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The Leonard Lopate Show

Thursday, November 15, 2007
  • Fluorescent coral (Cyphastrea microphthalma) Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. (Vincent Pieribone and David Gruber)
    Fluorescent coral (Vincent Pieribone and David Gruber)

    The War on Cancer

    In the fight against cancer, finding its causes are just as important as finding the cure. Epidemiologist Dr. Devra Davis explains why she thinks the war on cancer has been very misguided, and needs to change. Also: find out what scientists can learn from glowing jellyfish and fireflies. Jim Shepherd shares his new short story collection. And we hear about the life and tragic death of a Guatemalan human rights activist.

    Friday's Please Explain is about laughter. To help us prepare, tell us something that always makes you laugh. Is it a joke? a person? a situation? Leave a comment here.

Secret History of the War on Cancer

In the fight against cancer, finding the causes are just as important as finding the cure. Epidemiologist Dr. Devra Davis says that the war on cancer has been misguided for too long…and that it’s been led by people with ties to industries that make cancer-causing products. Dr. Davis is director of the University of Pittsburgh's Center for Environmental Oncology; her new book is The Secret History of the War on Cancer.

Weigh in: Have you made any lifestyle changes with the specific intent of helping to prevent cancer?

Event: Devra Davis will be speaking and signing books
Friday, November 16 at 6:30 pm
New York Academy of Sciences
250 Greenwich Street, 40th Floor (Between Barclay and Vesey Streets)
To purchase tickets, visit the NYAS website

The Secret History of the War on Cancer is available for purchase at amazon.com

15 things you can do to avoid cancer
University of Pittsburgh's Center for Environmental Oncology

The Art of Political Murder

Bishop Juan Gerardi was a Guatemalan human rights leader who was killed after he published a report on Guatemala’s army-led genocidal campaign in the 1980s and 90s. Francisco Goldman’s account of what happened is The Art of Political Murder: Who Killed the Bishop?

Event: Francisco Goldman will be speaking and signing books
Friday, November 16 at 6 pm
The Cervantes Institute
211 East 49th Street (at 3rd Avenue)

The Art of Political Murder is available for purchase at amazon.com

Like You’d Understand, Anyway: Short Stories by Jim Shepherd

The stories in Jim Shepherd’s new collection, Like You’d Understand, Anyway, are set in locales as diverse as Chernobyl, 1840s Australia, and outer space.

Event: Jim Shepard will be reading with Amy Hempel and Susan Daitch, with a musical act by Elliot Sharp
Thursday, November 15 at 8 pm
Littoral Reading Series, Issue Project Room
Old American Can Factory
232 3rd Avenue, 3rd Floor, Brooklyn
To purchase tickets, call (718) 330-0313

Like You’d Understand, Anyway is available for purchase at amazon.com

Underreported: Biofluorescence

Scientists have a lot to learn from fireflies and glowing jellyfish. On Underreported: a look at the science of biofluorescence, and how it could lead to revolutionary advances in brain research and even military technology. Vincent Pieribone and David Gruber are co-authors of the book Aglow in the Dark.

Aglow in the Dark is available for purchase at amazon.com

Slideshow: Biofluorescence
Read the New York Times's recent piece on biofluorescence in mice

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?