Showing results by narrator "Terry Gross"

Hear author Richard Powers and film critic David Edelstein on this edition of Fresh Air. Richard Powers talks about his novel The Echo Maker. In the book, a 27-year-old man is in a car accident and emerges from a coma with a rare neurological disorder. He can recall most everything about his life, but he believes his family members and closest friends are imposters. The Echo Maker won the National Book Award for fiction in 2006 and has just been released in paperback.

Singer and Songwriter Tom Waits on this edition of Fresh Air. Since the 1973 release of his first album, Closing Time, Waits has won over fans with his original songwriting and distinctive, gravely vocal style. One reviewer calls Waits "the Ultimate hobo boho, a Jack-in-the-box cum storyteller." Musicians including Johnny Cash, Bruce Springsteen, and Rod Stewart have recorded covers of his songs.

Paintings have been falling off of walls, a loud and loyal dog has gone missing, a gurgled message is being transmitted by walkie-talkie - strange things are happening all over the town of Stain'd-by-the-Sea. Called upon to investigate these suspicious incidents, young Lemony Snicket collects clues, questions witnesses, and cracks every case. Join the investigation and tackle the mysteries alongside Snicket, then turn to the back of the book to see the solution revealed.

Singer Emmylou Harris and horror writer Peter Straub on this archive edition of Fresh Air.

Writer Stephen King on this edition of Fresh Air. King has just received the Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters at this year's National Book Award ceremony. Author of several best sellers, he is credited with ushering in a whole new era of horror with his first novel, Carrie, published in 1974.

Hear comic and actor Jerry Seinfeld and journalist James Fallows on this edition of Fresh Air. Jerry Seinfeld stars in Bee Movie, an animated feature. Seinfeld began his career as a stand-up comic and went on to star in the NBC hit television show Seinfeld, which ran from 1989 to 1998. He won a Golden Globe and an Emmy for his work on the show.

In this special compilation, you'll hear exhilarating excerpts from classic interviews with 14 stars of comedy, including Tracey Ullman on her zany characters, Chris Rock on growing up small and black in a white neighborhood, Carol Leifer on the inspiration for her brand of cabaret comedy, and Henny Youngman on his famous line, "Take my wife, please."

Novelist Alice Sebold and comedian and late night talk show host Jay Leno on this edition of Fresh Air. Alice Sebold's the author of the book, The Lovely Bones which will be coming out in paperback. Fresh Air book critic Maureen Corrigan listed The Lovely Bones as one of the ten best books of 2002. Sebold is also the author of the memoir, Lucky.

Hear writers Michael Chabon and Jon Savage on this edition of Fresh Air. Michael Chabon won a Pulitzer Prize in 2000 for his novel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. His new novel is The Yiddish Policemen's Union: A Novel. His other books include The Mysteries of Pittsburgh and a collection of stories entitled Werewolves in Their Youth. He has also written for many publications, including The New Yorker, Harpers,, and Esquire.

Musicians Ray Davis, Marianne Faithfull, Pete Townsend, and Colin Blunstone on this special edition of Fresh Air, "The British Invasion." Ray Davies started The Kinks in 1964 with his brother. They are said to be the pioneers of the rowdy garage band genre of rock music. Their many hits included: "You Really Got Me," "Lola," "All Day and All of the Night," and "Tired of Waiting for you."

Hear comedian and actor Garry Shandling, rock critic Ken Tucker, and book critic Maureen Corrigan on this edition of Fresh Air. Garry Shandling's 1992-1998 HBO series, The Larry Sanders Show, a parody of talk shows, is now out in a four-DVD box set.

Filmmaker Errol Morris on this edition of Fresh Air. His new documentary, The Fog of War, is a profile of the man many considered to be the architect of the Vietnam conflict, Robert McNamara. Taken from a series of interviews Morris conducted with McNamara, it yields new insights into the mind of the former Secretary of Defense.

Hear drummer Levon Helm (formerly with The Band), Canadian author Jane Rule, and TV critic David Bianculli, on this edition of Fresh Air. When The Band supported Bob Dylan on stage in 1965, Time magazine described the combination as "in some ways, the most decisive moment in rock history." They went on to record their own highly influential albums Music From Big Pink and The Band in 1968 and 1969.

British film director Michael Winterbottom and science writer David Quammen on this edition of Fresh Air. Michael Winterbottom's films include Welcome to Sarajevo, 24 Hour Party People, and Wonderland.

Retired U.S. Navy flight surgeon and NASA astronaut Captain Jerry Linenger on this archive edition of Fresh Air. In his book, Off the Planet: Surviving Five Perilous Months Aboard the Space Station Mir, Linenger chronicles his five months on board the Russian space station "Mir," a ramshackle place he described as "six school buses all hooked together."

Fresh Air rebroadcasts interviews with film editor and sound designer Walter Murch and inventor Robert Moog. Murch re-edited Orson Well's 1958 film Touch of Evil. At the time of the film's initial release the studio remixed the film to Well's displeasure. He fired off a letter with suggested changes. With those notes as their guide, Murch and Rick Schmidlin reconstructed the film to Well's intentions.

Humorist Fran Lebowitz and writer Anne Lamott on this archive edition of Fresh Air. The Washington Post called Fran Lebowitz "The funniest woman in America." Humorist Lebowitz has come out with her first children's book, Mr. Chas and Lisa Sue Meet The Pandas. In 1978, she wrote the critically acclaimed book Metropolitan Life a collection of witty essays on life. Writer Anne Lamott's new book is Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life.

Hear director and choreographer Adam Shankman and filmmaker John Waters on this edition of Fresh Air. Adam Shankman's newest work is Hairspray, the film version of the Broadway musical. Hairspray was originally a John Waters film before its adaptation to the stage. Shankman's previous directing credits include Cheaper By the Dozen 2 and The Wedding Planner.

Doctor Mel Geaves on this edition of Fresh Air. Greaves is the author of Cancer: The Evolutionary Legacy. He is also professor of cell biology and director of the Leukemia Research Fund Centre for Cell and Molecular Biologoy at the Institute of Cancer Research in London.

Singapore's first Prime Minister and its current Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew and journalist Stan Sesser on this edition of Fresh Air. A very controversial figure, Lee Kuan Yew formed the People's Action Party and won the first Singapore general election in 1959. Since it was granted independence in 1965, Singapore has gone from British colony to Asian economic powerhouse.