Davies began his working life as an actor in England. At the start of World War II, he returned to his home country of Canada and became a journalist. Now a popular author best known for his Deptfod Trilogy, Davies says he still only "squeaks by" as a writer.
TV critic David Bianculli reviews Shining Time Station, a kids' show starring Ringo Starr and acted out with tabletop train sets. Bianculli says he liked it almost as much as his toddlers did.
Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says Carla Bley is an exceptional composer and piano player, but he's frustrated by how uneven her output has been throughout the 1980s. Her new album, Duets, with bassist Steve Swallow is a reminder of how good her music used to be. A reissue of an excellent, earlier record, Social Studies, is also available.
Peter Nabokov cowrote a book with Robert Easton about the dwellings of American Indians, which he uses as a lens through which to learn more about their lives and traditions. For his research, Easton lived near several reservations and visited the homes of Native American families.
Urban planner and designer Lawrence Halprin designs public spaces which take into consideration how people move through a city -- a process he likens to dance choreography.
The British author and travel writer recently passed away. His acclaimed books include Songlines, a semi-fictional account of the myths that structure the lives of Australia's aborigines, and the travel book In Patagonia.
Unlike many young writers, Carpenter avoided the siren call of New York City, instead documenting the life around his hometown of San Francisco. His new novel is called From a Distant Place.
Rock critic Ken Tucker says Reed's new record, New York, doesn't live up to the artist's claim. But it may be his most sincere in its examination of contemporary, social issues.
Film critic Stephen Schiff says that the World War II-themed The Dressmaker masterfully follows in the European tradition of what he calls "intimate filmmaking" -- something no American director has yet been able to replicate.
Oklahoma-born Singer writes the Talk of the Town feature for the magazine, as well as profiles of ordinary people in New York. A new book, Mr. Personality, collects the best of his New Yorker pieces.
Journalist Isadore Barmash joins Fresh Air to explain the process of leveraged buyouts and hostile takeovers of corporations, and how these affect employees, customers, and shareholders. His new book, Macy's for Sale, offers a case study.
Writer Joe McGinniss lived in the Toms River, New Jersey area to investigate how the community reacted to the murder of Maria Marshall at the hands of her husband. Two of Marshall's sons eventually came to believe in their father's guilt; the youngest still maintains his innocence. A book about that experience is called Blind Faith.
Mountaineer Joe Simpson suffered a severe fracture while descending a cliff in the Peruvian Andes. His climbing parter Simon Yates took extraordinary measures to save him, but was ultimately forced to abandon Simpson. Simpson tells his story of survival in a new book, Touching the Void.
Guest critic Leslie Savan says the portrayal of women in recent television commercials reflects what she calls the "gal" archetype -- clumsy but charming, and always insecure, they never have the upper hand at home or work.
Susan Brownmiller's book is based on the murder case of Lisa Steinberger, a six-year-old victim of child abuse. The trial is still ongoing. Book critic John Leonard says Waverly Place weaves through New York's Greenwich Village in ways reminiscent of Balzac and Celine.
Rock historian Ed Ward remembers pub rock, a British style of music from the 1970s that resurrected the spirit of early rock and roll. He says the unpretentious approach paved the way for punk rock.
Zappa's avant-garde band, the Mothers of Invention, failed to get much airplay, in part because of their explicit lyrics. Zappa now divides his time between studio composition and live performance. He is politically active, and has fought against censorship and encouraged his fans to register to vote.
One of Ireland's most recent works is his own house, which he preserved in its present, run-down state. He is interested in how everyday materials and objects convey personal stories and the passage of time.
