Reverbiage: Stories from NPR tagged 'biography'

New Biography, Instant Karma For John Lennon

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:51:00 EST

Philip Norman's exhaustive and artfully sketched new biography of John Lennon explores the split between a man who could be cruel and violent, and the artist who inspired millions.

Obama Biography Spotlights Potential First Lady

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:51:00 EDT

To national audience, Michelle Obama is well-known because of her husband's presidential candidacy. But the attorney and businesswoman has an impressive and distinguished career of her own. Liza Mundy, author of Michelle, a new biography of Michelle Obama, writes about the Chicago native's professional aspirations and how they coincided with her Sen. Barack Obama's political journey.

Publisher Of Palin Biography Hits Jackpot

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:27:00 EDT

A small publisher in suburban Seattle has hit the big time with a biography of Sarah Palin. Epicenter Press published Sarah: How A Hockey Mom Turned Alaska's Political Establishment Upside Down months before Palin hit the national spotlight.

'Monticello' Tells Untold Story Of Sally Hemings

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:05:00 EDT

Thomas Jefferson's biography got significantly more complicated when DNA evidence linked him to the descendants of Sally Hemings, a slave on his estate. Annette Gordon-Reed talks about her new book, The Hemingses of Monticello an exhaustive study of Sally Hemings' life and role within the Jefferson household.

Sammy Davis, Jr.'s 'Music, Money, Madness'

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:52:00 EDT

Sammy Davis, Jr. made $50 million singing, dancing and cavorting with the Rat Pack but died impoverished and in debt to the IRS. Matt Birjeck, author of the biography Deconstructing Sammy, discusses the entertainer's legacy.

Bacardi Biography Details The 'Fight For Cuba'

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:03:00 EDT

Tom Gjelten's new book, Bacardi and the Long Fight For Cuba, threads the history of the family-owned Bacardi Rum Co. together with that of the nation in which it was founded.

Palin Autobiography Reissued

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 10:59:00 EDT

Scott Simon takes a moment to note that an earlier biography of Sarah Palin, Republican vice presidential candidate, is quickly being reissued. The book reveals Palin's favorite meal: moose stew.

Obama: GOP Emphasis On McCain Bio Ignores Middle Class

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:00:00 EDT

Barack Obama said the Republican convention's focus on John McCain's biography came at the expense of the struggles of the middle class. The comments came in a campaign appearance in Duryea, Pa., a day after McCain became the GOP presidential nominee.

New Biography Burns With Dickinson's White Heat'

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 12:53:00 EDT

Brenda Wineapple's highly engaging critical biography of Emily Dickinson examines the poet's enduring friendship with editor Thomas Wentworth Higginson.

Biographer: Don't Underestimate Palin

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 09:54:00 EDT

Born in a small Idaho town, Sarah Palin grew up in an active and outdoorsy family, Kaylene Johnson, author of Palin's biography, "Sarah: How A Hockey Mom Turned Alaska's Political Establishment Upside Down," tells Liane Hansen. Palin is an evangelical who in high school signed yearbooks with Bible verses, says Johnson, who also describes the governor as "fiercely competitive."

White House Red-Faced Over Berlusconi Gaffe

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:00:00 EDT

The White House has apologized for a biography of Silvio Berlusconi that calls the Italian leader "one of the most controversial leaders in the history of a country known for government corruption and vice." The bio was distributed at the G-8 summit.

Roxy Music History 'Re-Makes' The Rock Bio Form

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Michael Bracewell's history of Roxy Music doesn't go for conventional thinking — not about the band, and certainly not about how to write a rock biography. Instead, his new book combines art history, music theory and a smashing sense of fashion.

Of Primal Forces, Places and People

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Fresh Air's film critic reviews three epically intimate new films — an Antarctica documentary from Werner Herzog, a Guy Maddin meditation on home and self, and the heartfelt biography Chris & Don.

Biography Details the 'King of Comics'

Wed, 21 May 2008 16:09:00 EDT

In his new biography, Kirby: King of Comics, TV and comics writer Mark Evanier details the life and career of noted comic artist Jack Kirby, the co-creator of the Marvel Comics characters the Fantastic Four, the Incredible Hulk and X-Men.

Writer Kasra Naji on Ahmadinejad's 'Secret History'

Tue, 13 May 2008 09:47:00 EDT

Iran's president was relatively unknown on the international stage before he was elected, but he's a standard-bearer for a new generation of hardliners. In a new biography, journalist Kasra Naji explores Ahmadinejad's rise to power, his complex character and his motivations.

Willie Nelson Turns 75

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:31:00 EDT

Willie Nelson turns 75 today, April 30, and to honor him there's a major biography, a career-spanning box set, and an essay from Fresh Air's rock historian — who sang backup vocals, once upon a time, on a Willie Nelson albums.

John Adams' Legacy Revisited in HBO Series

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 10:00:00 EDT

After a difficult term in office, John Adams, America's first vice president and second president, was chronically under-recognized. But a biography of Adams by historian David McCullough sparked a reconsideration of the founding father's legacy, which now springs to life in an HBO mini-series.

'At Canaan's Edge,' Martin Luther King's Final Years

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:49:00 EDT

Taylor Branch spent nearly 24 years researching and writing a three-volume biography of Martin Luther King Jr. He joins Fresh Air to disccuss the struggles and triumphs of the last three years of King's life.

A Closer Look at Raul Castro

Sun, 24 Feb 2008 17:51:00 EST

Cuba's National Assembly has chosen Raul Castro to take over as president from his brother Fidel. Brian Latell, who has written a biography of Raul Castro, talks about what to expect from the transition.

The Politics of Venezuela's Hugo Chavez

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 18:13:00 EST

Hugo Chavez angers and annoys a lot of people. The Venezuelan president's style is confrontational. He often attacks the United States in general, and President Bush in particular. Author Bart Jones talks about his new biography on Hugo Chavez entitled, Hugo! and examines the politics of the controversial Venezuelan leader.

McCain Comes from Long Line of Military Service

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 08:38:00 EST

Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee comes from a decorated Navy family. Liane Hansen speaks to McCain biographer Robert Timberg about the McCain family's military legacy. Timberg's biography is called, John McCain: An American Odyssey. Timberg himself graduated from the Naval Academy in 1964 and served as a Marine in Vietnam. We caught up with him on the grounds of the Naval Academy in Annapolis, on a bench overlooking the Naval Academy Cemetery.

Reporter Hunts for Author of Bogus Saddam Book

Sat, 09 Feb 2008 10:17:00 EST

Robert Fisk, a longtime foreign correspondent for the British newspaper The Independent who has spent many years covering Mideast conflicts, was surprised to discover that a fawning new biography of Saddam Hussein has been published under his name.

A New Look at Condoleezza Rice's Life

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 06:00:00 EST

New York Times correspondent Elisabeth Bumiller has written a new biography of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. "She came in with only two years of mid-level White House experience, and she was in charge of coordinating the elephants in the room," Bumiller told host Steve Inskeep.

Steve Martin: 'Born Standing Up'

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 00:01:00 EST

Steve Martin gave up stand-up comedy in 1981, at the height of his fame. He calls his new book Born Standing Up a biography rather than an autobiography, of a guy he used to know.

Remembering the Turbulent Life of a 'Gonzo' Writer

Sun, 18 Nov 2007 18:23:00 EST

In a new oral biography, Rolling Stone editors Corey Seymour and Jann Wenner recount the turbulent life of journalism pioneer Hunter S. Thompson. Thompson's inner circle reflects on the writer's talent and famously wild lifestyle.