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Episode details

Radio 4,09 Mar 2011,30 mins

Fair Game review and author Maxine Hong Kingston

Front Row

Available for over a year

With Kirsty Lang. Kirsty reviews Naomi Watts and Sean Penn in Fair Game, a thriller based on the true story of Valerie Plame Wilson, the CIA agent who was allegedly outed by her own government in retaliation for her US ambassador husband's criticism of President Bush's handling of the Iraq war. James Rhodes is a concert pianist who chooses to play in unusual venues, abandoning the usual white tie and tails and telling his audience colourful tales about the composers he is performing. He talks about how he finally became a classical pianist and illustrates his thoughts at the Front Row piano. Writer Maxine Hong Kingston first reached a wide audience with her 1975 book The Woman Warrior. She discusses her new memoirs, which are written as an epic book-length poem. She explains why she chose this form, and recalls how she was arrested along with fellow writer Alice Walker. The new single from the band Noah and the Whale is called L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N. and continues the long tradition of songs which spell out their titles. From D.I.S.C.O. to D.I.V.O.R.C.E., David Quantick offers the A.B.C. guide to the tracks which offer listeners lots of L.E.T.T.E.R.S. Producer Claire Bartleet.

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