Fresh Air

Braverman says you never ask a musher how many dogs they have, because between puppies, fosters and retirees, you'll never get a straight answer. "The secret" she says, "is to ask, 'How many dogs are you feeding?'" For Braverman, that number right now is 24. Braverman and her racing partner / husband Quince Mountain have a book, 'Dogs on the Trail,' that profiles their team of Alaskan huskies...

How do two sisters, just 3 years apart, take extremely divergent paths in life? That's the story Dawn Turner tells in her new memoir, 'Three Girls of Bronzeville.' Turner grew up to be an author and a columnist at The 'Chicago Tribune.' Her sister Kim died of chronic alcoholism at age 24. Turner's childhood best friend Debra was convicted of murder and served over 20 years in prison...

Actor Andie MacDowell co-stars opposite her daughter Margaret Qualley in the Netflix series 'Maid.' We talk about how her own mother's struggle with alcohol addiction and mental illness helped her understand her character, as well as her early films, like 'Groundhog Day' and 'Sex, Lies, and Videotape.'

Maureen Corrigan reviews Louise Erdrich's new book, 'The Sentence...

We remember former Georgia senator Max Cleland, the Vietnam War vet and triple amputee who rebuilt his life after the war, but later lost his Senate seat when Republicans, led by Karl Rove, questioned his patriotism. Cleland died Tuesday at the age of 79.

Also, we talk about the battle to keep independent local journalism alive in small-town America. A new PBS documentary profiles 'The Storm Lake Times,' which serves a rural community in northwest Iowa...

Elliot Ackerman served five tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, during which time, he says, he witnessed the absolute worst — as well as the absolute best — that human beings are capable of. Ackerman is also a journalist, novelist, memoirist and National Book Award nominee. This Veterans Day we talk about the lure of war, how war gave him a sense of purpose, the fear and heartbreak that went along with it, and the search for meaning when he stopped fighting...

The blockbuster movie star, comedian and musician spoke with guest interviewer Tonya Mosley about how he crafted a joyful image to cover up for a trauma that happened when he was 9. He saw his father beat his mother. He reflects on how that moment has impacted his life, how he and his family have worked through this history, and his own parenting style. He has a new memoir called 'Will.'

Also, podcast critic Nick Quah reviews Spotify's 'Music + Talk.'

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Linda Greenhouse says the new Court has given conservatives less than they'd hoped for, though critical cases on abortion and other issues are still pending. Her book is 'Justice on the Brink.'Also,

Maureen Corrigan reviews Louise Erdrich's new novel, 'The Sentence.'

MacDowell co-stars opposite her daughter Margaret Qualley in the Netflix series 'Maid.' We talk about how her own mother's struggle with alcohol addiction and mental illness helped her understand her character, her early films (like 'Groundhog Day' and 'Sex, Lies, and Videotape'), and embracing her wrinkles and gray hair.

Also, David Bianculli reviews 'Dexter: New Blood' on Showtime.

Paul McCartney talks about his life through some of his songs. His new two-volume book collects his lyrics and the stories behind them. We'll also talk about the new documentary, 'Get Back,' which has previously unseen footage from the period The Beatles wrote, rehearsed and recorded the songs on their album 'Let it Be.' The album was released just after The Beatles broke up.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews the revival of Dexter, called 'Dexter: New Blood...

Terence Stamp, who became an icon in London in the 1960s, is now in the film 'Last Night in Soho,' a ghost story that takes place, in part, in '60s swinging London. Stamp grew up in poverty in London and was one of the first working class British actors to make it in theatre. He's known for his film roles in 'Billy Budd,' 'Far From the Madding Crowd,' and 'The Collector,' as well as '90s films like 'The Limey' and 'Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert...