Book Reviews Episodes
April 18, 2025
The Sisterhood of Ravensbruck. How an Intrepid Band of Frenchwomen Resisted the Nazis in Hitler's all Female Concentration Camp. Talking with author Lynne Olson.
How four young French women who were in the Resistance made a huge impact on the all female concentration camp in Germany.
April 9, 2025
Jim: The Life and Afterlives of Huckleberry Finn's Comrade. Talking with author, Professor Shelley Fisher Fishkin.
Jim teams up with Huckleberry Finn to raft down the Mississippi to freedom: the runaway slave and irreverent scamp are an unlikely duo. But 140 years after the
publication of Twain’s greatest novel, Jim continues to be misunderstood.
Jan. 15, 2025
The Holy Land at War. A journey through Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. Speaking with author Mark Patinkin.
Two months after the October 7th attack by Hamas on a Music Festival and Kibbutz in Israel, Mark Patinkin, a veteran journalist for the Providence Journal, went to Israel to cover firsthand the attack and Gaza War. Unlike major networks or newspapers, Mark’s resources were his experience, persisten…
Jan. 9, 2025
Freeman's Challenge: The murder that shook America's original prison for profit. Talking with Professor Robin Bernstein.
Auburn Correctional Facility, a Max Security Prison, was originally founded in 1816 as a for profit prison. To this day, it still manufactures all the license plates for New York State.
Jan. 12, 2024
2024 the year of global elections. How we vote and how we count the vote. Talking with author Professor Brendan Sullivan.
A math textbook for math phobes. A Civics wrapper with math inside.
Dec. 14, 2023
Our American Experiment: In conversation with Byron Williams
A collection of short stories that illustrate the differences in the African American and White life experience.
July 27, 2023
Centers of Progress: 40 cities that changed the World. Talking to Chelsea Follett of the Cato Institute
When our hunter gatherer ancestors settled in communities they were at their creative, innovative and productive best. Chelsea Follett features 40 cities where human development began.
June 24, 2023
The Struggle for the people's King: How politics transforms the memory of the Civil Rights Movement. Talking with Dr. Hajar Yazdiha
Over the last 40 years political movements have appropriated the Legitimacy of the Civil Right Movement for their own ends. What effect does it have on our collective memory ?
June 13, 2023
The Siberia Job: In conversation with John Kleinheinz
When Russia privatized the 45,000 state owned corporations when Communism and the USR collapsed, every man, woman and child received a privatization voucher. The book recounts the story of a young American investment manager who participated in the process.
June 2, 2023
Pakistan: Origins, Identity and Future. In conversation with Professor Pervez Hoodbhoy
A sweeping review of history, culture and politics of the Muslim people on the Indian Subcontinent.
May 31, 2023
Becoming the Ex-Wife: The Unconventional Life and Forgotten Writings of Ursula Parrott. Talking with author, Professor Marsha Gordon.
Ursula Parrott a famous author from 1929 to the late 1940s and a member of the Lost Generation was largely forgotten but Marsha Gordon is bringing Parrott’s works back to readers.
May 25, 2023
Who killed Jerusalem ? Talking with author George Albert Brown
1970s San Francisco whodunit full of colorful characters with an homage to 18th century poet William Blake.
May 10, 2023
Everyday War: talking with author Greta Uehling.
An intervention how we think about war. War from the civilian perspective. Conscious ways non combatants participate in war.
April 13, 2023
The Rage of Innocence: How America criminalizes Black Youth. Talking with author, Professor Kristin Henning.
The disparate treatment of black versus white youth in the juvenile Justice system is highlighted.
April 5, 2023
Suppressed: Confessions of a former New York Times Washington Correspondent. Talking with author Robert M. Smith.
Bob Smith relates his experience with the Washington Bureau of The New York Times during the Nixon Administration including Watergate.
March 17, 2023
Irene Tsu, star of stage, film and TV. In conversation with Shaun Chang of the Hill Place Movie and TV Blog.
Irene Tsu has over 80 credits to her name and has been active in the entertainment world since the 1960s.
March 9, 2023
The Aftermath: The last days of the Baby Boom and the future of power in America. In conversation with author Philp Bump
The 76 million Baby Boomers born between 1946 and 1964 are retiring and putting pressure on Social Security and housing values. But the Millennials an equally large generation born between 1981 and 1996, have other social, ec...
March 5, 2023
American Midnight: The Great War, a Violent Peace and Democracy's Forgotten Crisis. Talking with author Adam Hochschild.
The 1917 to 1921 period was a time of suppression of rights, lynchings, pandemic and WWI. A stricken President and a failed peace treaty.
Feb. 22, 2023
The Wounded World. In conversation with author Professor Chad L. Williams
W.E.B Du Bois and the African American Experience in the First World War.
Jan. 19, 2023
Spare: Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex. Talking with Shaun Chang of the Hill Place Movie and TV blog.
Prince Harry’s memoir.
Attacks the Royal Family.
Jan. 5, 2023
The Inclusive Economy: How to bring wealth to America's poor. Talking with author and Senior Research Fellow at the Cato Institute, Michael Tanner.
Both a modern history of US poverty programs and a four point prescription to tackle the root causes of poverty.
Dec. 12, 2022
The Black Athlete Revolt: The Sport Justice Movement in the Age of Black Lives Matter. Talking with Associate Professor of Communications, Dr. Shaun Anderson, Loyola Marymount University.
Black athletes using their influence to force social change.
Dec. 7, 2022
Power Failure: The Rise and Fall of an American Icon. In conversation with author William D. Cohan.
New York Times bestselling author William D. Cohan discusses his latest book Power Failure. Bill interviewed three of the last four CEOs of General Electric, among many other insiders, to get a first hand account about the d...
Dec. 1, 2022
"Who hears here. " In conversation with author Dr. Guthrie Ramsey Professor Emeritus of Musicology, University of Pennsylvania.
A conversation about the African American lexicon of music.