On Demand
The Leonard Lopate Show Archive
September 2004
Freedom of Religion
Thursday, September 30, 2004
Our continuing series, Underreported looks at the ways in which international monitoring, foreign policy, and economic allegiances affect the intersection of religion and government policy in countries like Serbia, Turkmenistan, and Belarus. Preeta D. Bansal, the current Chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, discusses religious freedom as an important US foreign policy interest, and Peter G. Danchin, Director of the Human Rights Program at Columbia University, explains the role international organizations play in protecting religious rights. Felix Corley of Forum 18—a Norwegian, Christian news service that monitors religious freedom concerns of all faiths—joins them by phone from London. Next up, Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk on his latest book, Snow. The book is set in a remote Turkish village against the backdrop of religious, political, and deeply personal tensions. Then, author David Suzuki focuses on one Douglas Fir tree in his unusual biography Tree: A Life Story. Finally, Norwegian author Lars Saabye Christensen spins a poignant, carnivalesque portrait of family life in his award-winning novel, The Half Brother.
Breaking Ground
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Daniel Libeskind reflects on the meaning of life and architecture, and reveals some of the behind the scenes struggles of the plans to rebuild the World Trade Center site, in his new book Breaking Ground. Then, Shakespeare scholar Stephen Greenblatt fleshes out the life of the Bard in his latest work, Will in the World. Cynthia Ozick discusses her new novel, Heir to the Glimmering World, and Mona Z. Smith shares her biography of Canada Lee: Becoming Something: The Story of Canada Lee, the Untold Tragedy of the Great Black Actor, Activist, and Athlete.
Heaven and Hell
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Bombay native Suketu Mehta evokes the vastness and vibrancy of his hometown in his latest work of fiction: Maximum City. Then Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson explores the birth and development of the universe in Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution. Writer Eileen Myles, composer Michael Webster, and lead singer Julianna Snapper discuss their musical interpretation of Dante’s Inferno. Their one act opera is titled Hell. And Tom Gleisner extols the virtues of a nonexistent country: Molvania. With Molvania: A Land Untouched by Modern Dentistry, he creates an entirely fictional guidebook dedicated to satirizing budget travel guides.
The Power and the Glory
Monday, September 27, 2004
Alan Schroeder, professor of journalism at Northeastern University, joins Leonard to talk about the confluence of politics and celebrity, and how the images of the candidates will impact the presidential debates. And editor Jonathan Safran Foer and contributor Sarah Vowell imagine a Future Dictionary of America. The book, a new McSweeney’s collection featuring over 150 writers, is intended to forward progressive causes during the 2004 presidential elections. Finally, Norman Sherry discusses his definitive three volume biography of the life and times of Graham Greene.
Man versus Nature
Friday, September 24, 2004
In Bush versus the Environment, Robert Devine argues that the Bush administration is systematically undermining 30 years of environmental protection policies. Lorraine Adams, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist and former Washington Post staff writer, has shifted her attention to literature. Her first novel, Harbor, follows the struggles of a group of young Arab Muslim men as they try to get by in the United States. And director Curtis Clayton, writer Daniel Handler (a.k.a. Lemony Snicket) and actor Bill Pullman discuss Rick, their new film adaptation of the opera Rigoletto.
Popular Science
Thursday, September 23, 2004
Our continuing series, Underreported looks into the relationship between science and the media. We will be talking with Professors Frank N. von Hippel and Steven Pinker about why certain issues make it to the headlines while other urgent scientific concerns are swept to the side. Next, Harvard professor Dr. Howard Gardner evaluates the psychology of swing voters. Then multimedia artist Laurie Anderson and curator Barbara London discuss a new 3-part series at MoMA about how music informs and inspires artwork. Finally, actor Gael Garcia Bernal, director Walter Salles, and screenwriter Jose Rivera, on "The Motorcycle Diaries." The film follows Che Guevara and his friend Alberto Granado along an 8,000-mile, spiritually significant motorcycle journey they took in their youth.
