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Contemporary American Society Interviews --
Dr. Francis Adams
Are We Still Racists?
Alienable Rights: The Exclusion of African Americans in a White Man's Land, 1619 to 2000
“Alienable Rights: The Exclusion of African Americans in a White Man’s Land, 1619 to 2000” is a book in part written by Francis Adams, an independent scholar living in Los Angeles, California. The book posits that the drive for equal rights for black people in the United States has never had the support of the majority of America. Rather, racial progress has been made in brief historic bursts, lead by the committed militant minorities of abolitionists, radical republicans, and civil rights activists. In this program, we visit with Dr. Francis D. Adams. I asked him to explain the importance of the trial of James Somerset that took place in England in 1772.
Dr. Francis Adams recommends "Collapse," by Jared Diamond.
Originally Broadcast: January 29, 2005
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Changes in Segregation Since 1952
In May 1954, the United States Supreme Court, unanimously declared, ”segregation in public education is a denial of the equal protection of the law.” This is a two-part discussion about the aftermath of that decision. Our guest is Dr. Elizabeth Allen, a Professor of Nursing at the University of Michigan. As a high school student, Dr. Allen was one of the first African-American students to integrate West Virginia high schools in 1957.
Dr. Elizabeth Allen recommends "The Price of Loyalty," by David Suskind with former US Secretary of Treasury Paul O'Neil.
Originally Broadcast: May 4, 2004 & May 18, 2004
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Tom Allman
The Sheriff and Marijuana
Marijuana, some say, is on the lips of many people here in Mendocino County, California, and likely many other places throughout the world, to some with pleasure and to others with distaste. Nonetheless it doesn’t seem that marijuana will go away. Not withstanding federal laws prohibiting use and possession of marijuana, the people of the state of California adopted the Compassionate Use Act in 1996 and in November 2000, the voters of Mendocino County approved a resolution by a vote of 58% to 42% to decriminalize the personal use of marijuana. In this edition of Radio Curious we visit with Tom Allman the Sheriff of Mendocino County to discuss the enforcement of the many conflicting marijuana laws. Estimates of the value of the crop produced in Mendocino County vary from five to ten billion dollars. We began when I asked the Sheriff to comment on this estimate.
Tom Allman recommends "The Hunt For Red Octobor," by Tom Clancy.
Originally Broadcast: June 19, 2007
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Dr. Richard Alston
The Economics of Party Politics
After the Democratic National Convention and the Republican National Convention in 1992, Richard M. Alston, who was then chairman of the Economics Department at Webber State University in Ogden, Utah, sent a political survey to the delegates to that convention. This survey concerned the perceptions of convention delegates regarding economic issues in the United States. As a delegate to the Democratic National Convention I was sent one his surveys, and decided to ask Professor Alston for an interview. In our interview we discussed the survey and what information he hoped to ascertain with it as well as the role of economists in academic institutions in America. This program was originally broadcast in November of 1992, when Radio Curious was called Government, Politics and Ideas.
Originally Broadcast: November 30, 1992
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Bettina Aptheker
The Personal is the Political
Tapestries of Life: Women's Work, Women's Consciousness, and the Meaning of Daily Experience
Political intimacy is closely related to personal intimacy, just as social change is related to personal change. In 1997 Bettina Aptheker, the author of Tapestries of Life: Women’s Work, Women’s Consciousness, and the Meaning of Daily Experience, was a professor of women’s studies at the University of California at Santa Cruz, and a person who is clear and open about identifying herself as a lesbian. When we spoke in February of 1997, we explored the relationship of personal intimacy and political intimacy.
Bettina Aptheker recommends "Ceremony," by Leslie Marmon Philco.
Originally Broadcast: February 17, 1997
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John Arquilla
Networks and Netwars
The war that the United States has invoked in what is often called the "War On Terror" is unusual in many ways. One of those ways is that this war is being fought against a network that is spread out in many unsuspecting and obscure places. It is not being fought as many wars have been in the past, directly against another county. Dr. John Arquilla, is a professor of defense analysis and co-director of the justify on Terrorism at the Naval Post-Graduate School in Monterey, California. In this program we talk with Professor Arquilla about the fighting tactics employed by networks as opposed to countries, the threats they pose, and some of the war tactics used against these networks.
John Arquilla recommends "Kim," by Rudyard Kipling.
