Kurt Andersen talks with journalist Laura Blumenfeld, who got back at her father’s would-be assassin in an unusual way — by coming to his defense in court. We’ll learn why people were so afraid of Charles Mingus, and look at paintings of the biblical Judith and Holofernes by the 17th century painter Artemisia Gentileschi. Gentileschi had her own reasons for obsessing over this bloody avenging widow.

Plus, a piece of embroidery that can save your life or limb; and country music legend Billy Joe Shaver, who wrote the book on honky tonk heroes.