WNYC's Leonard Lopate Show

Liberate and Leave (The Leonard Lopate Show: Monday, 13 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 05:00 GMT

Don Eberly, who was a senior official at USAID during the lead-up to the Iraq invasion and then served on a post-war civil administration team for two years, gives an insider’s account of what happened in Iraq following the invasion. His book is Liberate and Leave: Fatal Flaws in the Early Strategy for Postwar Iraq.

Branch Rickey (The Leonard Lopate Show: Monday, 13 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 05:00 GMT

Branch Rickey was not much of a player or manager, but he ended up revolutionizing baseball: He created the farm system, allowing small-market clubs to compete with the rich and powerful, then, he signed Jackie Robinson and other black players to the Brooklyn Dodgers, bringing baseball to the forefront of the civil rights movement. Lee Lowenfish gives a detailed portrait of a man who influenced American business, sport, and society in Branch Rickey: Baseball’s Ferocious Gentleman.

The Baseball Talmud (The Leonard Lopate Show: Monday, 13 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:47 GMT

Howard Megdal gives a historical narration of Major League Jewish Baseball in America, with all the stats, facts, stories, and glory. He also uses modern sabermetrics to determine the greatest Jewish players at each position, who would be on an all-time Jewish All-Star Team, and how that team would rate against the greatest teams in baseball history in his book The Baseball Talmud.

Phillip Lopate's Essays (The Leonard Lopate Show: Monday, 13 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:44 GMT

Phillip Lopate, Leonard's brother, discusses brotherhood and his essay in the anthology Brothers: 26 Stories of Love and Rivalry. He'll also discuss his series of essays on the achievements and limitations of Susan Sontag, looking at her significance to him personally and to the culture at large, in his book Notes on Sontag.

Hazel Dukes and the NAACP (The Leonard Lopate Show: Friday, 10 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:46 GMT

Hazel Dukes, President of the NAACP New York State Conference, discusses the one hundredth anniversary of the NAACP, the organization’s history and future, and its centennial convention to be held in New York, July 11-16.

You can read WNYC's news blog on the NAACP centennial here.

Yoo-Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg (The Leonard Lopate Show: Friday, 10 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 05:00 GMT

Before "The Cosby Show," "Good Times," or even "I Love Lucy," there was "The Goldbergs." From 1929 until 1955, it was one of the most popular shows on radio and television. Aviva Kempner, director of the documentary "Yoo-Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg," looks at the show's star, Gertrude Berg, the American Jewish heroine who emerged during the most difficult years for American Jews. She's joined by Adam Berg, Gertrude Berg's grandson.

"Yoo-Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg" is playing in New York at Lincoln Plaza Cinemas and the Quad Cinema.

Relationship Obits (The Leonard Lopate Show: Friday, 10 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 05:00 GMT

Kathleen Horan founded relationshipobit.com when a big breakup was followed two weeks later by the death of her father. Her new book, Relationship Obits: The Final resting Place for Love Gone Wrong is a collection of obituaries of love affairs that have died.

Share a relationship obituary in the comments section below.

Please Explain: Plastic Surgery (The Leonard Lopate Show: Friday, 10 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:25 GMT

On today's Please Explain, we’ll look at plastic surgery, from liposuction to Botox to rhinoplasty, and what happens when someone goes under the knife to improve his or her appearance. We'll be joined by Dr. Robert Grant, Chief of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at New York Presbyterian Hospital and by Dr. Reza Jarrahy Assistant Professor in the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at UCLA.

G8 Expectations (The Leonard Lopate Show: Thursday, 09 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:09 GMT

The leaders of the world's richest economies have gathered in L'Aquila, Italy to discuss problems they all face, including the economic slump and climate change. John Peet, European editor of the Economist, joins us to look at what’s come out of the G8 meeting so far and what we can expect on the summit's final day.