Originally Broadcast: June 21, 2005
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Anthony Arthur
Changing America: Upton Sinclair Style
Radical Innocent: Upton Sinclair
Since I was young I have been intrigued by the work of Upton Sinclair. I remember, as a boy hearing about Sinclair’s books and efforts to change the world. A close friend of my family was the writer for Sinclair’s campaign newspaper when he ran for governor of California in 1934 and, although that was long before I was born, the stories rolled during his later visits. Sinclair is perhaps best know for “The Jungle,” published in 1906 which openly revealed the inhumane conditions of the Chicago stockyards and how the meatpacking industry operated, resulting in the passage of the pure food and drug laws within months after publication of “The Jungle.” "Radical Innocent: Upton Sinclair,” is a biography written by retired professor Anthony Arthur, released in June 2006, 100 years after the publication “The Jungle,” and tells the story of Upton Sinclair’s life and work. Arthur weaves the strands of Sinclair’s contentious public career and his often-troubled private life, which Sinclair at times willingly revealed, into a compelling personal narrative. Anthony Arthur rates integrity as Sinclair’s greatest strength, and claims his eloquence in writing and speech along with his reputation for selflessness as the basis of a ground swell of support for Sinclair and his ideas. When I spoke with Anthony Arthur at the end of August 2006 from his home near Los Angeles, California, Professor Arthur began by describing what attracted him to study and write about Upton Sinclair.
Anthony Arthur recommends “Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph,” by T.E. Lawrence.
Originally Broadcast: September 6, 2006
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Christina Baldwin
Creating Community through Stories
Storycatcher: Making Sense of Our Lives though the Power and Practice of Story
Story, the heart of language. Story moves us to love and hate and can motivate us to change the whole course of our life. Story can lift us beyond the borders of our individuality to imagine realities of other people, times and places, to empathize with other beings, and to extend our supposing far into the universe. Storytelling, both oral and written is the foundation of being human. In this edition of Radio Curious we visit with Christina Baldwin, author of "Storycatcher: Making Sense of Our Lives though the Power and Practice of Story." This is being done in Ukiah, California, with the idea of capturing "what is the story of Ukiah," as a part of "what is the story of Mendocino County, California," to be used in the development of the Ukiah Area Plan that is now under consideration by the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors.
Christina Baldwin recommends "Turning To One Another: Simple Conversations to Restore Our Hope for the Future," by Margaret J. Wheatley.
Originally Broadcast: April 17, 2006
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Benjamin Barber
Don't Buy It!
Consumed: How Markets Corrupt Children, Infantilize Adults, and Swallow Citizens Whole
When we purchase and consume what we believe is necessary for our individual lives, do we obtain what we need or do we end up with what the forces of 21st century capitalism tell us we need? In this edition of Radio Curious we visit with Benjamin Barber, author of “Consumed, How Markets Corrupt Children, Infantilize Adults, and Swallow Citizens Whole.” The concepts of dumbing down the consumer and the development of brand devotion in the early years of a person’s life are, among many other considerations, explored in this book. I spoke with Benjamin Barber from his home in New York City in early April 2007 and began our conversation by asking him to discuss how consumers are infantilized and targeted in way that there will never be enough shoppers.
Benjamin Barber recommends “The March,” by E.L. Doctorow..
Originally Broadcast: April 11, 2007
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Conversation with an Earth First! Leader
Until the mid-1990s, the Redwood Industry dominated much of North Coast economy. In the mid-1990s, due to a number of circumstances particularly involving Pacific Lumber Company and Charles Hurwitz, industry advocates collided with environmentalists in a final hurrah. Few figures among the environmentalists carry as much name-recognition and power as did Judi Bari. In this program, recorded in March of 1995 at the height of the conflict, Judi Bari and I discussed the position of Earth First!
Judi Bari recommends "J. Edgar Hoover," by Kurt Gentry.
Originally Broadcast: March 27, 1995
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Judi Bari
Conversation with Judi Bari
Judi Bari, our guest in this archive edition of Radio Curious, was one of the leading environmental activists on the North Coast in the late 1980s to the mid-1990s, notwithstanding that she was a victim of a car bombing in 1990 and severely injured. Presumably, the bomb was intended to stop her activities as a leader and organizer for Earth First!. The bomb that injured her exploded in May 1990 while she was driving in Oakland, California, took a tremendous toll on her physically and resulted in a lawsuit she brought against the FBI and the Oakland, California Police Department. In the weeks before this interview which was originally broadcast in November 1993, when Radio Curious was called Government, Politics and Ideas, Judi Bari obtained approximately 5,000 pages of FBI documents which she gathered as part of her lawsuit. We spoke about this information and about Judi’s background.
