Austerity and Tragedy

Resource scarcity is often cited as a reason for military conflicts all over the world, and on today’s show we’ll look at the impact austerity and scarce resources are having on American politics. Shalom Auslander talks about his debut novel Hope: A Tragedy. The latest object in the BBC’s A History of the World in 100 Objects is an ancient stone carving of two lovers embracing. Broadway star Michael Cerveris on his other career as an indie singer/songwriter and guitarist. And, our resident word maven, Patricia T. O’Conner, answers your questions about the English language.