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There are 100,000 private military contractors in Iraq. Mercenary John Geddes explains why he thinks this is a good thing. His new book Highway to Hell is an account of his experiences in Iraq as a soldier for hire.

Conductor, arranger and musical historian John McGlinn frequently stripped classic musicals to their roots by returning to original orchestrations and reinstating lost songs. McGlinn died on Feb. 14; Fresh Air remembers him with interviews from 1989 and 1992.

Cult director John Waters discusses his friendship with Manson family member and convicted murderer Leslie Van Houten, who he believes should be released on parole.

As part of a year-long series on low wage workers, NPR's Noah Adams profiles a single mom in Maine. She works two jobs and earns about 12,000 a year. She gets support from family and after-school child care through a privately funded program, but there's never much room for anything above the basics.

We remember former All Things Considered commentator John McIlwraith, whose essays aired between 1990 and 2001. His deep Scottish accent and wit charmed listeners with essays that spanned from his childhood bout with TB to his lack of appreciation for the bagpipe.

Jason Diamond tried to write a biography of John Hughes, director of classic '80s teen movies, but along the way, the story became more about his search for Hughes than the elusive filmmaker himself.

The historian, soon to turn 91, says he always hopes for "a better life... not merely for me, but for all of us," adding: "The only way we can have real peace and happiness in this country and in the world is for everybody to have peace and happiness. And that's what I want."

Malcolm "Mac" Rebennack's music evolved from psychedelic voodoo-rock in the 1960s to classic piano. He's still known for the 1973 single "Right Place, Wrong Time." (This interview was first broadcast in 1986 and 1988.)

This week's puzzle guru is so major, he's a Giant! They Might Be Giants' John Flansburgh recounts past odd jobs and TV show theme songs he never got to write.

South African journalist JOHN MATISONN. MATISONN is white and grew up in the suburbs in Johannesburg. (His grandparents emigrated to South Africa at the turn of the century). To N-P-R listeners he's best known for his coverage from South Africa from 1986 to 1991. MATISONN also worked in Washington, D.C. He's now the head of elections for the South Africa Broadcasting Company, S-A-B-C, (which before the end of apartheid, broadcast purely government propoganda). He also co-founded the P-B-I, Public Broadcasting Initiative, to train and recruit South African journalists for the SABC to teach them about balance and fairness in the media.

Spy novelist JOHN LE CARRE. His novels, almost every one of which is considered a masterpiece of the genre, include "The Spy Who Came In From the Cold," "A Small Town in Germany," "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" and "The Little Drummer Girl." To many critics, Le Carre is not simply the finest spy novelist of his era, but perhaps the finest all-around novelist. Several of his works have been made into movies, most notably "Spy Who Came In From the Cold," which starred Richard Burton and Claire Bloom. His new best-seller is called "The Night Manager." (Knopf) (REBROADCAST FROM 5

Actor John C. Reilly co-stars in the hit film Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby with Will Ferrell, which will soon be released on video. Probably best known for his association with writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson in the films Hard 8, Boogie Nights and Magnolia, Reilly got his start with the Chicago-based drama troupe The Steppenwolf Theatre. His other films include The Perfect Storm, Dolores Claiborne, The Thin Red Line, Chicago and The Aviator. This interview originally aired on Aug. 7, 2006.

Filmmaker John Huston -- born 100 years ago Saturday, on Aug. 5, 1906 -- made some of cinema's most enduring classics, among them The Maltese Falcon and The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.

As a major retrospective in Los Angeles shows, the modern American artist got us to take a second look at even common objects like numerals, archery targets and, yes, flags.

On his latest album, the guitarist puts his funky jazz-rock stamp on compositions that nod to Al Green, Afro-pop and rhythm & blues, with a couple old collaborators in tow.

Writer John Hodgman expounds on a variety of fascinating and sublimely ridiculous subjects — historical, literary and hobo — in his book The Areas of My Expertise.

Last winter’s “Polar Vortex” has unleashed a particularly harsh allergy season, dubbed “The Pollen Vortex.” Baltimore’s asthma-related deaths are almost…

John McCormack was one of the greatest, most versatile singers of the last century. Not only did the Irish tenor sing famous folk songs like "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling," he also was a much-admired opera singer. Commentator Miles Hoffman and NPR's Bob Edwards offer a special St. Patrick's Day retrospective of McCormack's career. Hear samples of Irish folk songs performed by McCormack.

John Williams was already an established composer when he took on Star Wars. That was long ago and far away, in 1976. Nearly 30 years later, he reflects on his role in the making of a cultural milestone.