Judi Bari recommends “A Taste of Power: A Black Women’s Story,” by Elaine Brown.
Originally Broadcast: November 29, 1993
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Annie Barnes
Racism in America
Everyday Racism: A Book For All Americans
Racism has too long been a part of the American experience. The Civil War and the Constitutional amendments that followed, the Supreme Court decisions ordering the desegregation of schools, and the Civil Rights movements did not end racism in America. Annie S. Barnes, holds a Ph.D. in Social Anthropology from the University of Virginia and is a retired Professor of Sociology and Anthropology at Norfolk State University in Virginia. She is the author of “Everyday Racism, A Book for All Americans,” a book based on the racist experiences suffered by 146 black college students. Professor Barnes describes effects of racism on black people and what black people and white people can do to combat it.
Annie Barnes recommends "Driving While Black," by Kenneth Meeks.
Originally Broadcast: February 27, 2001
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Mary Catherine Bateson
Do We Really Know the People Around Us?
Full Circles, Overlapping Lives (Culture and Generation in Transition)
Do we really know the people around us? Our children? Our family? Our friends? Or are we strangers in our own community? Mary Catherine Bateson, the author of a book entitled, “Full Circles: Overlapping Lives, Culture and Generation in Transistion,” believes that we are strangers. She describes us as immigrants in time, rather than space.In this interview from the archives of Radio Curious, recorded in April 2000, we visit with Mary Catherine Bateson, the daughter of two distinguished anthropologists, Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson.
Mary Catherine Bateson recommends "Ithaca."
Originally Broadcast: April 17, 2000
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Robert Benton
The Human Stain
Director of The Human Stain
Robert Benton is the director of “The Human Stain,” which is based on the third novel of Philip Roth’s trilogy describing the turmoil of post-WWII America. It exposes the life of Coleman Silk, a Professor of Classics at a small New England College, an eminent Jewish intellectual and a devoted husband. Roth describes Silk as “ensnared by a history he hadn’t quite counted on.”
Originally Broadcast: November 1, 2003
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The Rights of Our Children
America's Future: Transition into the 21st Century
William Boyer, a Professor Emeritus and the former Chairman of the Department of Educational Foundations at the University of Hawaii, is the author of a book called “America’s Future: Transition into the 21st Century.” In this program, we discussed the rights of future generations, how to protect those rights, what they are, and what right we have to determine the rights of future generations. This program was originally broadcast in March of 1993, when Radio Curious was called Government, Politics and Ideas.
Originally Broadcast: March 30, 1993
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Jennifer Finney Boylan
A Man Becomes a Woman
She's Not There: A Life in Two Genders
“She’s Not There: A Life in Two Genders,” by Jennifer Finney Boylan, is a book about a man who became a woman. For as long as he could remember, James Boylan felt he was in the wrong body. Spending his childhood playing ‘Girl Planet’ (where the air turned anyone who breathed into a girl) and in adolescent and young adult years dressing up in women’s clothing, James was convinced that the only thing that could save him was the love of the right woman. When he fell in love and got married, he threw out the women’s clothes and pledged his life to manhood. But being a loving husband, a responsible father, a respected professor, and an acclaimed writer couldn’t stop the feeling that he was, despite physical evidence to the contrary, a woman. With the unfailing support of his family, friends and several doctors, James became Jenny.
Jennifer Finney Boylan recommends "Huckleberry Finn," by Mark Twain.
Originally Broadcast: September 30, 2003
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Richard Brodie
How Ideas Travel
The Virus of the Mind
The developing field of science called the science of memetics is based on evolution, studies memes: how they interact, replicate, and evolve. The biological definition of a meme is a basic unit of cultural transmission. The psychological definition of a meme is a unit of cultural heredity analogous to the gene, the internal representation of knowledge. A working definition of a meme is a unit of information in a mind whose existence influences events such that more copies of itself get created in other minds. “The Virus of the Mind” is a book devoted to the study of memetics and memes and was written by Richard Brodie, who also was a writer of the first version of Microsoft Word. He was our guest for this edition of Radio Curious that was originally broadcast in July of 1996. We began when I asked him what is the importance of studying memetics.
