Best Of: Life in the Mojave Desert / Director of ‘The Uprising’
Summary
Terry Gross interviews author Claire V. Watkins about her novel *Yellow Pine*, which explores the environmental and personal costs of solar energy development in the Mojave Desert. Watkins also discusses her father’s involvement with the Manson family and her own experiences with postpartum depression. The episode features a review of the film *Filipiana* and an interview with director Paul Greengrass, who discusses his new film *The Uprising* and reflects on his previous work, *United 93*.
Topics discussed
Intro: Sponsorships and episode overview
Sponsor segments: NPR Politics and Planet Money
Claire V. Watkins: Novel 'Yellow Pine' and desert setting
Living in the Mojave: Solar development and ecosystem impact
Activism, nuclear testing, and childhood in the desert
Sponsor break and return to interview
Character Rose: Sacrifice, postpartum depression, and identity
Family history: Charles Manson cult and father's defection
Solitude vs. loneliness and navigating creative comparison
Film review: 'Filipiniana' and class dynamics in the Philippines
Sponsor segments: Through Line and Midi Health
Paul Greengrass: 'The Uprising' and the 1381 Peasants' Revolt
Historical context: Plague, inequality, and the march on London
Reflections on 'United 93' and the 9/11 anniversary
Interviewing 9/11 families and the power of shared tragedy
Greengrass's childhood, seafaring family, and path to filmmaking
Closing remarks and final sponsor segments
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