The Genius Behind the Brooklyn Bridge, Elizabeth Mitchell & The Family Band

Photographer Barbara G. Mensch joins us to discuss her book, In the Shadow of Genius: The Brooklyn Bridge and Its Creators. Mensch embarked on a years-long project to photograph this man-made wonder and to learn everything she could about its creators, John, Washington, and Emily Roebling. The culmination of her research includes photographs of parts of the Brooklyn Bridge most people will never see in person and a thorough account of how its creators, John, Washington, and Emily Roebling, struggled, and ultimately succeeded, in its construction.

Two-time Grammy Award nominee and Smithsonian Folkways artist, Elizabeth Mitchell, (at 21:43) and her family band will perform live in-studio. They will also play the Symphony Space on December 8, featuring homespun renditions of songs by Bob Marley, The Velvet Underground, David Bowie, Gillian Welch, and more.

WNYC’s business and culture editor, Charlie Herman, (at 44:17) joins us for this week’s installment of “Charlie for the Culture.” And for the first time ever, we are excited to introduce our "Staff Picks" for what to see and hear this weekend!