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On Demand

The Leonard Lopate Show

Tuesday, August 24, 2004
  • Steve Earl

    Just an American Boy

    Joseph Califano has been a key political figure during three different Democratic administrations--serving as domestic affairs chief under Johnson, as Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare under Carter, and as an advisor to Defense Secretary Robert McNamara. He joins us to share his memoir Inside: A Public and Private Life. Then singer/songwriter and activist Steve Earle performs live in our studios. He’ll preview his new album The Revolution Starts...Now. Journalist Christiane Bird explores the political and cultural history of the Kurds in her latest book A Thousand Sighs, A Thousand Revolts: Journeys in Kurdistan. Lastly, we’ll find out what inspired Eric Brende, a graduate student at M.I.T. at the time, to live without running water and electricity for 18 months. He documents the experiment in Better Off: Flipping the Switch on Technology.

Joseph A. Califano, Jr.

Joseph A. Califano, Jr. looks back on his life in law and politics in his new book, Inside: A Public and Private Life.
» More on the book

Music: Soundtrack to A Civil Action, music by Danny Elfman: “Civil Theme” / “The River”

Steve Earle

Musician and activist Steve Earle performs songs from his new album, The Revolution Starts...Now, live in our studio.
Steve Earle will be performing on:
Thursday, August 26 at 7:30pm
Unconventional Heroes: An Evening of Performance to Honor Courageous Resisters
Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, NYU
Tickets $15 and $30 at Skirball Center Box Office
566 LaGuardia Place at Washington Sq. South
For more information: 212-992-8484 or
» artistsnetwork.org
» More on Steve Earle

Music: The Revolution Starts Now, Steve Earle: “Comin’ Around”

Christiane Bird

Christiane Bird examines the culture and history of the Kurdish minority in Iraq, Turkey, Syria, and Iran in A Thousand Sighs, A Thousand Revolts: Journeys in Kurdistan.
» More about the book
» Read an excerpt of A Thousand Sighs, A Thousand Revoltsin the Reading Room

Music: Kurdish Music, The Kamkars Ensemble: “Beautiful Oraman” / “Black Rock”

Eric Brende

Eric Brende argues that modern civilization might be improved by drastically scaling back on technology. He’ll discuss his new book, Better Off: Flipping the Switch on Technology.
» More on the book

Music: Soundtrack to Hanging Up, music by David Hirschfelder: “Conference Call”

Events: Eric Brende will be speaking and signing books on:
Tuesday, August 24 at 7:30 PM
Barnes and Noble
396 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10011
» Read an excerpt of Better Offin the Reading Room

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.