A Breath of Fresh Air
Wednesday, September 22, 2004
Terry Gross, host of NPR’s Fresh Air, takes a turn on the other side of the interview table to talk about All I Did Was Ask—a compendium of her best interviews, and the stories behind them. Then we’ll take a look at how religion and secularism have shaped American history with authors James Carroll and Susan Jacoby. Boston Globe columnist James Carroll’s recent book is titled Crusade: Chronicles of an Unjust War, while Susan Jacoby’s latest book, Freethinkers, examines the long legacy of secularism in America. Next, geneticist Dean H. Hamer argues that belief in God is programmed into our genes, and may have evolutionary advantages, in The God Gene.
Clouded Vision
Tuesday, September 21, 2004
Joel Wit, senior fellow with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and Daniel Poneman, senior fellow with the Forum for International Policy, join us with an update on the North Korean nuclear situation. Then, journalist and author Larry Tye looks back at the historical and cultural significance of the railroads for black workers in the early 20th century. His new book is titled Rising from the Rails: Pullman Porters and the Making of the Black Middle Class. And Trevor Corson delves into the mysteries of our favorite crustaceans in The Secret Life of Lobsters.
Searching for Refuge
Monday, September 20, 2004
Mark von Sponeck, who has just returned from a refugee camp on the Sudanese border, and Musa Hassan who witnessed atrocities committed by the Janjaweed throughout his life in Sudan, join us with an update on the region. In Adams vs. Jefferson, John Ferling investigates the political and constitutional battles that rocked the pivotal presidential election of 1800. Historian Antony Beevor delves into the intriguing life of Olga Chekova—the granddaughter of Anton Chekov, a silent film star in Germany, and a woman of stature in the Nazi party who some think was actually acting as a Russian spy—in his latest book, The Mystery of Olga Chekova. And Journalist Jennifer Beth Cohen recounts her professional and personal experiences in Russia in the late 1990s in her memoir Lying Together: My Russian Affair.
Political Science
Friday, September 17, 2004
John Rennie, editor-in-chief of Scientific American and John Horgan, whose recent article in Science & Spirit magazine examines "The Politics of Science," discuss the role of science policy issues in the upcoming presidential elections. Then Veteran playwright, screenwriter, actor, and film director Peter Sheridan has written his first novel, Every Inch of Her. The book follows the story of a 240-pound, tattooed woman named Philo who charms her way through hardship and touches the lives of everyone she meets. Finally, author T.C. Boyle revisits the world of the pioneering sex researcher Dr. Alfred Kinsey in his latest novel, The Inner Circle.
The Road to Burma
Thursday, September 16, 2004
Our continuing series, Underreported focuses on Burma this week. Since 1962 Burma has been under the rule of a military dictatorship which many human rights organizations claim is among the most repressive regimes in the world. We’ll talk to Robert Templer, International Crisis Group’s Asia Program Director, about the challenges facing Burma, and why he feels US sanctions and other policy efforts have not been effective. Then, Charles Tiefer, former Solicitor of the House of Representatives, argues that the Bush administration is using (and misusing) the law in order to forward a conservative agenda in his new book, Veering Right. We’ll hear from conductor and music professor Maurice Peress about conducting the world premiere of Leonard Bernstein’s Mass, and collaborating with Duke Ellington. His new book is From Dvorak to Duke Ellington. Finally, singer Jane Monheit shows off her exceptional technique and phrasing on her album Taking a Chance on Love.
My Heart Would Know
Wednesday, September 15, 2004
Word maven Patricia T. (You Send Me) O’Conner explores the quirks and characteristics of the English language. Then, Annie Murphy Paul warns of the dangers and inaccuracies of personality tests in her new book The Cult of Personality. Next, Welsh rocker and former Velvet Underground musician John Cale joins us with a live performance in the studio. And he’ll be discussing his first full-length album in eight years: HoboSapiens. Finally, Derek McCormack shares his novella The Haunted Hillbilly--his gothic imagining of the dark side of gay culture in country music.
Power Plays
Tuesday, September 14, 2004
In War and the American Presidency, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Arthur M. Schlesinger offers historical perspective on the Bush administration’s foreign policy strategies, and situates the doctrine of pre-emptive war within the context of presidential power throughout American history. Next, Dr. Marcia Angell, former editor-in-chief of The New England Journal of Medicine, discusses The Truth About the Drug Companies, her indictment of the pharmaceutical industry’s practices. Then, we’ll speak to Susanna Clarke, whose 800-page fantasy novel Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, has been drawing comparisons to the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien and Jane Austen. And biographer Deborah Jowitt uncovers the personal and professional life of legendary choreographer Jerome Robbins.
