wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

The Leonard Lopate Show

Friday, September 21, 2007
  • The Supreme Court
    The Supreme Court (Getty Images)

    Inside the Supreme Court

    On today's show: CNN legal analyst and New Yorker staff writer Jeffrey Toobin takes us behind the scenes of our nation's highest court. Then director Robin Swicord and actor Hugh Dancy discuss their new film, The Jane Austen Book Club. Also, a novelist tells the story of an amnesiac with a bizarre scheme to regain his memories. And on today's Please Explain, we'll talk about the most common mental illness in the United States: phobia.

The Nine

CNN legal analyst and New Yorker staff writer Jeffrey Toobin conducted extensive interviews with former and current justices of the Supreme Court to write his latest book, The Nine. He reveals how our highest court has been shaped not only by the law, but by the personalities of the men and women who sit on its bench.

Purchase The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court at amazon.com.


Event: Jeffrey Toobin will be speaking with Anderson Cooper
Monday, September 24 at 7 pm
Union Square Barnes & Noble

Weigh in: Are Supreme Court decisions often driven by personal politics?

The Jane Austen Book Club

Director Robin Swicord and actor Hugh Dancy discuss their new romantic comedy, The Jane Austen Book Club. It follows six friends who find that reading Emma and the rest affects their lives in unexpected ways.

The Jane Austen Book Club opens today in New York and Los Angeles. Visit the film's website for more information.

Weigh in: Has a book ever changed your life?

Remainder

The unnamed narrator of Tom McCarthy's impressive debut novel, Remainder, suffers a mysterious accident that erases his memory, and also earns him millions in legal damages. His prior identity lost, he is soon immersed in a bizarre plan to spend the money and find a way back to himself.

Purchase Remainder at amazon.com.


Event: Tom McCarthy will be part of a panel discussion
Tuesday, September 25 at 6:30 pm
The Drawing Center
35 Wooster Street, between Grand and Broome Streets
Tickets are $5 for the public and free for members of The Drawing Center.
For more information, visit the Drawing Center’s website.

Please Explain: Phobias

The National Institutes of Health have found that anywhere from 8 to 18% of Americans are affected by phobias. Don't be afraid to send us your questions about the things that make you cringe. Our guest is Dr. Martin Anthony, Director of the Graduate Program in Psychology at Ryerson University in Toronto and the author of several books on phobias and anxiety disorders, including Mastering Your Fears and Phobias.

Call us at 212-433-WNYC or post your questions and comments here.

Weigh in: What are you most afraid of?

Have phobias ever stopped you from doing something you really wanted to do?

How have you gotten over a phobia?

National Book Award Winners

The Leonard Lopate Show

A number of this year’s National Book Award winners have appeared on The Leonard Lopate Show. Click here to see the list!

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.

Please Explain: Eco-Labels

The Leonard Lopate Show

Your broccoli, shampoo, and air conditioner might bear labels declaring them to be organic, cruelty-free, or energy efficient, but what do those labels mean and are they true? Dr. Urvashi Rangan, Project Director for Consumer Reports' GreenerChoices.org and Consumers Union’s Senior Scientist for Policy Initiatives, and Dara O'Rourke, founder and CEO of GoodGuide.com, took a look at what eco-labels indicate, how standards are set, and what they mean for consumers and manufacturers around the world.

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.