Fresh Air

WNBA star Brittney Griner talks about the physical and emotional hell of her nearly 300 days in Russian prisons. Russian authorities apprehended Griner at the Moscow Airport when she was found carrying a tiny amount of medically prescribed cannabis — then charged her with drug smuggling. Her memoir is Coming Home. Jazz historian Kevin Whitehead reviews a 1959 Sonny Rollins reissue. And we'll talk about plant intelligence with climate journalist Zoë Schlanger. Her book is The Light Eaters.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Viet Thanh Nguyen's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Sympathizer has been adapted into a series on HBO/MAX. It's set in Vietnam during the last days of the war, and in LA, just after. The narrator becomes a consultant to a Hollywood film about the war. The novel is written from a Vietnamese perspective. "It's my revenge on Francis Ford Coppola, my revenge on Hollywood, to try to get Americans to understand that Vietnam is a country and not a war," he told Terry Gross in 2016. Nguyen's family fled their village in South Vietnam in 1975, when it was taken over by the North. Also, David Bianculli reviews Let It Be, the Beatles film restored and rereleased after being shelved for more than 50 years.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

We remember painter and sculptor Frank Stella, whose early work was considered revolutionary. He died last week at age 87. Stella became famous and controversial in the 1950s for his "black paintings," which were a stark contrast to the abstract expressionism of the time, and made him one of the fathers of minimalism. Later, we'll feature an interview with one of the most influential early rock and roll guitarists, Duane Eddy. He also died last week. Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews Long Island, Colm Tóibín's new sequel to his bestselling novel Brooklyn. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

#BlackLivesMatter. #OscarsSoWhite. #ICantBreathe. Filmmaker Prentice Penny's docuseries about Black Twitter celebrates the voices and movements that impacted politics and culture. Penny was also the showrunner of the HBO series Insecure. Also, John Powers reviews the four-part series Shardlake, based on C.J. Sansom's first novel in a series about a crime-solving lawyer in 16th-century England.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Griner spent nearly 300 days incarcerated in Russia after authorities at the Moscow airport found two nearly empty cartridges of cannabis in her luggage. The WNBA star spoke with Terry Gross about the dehumanizing prison conditions, her release, and return to the court. Griner, who is 6'9", says she felt like a zoo animal in prison. "The guards would literally come open up the little peep hole, look in, and then I would hear them laughing." Her new memoir is Coming Home.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Climate journalist Zoë Schlanger explains the fascinating science behind how plants learn, communicate, and adapt to survive. She says plants can store memories, trick animals into not eating them, and even send alarm calls to other plants. Her new book is called The Light Eaters. TV critic David Bianculli reviews the new Netflix series A Man in Full, starring Jeff Daniels and Diane Lane.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In a new Hulu docuseries, Jon Bon Jovi looks back on his career and his recovery after vocal surgery. He spoke with Terry Gross about his breakthrough hit "Runaway" and how he's evolved as a musician. Also, we'll hear from fantasy author Leigh Bardugo. She's best known for her YA series Shadow and Bone. Her new adult novel, The Familiar, set in 16th century Spain, is about a young woman who can perform miracles.Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews a new collection of letters by Emily Dickinson.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The New York Times described Paul Auster as the "Patron Saint of Literary Brooklyn." He died Tuesday of complications of lung cancer. He was 77. We'll listen back to some of our interviews with him, including one about his early career when he was desperately trying to make a living as writer, and even tried writing porn.Justin Chang reviews the new film The Fall Guy, starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Congress and President Biden say TikTok must shed its financial ties to China or face a ban in the U.S. But Washington Post tech reporter Drew Harwell says selling the company is complicated. For sponsor-free episodes of Fresh Air — and exclusive weekly bonus episodes, too — subscribe to Fresh Air+ via Apple Podcasts or here.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In The Demon of Unrest, author Erik Larson chronicles the five months between the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 and the start of the Civil War, drawing parallels to today's political climate.Also, David Bianculli reviews the FX/Hulu spy thriller series The Veil, starring Elisabeth Moss.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Leigh Bardugo is best known for her YA Shadow and Bone series. Her adult novel, The Familiar, centers on a young woman in 16th century Spain who must hide her identity as a Jew who converted to Catholicism. She spoke with producer Sam Briger. Also, jazz historian Kevin Whitehead looks at a reissue of Sonny Rollins. For sponsor-free episodes of Fresh Air — and exclusive weekly bonus episodes, too — subscribe to Fresh Air+ via Apple Podcasts or here.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

