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The Leonard Lopate Show

Wednesday, March 09, 2005
  • Ron Chernow
    Ron Chernow

    Competitive Edges

    Alvin and Larry Ubell, the self-appointed "Gurus of How-To," answer home repair questions at 212-267-WNYC. Then, Jake Morrissey examines the intense rivalry between two seventeenth-century Italian architects who transformed the architecture of Rome: Gianlorenzo Bernini and Francesco Borromini. Mark Obmascik joins us next with some insight into the intense nature of bird watchers. And we continue our celebration of Leonard’s 20th Anniversary with historian Ron Chernow. We’ll talk about the nature of writing history, and we’ll think a bit about the history of the show.

The Gurus of How-To

Alvin and Larry Ubell shed light on the nuts and bolts of home repair. Call 212-267-WNYC (212-267-9692).

» Visit the Ubell’s website

Arch Rivals

Jake Morrissey examines the intense rivalry between seventeenth-century Italian architects Gianlorenzo Bernini and Francesco Borromini as they changed the face of Rome: The Genius in the Design.

» Read an excerpt of The Genius in the Design in the Reading Room

Events:
Jake Morrissey will be speaking and signing books on:
Wednesday, March 9th at 7pm.
Barnes & Noble, Chelsea
675 6th Ave (between 21st and 22nd streets)

Music: Corelli: Sonatas for Strings Vol. 2, The Purcell Quartet: "Op. 2, No. 7 in F major"

Fowl Obsession

Mark Obmascik investigates the world of extreme bird watchers--enthusiasts who compete in the 365-day birdwatching marathon--in his new book The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession.

Music: Soundtrack to Oscar and Lucinda, music by Tomas Newman: "Prince Rupert's Drop"

Pondering History

Each day this week, Leonard is interviewing one of his favorite guests to celebrate his 20th Anniversary at WNYC. Today we'll hear from historian Ron Chernow, the author of Alexander Hamilton, about his approach to writing history.

» More on Leonard Lopate's 20th Anniversary

Music: The Best of Thelonious Monk: "Misterioso"

Patrick Swayze

The Leonard Lopate Show

Patrick Swayze mixed grace with athleticism in his movies – and rose to stardom with roles in “Dirty Dancing” and “Ghost.” He died just recently after a battle with pancreatic cancer. And you can hear his interview with Leonard Lopate from July 16, 2002, when he came by to discuss appearing in the film, “Green Dragon.”

The Silver Anniversary of the Silver Palate

The Leonard Lopate Show

Sheila Lukins was one half of a partnership that helped popularize gourmet cooking throughout America – first, through their gourmet food shop in New York City and then with the cookbook, The Silver Palate, which remains one of the top-selling cookbooks of all time. She collaborated on 2 other cookbooks that simplified gourmet cooking for the home cook. She died recently from brain cancer at the age of 66, and you can listen to her 2007 conversation with Leonard Lopate and her business partner Julee Rosso about the 25th Anniversary of the publication of The Silver Palate.

Dominick Dunne

The Leonard Lopate Show

Dominick Dunne was a famous novelist and Hollywood producer. But he may be best remembered for covering trials of the rich and famous – from Claus von Bulow to O. J. Simpson. He died just recently at the age of 83. But you can still hear his interview with Leonard from November 23, 2001, when he was discussing crimes, trials, and punishments.

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.

Guest Picks

The Leonard Lopate Show

Find out surprising facts about some recent guests on the Leonard Lopate Show. Check out our Guest Picks section! Did you know that football star Herschel Walker loves Judge Judy, Laurie Anderson is a big fan of agility training for dogs, and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi likes Johnny Depp?