Summer Gardens, Whalers of Color, Mythical Monsters and Real Ones, Sci-Fi Recommendations

Summer gardens are sprouting all across the city. But some gardeners may be encountering problems at this pivotal point in the season. Writer and gardener Marie Viljoen, creator of the blog 66 Square Feet and an instructor at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, joins us to discuss tips for keeping summer gardens growing strong and takes listener calls about their plant problems.

Historical accounts of whaling in America often overlook the significance of Black captains and whalers of color. Historian and 2020 Martha’s Vineyard Medal recipient Skip Finley discusses his latest book, Whaling Captains of Color: America’s First Meritocracy, about the history of Black whaling captains on Martha's Vineyard and throughout the United States.

Urban legends, UFOs, and conspiracy theories are all facets of our culture’s fascination with the unusual and inexplicable. And belief in fringe ideas has been rising in recent years. Cultural historian Colin Dickey joins us to discuss his new book, The Unidentified: Mythical Monsters, Alien Encounters, and Our Obsession with the Unexplained.

With the recent attack on a swimmer in Maine, sharks are once again the topic of fear and fascination. We're joined by journalist and shark expert Michael Capuzzo, author of Close to Shore:The Terrifying Shark Attacks of 1916, which chronicles the shark attacks at the Jersey Shore during the summer of 1916, which the film “Jaws” was based on. He discusses the history of shark attacks and the ways scientists and environmentalists respond to these incidents.

Hard times call for escapist films. And what better genre to escape to than science fiction? Vulture staff writer Angelica Jade Bastien discusses the classic, the underrated, and the kookiest sci-fi films available to stream, watch or purchase, as part of our series “Review/Preview.”