From Russia with Love (The Leonard Lopate Show: Thursday, 09 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 05:00 GMT

Before President Obama went to Italy, he headed to Russia. We look at what came out of Obama's visit and what the meeting means for both countries with Steven Cohen, contributing editor to the Nation and author of Soviet Fates and Lost Alternatives: From Stalinism to the Cold War. Plus, we'll find out the role that Russia is playing the ongoing G8 summit.

Shrek the Musical (The Leonard Lopate Show: Thursday, 09 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:57 GMT

David Lindsay-Abaire, who wrote the book and lyrics, and Jeanine Tesori, who wrote the music for "Shrek the Musical," talk about the Broadway production, based on the story and characters from William Steig's book Shrek!, as well as the DreamWorks Animation film "Shrek," the first of the "Shrek" movie series. "Shrek the Musical" is playing at the Broadway Theatre. More information and tickets here.

King of Vodka (The Leonard Lopate Show: Thursday, 09 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 05:00 GMT

Linda Himelstein depicts Russia's golden age through the eyes of the former serf-turned vodka entrepreneur, Pyotr Arsenievich Smirnov. Her book King of Vodka: The Story of Pyotr Smirnov and the Upheaval of an Empire tells his story, from his early days as a small-time liquor peddler to one of Russia's richest men.

Underreported: Pakistan's Humanitarian Crisis (The Leonard Lopate Show: Thursday, 09 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 05:00 GMT

The Pakistani government's campaign against Taliban insurgents has created over 2 million internally displaced refugees in Pakistan. On today's Underreported we'll speak with Dominic MacSorley, who recently returned from Mardan District in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province. He is Director of Operations of Concern Worldwide USA.

Backstory: Coups in Central America (The Leonard Lopate Show: Thursday, 09 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 05:00 GMT

Though the recent coup in Honduras is the first to take place in Central America since the end of the Cold War, the incident is part of a long history of political upheaval and military-sponsored coups in the region. On today's Backstory we'll put the turmoil in Honduras into historical and political context with Stephen Schlesinger. He’s an adjunct fellow at the Century Foundation and the former Director of the World Policy Institute at the New School.

The Unhealthy Truth (The Leonard Lopate Show: Wednesday, 08 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 05:00 GMT

In her book The Unhealthy Truth, Robyn O'Brien argues that deregulation of the American food industry has allowed major corporations to put inexpensive- but harmful- chemicals and additives into our food which adversely affect our health.

French New Wave Cinema at 50 (The Leonard Lopate Show: Wednesday, 08 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:40 GMT

The Museum of Arts and Design and Museum of the Moving Image are collaborating on a new film series celebrating the 50th anniversary of the French New Wave. The series, entitled French New Wave Essentials, will present the best and most influential films of this period. David Schwartz is the chief curator of the Museum of the Moving Image and Brian MacFarland is Associate Vice President of the Museum of Arts & Design.

More information on screenings here.

Border Songs (The Leonard Lopate Show: Wednesday, 08 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:10 GMT

Jim Lynch's new novel Border Songs examines the strange culture of a US-Canada border town through the character Brandon Vanderkool, a dyslexic six-foot-eight border agent who is unusually adept at spotting drug smugglers and illegal immigrants.

Event: Jim Lynch will be reading and signing books
Wednesday, July 8, at 7:00 pm
McNally Jackson Books
52 Prince Street

The Gurus of How-To (The Leonard Lopate Show: Wednesday, 08 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 05:00 GMT

Al & Larry Ubell answer your questions on home repair. Call 212-433-9692 with your questions, or leave a comment below.The Ubells' Accurate Building Inspectors website

Charlie Savage on Presidential Power (The Leonard Lopate Show: Tuesday, 07 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 05:00 GMT

In recent weeks President Obama has come under fire from civil libertarians for reports that his administration is drafting plans to detail terrorism suspects indefinitely. Charlie Savage of the New York Times takes a look at how much power the President claims he has and how that compares to his predecessor. Mr. Savage is the author of Takeover: The Return of the Imperial Presidency.

