Reed recently played a campaign manager in the HBO political satire Tanner '88. Now she stars as a struggling single mother and radio journalist in the film Rachel River. She joins Fresh Air to talk about the politics of nudity in film and the kinds of roles available to women.
Language commentator Geoff Nunberg reviews a new book by James Crawford which examines the history of bilingual education. Despite the contemporary controversy surrounding the issue, Nunberg and Crawford point out that such curricula was once considered a valuable way of helping immigrant children learn English and assimilate into American culture -- a view once shared by conservatives in the 1970s.
Lopez has a new collection of essays called Crossing Open Ground, which offers what he hopes is a non-judgemental view of environmental change and different interactions with animals and the natural world.
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new recording of Harold Shapero's symphony, conducted by Andre Previn and performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Costello's first album, My Aim Is True, showcased his tough but emotional songwriting and his classic rock star persona. He joins Fresh Air to discuss his growth as a singer, and to perform a few of his songs.
Tucker says he's often confused with the character he plays on the legal drama -- which also stars Jill Eikenberry as his wife. He's featured in the new made-for-TV movie, Day One.
Rock historian Ed Ward says there was talent all over the state during the 1950s and '60s. Despite their excellent music, most of the recording artists of this era faded into obscurity. But contemporary musicians like Willie Nelson and Elvis Costello are rediscovering Louisiana's soulful, forgotten legacy.
Book critic John Leonard says that leading feminist author Margaret Atwood can be alternately lyrical and severe. Her latest novel, Cat's Eye, is a dark look at a painter's fraught friendships with other women.
Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says much of saxophonist Ahmed Abdullah's new album, Liquid Magic, takes its cues from South African musical traditions. Whitehead says that the international influence on a style already born of African traditions proves that jazz is in no danger of stagnating.
Mathematician John Allen Paulos joins Fresh Air to discuss how people often lack the ability to evaluate the size of objects and the magnitude of different phenomena. He believes numeracy should be taught in primary schools in order to combat this deficiency.
TV critic David Bianculli reviews a new made-for-TV movie about the bombing of Hiroshima, called Day One. He says the scenes of White House discussions regarding whether or not to use nuclear weapons are what make the movie really special -- and really scary.
Feminist writer Susan Brownmiller wrote a fictionalized account of the Sternberg-Nussbaum child abuse and murder case, case called Waverly Place. She joins Fresh Air to discuss why she avoided writing a true crime book, as well as the sociology of domestic abuse.
Martin Bauml Duberman was personally selected by Robeson's son to write about the legendary African American actor and activist. Duberman says he brought to bear own experiences in the theater and as a gay man while working on the book. He joins Fresh Air to discuss his research, as well Robeson's political activity and the effect government surveillance had on his mental health.
Waldman grew up in Greenwich Village and joined a community of poets who moved to her neighborhood. She says her work is influenced by the noises of the street as the, as well as the writings of other poets.
The 1967 film Point Blank, directed by John Moorman, never found a wide audience in the U.S. Critic Ken Tucker says the crime thriller was a success nonetheless, with a brutal, fast-moving style and a directorial vision never recaptured in Moorman's later work.
Walas created the often bloody special effects for movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark, Scanners, and Gremlins. He recently directed The Fly 2 -- fulfilling his lifelong goal to make his own film. He joins Fresh Air to talk about some of his most memorable, macabre work.
True Believer, starring James Woods and Robert Downey, Jr., is a legal drama about the fall of 1960s idealism during the Reagan years. Film critic Stephen Schiff says it's voluptuous and honest.
Rock critic Ken Tucker says there has been a long-running tradition of artists performing the hits of past performers, some of whom radically reinterpret the original song. But the success of these efforts is mixed. Tucker considers some recent examples by performers like Kylie Minogue, Cowboy Junkies, and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band.
The thirty-year-old saxophonist leads a new big band that performs pieces from the classic swing era. He formed a professional and personal relationship with Benny Goodman, and now stewards the archive of the jazz legends' recordings.
William Whyte says that dense, urban areas foster social interaction and a sense of belonging. His bases his claim on research dating back to the 1960s. His new book, which outlines his findings, is called Cities.
