The Anti-Vaccine Movement from WNYC's Leonard Lopate Show by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

Dr. Paul A. Offit, Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases and Director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and a founding advisory board member of the Autism Science Foundation, discusses the debate over vaccines and why the link between autism and vaccines has been discredited. His book Deadly Choices: How the Anti-Vaccine Movement Threatens Us All explains the origins of the anti-vaccine movement and how it has affected public health. Listen to the podcast.

Lockheed Martin and the Military-Industrial Complex from WNYC's Leonard Lopate Show by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

January 17th marks the 50th anniversary of President Dwight Eisenhower’s famous speech on the military-industrial complex. William Hartung, director of the New America Foundation’s Arms and Security Initiative, discusses the history of Lockheed Martin—the nation's largest weapons contractor. His book Prophets of War traces the company's rise from military aircraft manufacturer in WWI, to a major supplier of fighters and bombers for the Allies in WWII, to corporate behemoth with a major role in setting American foreign policy. Listen to the podcast.

Backstory: Post-Soviet Moldova from WNYC's Leonard Lopate Show by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

The year 2011 marks the 20th anniversary of Moldova—a nation created after the break-up of the Soviet Union and the subsequent reshuffling of borders. On this week's Backstory, Charles King, Professor of Government and International Affairs at Georgetown University, discusses Moldova's struggle to define itself. He's the author of the book The Moldovans: Romania, Russia, and the Politics of Culture, and of Odessa: Genius and Death in a City of Dreams, to be published in February. Listen to the podcast.

Backstory: Post-Soviet Moldova from Lopate - Underreported by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

The year 2011 marks the 20th anniversary of Moldova—a nation created after the break-up of the Soviet Union and the subsequent reshuffling of borders. On this week's Backstory, Charles King, Professor of Government and International Affairs at Georgetown University, discusses Moldova's struggle to define itself. He's the author of the book The Moldovans: Romania, Russia, and the Politics of Culture, and of Odessa: Genius and Death in a City of Dreams, to be published in February. Download the podcast here.

Underreported: DNA Databases, Crime & Civil Liberties from Lopate - Underreported by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

The use of forensic DNA databanks by law enforcement has exploded since the mid 1990s. We’ll examine the implications widespread stockpiling of genetic information has for criminal investigations and civil liberties. We’ll speak with Tufts University professor Sheldon Krimsky and former ACLU science advisor Tania Simoncelli, co-authors of the book Genetic Justice: DNA Data Banks, Criminal Investigations, and Civil Liberties.

Download the podcast here. View The Leonard Lopate Show webpage on this story, here.

"Please Explain: Wool" from The Leonard Lopate Show

This cold weather has caused many of us to pull out our wool sweaters for extra warmth, and for this week’s Please Explain we’re talking about wool—and the process of gathering and using wool, from the sheep to the sweater! Clara Parkes, author of The Knitters Book of Wool: The Ultimate Guide to Understanding, Using, and Loving this Most Fabulous Fiber and The Knitter's Book of Yarn: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing, Using, and Enjoying Yarn, and Dr. Christopher Lupton, Professor, The Bill Sims Wool and Mohair Research Laboratory, Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center, join us to discuss the subject.

"Please Explain" is a great segment of The Leonard Lopate Show; you should check this webpage out, on wool. See also: Magic Wool: Creative Activities With Natural Sheep's Wool, Wool Toys and Friends: Step-by-Step Instructions for Needle-Felting Fun, Spinning Wool: Beyond the Basics

"The Lost Soul of Higher Education" from The Leonard Lopate Show

Historian Ellen Schrecker discusses the current battles over higher education, the challenges to academic freedom, and the rapidly changing structure of American Universities. Her book The Lost Soul of Higher Education: Corporatization, the Assault on Academic Freedom, and the End of the American University looks at the effects of ideological assaults on academic freedom and decades of eroding higher education budgets.

This WNYC Radio webpage will update shortly, with the podcast (after it's aired). See also: Excellence Without a Soul: How a Great University Forgot Education

Patricia T. O'Conner on Holiday Words from Lopate - Underreported by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

Our word maven Patricia T. O'Conner discusses holiday words and answers questions on the confounding and colorful English language. An updated and expanded third edition of her book, Woe is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English, has recently been published in paperback, and a paperback version of Origins of the Specious, written with Stewart Kellerman, was just issued. Call us at 646-829-3985 with a question, or leave a comment below.

Download the podcast here.

