The Year Ahead

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

We look back at the triumphs and failures of the Great Depression-era WPA - and what we can learn from it now, during these current economic hard times. Plus: find out how numbers and statistics can be very misleading. Daphne Beal on her novel about modernization in Nepal. And, get some predictions for the world in 2009!

Check out WNYC's Art.Cult project on Facebook, in conjunction with the Lopate Show!

Punches and Nogs

Monday, December 29, 2008

A tasty punch or a rich eggnog can be the life of a party. A mixologist and cocktail historian gives tips on how to make the most delicious and festive holiday drinks, just in time for New Years! Plus: comedian Lizz Winstead makes light of the high and low moments of 2008.

Wars Up Close

Friday, December 26, 2008

Veteran war correspondent Martin Fletcher explains how he’s coped with seeing violence up-close for 30 years, from Rwanda to Afghanistan. Then, Jimmy Breslin's fascinating stories of the American mafia. A look at the new animated documentary "Waltz with Bashir." Plus: Toni Morrison on her latest novel!

We want your recipes for holiday punches and nogs! On Mon. Dec. 29, we're hosting a recipe swap for festive drinks. Check it out!

Shocking But True

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Find out why humans' irrational behavior is actually quite predictable. Also, a Virginia circuit court judge talks about his new legal thriller novel. Plus: a waiter-turned-blogger tells shocking and true tales of arrogance and misbehavior by diners!

We want your recipes for holiday punches and nogs! On Mon. Dec. 29, we're hosting a recipe swap for festive beverages. Check it out!

Get Into the Spirit

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Celebrate the holiday spirit with an hour of Christmas gospel music! Also, WNYC’s Terrance McKnight shares some of his favorite classical holiday music. Plus: get tips on what to prepare for breakfast on Christmas morning - from festive waffles to easy egg dishes.

We want your recipes for holiday punches and nogs! On Mon. Dec. 29, we're hosting a festive beverage recipe swap. Check it out!

In the Real World

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Find out how more than 40 million diverse Latinos may have been unfairly lumped into a single homogeneous market by pollsters, marketers, and policymakers. Also: a look at Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas,” now on Broadway. Then we celebrate 25 years of the Harper’s Index. Plus: how can theater be relevant to big issues in the real world?

We want your recipes for holiday punches and nogs! On Mon. Dec. 29, we're hosting a punch and nog recipe swap. Check it out!

....Also: Leonard is now on Facebook!

Old-Time Eats

Monday, December 22, 2008

A 1935 WPA project assigned out-of-work writers to report on American regional cuisine. Find out what Americans were eating in the 1930s - from fish fries to chitlin feasts! Also, Philip Glass on a new box set retrospective of his music. Hear the history of scrapbooking in America. Plus: a look at the Great Books movement in postwar America.

We want your recipes for holiday punches and nogs! On Mon. Dec. 29, we're hosting a punch and nog recipe swap. Check it out!

....Also, now you can befriend Leonard on Facebook!

Hot Books

Friday, December 19, 2008

Get some book gift ideas! The editor of the New York Times Book Review shares his picks for the best and most notable books of 2008. Also: director Darren Aronofsky on his film "The Wrestler," and Laurent Cantet talks about his movie "The Class." Plus, Please Explain is all about baking.

Befriend Leonard on Facebook!

The Afghanistan Problem

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Achieving stability in Afghanistan will be a top priority for the Obama administration. Hear an insider’s perspective on what the administration’s first steps there should be. Also: a look at the politics of children’s literature. Plus, on Underreported: an update on the Democratic Republic of Congo from actor and UNICEF ambassador Mia Farrow, who’s just returned from a humanitarian trip there.

Befriend Leonard on Facebook!

Drinking Women

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

More women are drinking alcohol in greater quantities. Is gender equality in drinking something to strive for? Also: Campbell Scott on his role in the play "The Atheist." We look at the life of swashbuckling star Douglas Fairbanks. Plus, word maven Patricia T. O’Conner takes your calls!

Want to Be a Top Chef?

