Gray has a new piece called Monster in a Box, about the wending process of writing an as-yet unpublished, 1600 page novel, titled Impossible Vacations. He says that his autobiographical writing distances him from his real life, including his experience of pleasure.
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new release of Thompson's musical character studies of friends, artists, and musicians, called Portraits and Self-Portraits.
Ken Burns' 11-hour documentary took five years to make, and features period music, readings of soldiers' letters, and moving shots of battlefield sites. TV critic David Bianculli says it's a show to watch and treasure.
The brothers team up to create strips, panels, and movie poster take-offs that appear in Spy Magazine, National Lampoon, and Raw. They are known for their realistic drawings and caustic wit. Their new book is called Warts and All.
Rock critic Ken Tucker agrees with the other reviews of Under the Red Sky he's read: Bob Dylan's smugness and surface-level lyrics come across as little more than a joke.
Snyder was part of the beat poetry scene in 1950s San Francisco, and inspired a character in several Jack Kerouac novels. He studied Eastern philosophy and religion, and later settled in a more isolated part of the United States -- far from the urban world. He won the Pulitzer Prize, and continues to teach and write. His new collection of essays considers his relationship with the wilderness.
Film critic Stephen Schiff says GoodFellas is a thrilling exploration into the banality of evil. Based on the book Wiseguy, the film stars Ray Liotta and Robert DeNiro.
The British horror writer has moved away from macabre imagery and now explores psychological terror in his novels. His latest book, Spider, is an account of schizophrenia. He joins Fresh Air to discuss his influences, and to read from his new work.
In 1985, novelist William Styron fell into a deep depression. He documented the years he was incapacitated by the illness, and how he coped, in his new book, Darkness Visible. Looking back at his early writing, Styron believes depression informed his novels, like The Confessions of Nat Turner and Sophie's Choice.
World music commentator Milo Miles turns to one of the newest countries in the world, Mozambique and discovers a local band called Eyuphuro. Their new CD, Mama Mosambiki is polished, with a skillful blend of acoustic and electric instruments, and a strong feminist message.
Cropper is a white musician who fell in love with black music. As a guitar player, he preferred working in the studio rather than on the road, and later became part of the house rhythm section for Stax Records. He's best known for his playing with Booker T & the MGs and Otis Redding.
Book critic John Leonard reviews the new book by ex-nuns Barbara Ferraro and Patricia Hussey, co-written with Jane O'Reilly. Ferraro and Hussey defied the Catholic Church's policies on abortion, birth control, and the ordination of women. Their convictions eventually led them to give up their vows.
Foley's new movie, After Dark, My Sweet, is adapted from Thompson's classic crime novel. Foley joins Fresh Air to talk about the his directorial vision, and how he navigates the corporate demands of movie producers.
Television critic David Bianculli reviews The Flash, a live action show based on the D.C. comic strip, and Evening Shade, about a high school football coach played by Burt Reynolds. Bianculli also expresses his disappointment that Twin Peaks got snubbed at the latest Emmy Awards.
Kevin Whitehead reviews the pianist's new trio album. Pullen uses his unconventional technique in traditional jazz setting, which may appeal to listeners turned off by the avant-garde. But he can still play in a more conventional, classical style.
The architect and graphic designer's new book examines contemporary worries over keeping up with an ever-growing body of media. Wurman says one way to alleviate this anxiety is to increase information accessibility through better organization.
Writer Barry Lopez reads from a new essay, called the Rediscovery of North America, about contemporary views of indigenous landscapes, which developed during the era of European conquest.
Jim Morrison's out-of-control, self-destructive behavior nearly drove Densmore out of the band. Morrison died at 27; it took Densmore ten years to come to terms with his death. His new memoir is called Riders on the Storm.
