Skip to main content

"Seven Seconds that Broke the Back of the Century."

Novelist Don DeLillo. His most recent novel, Libra, is based on the assassination of President Kennedy and the various conspiracy theories that continue to swirl around the tragedy. It became an immediate bestseller when it was published last year, and is now at the top of the paperback best seller lists. DeLillo's eight previous novels, starting with Americana and the bestseller and American Book Award winner White Noise, all revolve around conspiracy theories and the public's conviction that public events are never what they seem. (Rebroadcast. Originally broadcast on Tuesday, August 9, 1988.) (Interview by Sedge Thomson)

10:59

Other segments from the episode on August 15, 1989

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, August 15, 1989: Interview with Allan Burns; Commentary on the Woodstock Festival; Interview with Don DeLillo; Review of Peter Handke's novel "The Afternoon of the Writer."

Transcript

Transcript currently not available.

Transcripts are created on a rush deadline, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of Fresh Air interviews and reviews are the audio recordings of each segment.

You May Also like

Did you know you can create a shareable playlist?

Advertisement

Recently on Fresh Air Available to Play on NPR

52:30

Daughter of Warhol star looks back on a bohemian childhood in the Chelsea Hotel

Alexandra Auder's mother, Viva, was one of Andy Warhol's muses. Growing up in Warhol's orbit meant Auder's childhood was an unusual one. For several years, Viva, Auder and Auder's younger half-sister, Gaby Hoffmann, lived in the Chelsea Hotel in Manhattan. It was was famous for having been home to Leonard Cohen, Dylan Thomas, Virgil Thomson, and Bob Dylan, among others.

43:04

This fake 'Jury Duty' really put James Marsden's improv chops on trial

In the series Jury Duty, a solar contractor named Ronald Gladden has agreed to participate in what he believes is a documentary about the experience of being a juror--but what Ronald doesn't know is that the whole thing is fake.

08:26

This Romanian film about immigration and vanishing jobs hits close to home

R.M.N. is based on an actual 2020 event in Ditrău, Romania, where 1,800 villagers voted to expel three Sri Lankans who worked at their local bakery.

There are more than 22,000 Fresh Air segments.

Let us help you find exactly what you want to hear.
Just play me something
Your Queue

Would you like to make a playlist based on your queue?

Generate & Share View/Edit Your Queue