wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

Michael Pollan talks about the latest edition of his book Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual, this one includes illustrations by Maira Kalman. It’s a guide for eaters, which presents rules for eating wisely, many drawn from a variety of ethnic or cultural traditions. He discusses local food, organic food, the cost of food, the benefits of cooking at home, and how he came up with the food rules he recommends.

Bryan Anderson, who served two tours of duty in Iraq and was awarded a Purple Heart, talks about the day he was wounded and what I went through during rehab, and his struggle to recover. His memoir No Turning Back: One Man's Inspiring True Story of Courage, Determination, and Hope is about his service and his recovery.

Classicist James Romm tells the story of Alexander the Great, who united his empire and his army by the force of his will. His death at age 32 spelled the end of that unity, and Romm focuses on the dramatic saga of the empire’s collapse in his book Ghosts on the Throne: The Death of Alexander the Great and the War for Crown and Empire.

Joan Didion discusses her latest book, Blue Nights, about losing her daughter, Quintana Roo Dunne. Reflecting on her daughter and also on her own role as a parent, Didion asks candid questions about how she feels she failed either because she didn’t notice cues or perhaps displaced them. She also reflects on her fears and doubts about having children, her daughters fears and challenges, illness and death, and her own thoughts on growing old.