Richard Brodie recommends “The Lucifer Principle: A Scientific Expedition into the Forces of History” by Howard Bloom.
Originally Broadcast: July 31, 1996
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Joseph Brodsky
A Book of Poems Next to Every Bible
A Part of Speech, Less Than One, To Urania, Marbles, & Watermark
Joseph Brodsky, a winner of the Noble Prize, was the United States National Poet Laureate in 1991. Born in what was then Leningrad, Soviet Union, he grew up in a communal apartment, and was very active in language and literary pursuits. In 1963, a Leningrad newspaper denounced Brodsky, calling his poetry pornographic and anti-Soviet. He was interrogated and twice put in mental institutions. His papers were seized. He was arrested and indicted on the charge of parasitism. In a secret trial, he was called a “pseudo-poet in velveteen trousers,” who failed to fulfill his “constitutional duty to work honestly for the good of the motherland.” Yet no fault was found in the content of his poetry. One of the more interesting comments Joseph Brodsky made as a guest was that there should be a book of poetry in every hotel room, right next to the Bible. He said that he didn’t think that the telephone book would mind. Joseph Brodsky died on January 28th of 1996, a world-class poet.
Originally Broadcast: November 18, 1991
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Sylvia Brownrigg
Absent Tangible Memory
Metaphysical Touch
When someone dies, we have that person’s papers and things to look at and use to understand and create memories about the life that has left us. Sometimes, however, the person stays and the papers and tokens are lost, as in a fire. Then we have only memories without material objects to help enhance them. This juxtaposition is one of the themes in a novel entitled the “Metaphysical Touch,” by Syvia Brownrigg, an American author with roots in Mendocino County, a long experience in London, and currently living near San Francisco.
Sylvia Brownrigg recommends "Out of Sheer Rage," by Jeff Dyer.
Originally Broadcast: January 12, 2000
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An Intimate History of American Girls
The Body Project: An Intimate History of American Girls
Advertising has had a major effect on how we view our bodies and on our individual self-image. The history of how this advertising has come to affect American girls as they pass through menarche and adolescence is presented in a book called “The Body Project: An Intimate History of American Girls.” This book describes the historical roots of acute societal and psychological pressures that girls feel today. It shows how the female adolescent experience has changed since 1895. The author, Joan Jacobs Brumberg, is a Professor of History and Women’s Studies at Cornell University in New York. In this two-part program, I spoke Professor Brumberg in October of 1997 and asked her what drew her to write “The Body Project.”
Joan Jacobs Brumberg recommends “Learning to Bow,” by Bruce Feiler & “The Grass Link,” by May Vinchi.
Originally Broadcast: October 14, 1997 & October 21, 1997
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Peggy Bulger
The Story Corps
The American Folklife Preservation Act of 1976 directed the Library of Congress to gather stories and art of everyday people to reflect the identity of America, which is recognized as the core of family and community life. The thought is that by linking us to the past we are better able to develop our understanding of the present. The Story Corps is a current project of the American Folklife justify of the Library of Congress. Two air stream trailers, retrofitted with state of the art recording equipment, will visit towns and cities throughout the United States for about a year beginning in June 2005, to collect recordings of every day people interviewing each other about their lives. Anyone will be welcome to visit the Story Corps trailer that may be near where you live, by signing up on line at www.storycorps.net. Each participant receives a copy of the interview, and may donate a copy to the Library of Congress. This interview with Dr. Peggy Bulger, the Director of the American Folklife justify at the Library of Congress was recorded in her office at the Library of Congress on May 20, 2005. She began by reviewing the history of the American Folklife justify and the purpose of Story Corps project. You can locate the Story Corps on the internet at www.storycorps.net, and the Library of Congress at www.loc.gov.
www.storycorps.net and www.loc.gov
Peggy Bulger recommends "Ireland, A Novel" by Frank Delaney.
