Profiling Frank Oppenheimer from NPR Podcast Science Friday

Author K.C. Cole writes about physicist and Exploratorium-founder Frank Oppenheimer in Something Incredibly Wonderful Happens. Cole, a friend of Oppenheimer's, digs into FBI files and personal memories to describe the complex man also called the "Uncle of the Atomic Bomb." Originally broadcast Aug. 7, 2009.

Download the podcast here.

Who is Mrs. Cohen from Hadera, and should Israelis care where she puts her money? from Slate Magazine by Daniel Gross

TEL AVIV, Israel—Amram Aharoni has a serious résumé, but he has the mien of a comedian. On Sunday at the Globes' Israel Business Conference, Aharoni, who teaches investment theory and finance at the Herzliya Interdisciplinary Center, ran through his many qualifications—degrees from Tel Aviv University, a doctorate in finance from New York University, many years of experience in the financial sector—before throwing up his hands. "I'm supposed to be a specialist in the capital markets, but I want to confess that many times I know nothing. How can I not foresee the future and any junior analyst can tell me what's going to happen?" In laying out the modern case against active asset management, Aharoni name-checked the efficient markets hypothesis, Nassim Nicholas Taleb's The Black Swan, and ran through a bunch of gems from the behavioralist playbook (like those surveys that show most people think they're above-average drivers). Aharoni assembled a series of analysts' quotes making foolish and wrong short-term market projections, and displayed a chart showing that out of a few dozen Israeli investment funds, only three beat their benchmark indices over eight years.

Read the full Slate article here.

David Javerbaum from KQED's Forum Podcast

"The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" producer David Javerbaum joins us to discuss his new book, "What to Expect When You're Expected: A Fetus's Guide to the First Three Trimesters." We'll also talk to Javerbaum about his work writing the lyrics for the special "A Colbert Christmas," which was recently nominated for a 2010 Grammy. Javerbaum is also one of three principal authors of the bestselling textbook parody "America: The Book."

Download the podcast here. See also: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Presents Earth (The Book): A Visitor's Guide to the Human Race, The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Presents America (The Book)

Underreported: China's Gulag Prison System (The Leonard Lopate Show: Thursday, 19 November 2009) from Lopate - Underreported by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

President Obama was in China this week and he did speak out on the country’s human rights record. On today’s first Underreported segment, we’re taking a look at China’s expansive prison system, formerly called Laogai. We’ll examine how it was modeled after the Soviet gulag system and the accusations that forced labor is used in the camps. We’ll speak with Harry Wu, founder of the Laogai Research Foundation and Nicole Kempton, who edited the foundation’s book Laogai: The Machinery of Repression in China.

The podcast can be downloaded here, or streamed here.

Abnegate (Dictionary.com's Word of the Day)

1.To refuse or deny oneself; to reject; to renounce.
2. To give up (rights, claims, etc.); to surrender; to relinquish.
Quotes:
An exaggerated veneration for an exceptional individual will allow worshippers "to abnegate responsibility, looking to the great man for salvation or for fulfilment" that we should work out for ourselves.
-- Christina Hardyment, "The intoxicating allure of great men" review of Heroes: Saviors Traitors and Supermen by Lucy Hughes-Hallett, Independent , October 19, 2004
Adrift and divided, lacking intelligent leadership from the White House, the members of Congress have chosen to abnegate their constitutional responsibility in the hope that the blunt, crude mechanism of Gramm-Rudman will compensate for the failure of political will.
-- Evan Thomas, "Look Ma! No hands!'", Time , December 23, 1985
Feed no more blossoms
to the wind, abnegate the constellations,
negate the sea and what is left
of your world? What is left then?
-- Alessandra Lynch, "Excommunication", American Poetry Review , July/August 2003

Read the full entry here. See also: Cleopatra: Histories, Dreams and Distortions, Heroes: A History of Hero Worship, Cleopatra: The First Woman of Power

The Wednesday, November 11, 2009 Charlie Rose Conversation with Malcolm Gladwell

Malcolm Gladwell discusses his latest book "What the Dog Saw: And Other Adventures" CHARLIE ROSE: Malcolm Gladwell is here. He is the bestselling author of "The Tipping Point," "Blink," and "Outliers." After starting his career at the "American Prospect" at "The Washington Post" he moved to "The New Yorker" magazine in 1996. Since then, his unique blend of analysis and storytelling has been widely emulated. Now he has compiled 19 of his favorite "New Yorker" pieces into this single volume. It is called -- what a great title -- "What the Dog Saw." I’m pleased to have him here at the table again. Welcome. MALCOLM GLADWELL: Thank you, Charlie.

