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The Leonard Lopate Show

Friday, August 03, 2007
  • Currents on Lake Superior (mfshadow/flickr)
    (mfshadow/flickr)

    Green Space and Seascape

    A green thumb gives us his best tips for urban gardeners. Then, an Egyptian-American journalist recounts her family's journey from Cairo to New York. Also, the historian of Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery illuminates the lives of Civil War veterans buried there. And on this week's Please Explain, we'll learn all about oceans.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Whether you've got a window box in Manhattan or a sprawling backyard in Manhasset, horticulturalist Gerard Lordahl is here to help you get things growing despite the summer heat.

Visit the New York Council on the Environment.

Call us live on the air at 212-433-9692 or post your questions and comments here.

From Old Cairo to New York

Jewish communities have lived in Egypt since Biblical times, but political changes in the 1950s forced many to flee the once-cosmopolitan country. Lucette Lagnado's family lost everything when they escaped first to Paris and then to New York, and her once-glamorous father was never quite the same.

Her memoir The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit: My Family's Exodus from Old Cairo to the New World is available for purchase at amazon.com.



Event: Lucette Lagnado will be signing books
Saturday, August 11 at 5:30 pm
The East Hampton Library
159 Main Street
East Hampton, New York
For more information, visit the library’s website.

Weigh in: Do you remember Old Cairo?

Final Camping Ground

When Green-Wood Cemetery historian Jeffrey Richman began researching Civil War soldiers buried there, he never expected to locate more 3,000 of them. His book and CD Final Camping Ground tells the stories of these brave men in their own words, via letters, journals, and battlefield reports.

Purchase Final Camping Ground and learn more about Jeffrey Richman's tours of Green-Wood Cemetery here.

Weigh in: Are there Civil War veterans in your family?

Please Explain: Oceans

Ever wonder why the surf is up or the tides are out? On today's Please Explain, Dr. William B. F. Ryan of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Dr. Paul Falkowski of Rutgers University will answer your questions on everything from algae to undertow.

Call us live on the air at 212-433-9692 or post your questions and comments here.

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?