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Collapse of an Empire
Yegor Gaidar was prime minister of Russia under Boris Yeltsin. He says that modern-day Russia could stand to learn a few lessons from the collapse of the Soviet Union. Also: poet-performer "Poez." We hear a personal perspective on Colombia's bloody civil war. Plus: recipes from New York’s top hostesses!
...And we want your New Year's recipes. Submit your food ideas here!
Also, find out how you can participate in our new political film series. We're asking you to watch 4 movies about campaigns, and then tune in on Jan. 8 for a discussion.
Russia’s Future in Danger?
Yegor Gaidar, former Russian prime minister under Boris Yeltsin, says that modern-day Russia has a lot to learn from the collapse of the Soviet Union – and that Kremlin leaders are heading down the same economic path as their Communist predecessors. His new book is Collapse of an Empire.
What Do the "Ladies Who Lunch" Eat?
What do the "ladies who lunch" eat at their parties? Florence Fabricant shares recipes from some of New York’s top society hostesses in her new book, Park Avenue Potluck.
The Poez’s Poetry Dollars
The New York Times has described a performance by poet Paul L. Mills, aka "Poez," as "a sonic fantasia." His new book is The Poetry Dollars.
Here's one of Mills's poems:
A SPY IN THE KINGDOM OF SILENCE
Stalking the strange walls of the subway line
we find the subterranean wilds defiled
by criminals of the creative kind
for in this city
of sin and obscenity
scrawling graffiti
is called a crime
Who wrote these furtive words?
some hideous fiend
with a spray paint can between his teeth
a frantic tongue
licking the grimy tiles
a stab in the darker dark
of timeless transit light
seeking to speak a guilty heart
behind the lines of speechless defense
the spoken curse of a spy
in the kingdom of silence
Lawmakers ask
what can such creatures have to say
untrained animals
bred of the city’s decay
The bandits answer with a name an epithet a threat
words that would be whispered
beneath a better man’s breath
but here stripped naked sprayed
without any redeeming deceit or pretense
because desperation dictates the acts
of a spy in the kingdom of silence
The marks they make
these city scars
carved in colors on its
numb and frozen face
branded blurred and fading
looped and whorled
though buried beneath the screaming streets
still touch a nerve
disturb the sleep
of dreamless despair
of the more than ten million
dreams’ defeats
In a real dream
of the nightmare kind
that is my hand
scribbling some outlaw sign
shaping the symbols as fast as it can
these very words
a prayer revealed
in the racketing dark
with the shriek of the wheels
as the steel throws sparks
But there’s nothing there
in the end I find
the words gouged out of my heart of hearts
spell emptiness
an echoed blank
a spasm scrawl
it makes no sense
I’ve been with the enemy far too long
a spy
in the kingdom of silence
copyright 2007 Paul L. Mills
A Journey Back to Colombia
In her new memoir, My Colombian War, journalist Silvana Paternostro's autobiography chronicles the years of war between leftist rebels and the Colombian government…and her own conflicts between her Colombian and American identities.
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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.”
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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?