"Washington: A life by Ron Chernow: review: Ron Chernow's fine biography of George Washington reveals a man who was inspirational despite lacking charisma" from The Telegraphy by Brendan Simms

The remarkable thing, as Ron Chernow shows in his Washington: A Life, is that he was all these things, at different times, and sometimes even simultaneously. This, of course, is well known, and purists may wonder whether we really need another Washington biography. Strictly speaking, the answer has to be: not this one. The author brings no new evidence to bear and advances no fundamentally new interpretation. The justification for Chernow’s book lies elsewhere: in the fluency of the argument, the wisdom of the author’s judgments, and – despite its length – the tautness of the narrative, which keeps the reader engrossed from the first to the last page. Some stylistic slips and a tendency towards the homespun aside, the author writes well, and has a remarkable eye for telling anecdotes and quotations. He takes us deftly through the familiar set-pieces of Washington’s career, beginning with his struggle with his overbearing mother and the disastrous expedition against the French and Indians that nearly brought his career to a premature end in the mid-1750s. [...] Wisely, Chernow does not explicitly set out to write a biography 'for our times’. All the same, his account bears an obvious message for American readers: big government, far from being a betrayal of the Founding Fathers, is as American as pecan pie. The final chapters show that Washington was deeply concerned after independence by the weakness of the bonds holding the 13 states together.

Read that review from The Telegraph, here. Additionally, WNYC Radio's Leonard Lopate Show had Chernow over, as a guest. Listen to that show, here.
See also: Alexander Hamilton, The House of Morgan: An American Banking Dynasty and the Rise of Modern Finance, Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr., The Warburgs: The Twentieth-Century Odyssey of a Remarkable Jewish Family

The Best Books We Read in 2010 from Lopate - Underreported by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

Most "best of" lists look at the books that were published in the last 12 months, but many of the memorable books that you read aren't necessarily new. Here's a list of the best books that the staff of the Leonard Lopate Show read in 2010 that were published earlier. And other folks at WNYC were kind enough to share their picks as well.

Check the full list out here.

Julia Corcoran, Assistant Producer: Memory Wall by Anthony Doerr “I’d never heard of the author before I read this book of short stories, and the writing and the stories were incredible and inventive, written from many different points of view, covering the present, history, even the future.”

Melissa Eagan, Executive Producer: A Chance Acquaintance by William Dean Howells “It’s slender book about two very different people who meet, and are forced to spend time together. The sort of novel that stays with you, long after you’ve finished it.”

Armistead Maupin's Mary Ann in Autumn from Lopate - Underreported by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

Armistead Maupin, author of the bestselling Tales of the City series, discusses Mary Ann in Autumn, the eighth book in his series. It tells the story of Mary Ann Singleton, who left her husband and child in San Francisco to pursue her dream of a television career in New York. Twenty years later, she’s returned to the city of her youth and into the arms of her oldest friend, Michael.

Check the webpage out for this story, at this WNYC site. See also: Michael Tolliver Lives: A Novel, Tales of the City: A Novel (P.S.), Michael Tolliver Lives (P.S.), Sure of You (Tales of the City Series, V. 6)

Easy Cranberry & Apple Cake from Barefoot Contessa: How Easy Is That? from WNYC's Leonard Lopate Show by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

Easy Cranberry & Apple Cake Serves 6 to 8 This recipe is inspired by a cranberry pie from Sarah Chase’s book Cold Weather Cooking. My friend Barbara Liberman calls it “easy cake”—I call it delicious. It’s even better served warm with vanilla ice cream. Combine the cranberries, apple, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs on [...]

Find the full recipe here. See also: Nantucket Open-House Cookbook, Cold-Weather Cooking, Pedaling Through Provence Cookbook, Sarah Leah Chase's Year Around Cookbook

The Killing of Crazy Horse from WNYC's Leonard Lopate Show by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Thomas Powers discusses Crazy Horse, the greatest Indian warrior of the nineteenth century whose victory over General Custer at the battle of Little Bighorn in 1876 was the worst defeat inflicted on the frontier Army. In The Killing of Crazy Horse, Powers pieces together his death, which has remained a controversy for more than a century.

View the webpage for this particular episode and show, here. See also: An Inside Passage (River Teeth Literary Nonfiction Prize), Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation

Ina Garten: How Easy Is That? from WNYC's Leonard Lopate Show by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

Bestselling cookbook author and host of the Food Network’s “Barefoot Contessa,” Ina Garten, discusses saving time and avoiding stress while having fun in the kitchen. Her latest cookbook, Barefoot Contessa: How Easy Is That? Fabulous Recipes & Easy Tips, includes easy to make recipes that are full of satisfying flavor, and includes her tips on equipment that makes a difference to her—like sharp knives, the right zester, and an extra bowl for her electric mixer.

