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On Demand

The Leonard Lopate Show

Monday, November 12, 2007
  • marko polo

    Marco Polo and Machiavelli

    We look at the history of prayer in American public schools since 1963. Also: new perspectives on the lives of two legends - Marco Polo and Machiavelli. It turns out that Machiavelli may not have been as cold-hearted as history books would have us believe! Plus, Iranian-American novelist Porochista Khakpour.

School Prayer, 1963-2007

A major Supreme Court decision in 1963 continues to shape the debate over school prayer and religious freedom in the US. Ellery Schempp was the student who sparked the case when he protested the prayers said every day at his public school; Stephen Solomon’s new book, Ellery’s Protest, analyzes the Supreme Court decision.

Weigh in: Do you think prayer has a place in public schools?

Ellery’s Protest is available for purchase at amazon.com

The Softer Side of Machiavelli?

Niccolo Machiavelli may not have been the cold-hearted, power-hungry man the history books would have us believe. Biographer Ross King shows a different side of the man in his new book, Machiavelli.

Event: Ross King will be speaking
Monday, November 12 at 8 pm
92nd Street Y
Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street
To purchase tickets, go here.

Machiavelli is available for purchase at amazon.com

Iranian-Americans After 9/11

Porochista Khakpour’s debut novel, Sons and Other Flammable Objects, chronicles the life of an Iranian-American family in California who suddenly must deal with changing political currents immediately after 9/11.

Event: Porochista Khakpour will be speaking with Dalia Sofer, Marsha Mehran, and Nahid Rachlin
Monday, November 19 at 7 pm
Half King
505 West 23rd Street (at 10th Avenue)

Sons and Other Flammable Objects is available for purchase at amazon.com

More about Porochista Khakpour

The Adventures of Marco Polo

The 13th century adventurer and travel writer Marco Polo ended his days in Venice as a greedy and litigious merchant. Find out more about the remarkable life of the man – beyond the classic kids’ water game – with Laurence Bergreen, author of the new biography Marco Polo: From Venice to Xanadu.

Event: Laurence Bergreen will be speaking and signing books
Thursday, November 15 at 7 pm
Lincoln Square Barnes & Noble
1972 Broadway (at 66th Street)

Marco Polo is available for purchase at amazon.com

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.