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The Leonard Lopate Show Archive

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July 2007

Dim Sum Done Right

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

On today's show: Ed Schoenfeld, also known as the Chinese Food Curator, tells us just how to go about ordering Chinese food. Also, a British actor explains how he has created over 200 voices for the Harry Potter audiobooks. Then, a writer discusses her novel about a young poet who moves to New York City in the 1970s to teach a poetry workshop for female prisoners. But first, we look at the challenges ex-prisoners face when entering the job market and the chances that they'll end up back in prison.


More Than Meets the Eye

Monday, July 30, 2007

On today's show: Tennis ace James Blake remembers the year he lost his health, his career, and his beloved father, and shares how he got back to playing at the top of his game. Also, a writer discovers that his unassuming Teamster father had a secret enemy: Jimmy Hoffa. And, a globetrotting biologist and single mother describes raising her two boys in rainforests from Peru to Samoa. But first, we'll find out if robots with artificial intelligence are coming soon to a store near you.


Warring Factions

Friday, July 27, 2007

On today's show: A Vanity Fair reporter exposes two C.I.A. psychologists who used their military training to create the torture tactics used at Guantánamo Bay. Also, a new documentary traces bad policy decisions in Washington to their disastrous effects on the ground in Iraq. Then, an Iraqi writer discusses his debut novel about life under Saddam Hussein. And on this week's Please Explain, we put aside Harry Potter to learn the truth about magic, witchcraft, and wizardry.


Hippies Revisited

Thursday, July 26, 2007

On today's Leonard Lopate Show: a look at the legacy of the 1960s counterculture. But first, on this week's Underreported we'll look at Kosovo: the dire situation on the ground and Russia's efforts to block independence. Then: we'll reconsider the career and life of Doris Day. Plus, Linda Thompson talks about her new album, her second in 22 years.


On the Road: China Edition

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

On today’s show: NPR's Rob Gifford discusses his 3,000 mile journey through China and the ordinary people he met along the way. Then: Billy Joe Shaver explains why he’s released a spiritual album. Also, Yale Law professor and writer, Stephen L. Carter talks about his second novel. Plus, word maven Patricia T. O’Conner explains how new words get into the dictionary.


The Language Instinct

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

On today’s show: what recent research reveals about the origins of language. Then: the history of Sierra Leone and its bloody civil war told through the letters of the ordinary people themselves. Also, we’ll look at one sheik’s grandiose dream to build a lavish capital city in his United Arab Emirates desert kingdom. And on this month’s Backstory, a look at the complex history of Iranian-American relations.


The Devil You Know

Monday, July 23, 2007

On today's show: two documentary filmmakers and a photographer take us inside the genocide in Darfur, and explain what we can do to help the Sudanese people. Then: the life and times of Nancy Cunard, heiress, artist, and humanitarian. Next, a debut collection of short stories explores themes of motherhood, love, and loss. And a journalist exposes the underbelly of China’s new economy by following the story of a self-made billionaire gangster who eluded Chinese authorities for years.


More Moore

Friday, July 20, 2007

Almost a quarter of American consumers have had a legitimate claim denied by their health insurer. Now Michael Moore's film "SiCKO" has reignited the debate over universal, single-payer coverage in the United States. Michael Moore joins Leonard today to answer his critics. Also: a look at Williams Syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that's characterized by a lack of social inhibitions. Musician Nick Lowe shares his new album, "At My Age." And we'll talk to a swimmer who raises awareness about polluted rivers by swimming in them.


Trying To Survive

Thursday, July 19, 2007

On today's Underreported: a look at the 2004 massacre of hundreds of Congolese Tutsi refugees, and how the survivors are adjusting to a new life in the United States. Also, more about Iraq's health care crisis. Then: how the concept of childhood has changed around the world in the past 150 years. We'll hear the music of a young Indian-American tabla artist. And TIME magazine's Baghdad Bureau Chief Bobby Ghosh talks about four years of covering the Iraq war.


Nixon, Castro, and Other Legacies

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

On today's show: how the 1977 Frost/Nixon interviews helped cement Richard Nixon's political legacy. Then: Fidel Castro and his brother Raul attended a Jesuit school named Dolores that educated Cuba's elites until the revolution. Most of their former classmates are now in exile. We'll look into the divergent paths of Dolores alumni. Also, Lore Segal's new story collection. And TV critic Bill Carter shares his predictions for the future of the network news, and whether Katie Couric has a chance.


May the Best Cheese Win

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

On today's show: a cheese taste-off between France and the USA. American cheesemakers' reputations have lagged behind the French, but with a cheese renaissance happening in states like Vermont and Wisconsin, the Americans might be catching up. Then, a look at the diversity of Indian cuisine, beyond saag paneer and naan. Also, new archaeological details about Petra, which was the capital of a powerful Middle Eastern trading empire 2,000 years ago. And Robert Novak on his 50 year career covering politics in Washington, DC.