Chain of Command
Monday, September 13, 2004
The New Yorker’s Seymour Hersh discusses his new book, Chain of Command: The Road from 9/11 to Abu Ghraib--a collection of his The New Yorker articles since 2001. The book includes previously unpublished stories, and discusses the story behind Hersh's renowned investigation of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal. Then Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, co-creator and star of Designing Women (and well-known as a friend of Bill and Hillary Clinton), shares her first novel, Liberating Paris. Next, mountain climber and outdoorsman Aron Ralston. In April 2003 he got his arm trapped behind an 800-pound boulder while hiking in Utah. After realizing that he couldn’t free his arm, and that it was unlikely that anyone would rescue him, he found himself in an excruciating position—he would have to cut off his own hand in order to escape. Finally, we'll talk to renowned dog behaviorist Cesar Millan (host of National Geographic's The Dog Whisperer) about rehabilitating troubled dogs.
The Art of Healing
Friday, September 10, 2004
Guest host Emily Hoffman discusses how the art world has reacted to September 11th with novelist Mary Morris, writer Phillip Lopate, and cartoonist Art Spiegelman. They’ll reflect on how writers and artists respond to tragedy, and how 9/11 has impacted art and literature during the past three years. Then, Paul Goldberger, Pulitzer-prize winner and architectural critic for The New Yorker since 1997, examines the story behind the plans to rebuild lower Manhattan in Up From Zero: Politics, Architecture, and the Rebuilding of NY. Finally, actor John C. Reilly talks about his latest film, Criminal, which co-stars Deigo Luna and Maggie Gyllenhaal, and is based on the Argentine film Nueve Reinas by Fabian Bielinsky.
Net Gains
Thursday, September 09, 2004
Guest host Chris Bannon fills in today for Leonard. This week our “Underreported” segment focuses on Georgia’s internal struggles, and its efforts to regain some of its lost territories. We’ll hear from Andrew Meier, author of Black Earth: A Journey through Russia after the Fall, and Sebastian Smith, journalist and author of Allah's Mountains: Politics and War in the Russian Caucasus. Then Joshua Goldstein argues that war is (and should be) expensive—he estimates that the average American household currently pays $500 each month in taxes to finance war. And these costs only increase the longer war lasts. In The Real Price of War, he argues that increasing war spending now will actually save money later. Bruce Schoenfeld has won two Emmy Awards for his coverage of the Olympics. In his latest book, The Match, he uncovers the historic significance of the friendship between tennis doubles partners Althea Gibson (the first black person to compete in the US Championships) and Angela Buxton (who, as the granddaughter of Russian Jews growing up in England, felt like an outsider herself) in the 1950s. We’ll talk with both Bruce Schoenfeld and Angela Buxton about this important partnership. Finally, director Bill Morrison and composer Michael Gordon discuss their current work, Decasia. The project—currently showing at St. Ann’s Warehouse—combines Morrison’s assemblage of deteriorated, damaged film clips with Gordon’s original score in order to examine the nature of decay.
A Few of My Favorite Things
Wednesday, September 08, 2004
Guest host Jeffrey Toobin explores the intricacies of home repair with Al and Larry Ubell, the gurus of how-to. They’ll be taking listener phone calls at 212-267-WNYC. Then, one decade after the publication of his provocative examination Race Matters, Cornel West argues that American democracy is threatened by free market fundamentalism, aggressive militarism, and escalating authoritarianism in Democracy Matters: Winning the Fight Against Imperialism. Next, Marjane Satrapi joins us to discuss Persepolis 2—the latest installment in her series of autobiographical graphic novels about life as a post-revolution Iranian woman living abroad. And editor Robert Pinsky of the Favorite Poem Project shares his latest anthology, the multimedia collection An Invitation to Poetry.