See that full interview here. See also: Outliers: The Story of Success, What the Dog Saw: And Other Adventures, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference

"Street style from The Sartorialist" from PRI's The Sound of Young America

Photographs from the popular street fashion photography blog, The Sartorialist, now published in a new book. One of America's most popular fashion bloggers, Scott Schuman is the creator of the street fashion photography blog, The Sartorialist. His new book of the same name collects some of his favorite photos from the blog. His subjects range from Hasidim on the streets of New York to garment industry insiders in Milan. Schuman worked in the fashion industry for some time before picking up a camera. He owned a showroom that sold fashion collections into major department stores. By the time he was a teenager, Schuman knew he wanted to work in fashion, and while he was limited by geography, he was able to pursue his passion through the retail side of the business. "Where I grew up in Indiana, there was no fashion business, there really was no fashion. So, the romantic idea of that world was great. I loved the romance of that kind of idea. I didn't know any designers growing up. I didn't know what that lifestyle was like.

Download The Sound of Young America podcast here. Of course, all of the fashion blogs are ablaze and giddy over the book. For example, the Fashion Bomb blog, blogged this:

So any of my friends will tell you that I have a serious weakness for fashion and literature. My shelves and drawers are overflowing with clothes and tons and tons of books on anything from art and history to fantasy. Whilst perusing the selection at W.H. Smith, a local English bookstore, I was of course driven to distraction by all the amazing offerings in the fashion section. I’ve been a fan of the Sartorialist‘s blog for a long time, and see Scott Schuman at every fashion week. Though I could just as easily look at all his hottest street looks online, I decided to pick up his book…and couldn’t put it down.

Check that post out, here. See also: FASHION BLOGS, Characterising Successful Fashion Blogs and Their Evaluation Metrics, Photo Fashion Book - Rosemount Australian by Fashion Media, Blogs: Slashdot, Blog, Bloggingheads.tv, Xanga, Digg, Gucci Gang controversy, Sousveillance, Fashion blog, EPIC FU, History of blogging

The Twitter Book from Slashdot: Book Reviews by samzenpus

stoolpigeon writes "Microblogging service Twitter has undeniably been a hit, with growth rates that were at times in excess of 1400%. The growth was rapid enough that the site became well known for its periodic, and, at times, extensive downtime. Even with these issues, the service continued to grow rapidly, and with celebrities getting into the mix Twitter was quickly on the radar of mainstream media. The ubiquity of Twitter and ever-increasing coverage of 'tweets' has also brought the inevitable backlash. As with anything that gains high-profile popularity, there are plenty of Twitter haters out there, though the role Twitter has played in the recent Iranian elections seems to have brought more legitimacy to Twitter in the eyes of many. With popularity come books, and quite a few are already out there about and for Twitter, but my favorite so far is The Twitter Book by Tim O'Reilly and Sarah Milstein."

Read the rest of JR's review here.

NYT: Book Review for 10/09/2009 from NYT Book Review

This week, a conversation with Maureen Dowd about Dan Brown's new novel, "The Lost Symbol"; Motoko Rich has notes from the field; Times business reporter Peter Goodman talks about the state of the economy; and Jennifer Schuessler has best-seller news. Sam Tanenhaus is the host.

Download the podcast here. See also: The Lost Symbol, Deception Point

The Wednesday, October 28, 2009 Charlie Rose Conversation with Sam Tanenhaus

CHARLIE ROSE: Sam Tanenhaus is here. He is editor of both the "New
York Times Book Review" and the "Weekend Review" section of the newspaper.
When he is not appraising books, he writes some of his own. His biography
of Whitaker Chambers was a finalist for the National Nook Award and the
Pulitzer Prize.

His latest book is called "The Death of Conservatism." In it he argues
that today’s Republicans have lost their way and need to return to their
intellectual roots. I am pleased to have him back at this table. Welcome.

SAM TANENHAUS, AUTHOR: Great to be here, Charlie.

CHARLIE ROSE: And did this grow out of that "New Republic" piece that
you wrote?

SAM TANENHAUS: It did. I wrote a story, an essay during the first
month of the Obama administration, and the Republicans and the conservative
intellectuals, because the book is really about both, seemed totally lost.

And also it builds on a lot of thinking and writing I’ve done ever
since I started writing about conservatism some 20 years ago.

Read the rest of that transcript here.

Charlie Rose's Tuesday, October 20, 2009 conversation with Madeleine Albright - Former secretary of state Madeline Albright discusses her book "Read My Pins" - Current Affairs, Books

CHARLIE ROSE: Madeleine Albright is here. She became the first woman
to serve as secretary of state. She served in that position during the
Clinton administration. During the 2008 presidential campaign she was an
advisor to Hillary Clinton, who is now secretary of state.

