All I Did Was Ask, by Terry Gross

Retrieved from: the library
(1401300103)

If you are a long-time Fresh Air fan on NPR, this book will probably bring back loads of memories for you. I have only just recently discovered Terry Gross, but this is an interesting collection of transcripts of her favorite interviews over the years, ranging from Nic Cage to Nick Hornby to Maurice Sendak. Also included is the infamous hour with Gene Simmons. I must say, the printed version of the latter is far less salacious than the live interview must have sounded. Maybe I've read too many books about creeps; Simmons just seems to be one more. Ho-hum. Actually, he makes some pretty decent points, once you skip past all the bombast and intentional crank commentary.

I really liked the interview with Samuel Jackson. No compromise, no "selling points." I really got a sense of who he is more than I have in other interviews. Another good one was Grandmaster Flash, not only because of how interesting his teenage years were (not at all what one expects to find out about the 'inventor' of rap scratching) but because I happen to be listening to his "Best of..." CD in the car right now. I've also decided I must read Carol Shields The Stone Diaries.

And of course, now I'll make the effort to find Fresh Air on the local NPRs and listen to the original interviews!