Check the show's webpage out, here. See also: Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That?: Fabulous Recipes & Easy Tips, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, Barefoot Contessa at Home: Everyday Recipes You'll Make Over and Over Again, Barefoot Contessa Family Style: Easy Ideas and Recipes That Make Everyone Feel Like Family

Carlos Eire on his Memoir, Learning to Die in Miami from Lopate - Underreported by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

Carlos Eire discusses leaving Havana to come to America with his brother when he was 11 years old—along with his brother and thousands of other children—to begin their new life in Miami in 1962. His new memoir, Learning to Die in Miami: Confessions of a Refugee Boy, the follow-up to his 2003 National Book Award–winning memoir Waiting for Snow in Havana, follows him as he adjusts to life in his new home: learning English, attending American schools, and an uncertain future.

Check the show's webpage out here. See also: Learning to Die in Miami: Confessions of a Refugee Boy, A Very Brief History of Eternity, Waiting for Snow in Havana: Confessions of a Cuban Boy, Miami y Mis Mil Muertes: Confesiones de un cubanito desterrado

Amy Sedaris Picks the Winners of Our Cheap Craft Contest from WNYC's Leonard Lopate Show by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

Amy Sedaris returns to talk about the joy of crafting and her recent book Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People. And she’ll discuss the submissions and pick the winners of our Cheap Craft Contest!

Check this WNYC webpage out, to find out more. See also: Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People, I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence, The Book of Liz, The Party Dress Book: How to Sew the Best Dress in the Room, I Like You

Please Explain: Espionage from Lopate - Underreported by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

Today's Please Explain looks at spying, the organizations that do it, and how it's carried out and why. We're joined by Thomas S. Blanton, from George Washington University National Security Archives, and Joseph Weisberg, former CIA operative and author of An Ordinary Spy.

See the webpage for this episode of the show here. See also: An Ordinary Spy: A Novel, No Ordinary Spy, Deceivers and deceived;: Observations on confidence men and their victims, informants and their quarry, political and industrial spies and ordinary citizens,

Guest Picks: Anne Rice from WNYC's Leonard Lopate Show by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

What is Anne Rice's favorite film? Read more to find out! What have you read or seen lately (book, play, film, etc.) that moved or surprised you? The film Agora (The story of Hypatia was beautifully told.) What are you listening to right now? I listen to all sorts of music. Favorite now is Kate Smith. Also rediscovering Bobby Vinton. What’s the last great book you read? Foundations of Christian Faith by Karl Rahner. What’s one thing you’re a fan of that people might not expect? Heavyweight boxing. Big fan of George Foreman. What’s your favorite comfort food? Lay’s Original Potato Chips and Diet Coke.

View that Q&A here. See also: Encounters With Silence, Foundations of Christian Faith: An Introduction to the Idea of Christianity, The Mystical Way in Everyday Life, Karl Rahner: Spiritual Writings (Modern Spiritual Masters Series), The Content of Faith: The Best of Karl Rahner's Theological Writings

Guest Picks: Kiki Smith from WNYC's Leonard Lopate Show by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

Kiki Smith is a fan of sacred harp music! Find out what else she told us after her recent appearance on The Leonard Lopate Show. What have you read or seen lately (book, play, film, etc.) that moved or surprised you? Lena Dunham’s movie Tiny Furniture, and Sam Taylor Wood’s Nowhere Boy, both wonderful films made by women. Sam Taylor Wood is an artist, and Lena Dunham grew up in an artist family. What are you listening to right now? The poets Leslie Scalapino and James Fenton, and musicians Ryan Bingham and Bach. What’s the last great book you read? Joost Elffers’ Sustainism is the new Modernism What’s one thing you’re a fan of that people might not expect? Sacred Harp Music What’s your favorite comfort food? Food from the Bluebird Café and the Juice Press on 1st St. and 1st Ave.

See the radio show's webpage here. See also: Kiki Smith: A Gathering, 1980-2005, Kiki Smith, Kiki Smith: Prints, Books And Things, Kiki Smith: Photographs, Kiki Smith

Guest Picks: Deborah Gans from Lopate - Underreported by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

Architect Deborah Gans stopped by The Leonard Lopate Show to talk about some of her favorite things! What have you read or seen lately (book, play, film, etc.) that moved or surprised you? I hadn’t seen Swan Lake in years and went to ABT’s production last spring – the final scene when the swans are all moving back and forth across the stage – so human - so animal – great feathers. What are you listening to right now? John Zorn. What’s the last great book you read? The latest Coetzee “autobiography.” What’s one thing you’re a fan of that people might not expect? Anything baroque. What’s your favorite comfort food? Tea – anything from CHOICE cafe.

View the webpage for this Q&A here. See also: Summertime: Fiction, Disgrace: A Novel, Waiting for the Barbarians: A Novel (Penguin Ink) (The Penguin Ink Series), Life and Times of Michael K: A Novel, Boyhood: Scenes From Provincial Life