On Demand
The Leonard Lopate Show
-
The Language Instinct
On today’s show: what recent research reveals about the origins of language. Then: the history of Sierra Leone and its bloody civil war told through the letters of the ordinary people themselves. Also, we’ll look at one sheik’s grandiose dream to build a lavish capital city in his United Arab Emirates desert kingdom. And on this month’s Backstory, a look at the complex history of Iranian-American relations.
The Origins of Language
Language is a distinctly human gift, yet we’re only now beginning to understand how it came into being. Christine Kenneally has written about language and science for the New Yorker and Discover, and in her new book, The First Word, she investigates the evolution of language and introduces the major players in the field of linguistics and behavioral studies.
The First Word is available for purchase at amazon.com
Letters from Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone was involved in a bloody civil war from 1991 to 2002. It remains one of the world’s poorest countries and is notorious as the land of blood diamonds. John Amman (PCV 1979) and Gary Stewart (PCV 1968) were Peace Corps volunteers in Sierra Leone and they corresponded with their Sierra Leonean friends before, during, and after the civil war. These poignant letters are included in their new book, Black Man’s Grave. Umaru Mansaray, one of the letter writers, will also join us by phone.
Black Man’s Grave is available for purchase at amazon.com
Read a letter written by Umaru Mansaray, excerpted from Black Man's Grave
Inside a Sheik’s Palace
His Highness Sheik Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi of the United Arab Emirate’s northern emirate, Ras al-Khaimah, has a grandiose dream – to build a brand new capital in the middle of his desert kingdom. The process of designing a city that will bring the sheik’s dreams to life becomes an intriguing encounter between East and West. “Wide Angle” captures this story in The Sand Castle which will premiere Tuesday, July 24 at 9 p.m. (ET) on PBS. We’ll be joined by the executive producer of “Wide Angle,” Stephen Segaller.
Backstory: Iran
This month’s Backstory will look at our complex relationship with Iran. Just this week, a new round of negotiations about Iraq was announced and Iranian-American scholars who are being detained appeared on Iranian state television. We will also look at Iran’s nuclear program, statements from the Bush Administration about Iran’s role in the chaos in Iraq, and whether regime change is even a possibility. We’ll be joined by Peter David, Foreign Editor of the Economist. He has edited a special report in the current issue of the Economist.
- About This Program »
- Staff Bios »
- Contact Us »
- Guest Hosts »
- Guest Picks »
- Latest Show »
- Tapes & Transcripts »
- Show Archive »
Features & Series
Podcast
Stay up to date.
Subscribe to the Podcast
Shop at Amazon!
Leonard Lopate Show picks
Start your Amazon shopping on WNYC.org and a portion of your total purchase goes to WNYC.
More
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.”
- Comments [1]
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.
Video Pick: The J.D. Allen Trio
The Leonard Lopate Show
Recent Videos:
- Robert Stone on Nixon and Earth Day
- Moby on Music Business
- Nicholas Bakalar on The Medicine Cabinet of Curiosities
- Robert Feldman on The Liar in Your Life
- Matt Taibbi on Goldman Sachs
- Arianna Huffington on Pigs at the Trough
- Joel Grey on Images from My Phone
- Lawrence McDonald on The Fall of Lehman Brothers
- Comments [4]
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.
- Comments [33]
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.
- Comments [1]
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.
- Comments [8]
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.
- Comments [4]
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?
