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The Leonard Lopate Show

Tuesday, January 24, 2006
  • Osama Bin Laden
    Osama Bin Laden (AFP/Getty Images)

    Battle Scars

    On today’s show, we’ll talk to the CIA Field Commander who led the attack against Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan’s Tora Bora mountains. Later on the show, a doctor recounts his struggle to save lives in the midst of war zones—from Eritrea to Baghdad. And Lisa Fugard—the daughter of South African playwright Athol Fugard—shares her first novel. Plus, jazz trumpeter Charles Tolliver will be here.

Jawbreaker

CIA Key Field Commander Gary Berntsen describes leading the attack against Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan--and shares his personal account of what happened when bin Laden was cornered in the Tora Bora mountains--in Jawbreaker. He's joined by his co-author, Ralph Pezzullo.

» Read an excerpt of Jawbreaker in the Reading Room

Music: Jawbreaker Soundtrack, Tracks 13, 12, and 6

Skinner's Drift

Lisa Fugard (the daughter of South African playwright Athol Fugard) shares her first novel--a family drama set in her home country, titled Skinner’s Drift.

Events: Lisa Fugard will be reading and signing books
Thursday, January 26th at 7pm
Barnes and Noble, Astor Place


Music: Constant Gardner Soundtrack, Tracks 1 and 6

Music Inc

Jazz trumpeter Charles Tolliver made his first recording with saxophone great Jackie Mclean on Blue Note Records in 1964. The self-taught player and composer, and founder of the quartet Music Inc, joins us for a look back at his legendary 40-year career as one of the most respected figures in jazz.

Events:
Charles Tolliver Big Band performs at Birdland Jazz
Wednesday, January 25 through Saturday, January 28
show times 9&11pm Music Charge: $30
315 West 44th Street between 8th & 9th Avenues
Call 212-581-3080 for info
» www.birdlandjazz.com

Music: “Household of Saud” and “Brilliant Circles”
Music, Inc. by Charles Tolliver & Big Band (Strata-East Records

A War Surgeon's Education

Jonathan Kaplan grew up in South Africa, and was later forced--beccause of apartheid--to leave the black township where he was working as a doctor. He then began a journey around the world working as a surgeon in war zones from Baghdad to Angola. He describes the challenges he faced trying to save lives in very difficult circumstances in Contact Wounds.

Music: Meet Joe Black Soundtrack, Tracks 10, 13, and 17

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.