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"No Turning Back" Is a Radical Book in Every Respect

Book critic John Leonard reviews the new book by ex-nuns Barbara Ferraro and Patricia Hussey, co-written with Jane O'Reilly. Ferraro and Hussey defied the Catholic Church's policies on abortion, birth control, and the ordination of women. Their convictions eventually led them to give up their vows.

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Other segments from the episode on September 18, 1990

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, September 18, 1990: Interview with Steve Cropper; Review of Eyuphuro's album "Mama Mosambiki"; Interview with James Foley; Review of Barbara Ferraro, Patricia Hussey, and…
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24:55

Soul Music Guitarist and Producer Steve Cropper

Cropper is a white musician who fell in love with black music. As a guitar player, he preferred working in the studio rather than on the road, and later became part of the house rhythm section for Stax Records. He's best known for his playing with Booker T & the MGs and Otis Redding.

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New Music from Mozambique

World music commentator Milo Miles turns to one of the newest countries in the world, Mozambique and discovers a local band called Eyuphuro. Their new CD, Mama Mosambiki is polished, with a skillful blend of acoustic and electric instruments, and a strong feminist message.

Review

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24:19

Ex-Nuns Work for Women in the Catholic Church

Former Sisters of Notre Dame Barbara Ferraro and Patricia Hussey were once known as the "abortion nuns." In 1984, they signed a New York Times ad that called on the Catholic Church to reconsider its stance on abortion. Their new book, No Turning Back, also outlines their differences with Church teachings on divorce and the ordination of women.

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44:29

Religion Scholar Karen Armstrong

When Armstrong decided to leave the Roman Catholic convent where she was a nun in 1969, she entered a world vastly different than the one she had been isolated from for seven years. She had no idea what was going on in Vietnam and had little idea what was happening in popular culture. She's written a new memoir, The Spiral Staircase: My Climb Out of Darkness, about her life in the convent and the spiritual quest that followed. Her other books include The Battle for God and A History of God.

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