Update on Honduras (The Leonard Lopate Show: Tuesday, 07 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:06 GMT

We'll speak with Miami Herald foreign correspondent Frances Robles, who is in the Honduran capital, Tegucigalpa, about the ongoing turmoil in Honduras after a coup removed President Manuel Zelaya from power.

Goat Song (The Leonard Lopate Show: Tuesday, 07 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:06 GMT

Novelist Brad Kessler talks about leaving New York City for a life raising dairy goats. In Goat Song: A Seasonal Life, A Short History of Herding, and the Art of Making Cheese, he describes how he learned to be a cheese maker, what it's like to raise animals, and how he adapted to farm life.

Toward a New Understanding of Animals (The Leonard Lopate Show: Tuesday, 07 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:06 GMT

Charles Siebert explores how humans can inflict mental disorders on animals, particularly great apes. In his book The Wauchula Woods Accord: Toward a New Understanding of Animals, he looks at how the approximately 3,000 chimps in this country, including performers and research laboratory subjects, are likely to be severely traumatized by their captivity and treatment. He visits Center for Great Apes near Wauchula, Florida, a state-of-the-art sanctuary, where he meets Roger, a chimp who seems like he recognizes Siebert.

Maya Lin (The Leonard Lopate Show: Tuesday, 07 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 18:51 GMT

The artist and architect Maya Lin talks about her career, from designing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., to her latest earth sculpture, Storm King Wavefield, her design for the new Museum of Chinese in America, and other projects. Find out more about Maya Lin and her work here.

Maya Lin: Bodies of Water is on view at Storm King Art Center, in Mountainville, NY, through November 15.
Maya Lin: Systematic Landscapes is on view at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., through July 12.

It Came from Wasilla (The Leonard Lopate Show: Monday, 06 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:38 GMT

Vanity Fair national editor Todd Purdum on how the John McCain–Sarah Palin campaign, a match that seemed so right, ended up going so wrong. His article "It Came from Wasilla" is in the August issue of Vanity Fair.

The Art of Making Money (The Leonard Lopate Show: Monday, 06 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 05:00 GMT

Jason Kersten discusses Art Williams, a counterfeiter who managed to defeat the security features of the 1996 hundred dollar bill, the most secure bill ever made, creating at a bill so perfect that even law enforcement had difficulty distinguishing it from the real thing. In his book, The Art of Making Money, Kersten describes the centuries-old art of counterfeiting, how Williams mastered it, and what led to his undoing.

Event: Jason Kersten will be reading and signing books
Tuesday, August 11th, at 7:00 pm
Barnes & Noble in Park Slope
267 7th Avenue, Brooklyn

Tears in the Darkness (The Leonard Lopate Show: Monday, 06 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 05:00 GMT

Michael Norman, a former New York Times reporter, and Elizabeth Norman, author of Women at War, give a gripping account of the 1942 battle for the Bataan peninsula in the Philippines, the surrender of 76,000 Americans and Filipinos to the Japanese, and the infamous Bataan Death March. Their book Tears in the Darkness: The Story of the Bataan Death March and Its Aftermath focuses on American POW Ben Steele, whose sketches are included in the book.

Heavy Rotation (The Leonard Lopate Show: Monday, 06 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:45 GMT

Peter Terzian, editor of the anthology Heavy Rotation, and two of the collection's contributors--Martha Southgate and Joshua Ferris --talk about the unique and essential relationship between life and music and talk about the record albums that have inspired them.

Event: Peter Terzian and other contributors to Heavy Rotation will be a reading and signing books
Tuesday, July 14 at 7:00 pm
McNally Jackson Bookstore
52 Prince Street

Jim Lehrer (The Leonard Lopate Show: Friday, 03 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 05:00 GMT

You may know Jim Lehrer as a PBS news anchor, but did you also know that he is a prolific novelist? His latest work of fiction mixes baseball, World War Two and romance. It’s called Oh, Johnny.

