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The Leonard Lopate Show

Thursday, September 30, 2004
  • Eastern Europe and Central Asia map

    Freedom of Religion

    Our continuing series, Underreported looks at the ways in which international monitoring, foreign policy, and economic allegiances affect the intersection of religion and government policy in countries like Serbia, Turkmenistan, and Belarus. Preeta D. Bansal, the current Chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, discusses religious freedom as an important US foreign policy interest, and Peter G. Danchin, Director of the Human Rights Program at Columbia University, explains the role international organizations play in protecting religious rights. Felix Corley of Forum 18—a Norwegian, Christian news service that monitors religious freedom concerns of all faiths—joins them by phone from London. Next up, Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk on his latest book, Snow. The book is set in a remote Turkish village against the backdrop of religious, political, and deeply personal tensions. Then, author David Suzuki focuses on one Douglas Fir tree in his unusual biography Tree: A Life Story. Finally, Norwegian author Lars Saabye Christensen spins a poignant, carnivalesque portrait of family life in his award-winning novel, The Half Brother.

Underreported: Religious Freedom

Preeta D. Bansal, the current Chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, Peter G. Danchin, Director of the Human Rights Program at Columbia University, and Felix Corley of Forum 18 News Service, discuss the impact international interests bring to bear on issues of religious freedom.

» More on the US Commission on International Religious Freedom
» More on Forum 18
» More on Peter Danchin
» More on the Underreported series

Music: "Pole Tricks," Japancakes
"Knuddelmaus," Ulrich Schnauss

Orhan Pamuk

Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk on his new, politically-weighted novel Snow.

» Read an excerpt of Snow in the Reading Room
» More on the book

Events:
Orhan Pamuk will be speaking as part of the New Yorker Festival:
Literature and Politics
Do world events have a place in fiction?
10 A.M. Florence Gould Hall
French Institute Alliance Française
55 East 59th Street
» More on the New Yorker Festival

Mr. Pamuk will be signing books on:
Saturday, October 2nd at 4pm
Barnes and Noble, Union Square

Music: Lalezar—Music of the Sultans, Sufis & Seraglio: "Segah pesrev" / "Isfahan pesrev"

David Suzuki

David Suzuki on the biography of one single Douglas fir tree: Tree: A Life Story.

» More on the book

Music: Soundtrack to Awakenings, music by Randy Newman: "Awakenings" / "Dr. Sayer"

Lars Saabye Christensen

Norwegian author Lars Saabye Christensen on his novel The Half Brother.

» Read an excerpt of The Half Brother in the Reading Room

Music: Soundtrack to The Elephant Man, music by John Morris: "Dr. Treves Visits the Freak Show and Elephant Man"

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.