Fresh Air

"It's impossible to understand the Trump era, with its unparalleled polarization, without tracing Stephen Miller's journey to the White House," journalist Jean Guerrero writes in her new book 'Hatemonger.' She describes the ideological arc of Miller's life, investigates his ties to right-wing mentors and far-right groups, and explains his role as Trump's advisor.

'Miami Herald' columnist and author Carl Hiaasen talks about his new novel, 'Squeeze Me,' a hilarious mystery set in Palm Beach, featuring wealthy widows, the president and first lady, a scrappy wildlife removal specialist, and some gigantic Burmese pythons.

Film critic Justin Chang reviews the unusual film 'Tesla,' starring Ethan Hawke.

Documentary filmmakers Shaul Schwarz and Christina Clusiau talk about their visceral portrait of the U.S...

In the summer of 1964, hundreds of student volunteers — most were white and from the North — spent weeks registering African Americans to vote in Mississippi. We hear from Stanley Nelson, director of the 2014 documentary 'Freedom Summer,' and also Charles Cobb, an organizer who was interviewed for the film.

Justin Chang reviews 'Tesla,' starring Ethan Hawke.

QAnon, the conspiracy theory that claims President Trump is battling a deep state child sex trafficking ring run by high-profile democrats and celebrities, is the subject of a new 'Atlantic' article by Adrienne LaFrance. "It's almost like a bad spy novel," LaFrance says. QAnon adherents often appear at Trump rallies, and one supporter has won the Republican nomination to a Georgia Congressional seat.

Historian Lesley M.M. Blume's new book, 'Fallout,' tells the story of John Hersey, the young journalist whose on-the-ground reporting in Hiroshima exposed the world to the devastation of nuclear weapons. "Hersey had seen everything from that point, from combat to concentration camps," Blume says. "But he later said that nothing prepared him for what he saw in Hiroshima."

Maureen Corrigan reviews 'Black Bottom Saints,' by Alice Randall.

'Miami Herald' columnist and author Carl Hiaasen's new novel, 'Squeeze Me,' is a hilarious mystery set in Palm Beach, featuring wealthy widows, the president and first lady, a scrappy wildlife removal specialist, and some gigantic Burmese pythons. We'll also talk about politics, and battles over voting in Florida that are setting the stage for a dramatic election in November...

Documentary filmmakers Shaul Schwarz and Christina Clusiau paint a nuanced portrait of the U.S. immigration system — including ICE agents, immigrants, activists and smugglers — in their 6-part Netflix documentary series, 'Immigration Nation.'

And jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews James Carney's album, 'Pure Heart.'

"Female characters are not [usually] the center of the story," filmmaker Gina Prince-Bythewood says. Her new movie, 'The Old Guard,' follows a diverse group of world-weary warriors who've been alive for centuries. Prince-Bythewood makes history as the first Black woman to direct a film adaptation of a comic book.

Film critic Justin Chang reviews the documentary 'Boys State,' about a week-long mock political campaign for teen boys.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr...

Prejean is best known for her 1993 memoir, 'Dead Man Walking,' about her role as a spiritual adviser to a convicted killer on death row. The story was adapted into an Oscar-winning film starring Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn. Prejean has accompanied six prisoners to their executions and has been at the forefront of activism against the death penalty. She spoke with Terry Gross in 2019.

David Bianculli reviews HBO's series 'Lovecraft Country.'

The HBO series 'Watchmen' uses sci-fi and action heroes to examine American racism. Cord Jefferson wrote the episode of the series in which the main character narrowly survives the 1921 Tulsa Massacre, when white supremacists destroyed a prosperous Black community. In addition to writing for 'Succession,' 'The Good Place' and 'The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore,' Jefferson has also written personal essays about his mother's cancer diagnosis, donating a kidney to his father, and being biracial...