Fresh Air

Lawyer Brittany Barnett works on behalf of people sentenced to harsh sentences as a result of the war on drugs. Nine of her clients have been granted clemency. Barnett's new memoir is 'A Knock at Midnight: A Story of Hope, Justice And Freedom.'

Critic John Powers shares his list of the year's best TV, books and movies.

Gruen has photographed countless rock stars, including John Lennon, the Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry and Tina Turner. We talk about his friendship with John Lennon, why Bob Dylan doesn't like him, and surviving the party lifestyle of the '70s. His new memoir is 'Right Place, Right Time.'

Also, we remember test pilot Chuck Yeager who broke the sound barrier. He died yesterday at 97.

Winslet co-stars in the new film 'Ammonite' as Mary Anning, a 19th-century paleontologist who has an intense love affair with the wife of a geologist, played by Saorise Ronan. We talk about why the role scared her, how playing an epidemiologist in the 2011 film 'Contagion' prepared her for COVID, and how 'Titanic' changed her life.

Also, Justin Chang reviews 'Mank,' directed by David Fincher, now on Netflix.

Hugh Grant co-stars in the HBO miniseries 'The Undoing' as a charming doctor suspected of brutally murdering his lover. We talk with Grant about the "blessed relief" of taking on darker roles.

Film critic Justin Chang reviews 'Ammonite,' starring Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan...

We celebrate the life and music of influential jazz pianist and composer Dave Brubeck, who was born 100 years ago. Brubeck's album 'Time Out,' released in 1959, was the first jazz album to sell a million copies. He spoke with Terry Gross in 1999.

Also, book critic Maureen Corrigan shares her top 10 books of the year, and David Bianculli reviews Showtime's series 'Your Honor' starring Bryan Cranston.

President Trump has ousted his secretary of defense and the head of the Pentagon's Defeat Isis Task Force. Trump has also considered striking Iran, and is expected to pull troops from Afghanistan. We talk with 'New York Times' reporter Eric Schmitt about what this may mean for American national security.

Singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III and Nighthawks bandleader Vince Giordano collaborated on the 1920s and '30s style music for the series 'Boardwalk Empire' and the film 'The Aviator.' Now they've gotten together again on the new album, 'I'd Rather Lead a Band,' a collection of songs from the Great American Songbook. They talk with Terry Gross about their new record and the music of the era.

Grant co-stars in the HBO miniseries 'The Undoing' as a charming doctor suspected of brutally murdering his lover. We talk with Grant about the "blessed relief" of taking a break from playing nice guys, his activism about tabloid privacy, and how 'Four Weddings and a Funeral' changed his life. ​

A liberal voice in the U.S. Senate for decades, Senator Ted Kennedy led a life marked by tragedy and scandal. Historian Neal Gabler says Kennedy's career shaped the course of American liberalism. His book is 'Catching the Wind.'

Film critic Justin Chang reviews 'Happiest Season.' It stars Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis as a lesbian couple trying to keep their relationship a secret during a Christmas family gathering.

Momofuku chef David Chang talks about his new memoir, 'Eat a Peach,' which details his struggle with bipolar disorder and how cooking saved his life. He also hosts the series 'Ugly Delicious' on Netflix.

John Powers reviews the gripping Romanian documentary 'Collective,' about journalists uncovering a corruption scandal...