Places & Travel

Japanese-American sculptor has been commissioned to build public art around the world. A new piece, Bolt of Lightning, which celebrates the life Benjamin Franklin, will soon be installed in Philadelphia. He tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross about his early success and his gradual process of unlearning his formal training to develop his own unique style.

Scholar Frank McCourt and his brother, actor Malachi McCourt, grew up poor in Ireland before finding success in the United States. Both brothers were voracious readers and were able to find success without a high school education. They wrote and perform together in a new, autobiographical play.

Madeline Cartwright worked as a teacher in Philadelphia public schools from 1959 to 1978, before moving into administration. Currently she is the principal at Blaine Elementary School, in the Strawberry Mansion section of Philadelphia, and she has spent the last five years transforming Blaine from a typical low-income school into a community that sparkles. Cartwright's staff has nominated her for the John N. Patterson Award for Excellence in Public Education. Cartwright joins the show to discuss the problems that are facing Philadelphia schools and her approach to solving them.

Terry talks with three expatriate Chilean musicians who are practitioners of the New Song movement, a fusion folk style with a political slant born in the wake of Chile's recent political upheaval.

Journalist and writer Tom Wicker grew up in the South. He joined the staff of the New York Times in 1960 and has worked for the paper since then. Wicker was one of the journalists covering President Kennedy's visit to Dallas in 1963, and his op-ed column "In the Nation," is nationally syndicated. Wicker has written non-fiction and fiction books. His latest novel, "Unto this Hour," is based in part on stories from his grandmother about her life in the Confederacy. The novel is set in the Civil Battle, the Second Bull Run.

Pete Dexter is a columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News and also has a monthly column for Esquire Magazine, "Sports Scene." Dexter's first novel, "God's Pocket," is set in Philadelphia. The novel tells the story of a reporter investigating a murder committed by a construction worker. Dexter joins the show to discuss his novel, work as a journalist, and respond to listener calls.

Goode will be the first African American mayor in the city's history. He was elected on a platform of job growth, crime reduction, and an improvement of government services. WHYY City Hall reporter Tia O'Brien asks him how he plans to achieve his goals. Fresh Air listeners call in with their questions.

After relocating to England and publishing a book documenting Chinese life, Eve Arnold returned to her home country to capture different facets of the American experience, including Native Americans, biker gangs, Jerry Falwell, and the Ku Klux Klan,

Mark Alan Stamaty's new anthology of his nationally-distributed cartoon, which follows the misadventures of the fictional congressman Bob Forehead, satirizes the world of policymakers, lobbyists and the White House.

Jeffrey Dekro and Phyllis Taylor both draw inspiration from their Jewish faith to fight for civil rights and other social justice movements. They answer questions from Fresh Air listeners about the contrasting trends of Jewish assimilation into mainstream American culture and a growing number of devout and practicing Jews.

Before beginning production, Young spends weeks living the life of his movies' characters to more authentically capture their experiences. His films often center on the injustices committed against marginalized people.

After the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority's recent takeover of regional commuter rail systems and a recent strike, ridership of SEPTA's rail lines declined nearly 20%. SEPTA General Manager David Gunn and consultant Vukan Vuchic consider how SEPTA can better manage fares and improve service for commuters outside Philadelphia city limits. Fresh Air callers voice their concerns.

Philadelphia restaurant critic Jim Quinn's new book advises readers how to choose the best places to eat based on atmosphere, price, service, and menu options. Fresh Air listeners call in with their questions.

Billy Kretchmer owned a popular Philadelphia club which was a destination for established and aspiring jazz musicians. He was also a clarinetist who led the house band. After health problems forced him to stop playing, Kretchmer closed the club in the 1960s. After several surgeries, he will perform again for the first time in 17 years.

The band's lead singer Tracy Nelson made her mark as part of the Berkeley rock scene. She has since moved to Nashville, where she has been exploring her interest in blues, R&B and country music.

Myrlie Evers' book about her late husband, the civil rights activist Medgar Evers, was recently adapted into a movie for public television. She talks about her upbringing in the South, her relationship with Evers, and her own work to advance African American civil rights.

Bill Bradley is a United States Senator from New Jersey. Bradley started his career as a professional basketball player and was sworn-in as the Senate's youngest member in 1979. Bradley has served on the Energy and Finance Committees, co-sponsored the Fair Tax Bill, been one of the architects of the windfall profits tax on oil, and brought a contract to the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Bradley is currently seeking Medicare reforms. Bradley joins the show to discuss his belief and legislative ideas; he will also respond to listener calls.

Husband and wife Jane Stern and Michael Stern spend much of their time on the road in search of good food and Americana. They have written several books about their travels including "Road Food" and "Horror Holiday." Their latest work "Goodfood" is about regional cuisine around the United States. Jane and Michael Stern will discuss Philadelphia and Middle-Atlantic cuisine and respond to listener calls.

Stan Mack's cartoon strip "Stan Mack's Real Life Funnies," has run in the Village Voice since 1974. The strip comes with the guarantee "all dialogue reported verbatim," and consists of absurd conversations overheard by Mack. Mack began his career as an art director at The New York Tribune and The New York Times. Mack's new book "In Search of the G Spot" is a collection of "sex spoof jokes."

Marita Golden became part of a group of black radicals as student at American University in Washington, D.C. After graduating from the Columbia School of Journalism, Golden married a Nigerian and moved to Nigeria with him. Golden was shocked by the role of women and wives in the country, which she found stifling. Taking her son with her, Golden left her husband and returned to the United States. She discuss her life and experiences in her memoir "Migrations of the Heart."