Originally Broadcast: May 31, 2005
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President Jimmy Carter
Life After the Presidency
The Virtues of Aging
Considering the alternatives, growing older is really not all that bad. The frame of mind that we develop and carry with us as we age controls much of how we feel and behave. James Earl Carter Jr., more often known as Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the US, is the author of a book called, “The Virtues of Aging.” President Carter’s book covers issues from Social Security and medical expenses to the importance of staying active and involved. I spoke with President Jimmy Carter by phone, in the fall of 1998, and I asked him what prompted him to write the book.
President Jimmy Carter recommends "The Age Wave: How the Most Important Trend of Our Time Can Change Your Future," by Ken Dychtwald.
Originally Broadcast: December 4, 1998
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Who is Ted Kaczynski?
Harvard and the Unabomber: The Education of an American Terrorist
"Harvard and the Unabomber: The Education of an American Terrorist” is a book by Alston Chase, former Chair of the Philosophy Department at Macalester University in Minnesota. After studying the life and experiences of Theodore Kaczynski, who came to be known as the Unabomber, Chase characterizes him as product of the post World War II angst. Our discussion on Kaczynski continued through two parts.
Alston Chase recommends "Pity of War," by Nile Furgeson.
Originally Broadcast: July 1, 2003 & July 8, 2003
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Laura Cheek
At Home in Glacier Bay
Some of the most studied glaciers in the world are found in Glacier Bay National Park located in southeastern Alaska. These expansive ice sheets cover approximately ten percent of the earth’s surface and hold eighty percent of the world’s fresh water, ninety-nine percent of which can be found in Greenland and Antarctica. Due to gravity’s pull, glaciers shape and scour the landscape moving land and vegetation great distances as they slowly slide downward toward the sea. This glacial movement has created rich farmland, vast deposits of gravel and sand, and concentrated valuable metals, depending on where they glaciers have traveled. Glaciers also create deep valleys and fjords, like the kind seen in Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska. Laura Cheek was a national park ranger at Glacier Bay National Park in 1996 when this program was recorded. As part of her job, she boarded tour ships in Glacier Bay to discuss glaciers, what they’re like and how they’re formed.
Laura Cheek recommends "The Island Within," by Richard Nelson.
Originally Broadcast: August 14, 1996
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Dr. Gene D. Cohen
Do We Get Smarter As We Age
The Mature Mind: The Positive Power of the Aging Brain
Do people over a certain age necessarily loose mental acuity? According to Dr. Gene Cohen, the answer is “no.” Dr. Cohen, a psychiatrist and gerontologist has determined that certain genes are activated by experience as we age, allowing our personalities to grow and change. The brain has reserves of strength and agility that compensate for the effects of aging on its other parts. Dr. Cohen has found that the information processing justify in the 60 to 80 year old brain achieves it's greatest density and reach. He explains these and other developing concepts in brain research in his book “The Mature Mind: The Positive Power of the Aging Brain.” I spoke with Dr. Cohen in March 2006 from his office in the justify on Aging, Health & Humanities, in Washington D.C., where he is the director. We began our conversation with his description of the importance of the role of creativity.
Gene Cohen recommends "Tuesdays with Morrie: A Young Man, An Old Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson," by Mitch Albom.
Originally Broadcast: April 18, 2006
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Teaching Tolerance
Filtering People
Prejudices exist in almost every human context, but how do we overcome them and act without stereotypes? This program’s guest is Dr. Jim Cole, who lives in Ellingsburg, Washington and is a psychologist. We discussed diversity training – the process of becoming more aware of the prejudices we have. This program was originally broadcast in November of 1993, when Radio Curious was called Government, Politics and Ideas.
Dr. Jim Cole recommends books by Jane Lovelock.
Originally Broadcast: November 23, 1993
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Ted Conover
A Prison Guard's Story
New Jack: Guarding Sing-Sing
Have you ever wondered what it is like to work inside a prison? Well, Ted Conover, a non-fiction writer did, so he went to the New York Department of Corrections to ask if he could shadow a recruit at the New York State Corrections Academy. His request was quickly turned down. So, he decided to apply for a job as a prison officer, was accepted and attended the New York State Corrections Academy. As a result of his training, and working at Sing Sing prison in New York, he wrote “Newjack: Guarding at Sing Sing,” a book describing his experiences. This two-part program with Ted Conover was recorded in late June and early July 2001.
Ted Conover recommends “Crime and Punishment,” by by Fyodor Dostoyevsky and “Seek: Reports from the Edges of America & Beyond,” by Dennis Johnson.
