Matthiessen is a naturalist and novelist who co-founded The Paris Review. His nonfiction has explored Zen Buddhism and American Indians, among other topics. A new collection of his short stories, spanning his entire career, his nearly four-decade long career, just been published.
Marcus is fascinated by the disruptive and enduring power of the Sex Pistols. His new book, Lipstick Traces, connects the rise of punk with Dadaism and other nihilistic art movements.
Film critic Stephen Schiff admits he's instantly charmed by movies about unfamiliar worlds. He says the new road movie Powwow Highway, about two American Indians confronting the development of tribal lands, has promise, but is ineptly written and directed. But, somehow, Schiff didn't mind watching it.
Rock critic Ken Tucker considers the recent trend of British bands taking their cues from American soul music, with varying success. Recent examples include songs by Simply Red, The Pasadenas, Boy George, and Fine Young Cannibals.
Linguist Geoff Nunberg takes issue with the use and misuse of loaded terms like holocaust, genocide, and terrorism in political discourse. He says that a person's reluctance to use such inflated terms doesn't mean they take an issue any less seriously.
Tim Cahill writes for Outside and Rolling Stone about his adventure traveling. His humorous columns have been collected in a new book called A Wolverine Is Eating My Leg. Cahill joins Fresh Air to talk about some of his more memorable trips.
Taylor has cast over fifty films to date. Early in her career, she formed a professional relationship with Woody Allen, and has worked on sixteen of his movies.
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz that many performers have overlooked Liszt's music, in part because of the composer's flamboyant reputation. But a new album by pianist Russell Sherman reveals the craft and innovations of Liszt's work.
Despite his often misanthropic themes, Galway says he's been roused from his depression, in part because of his wonder of nature. He's known for exploring emotional extremes in his writing.
William Bell had a decade-long career with the label. Rock historian Ed Ward says that, while Bell never had a mainstream hit, he made consistently great, literate soul music.
Book critic John Leonard says that Warner's third novel is her best. The book, about a family coping with the loss of its patriarch, succeeds because it questions ideas as much as it advances them.
Journalist William Shawcross says that countries in the West are often fatigued by the perpetual struggles of refugees around the world. He recently wrote the introduction for the book Forced Out; an earlier book of his own, called The Quality of Mercy, covered Cambodians fleeing the American bombing and the Pol Pot regime.
Part 2 of the Fresh Air interview with composer Steve Reich. He talks about a new compostion called Electric Counterpoint, written for guitarist Pat Metheney. Metheny pre-recorded ten tracks, then performed the solo part live.
Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews tenor saxophonist David Murray's new album, Ming's Samba. Whitehead says he revives some off-beat jazz traditions to create his distinctive sound.
Stanley Karnow's new book examines the United States' colonial interests in the Philippines. Karnow discusses the tension between Filipino and the imposed American culture, the enduring role of the United States after Filipino independence, and the rise of Ferdinand Marcos.
The Soap actor stars in a new sitcom, about a divorced man and his children. TV critic David Bianculli says that, unlike Guillaume's career and talents, the show has a long way to go.
Jazz pianist Dave McKenna is known both for his large repertoire of songs and his improvisatory skill. He joins Fresh Air to offer a musical meditation on the change of seasons.
Sautter says that, in order to break into the industry, aspiring television writers need to craft better material than what they see on air. His new book explains the mechanics and unspoken rules of scriptwriting.
The minimalist composer's new piece, Different Trains, contrasts Reich's childhood experiences crossing the country by rail to visit his divorced parents with the memories of Holocaust survivors' journey to concentration camps. The music incorporates recordings of several interviews into the orchestration.