Retrofitting Suburbia (The Leonard Lopate Show: Friday, 03 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 05:00 GMT

Architects Ellen Dunham-Jones and June Williamson explain how existing suburbs can be redesigned and redeveloped in their book Retrofitting Suburbia.

Ursula K. Le Guin (The Leonard Lopate Show: Friday, 03 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 05:00 GMT

Novelist Ursula K. Le Guin's latest book Lavinia gives voice to a character who gets a very brief mention in Virgil's "Aeneid." The story follows Lavinia as she grows up in ancient Rome and is eventually confronted by a fleet of Trojan ships.

Pavlov’s Hot Dog (The Leonard Lopate Show: Friday, 03 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 05:00 GMT

Former FDA Commissioner Dr. David A. Kessler looks at the ways we've been conditioned to overeat unhealthy foods in his book The End of Overeating.

Unquenchable (The Leonard Lopate Show: Thursday, 02 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:00 GMT

Robert Glennon reports on our looming water-supply crisis. His book Unquenchable: America's Water Crisis and What to Do About It, documents present and future water crises being caused by the massive water consumption for agriculture, power generation, industry, and homes has led to reduction of groundwater and is threatening rivers and many of the nation's lakes.

Satchel Paige (The Leonard Lopate Show: Thursday, 02 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:00 GMT

Boston Globe reporter Larry Tye offers the first biography on Satchel Paige, the premier pitcher of the Negro Leagues, and one of the finest pitchers ever, who finally was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971. Satchel: The Life and Times of an American Legend covers Paige’s hardscrabble upbringing in Jim Crow Alabama to his time with the Monarchs, one of the powerhouses black teams in segregated baseball.

Tall World (The Leonard Lopate Show: Thursday, 02 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:40 GMT

Six-foot-three-inch tall Arianne Cohen takes us on a tour of Tall World. In The Tall Book, she travels from endocrinologists' offices to the annual European Tall Club Convention, and meets the tallest couple in the world to unlock the mysteries about tallness.

Underreported: The Latest on Honduras (The Leonard Lopate Show: Thursday, 02 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:37 GMT

Honduras is still in turmoil four days after a coup removed President Manuel Zelaya from power. We'll get the latest on the situation from Americas editor for the Economist magazine Mike Reid from London and New York Times Mexico City Bureau Chief Marc Lacey from Honduras.

You can read Marc's latest article for the Times here

Underreported: The Honduran Coup and the Media (The Leonard Lopate Show: Thursday, 02 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:23 GMT

In the aftermath of last Sunday's coup in Honduras, there has been a massive media crackdown on reporters and organizations that are not seen as favorable to the new government. We’ll get the latest from Miami Herald foreign correspondent Frances Robles who is in the Honduran capital, Tegucigalpa.

You can read Frances's article on press censorhip in Honduras here

Underreported: GE Benefits from Bank Bailout (The Leonard Lopate Show: Thursday, 02 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:37 GMT

On this week’s Underreported, find out how GE, the world’s largest industrial company, has used a loophole to benefit from a government rescue program that's aimed at helping banks. ProPublica senior reporter Jeff Gerth explains how the loophole has helped GE get the money while avoiding many of the program’s restrictions.

Read the Washington Post article co-written by Jeff Gerth here.

The Hurt Locker (The Leonard Lopate Show: Wednesday, 01 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 05:00 GMT

Screenwriter Mark Boal and director/producer Kathryn Bigelow discuss "The Hurt Locker," a suspenseful portrait of the military’s bomb squad technicians. This heart-pounding look at the effects of combat and danger on the human psyche is based on the first-hand observations of Mark Boal, who was embedded with a special bomb unit in Iraq. "The Hurt Locker" is playing in New York at Landmark Sunshine and AMC Lincoln Square.

Crossing Heaven's Border (The Leonard Lopate Show: Wednesday, 01 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:34 GMT

Aaron Brown, anchor of Wide Angle, the international documentary series on PBS, discusses "Crossing Heaven's Border," a documentary examining the plight of North Korean refugees who attempt to escape Kim Jong Il's repressive regime. "Crossing Heaven’s Border" airs Wednesday, July 1, at 10:00 pm on PBS.

