Levy founded the new Citadel Underground press, which has been publishing new editions of books written by individuals from the 1960s counterculture. Levy was ten years old in 1968; witnessing radical social movements emerge as he grew up shaped the person he is today.
John Leonard reviews Geoffrey Wolff's new, semi-autobiographical novel, about a young man's education in Princeton and subsequent life as a privileged adult.
Critic David Bianculli says that networks are releasing more new programs than ever before. He reviews four upcoming sitcoms; only one -- The Fresh Prince of Bel Air -- really works.
The white anti-apartheid activist and African National Congress member survived a car bomb explosion, though the blast left him severely injured. Sachs later left South Africa for Mozambique, then England. His new memoir about the experience is called Running to Maputo.
Greg Ford and Hal Willner produced of a new album of live, orchestral performances of the composer's music, which helped defined the the classic Warner Bros. cartoons.
Rock historian Ed Ward is one of the privileged few who can vote for this year's inductees. He thinks the artists who really shaped rock and roll are underrepresented. Miles runs through the ballot, weighing each musician's merits, before choosing his top five.
Film critic Stephen Schiff has no taste for the high school movies that proliferated in the 1980s. But he likes films that celebrate youthful energy and rebellion against authority, like Pump Up the Volume. The movie, about a teenage radio DJ, features an excellent performance by star Christian Slater.
Kurt Vonnegut's new novel is set in 2001 in a radically reconfigured America. The complex, self-referential plot reveals unique insights into the United State's past, says book critic John Leonard. It's Vonnegut's best book in years.
Coyote was a member of the Digger, a San Francisco-based guerrilla theater collective. After a brief stint as a stockbroker, he's now a movie actor, appearing in Jagged Edge, E.T., and Outrageous Fortune. He wrote the introduction to a new edition of Emmett Grogan's autobiography, Ringolevio, about the 1960s counterculture.
Television critic David Bianculli reviews American Chronicles, a new documentary series produced by Mark Frost and David Lynch--the same team responsible for Twin Peaks. The show will focus on the history of notable places and people, and retains some of the weirdness of co-creators' supernatural drama.
Music journalist Charles Shaar Murray is the author of Crosstown Traffic, about how fans and critics have defined the groundbreaking African American guitarist in relation to white culture. The tension between black musicians and white audiences continues today, particularly with the rise of rap music.
Journalist James Traub writes about the Wedtech company in his new book, Too Good To Be True. The Bronx-based, minority-led defense firm bribed politicians in order to earn government contracts with the support of the Reagan administration.
The Sony Classical label has begun issuing 50 CDs of the works of composer and conductor Pierre Boulez. Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews three offerings, with Boulez conducting works by Varese, Ravel, and Schonberg.
Tucker wrote Brown's memoir, The Godfather of Soul, which was recently reprinted. He joins Fresh Air to talk about Brown's rise as a soul singer, the evolution of his stage persona, and his recent conviction and imprisonment, a punishment which Tucker believes is too severe based on the charges.
Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews John McPhee's Looking for a Ship, about the U.S. Merchant Marines. McPhee joined the crew on one of the last remaining ships for a forty-two day voyage to South America.
Rather than shop around their works to established big bands, the New York Composers Orchestra founded their own ensemble. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead is impressed by their self-titled debut.
Rather than spend minutes setting up elaborate jokes, Wright comedian delivers one-liners in a deadpan, stoic manner. He has a new HBO comedy special coming up, and also appears in movies. Wright won an Academy Award for the short the Appointments of Dennis Jennings.
Near gained national attention when she joined Jane Fonda in antiwar protests. She joins Fresh Air to talk about developing her skills as a performer, her early acting career, and how she defines her sexuality. Her new memoir is called Fire in the Rain--Singer in the Storm.
