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The Leonard Lopate Show

Thursday, December 18, 2008
  • Afghanistan
    (Photo by JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images)

    The Afghanistan Problem

    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.

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What’s Next in Afghanistan

Achieving stability in Afghanistan will be a top priority for the Obama administration. Sarah Chayes, former NPR correspondent and founder of soapmaking cooperative Arghand, gives us an insider’s perspective on what the administration’s first steps there should be.

Tales for Little Rebels

Not all children’s books are as innocent or neutral as one might think. We talk about the politics behind children’s literature, from socialist messages to political activism. Editor Julia Mickenberg and contributors Charlotte Pomerantz and Joe Molner talk about their anthology of radical children’s literature, Tales for Little Rebels.

Event:
Julia Mickenberg, Phil Nel, Charlotte Pomerantz and Joe Molner will be reading
Saturday 12/20 at noon
Bluestockings Books
172 Allen Street between Stanton and Rivington

Horton Foote’s “Dividing the Estate”

Hallie Foote talks about starring in her father Horton Foote’s latest play, "Dividing the Estate." It’s about a family that must deal with its past in order to prepare for its future. It’s gotten great reviews, and it’s now at Lincoln Center Theater through Jan. 4.

Underreported: Disappearing Fireflies

Fireflies seem to be disappearing throughout the world. We look into where they’re going, why they might be disappearing, and how their absence could affect our ecosystem. Dr. Christopher Cratsley is a biology professor and firefly expert at Fitchburg State College.

Underreported: Mia Farrow on the DRC

Actress and UNICEF ambassador Mia Farrow just returned from a humanitarian trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo. She tells us what she saw, what’s being done to stop the spread of cholera there, why fighting has resumed, and whether children are again being recruited to serve as soldiers in the DRC.

Slideshow of Mia Farrow in the DRC

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.