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Tourist Attractions and the United States.

John F. Sears, author of "Sacred Places: American Tourist Attractions in the Nineteenth Century." Sears went back to magazines, fiction and painting of the 19th century to find out when and why tourism developed in this country. He says that natural wonders like Niagara Falls and Yellowstone were a substitute for the cathedrals of Europe, and that tourism gave Americans a way to shape their national identity. (Interview by Sedge Thomson)

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Other segments from the episode on January 15, 1990

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, January 15, 1990: Interview with Pico Iyer; Review of Wilbur Ware's album "Chicago Sound"; Interview with John F. Sears; Review of the television show "Eyes on the Prize:…
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22:32

Which America Gets Through to the "East", and Which Gets Lost in Translation?

Writer PICO IYER (PEE-coe EYE-er). His book Video Night in Kathmandu explores the subtle and often humorous Westernization of the Far East. Iyer, who reported for Time Magazine for four years, found the West's influence in mohawk haircuts in Bali, six Filipino girls doing a perfect rendition of a Madonna hit, Japan's baseball mania and a Chinese cafeteria that served dishes like "Yes, Sir, Cheese My Baby," and "Ike and Tuna Tuner." (Rebroadcast. Originally broadcast on August 22, 1989.) (Interview by Sedge Thomson)

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06:27

The High-Water Mark of Wilbur Ware's Career.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews a reissue of a 1957 album by bassist Wilbur Ware. Kevin says that year was the highlight of Ware's career--he recorded with Sonny Rollins and Thelonius Monk as well as recording his only album as a leader.

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20:51

Writer Alain de Botton

He is the author of several books including How Proust Can Change Your Life, and The Consolations of Philosophy. His latest book, The Art of Travel, is a reflection on travel, the anticipation versus the reality, how one often travels to escape the familiar and mundane — but can't escape oneself, and an examination of the art and literature of travel.

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

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