Storms and Ghosts

Monday, July 16, 2007

The CIA has buried some of its biggest blunders in top-secret archives. On today's show: find out how the CIA's worst mistakes have shaped history. Also, a look back at a 1974 tornado storm that left hundreds of Americans dead. A new novel set in 17th century China. And a visit from director Milos Forman. His new film, "Goya's Ghosts," is set in Spain and stars Javier Bardem and Natalie Portman.


Nothing More Than Feelings

Friday, July 13, 2007

Emotions influence everything from which movies we see to how we vote. On today's show: how emotions play into politics...and what candidates need to do to win over voters' hearts. Also, a look at how Queen Elizabeth I managed to keep the British economy afloat through naval exploration. We'll hear about a new play based on the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. And Please Explain is all about the chemistry and history of birth control.


Iraq's Health Care Meltdown

Thursday, July 12, 2007

In Iraq's hospitals, there are not enough medicines to go around, and some patients have even been murdered in their beds. On today's Underreported: how Iraq's health care system is coping with the victims of daily violence there. Then, Vanessa Redgrave talks about the life and work of her late husband Tony Richardson. Steve Buscemi and Sienna Miller pay tribute to murdered Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh. And we'll look into how tacit support of Saddam Hussein's chemical attacks in the 1980s has come back to haunt the West.


Movie Magicians

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Hans Blix was in charge of monitoring Iraq’s weapons for the United Nations in 2003. Now, as North Korea and Iran continue to develop nuclear weapons programs, he shares his ideas for stopping the spread of nuclear weapons throughout the world. Also: a look at the latest Harry Potter film, and why it can be so difficult to turn a fanatically beloved book into a movie. And the Gurus of How-To, Alvin and Larry Ubell, answer your home repair questions.


A World Without Humans

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

If humans disappeared from Earth overnight, how long would it take to erase the marks we've made on the planet? On today's show, we'll hear some estimates on how soon NYC's subway tunnels would flood and skyscrapers would crumble. Also, two Californians talk about how moving to Italy has changed their lives. We'll find out about what led to the urban rebellion in 1967 Newark that left 26 dead and 725 injured. Plus: why J. Edgar Hoover's career took off after he led the notorious Palmer Raids.


Hitler's Secret Plot

Monday, July 09, 2007

On today's show: find out about Adolf Hitler's secret plot to seize the Vatican and kidnap Pope Pius the XII. Then, a look at why it's so hard to predict the future, even though we try each time we check the weather forecast or get an insurance policy. We'll also hear how one man made and lost 4 million dollars as a typesetter. And Tina Brown explains why she thinks Princess Diana was the best thing to happen to the British royals since the restoration of Charles II.


New Jersey State of Mind

Friday, July 06, 2007

We're in a New Jersey state of mind. On today's show: three writers and guest host Julie Burstein (all native New Jersey-ites) try to make sense of their home state's mixed reputation. We'll also find out why the construction of New Jersey's Pulaski Skyway caused a major political power struggle in the early 20th century. Then, a comic novel that follows three high school students through the college application process, from SATs the rejection letters. And today's Please Explain is all about smell.


How to Boil an Egg

Thursday, July 05, 2007

What happens when you boil an egg? What makes white meat white? On today's show, the guru of molecular gastronomy solves the mysteries of kitchen science with guest host Julie Burstein. Then, one man chronicles his stormy lifelong love affair with the guitar. Actress Brenda Blethyn talks about her latest role in an Australian comedy. Plus: how graphic design affects nearly every aspect of our lives. Graphic design expert Michael Bierut will be on hand to answer your questions about logos, packaging, and fonts.


The Game Within the Game

Wednesday, July 04, 2007

Seven-time NBA All-Star Walt Frazier says that baskeball has taken a turn for the worse since he retired in 1980. On today's show, Frazier explains how the game has changed, from bigger athletes to multi-million dollar deals. Also: the letters of muckraking journalist Jessica Mitford. Then a former Peace Corps volunteer talks about her two years working with a midwife in a remote village in Mali. And a look at whether the current foster care system is setting up kids to fail. Each year, tens of thousands of teenagers are released from the foster care system without high school degrees or strong family relationships.


Size Matters

Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Several surveys have found that tall people earn more money. Each extra inch may be worth $1000 a year. On today's show, we'll look into how physical size relates to success and happiness. Also: neo-klezmer bluegrass music from Andy Statman. Counterculture icon David Crosby explains how he's survived an eventful and difficult life. And we'll hear the life stories of two women who survived the Holocaust.


Borderline Personality Disorder

Monday, July 02, 2007

On today's show: the history of western involvement in Iraq, from Churchill to Kennedy to George W. Bush. Also, the latest novel from Martin Amis. Then we'll find out why many women have a complex relationship with their finances. Plus: all about Borderline Personality Disorder. More Americans suffer from BPD than either bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, but few know much about it.