Fresh Air

Known for his novel 'The Things They Carried,' O'Brien is now the subject of a new documentary, 'The War and Peace of Tim O'Brien.' When he became a father in his late 50s, he initially feared parenthood would curtail his writing." Much as Vietnam did, [parenthood] gave me a body of material, that kind of context to write about," he says. "Maybe it's biology just keeping the species going, but I feel that I'm part of something age-old that's going to continue long after I'm gone...

In his new book, 'The Ten Year War,' Jonathan Cohn looks at the intense debate surrounding the Affordable Care Act, the compromises of the law itself, and how it has been functioning during the pandemic.

Also, John Powers reviews 'Minari,' about a South Korean family struggling to start a farm in Arkansas.

The British actor is known for taking his absurd characters like Borat, Brüno and Ali G into the world and interacting with unwitting real people. Baron Cohen has been chased, sued and nearly arrested while in character. A scary experience at a gun rights rally while filming 'Borat Subsequent Moviefilm' has finally solidified his decision to stop doing his undercover style of comedy. "At some point, your luck runs out," he says...

Rashida Jones filmed 'On the Rocks' shortly after her son's birth and her mother's death. She nearly turned down the role, and is glad she didn't. "This movie was kind of a salvation for me," she says. We talk about biracial representation in Hollywood and the toxicity of fame.

Justin Chang reviews 'Judas and the Black Messiah...

Historian Kerri Greenidge tells the story of William Monroe Trotter, a Black newspaper editor who was a forceful crusader for civil rights in the early 20th century. He built a national following in his time as a fierce advocate for the full citizenship rights that had been promised to former enslaved people after the Civil War. Trotter organized mass protests, confronted presidents, and openly challenged leaders such as Booker T...

Women are bearing the brunt of kids' virtual schooling and the increased household work associated with the pandemic. 'NYT' reporter Claire Cain Miller says many working mothers have scaled back on their hours or left the workforce entirely due to the pandemic — which could have lasting effects on gender and economic equity. "It took a very, very slow moving process from the 1970s until today to get women where they are professionally," Miller says...

In her book, 'The Sum of Us,' Heather McGhee examines the cost of racial discrimination in the U.S., and draws on a wealth of economic data to make the case that discriminatory laws and practices that target Black people also negatively impact society at large. McGhee says when racial barriers to voting, employment, and housing are broken down, white working people are among the beneficiaries...

For four years, Georgetown Law professor and human rights activist Rosa Brooks carried a badge and a gun and worked a minimum of 24 hours a month for the DC police department — all on a voluntary basis. "If you want to change something, you have to understand it," she says. Brooks writes about her experiences as with the police in 'Tangled Up in Blue.'

Guest host Sam Sanders talks with Spike Lee about 'Da 5 Bloods,' about four Black Vietnam War vets who return together to Vietnam. Lee also talks about working with late actor Chadwick Boseman.

Also, we remember Cloris Leachman and listen back to an excerpt of her 2009 interview. She co-starred in the Mel Brooks films 'Young Frankenstein' and 'High Anxiety,' won an Oscar for her role in 'The Last Picture Show.'

Only a few weeks into the new Biden administration, infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci is encouraged by the president's approach to the pandemic. We'll talk about an early chapter of his career, during the AIDS crisis, when he was criticized for not making experimental drugs available to people with AIDS. Fauci listened to his critics and worked with them, leading to medical reforms that are benefiting us today, during the pandemic...