Originally Broadcast: June 26, 2001 July 3, 2001
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David Corn
Does President Bush Lie?
The Lies of George W. Bush, Mastering the Politics of Deception
According to David Corn, the author of “The Lies of George W. Bush, Mastering the Politics of Deception,” all American Presidents have lied, but George W. Bush has relentlessly abused the truth. Corn, the Washington editor of The Nation, offers a scathing indictment of Bush, as he reveals and examines the deceptions at the heart of the Bush presidency.
David Corn recommends "Roscoe," by William Kennedy & "All the King's Men," by Robert Penn Warren.
Originally Broadcast: November 25, 2003
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Paul Coverdale
Peace Corps Priorities, 1991
This program’s guest is Paul Coverdale, at the time the Director of the Peace Corps, appointed by the first President Bush. He later became a Senator from Georgia. Our discussion concerned the nature of the Peace Corps and Coverdale’s role as the agency’s director.
Originally Broadcast: August 19, 1991
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Susan Crane
Blood on a Nuclear Submarine
Civil disobedience often precedes most social or political change. The American political tradition has deep roots in civil disobedience. The Boston Tea Party, the Underground Railroad of the Civil War period, the Suffrage Movement, the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, and the Vietnam War protests are well known examples. Symbolic destruction of the tools of war is an act of civil disobedience currently carried out by religious and faith based war protesters. Susan Crane, once a Peace Corps volunteer and a former Ukiah teacher, hammered on a nuclear submarine in Maine and then poured blood on it. As a result, she was sentenced to two years in federal prison. I met with her in the studios of Radio Curious at the end of February 1999, the day after she was released from prison.
Susan Crane recommends The Bible.
Originally Broadcast: March 9, 1999
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Catherine Crier
Are Lawyers Really That Bad?
The Case Against Lawyers
The control and influence lawyers have in American society has grown enormously in the past 75 years. The influence was foreseen in the 1830s by Alexis de Tocqueville and described in his book, “Democracy in America.” Catherine Crier discusses and critiques this influence in her book, “The Case Against Lawyers.” Crier, herself a former lawyer, district attorney, and judge is now a commentator on Court TV,
Catherine Crier recommends "Pigs at the Trough," by Arianna Huffington & "The Rule of Lawyers," by Walter Olson.
Originally Broadcast: March 18, 2003
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Dewey Crockett
Living Language Fossil
Tangier Island is a remote community in North America in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Located twelve miles across the water from Crissfield, Maryland, the closest larger community, Tangier Island for a long time was isolated and insular. Some have called it a language fossil because many people speak with an accent close to that of Elizabethan England. Dewey Crockett was born and grew up on the island. In 1995, when this program was recorded, he was a social studies teacher, a Methodist minister, the Mayor, and the undertaker for Tangier Island. I spoke with Dewey Crockett about Tangier Island, its history, and some of the issues of the time.
Dewey Crockett recommends "The Parson of the Island," by Adam Wallace.
Originally Broadcast: August 7, 1995
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Don Davis
A Story Teller at Work
Don Davis, a story-teller from Okracoke, North Carolina and joins us in this archive edition first broadcast in July 1993, when Radio Curious was called Government, Politics and Ideas. In our conversation, we discuss the role of story-telling in our modern technological society, the art and dance of story-telling in person and on tape, and story-telling workshops.
Originally Broadcast: July 19, 1993
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Kenneth C. Davis
Independence, Where Does It Come From?
Don't Know Much About History, Everything you Need to Know About American History But Never Learned
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. --That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, -- That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security." These words may sound radical today, but in fact come from the Declaration of Independence drafted in 1776. In this edition of Radio Curious, broadcast during Independence Week of 2005 we talk with Kenneth C. Davis, author of "Don't Know Much about History," and review some of the issues of 1776 from our perspective now. This interview was recorded on July 2, 2005 with Kenneth C. Davis from his home in southern Vermont. He began by commenting on the role religion played the declaration of the Independence.
Kenneth C. Davis recommends “Diane Arbus, A Biography” by Patricia Bosworth.
Originally Broadcast: July 5, 2005
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Is it Safe to Say … ?
