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Novelist Thomas Kelly on Taking Risks

Kelly worked as a construction worker for ten years, three of which he worked on the Third New York City Water Tunnel alongside other "sandhogs," Irish and West Indian urban miners who dig soft ground tunnels in the city. He also holds a master's degree from Harvard University. His first novel "Payback" tells the story of two Irish-American brothers living in 1980s New York among the Irish mob and the construction workers' unions.

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Other segments from the episode on March 3, 1997

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, March 3, 1997: Interview with Thomas Kelly; Interview with Keith B. Richburg; Review of the television shows "The Practice" and "EZ Streets."
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21:05

Reporter Keith B. Richburg Distances Himself from His African Roots

Richburg is the Hong Kong bureau chief for the "Washington Post," the paper's former Africa bureau chief, and has won awards for his reporting, including being selected as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. In his new book "Out of America," he reflects on his three years experience in Africa and questions the connections made between the identity of African-Americans and their African roots.

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03:45

TV Gets Better After the February Sweeps

TV critic David Bianculli previews two new TV shows that are popping up in this post-sweep period: "The Practice" on ABC and a revamped "EZ Streets" on CBS. He says both are worth watching.

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