Critic Ken Tucker's disappointment in a VHS guide to blackjack dashed his dreams of becoming a professional gambler. At least he can recommend some solid home video releases to watch this summer.
Critical darling Marti Jones's new album is a clear, straightforward declaration of her talents, says rock critic Ken Tucker. Yet it's her vagueness that makes her so interesting.
The groundbreaking psychoanalyst didn't trust future biographers, even going so far as to destroy some of his personal papers. Nonetheless, historian Peter Gay has found enough material to write his second book on Freud. He joins Fresh Air's Terry Gross to talk about Freud's personal life, theories, and views on female sexuality,
Actor Clint Eastwood is known for finishing movies quickly and under budget -- that way, he can focus his energies on his pet projects. Film critic Stephen Schiff says the new Dirty Harry movie, The Dead Pool, is an example of Eastwood's sometimes slipshod work.
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz says that few recordings do justice to cellist Yo-Yo Ma's talents. Fortunately, a new recording of Schumann's cello concerto gives Ma a chance to shine.
Linguist Geoff Nunberg considers the uniquely American tradition of spelling bees. The oracular practice may date back to a time when literacy was considered a form of magic. But, Nunberg says, it has nothing to do with education.
Record producer Huey Meaux opened a barber shop before becoming a record producer. He worked hard to turn regional Texas and Louisiana music -- made by both black and white artists -- into national hits.
Rock historian Ed Ward remembers The Dominoes, an early rock group led by pianist Billy Ward. The band helped launch the careers of Clyde McPhatter and Jackie Wilson.
The writer published her first story she was 35; her first novel came out nine years later. Her latest book, Silver, is about marriage, domesticity and suburban life.
The husband-and-wife rock duo -- with a boombox for a rhythm section -- joins Fresh Air for an in-studio concert. They recently found commercial success with their hit, "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades."
Book critic John Leonard says that Murial Sparks' new, slim novel is packed with plot. The result isn't clutter, but richness. A Far Cry from Kensington, about a woman in the publishing world of 1950s London, reminds Leonard of Doris Lessing, only with a sense of humor.
Susannah McCorkle joins Fresh Air to discuss and perform some of Cole Porter's songs. She is accompanied by pianist Ben Aronov and bassist Chip Jackson.
Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews a new album featuring live sets from the 1960s by late pianist Earl Hines. Whitehead says some may find Hines's older style corny, but the album is as enjoyable as any record made this year.
TV critic David Bianculli recommends two returning, unexpectedly popular PBS shows. Alive from Off Center showcases avant-garde performers and musicians, while American Masters features a diverse array of documentaries -- including, Bianculli says, some real masterpieces.
Milt Hinton isn't just an in-demand bass player -- he's also an accomplished photographer who has taken thousands of pictures of jazz musicians. He joins guest host Marty Moss-Coane to talk about growing up in the south and, later, in Chicago--where Al Capone had an unexpected impact on his youth. Hinton's collection of his photos, Bass Lines, has just been published.
Critic-at-large Laurie Stone reviews a retrospective of the late photographer's work, which focuses on movement, urban settings, and harrowing portraits of animals. The exhibition, Stone says, reveals our own voyeurism and vulnerability.
Foote is best known for writing the screenplay for To Kill a Mockingbird. A new book compiling the first four plays of his Orphan's Home series, called Roots in a Parched Ground, has just been published.
Robert Mugge makes documentary films about unique and vital American music. His subjects include Al Green, Sonny Rollins, and native Hawaiian musicians. PBS will broadcast six of his movies this summer.