Blue Streak: Swearing, Free Speech and Sexual Harassment
Certain words, said at the wrong time or place, may get a person into a heap of trouble. The laws surrounding freedom of speech do not permit us, for example, to shout out “fire” in a theater or advocate the immediate and violent overthrow of the government. There are also limits on the time and place where a person can use swear words or language with sexual innuendos or suggestions. Richard Dooling, an attorney and writer living in Nebraska, joined us in June of 1997 to talk about his book, entitled, “Blue Streak: Swearing, Free Speech and Sexual Harassment.”
Richard Dooling recommends "Emotional Brain," by Joseph La Due.
Originally Broadcast: June 4, 1997
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Peace Corps, Peru, 1962-1964
The Mourning of Angles
The life of Lydia Schaefer is a composite fictional story of a 22 year-old woman who served in the Peace Corps in Peru from 1962 to 1964. Patricia Taylor Edmisten, a former Peace Corps Volunteer from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, tells Lydia’s story in her book, “The Mourning of Angles,” based in part on her experiences in the Peace Corps in Peru during those years.
Patricia Edmistin recommends "The Accidental Pope," by Raymond Flynn & Robin Moore.
Originally Broadcast: November 15, 2002
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Meet the Author of the Vagina Monologues
The Vagina Monologues
The Vagina Monologues, created and produced by Eve Ensler, tell the stories of women, their relationships, feelings, and, in some cases, abuse. In this edition of Radio Curious, we spoke with Eve Ensler about the origin of the the Vagina Monologues and the film, “Until the Violence Ends.”
Eve Ensler recommends "Bush in Babylon," by Tariq Ali.
Originally Broadcast: January 27, 2004
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Dr. Ron Epstein
Genetically Modified Food
Genetically engineered food products are an issue that concerns many. In more recent years, Mendocino County has gone so far as to pass a resolution legally prohibiting their growth in the county. My guest in this program, recorded in the late summer of 1995, is Ron Epstein, a philosophy professor at both the Buddhist University in Talmage, CA and San Francisco State University. He has given considerable consideration to the problems of genetic engineering of the plants and vegetables that we eat.
Dr. Ron Epstein recommends "Algeny," by Jeremy Rifkin.
Originally Broadcast: September 18, 1995
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Dr. Ron Epstein
Genetically Modified Food, Part Two
Not so long ago in human history, wars were fought with sticks, slings and rocks. Now, with the ability to modify the DNA of disease causing organisms, war is very different. Evidence is appearing that genetically engineered war has, in fact, been used in our world. With this program, Radio Curious will begin a series of discussions on environmental and social effects of genetically engineered war. This program’s guest is Dr. Ron Epstein, a research professor at the Institute of World Religions in Berkeley, California, and a lecturer in the Philosophy Department at San Francisco State University in San Francisco, California. We discussed the scientific and ethical dangers of genetic engineering.
Dr. Ron Epstein recommends "The Cobra Event," by Richard Preston & "Biotech Century," by Jeremy Rifkin.
Originally Broadcast: September 4, 1998
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Rep. Sam Farr (D)
A Visit with Congressman Sam Farr, July 2002
Sam Farr is a member of Congress from Carmel, California, representing the central coast of California, as well as a former Peace Corps Volunteer, having served in Columbia from 1964 to 1966. He is one of a few former Peace Corps Volunteers to serve in Congress. At the time of the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Peace Corps, in late June, 2002, Congressman Farr and Senator Dodd of Connecticut introduced legislation to increase the size of the Peace Corps.
Rep. Sam Farr (D) recommends "Coast Redwoods, a Natural and Cultural History," by Sam Liden.
Originally Broadcast: July 16, 2002
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Rep. Sam Farr (D)
A Visit with Congressman Sam Farr, June 2003
This interview’s guest was my old law school friend, Congressman Sam Farr, who represents Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. In this interview, we discussed the USA Patriot Act, the Freedom to Read Act of 2003, and the influence that the Democrats, the minority party, have in both houses of Congress.
Rep. Sam Farr (D) recommends .
Originally Broadcast: June 10, 2003
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Rep. Sam Farr (D)
A Visit with Congressman Sam Farr, April 2004
This edition’s guest was Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA). We spoke about the access that the Democrats as the minority party have to the microphone in Congress. We also discussed the 9/11 Commission and its investigation, the Patriot Act, the then upcoming Democratic and Republican National conventions, and the election of 2004.
Rep. Sam Farr (D) recommends "Two Americas," by Stanley Greenberg.