Blood, Sweat, and Gears (The Leonard Lopate Show: Wednesday, 01 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:35 GMT

Director Nick Davis on his documentary "Blood Sweat + Gears: Racing Clean to the Tour de France," which follows the journey of an American cycling team seeking to compete in its first Tour de France, the epic French bicycle race that covers over 3,500 kilometers in 22 grueling days. "Blood Sweat + Gears" is playing on the Sundance Channel through July 25.

Watching Iran (The Leonard Lopate Show: Wednesday, 01 July 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:53 GMT

What is it like to watch your country go up in flames from afar, torn apart by political dissension? Roya Hakakian, an Iranian who lives in political asylum here in the United States and is the author of Journey from the Land of No, and Azar Nafisi, author of Things I’ve Been Silent About and Reading Lolita in Tehran, join us to offer their perspectives on what's happening in Iran.

Azar Nafisi was on teh Leonard Lopate Show in January to discuss Things I've Been Silent About. You can listen to the interview here.

Cooking with What You Have on Hand with Julie Powell (The Leonard Lopate Show: Tuesday, 30 June 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:38 GMT

Hold off on that take-out tonight. You can cook a delicious meal with ingredients you already have in your kitchen. Part four of our Food in the City series continues with Julie Powell. She's the author of Julie and Julia, which is set to be released as a major motion picture. Julie will offer tips on how to cook cheap and easy meals using what you already have on hand.

Julie's adapted recipe for Spanish Tortilla with Peppers and Chipotle Mayo

4 eggs
2 potatoes
1 Anaheim chile
1/2onion
3 tablespoons olive oil + 2 tablespoons olive oil for later
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 jarred chipotle chile
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Peel potatoes and slice as thinly as possible.
Slice onions into thin half rounds.
Saute onions and potatoes until softened but not brown.
Lightly beat eggs, adding a dash of water or broth, and salt & pepper to taste. Toss potato mixture with eggs and let sit 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, char pepper over gas flame or under broiler. Let sit in a covered bowl for 5 minutes, then scrape off charred skin. Split open, take out the seeds, and dice the chile. Toss in with the egg potato mixture.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons in skillet over medium high heat. Pour mixture into skillet, cook without stirring until top is still quite wet but set, running spatula beneath to keep from sticking. Place a plate atop the skillet and flip tortilla onto it, then slip it back on the skillet to brown the other side, just a couple of minutes. Slide onto plate.

To make chipotle pepper, simply chop up pepper and mix into mayonnaise. Dollop atop tortilla and serve.

Serves 4

Watching What We Eat (The Leonard Lopate Show: Tuesday, 30 June 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 05:00 GMT

Chefs have been on TV long before the Food Network. Kathleen Collins traces the history of food television shows and the rise of celebrity chefs in her book Watching What We Eat.

Spinning Between the Towers (The Leonard Lopate Show: Tuesday, 30 June 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:08 GMT

On an August morning in 1974 a mysterious tightrope walker suspended himself between the Twin Towers. That event has become the backdrop for Colum McCann's latest novel Let the Great World Spin.

Events: Colum McCann will be reading and signing books
Tuesday, June 30, at 7:00 pm
Barnes & Noble Union Square
33 East 17th Street

Colum Mc Cann will be reading and signing books
Thursday, July 2 at 7:00 pm
BookCourt
163 Court Street
Brooklyn

Master of War (The Leonard Lopate Show: Tuesday, 30 June 2009)

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:25 GMT

Suzanne Simons takes us on a first-ever inside look at Blackwater USA, the world's largest private military contractor, and takes a close look at its founder, Erik Prince. Her book Master of War: Blackwater USA’s Erik Prince and the Business of War reveals that Blackwater USA, now called Xe, is just one of Erik Prince's private security contracting businesses.