A few years ago, Bon Jovi stopped performing because of a vocal cord injury. The Hulu docuseries Thank You, Goodnight offers a career retrospective, plus a view of his surgery and return to the stage. He spoke with Terry Gross about his voice, writing "Livin' on a Prayer," and his forthcoming album, Forever.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Songwriter, guitarist and singer St. Vincent talks about her new album, All Born Screaming. Also, we talk with child psychiatrist Harold Koplewicz. His latest book is called Scaffold Parenting: Raising Resilient, Self-Reliant and Secure Kids in an Age of Anxiety. To get staff recommendations, highlights from our archive, and intel on what's coming up on the show, subscribe to our newsletter.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Green's YA novel, Turtles All the Way Down, has been recently adapted to film (on MAX May 2). Green described living with OCD, and how "one little thought" could take over his mind, in this 2017 interview with Terry Gross. Also, Justin Chang reviews Challengers, starring Zendaya and directed by Luca Guadagnino.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Nearly a year after the Hollywood writers' strike started, the entertainment industry remains in flux. Harpers journalist Daniel Bessner says TV and film writers are feeling the brunt of the changes.Maureen Corrigan reviews a collection of Emily Dickinson letters. For sponsor-free episodes of Fresh Air — and exclusive weekly bonus episodes, too — subscribe to Fresh Air+ via Apple Podcasts or at here. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Journalist Susan Page talks about Barbara Walters's groundbreaking career as a newswoman and her signature interview specials, which blended news and entertainment. Page was interested in understanding Walters' inner life – the source of her drive, how she navigated hostile work environments, and being teased for her speech impediment. Page's book is The Rulebreaker.Also, rock critic Ken Tucker reviews Taylor Swift's 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The songwriter, guitarist and singer known as St. Vincent took her stage name from St. Vincent's Hospital in New York, where the poet Dylan Thomas died. Her seventh album, All Born Screaming, is out April 26. She spoke with Terry Gross about visiting her dad in prison, touring with her aunt and uncle as a teen, and the inspiration for her hit song "New York." For sponsor-free episodes of Fresh Air — and exclusive weekly bonus episodes, too — subscribe to Fresh Air+ via Apple Podcasts or at here.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Journalist Ari Berman says the founding fathers created a system that concentrated power in the hands of an elite minority — and that their decisions continue to impact American democracy today. Berman's book is Minority Rule.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Writer Salman Rushdie talks about the knife attack that nearly killed him — and his life since then. In 2022, he was onstage at a literary event when the assailant ran up from the audience, and stabbed him 14 times. His new book is called Knife. Also, Diarra Kilpatrick talks about writing and starring in the new series, Diarra From Detroit, a dark comedy about a public school teacher who is ghosted by a Tinder date and, in her quest to find out why, investigates a decades-old mystery that takes her into the underbelly of Detroit. Ken Tucker reviews Tierra Whack's new album World Wide Whack.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Longtime PBS news anchor Robert MacNeil died last week at 93. He spoke with Terry Gross a few times over the course of his journalism career. We revisit those conversations. Also, we listen back to Eleanor Coppola's 1992 interview about her documentary, Hearts of Darkness. It chronicles the chaotic filming of Francis Ford Coppola's movie Apocalypse Now. She also died last week, at age 87.David Bianculli reviews HBO's The Jinx — Part Two, which picks up where The Jinx left off: With Robert Durst admitting to murder.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy