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The Leonard Lopate Show

Wednesday, April 30, 2008
  • Gary Carter
    (Photo by Gary Newkirk/Getty Images)

    Play Ball

    Hall of Fame catcher Gary "the Kid" Carter on how baseball has changed over the years. Then, on States of the Union, find out which issues matter to voters in Indiana -- and what will happen if they don't bring their IDs when they go to vote! Louise Erdrich on her 13th novel, The Plague of Doves. And a look at the life story of a general in the Congolese army.

    Tune in on Tuesday, May 6th, for our latest Political Projections! Watch both the original and remade versions of "All the King's Men" and "The Manchurian Candidate"...and weigh in on how the politics of the time influenced each film.

Catcher Gary “The Kid” Carter on Life in the Major Leagues

Hall of Fame catcher Gary "The Kid" Carter talks about the ups and downs of his 19-year career in the major leagues, and what he thinks about how baseball has changed in his lifetime. His new memoir is Still a Kid at Heart: My Life in Baseball and Beyond.

States of the Union: Indiana

Indiana is one of the two states holding a primary on May 6. We find out what makes the state so competitive for the Democratic presidential candidate, what’s happening in the race for governor, and whether this week's Supreme Court decision on voter identification will affect the voting on May 6. Plus: a look at how the Hoosier State's large manufacturing sector has been affected by the current economic downturn. Brian A. Howey is publisher of Howey Politics Indiana.

States of the Union fact of the week: Alka-Seltzer was invented in Indiana.

Louise Erdrich’s Novel The Plague of Doves

Louise Erdrich’s 13th novel, The Plague of Doves, has gotten rave reviews. The multigenerational narrative is rooted in the 1911 slaughter of a farming family in North Dakota.

Event: Louise Erdrich will be speaking and signing books
Wednesday, April 30 at 7:30 pm
Lincoln Center Barnes & Noble
1972 Broadway (at 66th Street)

The Life Story of a Congolese General

Belgian journalist Lieve Joris illuminates the war in Congo through the complicated life story of Assani, a young cowherd who learns he’s ethnically Tutsi, is forced to choose sides in the Rwandan conflict, and eventually becomes a high-ranking general in the Congolese army. Joris’s new book is The Rebels’ Hour.

Event: Leive Joris will be speaking on the panel, Truth and Reconcilation: A National Reckoning, part of the PEN World Voices Festival
Sunday, May 4 at 2:00 pm
New York Public Library
5th Avenue and 42nd Street
For more information, go 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?