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On Demand

The Leonard Lopate Show

Wednesday, January 28, 2004
  • Great Wall of China Cultural Landscape (Beijing)
    Great Wall of China Cultural Landscape (Beijing)

    Poor Kids in a Rich Country

    Child poverty in the United States and Britain has increased dramatically in the past 30 years, even while it’s remained relatively stable in most other countries. Timothy Smeeding is here to talk about the latest child poverty data. Bonnie Burnham from the World Monuments Fund and journalist Anthony Tung explain why Beijing’s historic art and architecture may be in danger. Then blues enthusiast Elijah Wald on the life of Robert Johnson. And a discussion with Mary Ellen Winston on New York cab drivers’ favorite recipes.

Timothy M. Smeeding and Lee Rainwater

Timothy M. Smeeding, along with Lee Rainwater, is co-author of Poor Kids in a Rich Country: America’s Children in Comparative Perspective. Their book is based on data from the transnational Luxembourg Income Study.

» Read more about the book

» Music: October Sky Soundtrack composer Mark Isham

Anthony Tung and Bonnie Burnham

Journalist Anthony Tung and World Monuments Fund President Bonnie Burnham on the importance of preserving Beijing’s art and architectural legacies. The New York-based World Monuments Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of historic art and architecture worldwide through fieldwork, advocacy, grantmaking, education, and training.

» Go to the World Monuments Fund’s website
» Read an article by Anthony Tung "Erasing Old Beijing" that appeared in ICON magazine's Fall 2003 issue
» See a list of the 100 Most Endangered Sites in Asia

» Music: Raise The Red Lantern composer Zhao Jiping

Elijah Wald

Elijah Wald explains how Robert Johnson went from being a guitarist who died in 1938 nearly unknown to one of the most influential and well-known artists in rock and roll. Wald’s new book is Escaping the Delta: Robert Johnson and the Invention of the Blues.

» Read more about Elijah Wald’s book

» Events: Elijah Wald Will be reading and signing books on Wednesday 1/28 at 6 pm, Coliseum Books, 11 west 42nd st bet 5th and 6th

» Music: Robert Johnson The Complete Recordings “Come On In My Kitchen” and “Kindhearted Woman Blues”

Mary Ellen Winston

Mary Ellen Winston has compiled the favorite recipes of some of New York City’s cab drivers in The New York Cabbie Cookbook. Like New York’s cabbies, the recipes come from a wide range of countries.

» Music: Night on Earth Soundtrack music by Tom Waits

National Book Award Winners

The Leonard Lopate Show

A number of this year’s National Book Award winners have appeared on The Leonard Lopate Show. Click here to see the list!

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.

Please Explain: Eco-Labels

The Leonard Lopate Show

Your broccoli, shampoo, and air conditioner might bear labels declaring them to be organic, cruelty-free, or energy efficient, but what do those labels mean and are they true? Dr. Urvashi Rangan, Project Director for Consumer Reports' GreenerChoices.org and Consumers Union’s Senior Scientist for Policy Initiatives, and Dara O'Rourke, founder and CEO of GoodGuide.com, took a look at what eco-labels indicate, how standards are set, and what they mean for consumers and manufacturers around the world.

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.