Her latest book is called "Read my Pin, Stories from a Diplomat’s
Jewel Box." I am pleased to have her back at this table, and she will
understand that that we will spend not much time talking about jewelry.

But here’s the cover of the book. And just give me the idea behind
this.

MADELEINE ALBRIGHT: The idea was that I was at the U.N. as secretary
of state. I like pins, and they give signals. And it all began because
Saddam Hussein called me an "unparalleled serpent" and I had a snake pin.
And I thought, this is fun.

So -- but mostly, Charlie, it gives me an opportunity to talk about
foreign policy.

SEE: http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/10680. SEE ALSO: Memo to the President Elect: How We Can Restore America's Reputation and Leadership, The Mighty and the Almighty: Reflections on America, God, and World Affairs, Madam Secretary: A Memoir

Comparing Education in China to the U.S. (The Brian Lehrer Show: Monday, 12 October 2009) from WNYC's Brian Lehrer Show by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

Creativity versus Test-taking? Yong Zhao, professor at the College of Education at Michigan State University compares the Chinese and American education systems with his new book Catching Up or Leading the Way: American Education in the Age of Globalization.

Listen to the podcast show here, download the podcast show here.

"Farmers: What Do You Think Of Pollan's Ideas?" - from NPR's Talk of the Nation

Writer Michael Pollan famously advises eat food, not too much, mostly plants. And don't buy food you've seen advertised on TV. And that's just the kernel of his ideas about the American food industry and American agriculture in his enormously popular books, including his latest, "In Defense of Food." Last month the University of Wisconsin-Madison gave that book to all incoming freshman and urged professors to discuss it in class, which as you might suspect set off a Donnybrook in a heavily agricultural state.

The full transcript from the show, including the podcast can be found here. See also: The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World, Second Nature: A Gardener's EducationA Place of My Own: The Architecture of Daydreams, The Omnivore's Dilemma for Kids: The Secrets Behind What You Eat, A Place of My Own: The Education of an Amateur Builder, Hope Beneath Our Feet: Restoring Our Place in the Natural World (Io Series)

The Wednesday, October 7, 2009 Charlie Rose Conversation with Max Cleland

Vietnam Veteran, Former U.S. Senator and former head of the Veterans Administration, Max Cleland, shares his views on Afghanistan

CHARLIE ROSE: Max Cleland is here. He is, as you know, a decorated
Vietnam War veteran and a former Democratic senator from the great state of
Georgia.

He was head of the Veterans Administration under President Jimmy
Carter. In June, President Obama appointed him secretary of the American
Battle Monuments Commission. It manages all overseas memorials to American
soldiers.

He has a new book out, and it’s called "Heart of a Patriot: How I
found courage to survive Vietnam, Walter Reed, and Karl Rove."

(LAUGHTER)

I am pleased to have Max Cleland at this table. Welcome.

MAX CLELAND: I’m glad to be here.

CHARLIE ROSE: Tell me why you decided to write this.

MAX CLELAND: I did it for me to come to terms with my life.

See the show here, in its entirety.

NPR Books: September 17, 2009 from NPR: Books

Stories in this episode: 1) Writer John Geiger chronicles phantom presences that lead to safety in his new book, 'The Third Man Factor: Surviving the Impossible. 2) Jon Krakauer's latest book sheds new light on the death of NFL player turned soldier Pat Tillman. 3) In Dan Brown's new novel 'The Lost Symbol,' hero Robert Langdon uncovers esoteric mysteries even as he dismisses them.

Download the podcast here. See also: The Lost Symbol, Deception Point, Digital Fortress: A Thriller, The Lost Symbol: Special Illustrated Edition: A Novel

Delectation (Dictionary.com's Word of the Day)

Great pleasure; delight, enjoyment. Quote: At other times she'll get so worked up by some pet poeticism that she forgets she's not writing just for her own delectation. (David Klinghoffer, "Black madonna", National Review , February 9, 1998) Read the full Dictionary.com entry here. See also: Why the Jews Rejected Jesus: The Turning Point in Western History, The Lord Will Gather Me In: My Journey to Jewish Orthodoxy, The John Adams Earbox: A 10-CD Retrospective, The Discovery of God: Abraham and the Birth of Monotheism

Elizabeth Edwards gets grilled from Showbiz Tonight (Video) by CNN

'Showbiz Tonight's' AJ Hammer looks into Elizabeth Edwards getting grilled on 'The View' for her tell-all book! Was it fair?

