Author J.G. BALLARD. His novels often deal with the changes affected by modern science and technology. His novel "Crash" (The Noonday Press), originally published in 1973 and out in a new edition, relates these changes to sexually-deviant behavior. The book has been made into a movie by filmmaker David Cronenberg and won an award at the 1996 Cannes Film Festiival. Ballard also wrote the books "Empire of the Sun" and "Concrete Island," among others.Commentator GERALD EARLY tells us why he was unsatisfied with "When We Were Kings" the Oscar-award winning documentary about the classic showdown between Muhammad Ali and George Forman in 1974 in Zaire. 12:58:30 NEXT SHOW PROMO (:29) PROMO COPYOn today's Fresh air -- the winners and losers at the Oscars. Film critic JOHN POWERS talks about last night's Academy Awards. Also-- J.G. BALLARD, author of "Crash," a controversial novel exploring sex and technology, talks with Terry Gross about the source of his ideas for the novel and the inseparable connections he sees between technology and deviant behavior. That and more coming up on Fresh Air.
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