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Terry Gross at her microphone in 2018

Terry Gross

Terry Gross is the host and an executive producer of Fresh Air, the daily program of interviews and reviews. It is produced at WHYY in Philadelphia, where Gross began hosting the show in 1975, when it was broadcast only locally. She was awarded a National Humanities Medal from President Obama in 2016. Fresh Air with Terry Gross received a Peabody Award in 1994 for its “probing questions, revelatory interviews and unusual insight.” America Women in Radio and Television presented her with a Gracie Award in 1999 in the category of National Network Radio Personality. In 2003, she received the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s Edward R. Murrow Award for her “outstanding contributions to public radio” and for advancing the “growth, quality and positive image of radio.” Gross is the author of All I Did Was Ask: Conversations with Writers, Actors, Musicians and Artists, published by Hyperion in 2004. She was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, and received a bachelor’s degree in English and M.Ed. in communications from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She began her radio career in 1973 at public radio station WBFO in Buffalo, NY.

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21:20

British Journalist Peter Stothard

Stothard is the author of the new book, Thirty Days: Tony Blair and the Test of History. Stothard chronicles the 30 days leading up to the Iraq war and the early days of the war. Stothard had unprecedented access to Blair during that time. Stothard is currently editor of The London Times Literary Supplement, and is former editor of The Times from 1992 to 2002.

Interview
31:54

Bluegrass Musician Earl Scruggs

He originated the staccato, three-finger banjo technique that became known as the "Scruggs style." He got his start playing with Bill Monroe's band in the 1940s, and then teamed up with guitarist Lester Flatt (fronting The Foggy Mountain Boys). The two penned and recorded the tune "Foggy Mountain Breakdown," which was used on the Bonnie and Clyde film soundtrack and was one of the first crossover hits of the genre. They also recorded "The Ballad of Jed Clampett," the theme song for the sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies. It topped the charts in 1962.

Interview
17:52

Arn Chorn-Pond

Arn Chorn-Pond is the subject of the new documentary The Flute Player. As a child, Chorn-Pond was held in a Khmer Rouge labor camp where many children starved to death, many others were murdered, and those who survived were forced to work from 5 a.m. to midnight. He was taught to play the flute to play propaganda songs which helped assure his survival. Later at age 14, Chorn-Pond was forced into the Khmer Rouge army to fight the invading Vietnamese. After seeing his friends die, he fled into the jungle.

Interview
38:38

Writer Leslie Epstein

His father and uncle were the scriptwriting team responsible for Arsenic and Old Lace, Casablanca, and many other Hollywood classics. Epstein grew up in a glamorous and troubled household. His new book, San Remo Drive, is described as a novel from memory, and is based on his own childhood. Epstein directs the creative writing program at Boston University, and is the author of eight other novels, including King of the Jews and Pandaemonium.

Interview
18:32

Illustrator and Writer James Warhola

His new book is Uncle Andy's: A faabbbulous visit with Andy Warhol. It's a children's story about going to visit Warhol, in which Warhola chronicles one of the many trips he took with his family from Pittsburgh to New York City. This interview first aired May 20, 2003.

Interview
21:50

Writer Michael Lewis

His new book is Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game. It's the story of how the Oakland A's turned their team around and made history, winning 20 games in a row to set a new American League record. Lewis goes behind the scenes and finds a new kind of baseball knowledge. He is the author of the best selling books Liar's Poker and The New New Thing. This interview first aired May 28, 2003.

Interview
33:41

War Photographer Christopher Morris

His work is part of the new Time Magazine book, 21 Days to Baghdad: The Inside Story of How America Won the War Against Iraq. Morris is a contract photographer for Time, and has documented more than 18 foreign conflicts. He has documented drug-related violence in Colombia, guerilla fighting in Afghanistan, and the Persian Gulf war. Morris has won many photojournalism awards during his career.

Interview
16:58

Musician Salman Ahmad

He is the lead guitar player for Junoon, Pakistan's first and most famous rock band. The group is made up of one U.S.-born Christian and two Pakistani Muslims. Junoon performs in Urdu, Punjab and English. Their lyrics blend Sufi mysticism with political activism. The band has been playing in the United States since Sept. 11, 2001, and they have recorded an anti-terrorism anthem, "No More." The band is the subject of a new PBS documentary called Junoon: The Rock Star and the Mullahs.

Interview
43:34

Writer A. Scott Berg

Berg is the author of the new book, Kate Remembered about actress Katharine Hepburn. Berg began a friendship with her 20 years ago, and during that time Hepburn disclosed confidences about her life with the understanding that were he to write a book about her he would wait until after her death to publish it. In 1999 he wrote that book but it was held in a vault. She died on June 29th at the age of 96. Berg is also the author of Max Perkins: Editor of Genius, Goldwyn: A Biography and Lindbergh, for which he received the Pulitzer Prize.

Interview

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