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

New York, California, and many of the states in between are facing major budget crises. We find out how the resulting cutbacks could affect all of our lives. Also: chef Tom Colicchio on whether TV shows like "Top Chef" have made people more - or less – likely to pursue culinary careers!

Nightshift NYC

Monday, December 15, 2008

When the sun goes down in New York -- fry cooks, train conductors, cabbies, radio hosts and thousands of others keep the city running until morning. Get a glimpse of what life is like for New Yorkers who work the night shift! But first: a look at Canada's current political crisis, and why the governing Conservative Party may be voted out soon. Also, hear the humorous side of having a sleepwalking disorder.

Burn It Off

Friday, December 12, 2008

Some diet and supplement advocates claim they work by speeding up metabolism. On Please Explain: find out how metabolism works, why it’s essential to life, and whether it can be sped up or slowed down. Also: Curtis Roosevelt on growing up in the White House with his grandfather FDR. Broadway star Barbara Cook stops by. Plus: an Iraqi-born artist's unique ways of encouraging a dialogue between Iraqis and Americans.

Off the Rack

Thursday, December 11, 2008

At a time when newspapers around the country are struggling to survive, find out how magazines are faring. Also: the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten, shares some elegant, low-stress recipes that can be made with easy-to-find ingredients. Judy Collins talks about her life in music. Plus, on Underreported: find out why switching to solar panels may not be so green after all.

Carrie Fisher

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Carrie Fisher talks about "Star Wars," her life as a cultural icon, and how she dealt with addiction and mental illness. Also, conversations with two more stars: actors Michelle Williams and Ralph Fiennes. And the gurus of how-to, Al and Larry Ubell, answer your home repair questions!

Building Histories

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Most histories of the civil rights movement focus on the South. Find out how activists and organizations in the North shaped the movement. Also: hear the history of the Hemings family of Virginia. Plus, a look at the life of Swiss modernist Le Corbusier -- and a conversation with Daniel Libeskind, one of today's leading architects!

Problems at the Plaza

Monday, December 08, 2008

Condos in the newly renovated Plaza Hotel have been sold for tens of millions of dollars. Find out about the many lawsuits over shoddy construction used in those very expensive apartments. Also: a look at 13 books that helped shape America's history and identity. Plus, the role race has played in Castro's Cuba.

Tea Time

Friday, December 05, 2008

Tea is the most widely-consumed drink in the world besides water. On Please Explain, find out how tea is made, why it's so popular, and how it’s shaped world history. Also: a look at who benefits most when military work is outsourced. We talk about what it's like to be born with ambiguous or combined gender. Plus, the Sondheim musical "Road Show"!

What are your favorite Lopate Show segments from 2008? Vote here!

Two Sides

Thursday, December 04, 2008

Not every actor can be seen in the same day portraying a Catholic martyr and a disgraced US President! Frank Langella talks about his current roles as Richard Nixon and Sir Thomas More. Also: soprano Dawn Upshaw and crime writer Patricia Cornwell. And on Underreported: find out about the physical scars torture leaves.

What are your favorite Lopate Show segments from 2008? Vote here!

A Path to Peace

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Peace in the Middle East is one of the most pressing items on President-Elect Obama’s long to-do list. Former Speaker of the Knesset Avraham Burg says that Israel must move beyond a Holocaust mentality in order to accomplish a lasting peace in the region. Also: Patti Labelle talks about her music and her cooking skills. Amitav Ghosh on his new novel. And jazz pianist McCoy Tyner performs live in our studio!

What are your favorite Lopate Show segments from 2008? Vote here!

News You Can Use

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Find out how Rupert Murdoch’s $70 billion media kingdom shapes the news we get every day. Plus: conversations with conductor Carlo Ponti Jr. and singer/songwriter Juliana Hatfield, and then we look into how listening to jazz can be a collaborative experience.

What are your favorite Lopate Show segments from 2008? Vote here!

Rebuild

Monday, December 01, 2008

Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman on why he says we’ve returned to Depression-era economics. Also: Paula Zahn on her weekly public TV show "Sunday Arts." Morris Robinson on his new album, "Going Home." Plus, a look at some of the best and worst examples of architecture from the last century!

What are your favorite Lopate Show segments from 2008? Vote here!