well as the nature of art, and living in Cape Cod year round.
Author and humorist Paul Rudnick sees shopping as a reward, a way of exploring different cultures, and an enjoyable activity in its own right. His new novel, inspired by his many shopping trips with his mother, is called I'll Take It.
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews the soprano's new recital album on Nonesuch. He says the album succeeds both because of its performances and program.
Author Philip Roth was in part responsible for getting the Czech novelists Life with a Star translated into English and published stateside. Book critic John Leonard says it stands out among the myriad, Kafka-esque books about the Holocaust.
The Chicago-born Williams sang for the Count Basie Orchestra before beginning a solo career in 1962. In the 1940s, he suffered a nervous breakdown, unsure of what he wanted out of his professional life. After a year in the hospital, he returned to performing, and has a new album called In Good Company.
The French filmmaker started making movies before the New Wave movement, and without having a vast knowledge of film history. Her latest, Kung Fu Master, is about forty-year-old woman who falls in love with an adolescent boy. Varda cast her son as the male lead.
Rock historian Ed Ward profiles the Chicago-based vocal group, founded in 1952. During their long career, they've only had two lineup changes, and continue to put out hit records.
Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says trumpeter Don Cherry is a curious figure in the scene: lyrical but sloppy, he's played with diverse musicians ranging from Ornette Coleman to Lou Reed. On his new album, Art Deco, Cherry reigns in some of his more exploratory impulses to produce a straight-ahead but modern sound -- and it pays off.
TV critic David Bianculli reviews the television special, which features clips of past shows and discussion in front of a live audience. He admires the dueling critics' regular programming, but he can't say the same for their anniversary show.
The prolific songwriter and performer has been living in Idaho, away from the public eye. Now she returns with a new, more rocking album. King joins Fresh Air to talk about dropping out college to pursue a music career, writing songs with her former husband Gerry Goffin for other artists, and becoming a solo artist.
Coppola has written the music for several films of his son, Francis Ford Coppola, including the Godfather I and II. He has written a new score for the silent film Napoleon; he'll soon conduct a live performance of that music during a screening at Radio City Music Hall.
The former Silly Wizard fiddler isn't surprised by the international success of his music. Cunningham says that he can even here echoes of Scottish sounds in traditional American music.
Commentator Ilene Segalove talks about the newest gimmick in baseball collectibles -- cards that play audio. She considers the history of the baseball cards and why they become so valuable over the years.
The German-born writer's memoir documents her parents' involvement in World War II. Reichel grew up in Hamburg after the end of the war, as the country dealt with the guilt of its Nazi past. She says the pain of that history was felt by all citizens, even if it was deeply repressed.
Rock critic Ken Tucker says that record labels have started to take notice of underground artists from the Soviet Union. He reviews three recent albums from Russian artists with hopes of American success.
Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews Ghostbusters II. He says the movie relies too much on prior knowledge of the original. But he enjoyed the performances, particularly Bill Murray's weird take on domesticity.
