Aug 24th, 2008 · The life and presidency of Andrew Jackson was full of contradictions that inspired hatred, pride and reluctant admiration from his countrymen. It also inspired Christopher Hedge to compose a new work about the seventh president, titled Andrew Jackson: The Atrocious Saint.
Jul 9th, 2008 · Led by Shane MacGowan, The Pogues took their multi-cultural musical cues from fellow countrymen The Clash and gave Irish folk music a punk rock spirit. Steve Lillywhite talks with host David Dye about producing the band's third album, If I Should Fall from Grace with God.
Oct 5th, 2007 · Iraqis continue to flee their homes to escape sectarian killings. The Iraqi Red Crescent says more than 2 million people are internally displaced. It struggles to help them with the assistance from U.N. agencies outside the country but support from the Iraqi government is lax.
Jul 7th, 2007 · Rashid Diab's paintings evoke the tragedies of famine and war in his country, but he hopes that they'll bring new energy and optimism to his countrymen.
Jul 7th, 2007 · American composer and master of the march John Philip Sousa not only wowed his countrymen with his musical talents, but also his novels. Literary detective Paul Collins reveals all to Scott Simon on Sousa's other career.
Aug 14th, 2006 · Germany's Nobel prize-winning author Grass has spent his career dissecting the human experience of World War II and his country's Nazi heritage. So his countrymen are shocked by an interview in which Grass says he served in the Waffen SS -- Adolf Hitler's elite Nazi troops.
Jun 23rd, 2006 · Ghanaian writer Meri Danquah says his countrymen are ablaze with pride after their World Cup soccer team defeated the United States on Wednesday. Ghana spent 44 years of trying to qualify for the World Cup. Now it finds itself the only sub-Saharan African country to advance to the next round.
May 16th, 2006 · When the World Cup begins in Germany next month, fans from England will be faced with the task of not being too rude to the host country. Part of the problem: a lingering bitterness about World War II. Years ago, comic actor and writer John Cleese transformed that hatred of all things German into humor on the TV show Fawlty Towers. Now, he's created a song called "Don't Mention the War" to instruct his countrymen how to behave when in the Fatherland.