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The Leonard Lopate Show

Wednesday, November 12, 2003
  • George Washington

    Founding Father

    Regular guests Alvin and Larry Ubell answer listeners’ questions about home maintenance and repair. Henry Wiencek takes a look at George Washington as a slaveowner, a side of the man that’s usually overshadowed by his image as national icon and founding father. Then Brenda Wineapple attempts to demystify the great American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne. And Nathaniel Kahn on “My Architect,” a documentary about the life of his father, who was found dead in Penn Station in 1974.

Alvin and Larry Ubell

Building inspectors Alvin and Larry Ubell take listeners’ calls about home maintenance.

Henry Wiencek

Henry Wiencek explores the founding father's engagement with slavery at every stage of his life. His new book is An Imperfect God: George Washington, His Slaves, and the Creation of America.

Brenda Wineapple

In Hawthorne: A Biography, Brenda Wineapple explains why writing was "a source of shame as much as pleasure and a necessity he could neither forgo nor entirely approve" for Nathaniel Hawthorne.

  • Events: Brenda will discuss and read selections from her book on Tuesday, November 25, 6:30 p.m., at New School University, 66 W. 12 St., $5 admission. For further info call 212-229-5488.
  • Nathaniel Kahn

    In his documentary “My Architect,” Nathaniel Kahn tries to make sense of the life of father, Louis Kahn, a renowned architect who lived a double life and died in massive debt.

    Tributes: Jeanne-Claude

    The Leonard Lopate Show

    Jeanne-Claude created environmental works of art with her husband and fellow-conspirator/collaborator Christo. Together, they wrapped the Reichstag in Berlin, the Pont-Neuf in Paris, and created The Gates, with billowy orange drapes, in Central Park. Jeanne-Claude just died at the age of 74. You can hear Leonard Lopate’s last interview with them both, from July 19, 1999.

    Let’s Go Swimming!

    The Leonard Lopate Show

    According to the Centers for Disease Control, bacterial, viral, and parasitic organisms found in recreational water in the United States sicken thousands of people every year, and even result in deaths. We’ll speak with chemist and industrial hygienist Monona Rossol about the protozoa, amoebas and other things that love to go swimming with us. Monona is also founder and President of Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety.

    Frank McCourt

    The Leonard Lopate Show

    Frank McCourt has been a guest many times on this show over the years, starting in 1996 for the memoir, Angela’s Ashes, that would earn him a Pulitzer Prize. Fame came to him late in life, after he’d retired at the age of 65 from teaching English and creative writing at public schools here in New York. He was a sweet, eloquent man who spoke with grace and humility; he just died at the age of 78 after a battle with cancer. You can hear him speaking with Leonard Lopate for his Survival Kit in 2000, and in 2005, for his memoir, Teacher Man.

    Science and Faith

    The Leonard Lopate Show

    Earlier this week, Pres. Obama announced that he plans to nominate geneticist Dr. Francis Collins to lead the National Institutes of Health. You can listen to Leonard’s 2006 conversation with Dr. Collins about how he reconciles his personal faith with his professional scientific knowledge.

    FDA to Regulate Tobacco?

    The Leonard Lopate Show

    May 14, 2009
    Congress is getting ready to a vote on whether to make tobacco subject to FDA regulation. You can listen to a segment we did in May about the bill and what it would mean for the cigarette companies.

    Our 3-ingredient Challenge wins a James Beard Award

    The Leonard Lopate Show

    On May 3, the Lopate Show won its third James Beard Award for our 3-ingredient challenge. In August, we asked our listeners to call in and name 3 ingredients and then challenged New York chef and 3-ingredient expert Rozanne Gold to whip up a recipe! You can listen to the 3-ingredient challenge and get some inspiration for simple, delicious, and unexpected dishes.

    Leonard is on Facebook

    Now Leonard is on Facebook! We’re posting photos, status updates, links to notable interviews, and lots more. Check it out.

    Barack Obama, Circa 2004

    The Leonard Lopate Show

    Listen to President-Elect Barack Obama on the Leonard Lopate Show in November 2004. He had recently won a seat in the U.S. Senate, and only a few months before, his rousing speech during the 2004 Democratic National Convention catapulted him into the national spotlight.