Download the video here. See also: Saving Graces: Finding Solace and Strength from Friends and Strangers, The Politician: An Insider's Account of John Edwards's Pursuit of the Presidency and the Scandal That Brought Him Down

The Thursday, July 16, 2009 Charlie Rose Conversation with Bob Woodward of The Washington Post

CHARLIE ROSE: And so you said once in a recent interview that you
were searching for the center of gravity about him.

BOB WOODWARD: Yes.

CHARLIE ROSE: What does that mean?

BOB WOODWARD: That means what’s going to define him.

First of all, he’s had no real crisis. He’s inherited all the crises
of the Bush administration, as he says repeatedly, "Not of my making, this
is not of my making." But he doesn’t have or has not yet had his own
crisis. And he’s then going to be defined by that crisis.

Read that full transcript here. See also: The War Within: A Secret White House History 2006-2008, Bush At War, Charlie Rose - Bob Woodward / Bradley Graham (July 16, 2009)

Charlie Rose's Tuesday, July 7, 2009 conversation with author Alistair Horne

CHARLIE ROSE: Sir Alistair Horne is here. He is the acclaimed British historian who
has dedicated himself largely to the history of modern France. He was
knighted for his body of work and was also awarded the French Legion
d’Honneur. His 1977 account of the French defeat in the Algerian war, "A
Savage War of Peace," is definitive work on the subject. As a result of
the Iraq war, that book came to the attention of the U.S. military and was
read by the president.

His latest book is an authorized biography of former Secretary of
State Henry Kissinger in the pivotal year of 1973. It’s called "Kissinger:
1973, A Crucial Year." I’m pleased to have Sir Alistair Horne back at this
table. Welcome.

ALISTAIR HORNE: Thank you, Charlie. Thank you so much.

CHARLIE ROSE: And it’s appropriately dedicated to our great friend,
William Buckley Jr. As you say in the dedication, "to the memory of WFB
Jr., oldest and dearest of friends and a constant encouragement in writing
this book." So, how did Bill Buckley encourage this book?

See: http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/10457. See also: Kissinger: 1973, the Crucial Year, Charlie Rose with Henry Kissinger, Alistair Horne, Thomas Ricks & Andrew Bacevich; Donny George (January 19, 2007), A Savage War of Peace: Algeria 1954-1962 (New York Review Books Classics), The Fall of Paris: The Siege and the Commune 1870-71

Charlie Rose's Thursday, July 2, 2009 conversation with Guillermo del Toro - Movies, TV & Theater, Books - A conversation with director Guillermo del Toro about the book "The Strain"

CHARLIE ROSE: Guillermo Del Toro is here. His films combine science fiction,
fantasy and horror. Over the years, his work has attracted a devoted cult
following. He is known for his rich imagination and his passion for
detail. In 2006, he earned widespread praise for "Pan’s Labyrinth." The
film was an international success and won three Academy Awards.

Here is a look at some of his work.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, I’m on your side.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sure.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: World, here I come.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHARLIE ROSE: Del Toro has co-written his first novel. It is called
"The Strain." It is about one of his favorite topics, vampires. I’m
pleased to have him back at this table. Welcome.

See: http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/10441. See also: The Fall: Book Two of the Strain Trilogy, The Strain (The Strain Trilogy), The Devil's Backbone (Special Edition), Eternal Night

Charlie Rose's Monday, June 8, 2009 conversation with Elie Wiesel - History, Books - Jewish writer, professor, political activist, Nobel Laureate and Holocaust survivor

CHARLIE ROSE: Elie Wiesel is here. He has spent a lifetime teaching and writing
about the Holocaust, calling for acceptance, dialogue, understanding and
memory. He’s been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United
States Congressional Gold Medal and the rank of Grand-Croix in the French
Legion of Honor. I 1986, he won the Nobel Prize for Peace.

He has just returned from Germany, where he visited the Buchenwald
concentration camp with President Obama and German Chancellor Angela
Merkel. Here is a look at what they said there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANGELA MERKEL, GERMAN CHANCELLOR (through translator): We the Germans
are faced with the agonizing question how and why, how could this happen.
How could Germany wreak such havoc in Europe and the world.

BARACK OBAMA: To this day, there are those who insist that the
Holocaust never happened, a denial of fact and truth that is baseless and
ignorant and hateful. This places is the ultimate rebuke to such thoughts.
A reminder of our duty to confront those who would tell lies about our
history.

SEE: http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/10370. SEE ALSO: A Mad Desire to Dance: A Novel, Dawn, The Sonderberg Case, The Night Trilogy: Night, Dawn, Day