Originally Broadcast: April 13, 2004
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Rep. Sam Farr (D)
A Visit with Congressman Sam Farr, July 2004
Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA), who has appeared on the program several times before, discussed the elections of 2004.
Rep. Sam Farr (D) recommends "Sarge: The Life and Times of Sargent Shriver," by Scott Strossel.
Originally Broadcast: July 20, 2004
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Mark Feeney
Nixon at the Movies
Nixon at the Movies, A Book About Belief
Richard Nixon, and the movies he watched while he was president... On his third night in office, January 22, 1969 Nixon saw The Shoes of the Fisherman in the White House movie theater. From then until August 1973, when he resigned the presidency Nixon watched over 500 movies in the White House, at Camp David, and other places he frequented. This is an average of 2½ movies per week during his presidency. The book, Nixon at the Movies, A Book About Belief, by Boston Globe journalist Mark Feeney examines the role movies played in forming Nixon’s character and career, and the role Nixon played in the development of American film. Ronald Reagan may have been the first movie star president, but Feeney argues that Nixon was the first true cinematic president. In this program, recorded in January 2005, Mark Feeney begins by commenting on the effect that the 500 plus movies that Nixon watched had on him and his presidency.
Mark Feeney recommends "The Whole Equation," by David Thompson.
Originally Broadcast: February 22, 2005
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Charles Ferguson
Will This War Ever End?
The Endless War
“The Endless War,” a movie released in late July 2007, written, directed and produced by Charles Ferguson, depicts the blunders and ill-prepared manner in which the United States initiated and carried out the war against Iraq. This full-length feature film juxtaposes the statements and actions of the Washington leadership of the war, which at the outset failed to include President Bush, the Commander-in-Chief, with the leadership’s actions and grievous consequences that followed. Charles Ferguson holds a Ph.D. in political science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has extensive experience in foreign policy analysis and lives and works in the San Francisco Bay area. When I spoke with him on July 20, 2007 we began with his explanation how the war and the occupation of Iraq were shaped by an extremely small group of people IN Washington D.C., with limited foreign policy and post war occupation experience.
Charles Ferguson recommends "The Lives of Others," a movie about life in East German under the communist regiem.
Originally Broadcast: July 25, 2007
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Edward Fiske
The College Admissions Process
The Fiske Guide to Colleges
Edward B. Fiske, the education editor at the New York Times, is the author of “The Fiske Guide of Colleges.” His book attempts to demystify the college application process and provide strategies to choose where and how to apply for a course of higher education.
Edward Fiske recommends "The Ladies Number One Detective Agency," by Andrew McCall Smith & "The Cairo House," by Samia Sarageldin.
Originally Broadcast: September 16, 2003
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Mel Fiske
Radical Reporter
Radical: A Memoir of Wars, Communists & Work
Political philosophy and one’s education, both formal and informal, can lead a person on unimagined paths that are woven into stories in that person’s life. The book, “Radical: A Memoir of Wars, Communists & Work,” was written by Mel Fiske, our guest in this edition of Radio Curious. Mel was radicalized after a 15,000 mile journey across America during the Depression. That trip opened his eyes to a life he never knew existed growing up in New York City.
Mel Fiske recommends “Bayou Farewell,” by Mike Tidwell.
Originally Broadcast: January 17, 2006
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Ira Flatow
Science Changes
Present at the Future: From Evolution to Nanotechnology, Candid and Controversial Conversations on Science and Nature.
The chance to interview another interviewer is an opportunity I like to take. A chance came on September 4, 2007, when I was able to visit with Ira Flatow, the host of “Science Friday,” a part of "Talk of the Nation," on NPR. We talked about some of the ideas and concepts in his book, “Present at the Future: From Evolution to Nanotechnology, Candid and Controversial Conversations on Science and Nature.” I think that after thirty-five years as a science journalist, Ira Flatow has seen enough to expect unexpected changes. He refers to that at the close of the introduction to his book and writes: “After watching science do its thing for a while, you realize knowledge is really a moving target. What we know today will probably be wrong tomorrow. And science is that tool for discovery. When science tells us something, chances are that it will tell us something different a few years from now.” And that’s where Ira Flatow and I began our conversation.
www.iraflatow.com
Ira Flatow recommends "The World Without Us," by Alan Weisman.
Originally Broadcast: September 5, 2007
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