Running on Empty
Tuesday, September 07, 2004
Guest host Chris Bannon discusses partisan economic policies with Peter G. Peterson, chairman of the Council on Foreign Relations and former Secretary of Commerce under Richard Nixon. In Running on Empty, Mr. Peterson criticizes both Republican and Democratic strategies concerning the economy. Next, we’ll take a look at last week’s terrorist attacks in Russia—the bombings in Moscow and the hostage siege at a school in southern Russia--and their roots in the in the ongoing Chechen conflicts. Then, director Kevin Sim talks about his new documentary for Frontline: Sacred Ground. The film examines the story behind the first year in the rebuilding process of Ground Zero. Filmmaker Jesse Moss discusses his new documentary, Rated R: Republicans in Hollywood. The film explores whether recent events—such as Arnold Schwarzenegger’s entrance into politics, and the success of Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ--have paved the way for a more prominent conservative presence in Hollywood.
Hard Labor
Monday, September 06, 2004
Millions of Americans live so close to the poverty line that even the smallest setback can be catastrophic. Pulitzer Prize-winner and former New York Times reporter David Shipler explains why so many of America’s working poor are stuck in dead-end jobs with little opportunity for advancement. Forensic anthropologist Clea Koff’s work has led her to the sites of some of the worst genocides of human history—including mass graves in Rwanda and parts of the former Yugoslavia. She explains how efforts to exhume bodies in these areas have not only helped to establish the identity of the victims, but have also uncovered evidence of war crimes. And Pulitzer prize-winning New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd joins us to discuss her first book: Bushworld: Enter At Your Own Risk.
O Captain, My Captain
Friday, September 03, 2004
Former New York governor Mario Cuomo names Abraham Lincoln as one of his heroes, and explains why he thinks that Lincoln’s legacy is as relevant as ever. Then Sol Stein shares his memories on the significance of his friendship with James Baldwin. His latest book is titled Native Sons: A Friendship that Created One of the Greatest Works of the 20th Century: Notes of a Native Son. And a discussion with Walter Abish, author of Double Vision. He describes revisiting Vienna as an adult. In 1938, he fled from Nazi-occupied Vienna to Italy, France, and Shanghai, before finally arriving in Israel.
Equatorial Guinea
Thursday, September 02, 2004
This week, our “Underreported” series looks at the attempted coup in Equatorial Guinea, and how it relates to oil production in the region. We’ll hear from Samuel Nguiffo, director of the Center for Environment and Development (CED) in Cameroon, as well as Ibrahim Sundiata, professor of history at Brandeis. Then will talk to director Tobias Pearse about his new film, Persons of Interest. The documentary features a series of personal testimonies from twelve New York area detainees - some held for weeks, others for more than a year - and their family members. Nabil Ayesh, who was detained for a year and seventeen days after September 11th, joins us by phone. Next, we’ll hear from South Asian comedians Vidur Kapur and Vijay Nathan about their show, Laff it Up, at Joe’s Pub. Finally, Touré, a contributing editor to Rolling Stone and the author of the critically-acclaimed collection of short stories The Portable Promised Land, has written his first novel, Soul City. The book follows the story of Cadillac Jackson, a journalist who travels to Soul City to cover a mayoral election, and ends up investigating his own African-American identity and the character of ethnic identity in America.
The Harder They Come
Wednesday, September 01, 2004
Jeffrey Fogel of the Center for Constitutional Rights, and Bruce Bentley, RNC Mass Defense Coordinator, explain the legalities of protest during the Republican National Convention, and update us on how protesters are being treated. Then, according to Middle East scholar Richard W. Bulliet, it’s misleading to think of the relation between Islam and Christianity as a “clash of civilizations.” In his new book, The Case for Islamo-Christian Civilization, he argues that in reality, they have a great deal in common. In 2001, Ann Bancroft and Liv Arnesen, both former schoolteachers, became the first women to cross the Antarctic on foot. In just under three months, they crossed 1700 miles of ice and snow in temperatures as low as 35° below Fahrenheit. Ann Bancroft joins us to discuss their journey and their book, No Horizon is So Far. Then, former NFL player Reggie Rivers shares his novel, 4th and Fixed, in which a bookie and his sidekick fix an entire season of NFL games.
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