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The Leonard Lopate Show
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Baseball and Brotherhood
Don Eberly, a former USAID official, gives us an insider's account of the post-war occupation of Iraq. Lee Lowenfish tells about the life of Branch Rickey, the man who revolutionized baseball by bringing it to the forefront of the Civil Rights movement. Then we look at the history of Jewish players in the Major League Baseball. Plus, Leonard’s brother, Phillip Lopate, on the influence of Susan Sontag and his essay about brotherhood.
Liberate and Leave
Don Eberly, who was a senior official at USAID during the lead-up to the Iraq invasion and then served on a post-war civil administration team for two years, gives an insider’s account of what happened in Iraq following the invasion. His book is Liberate and Leave: Fatal Flaws in the Early Strategy for Postwar Iraq.
Branch Rickey
Branch Rickey was not much of a player or manager, but he ended up revolutionizing baseball: He created the farm system, allowing small-market clubs to compete with the rich and powerful, then, he signed Jackie Robinson and other black players to the Brooklyn Dodgers, bringing baseball to the forefront of the civil rights movement. Lee Lowenfish gives a detailed portrait of a man who influenced American business, sport, and society in Branch Rickey: Baseball’s Ferocious Gentleman.
The Baseball Talmud
Howard Megdal gives a historical narration of Major League Jewish Baseball in America, with all the stats, facts, stories, and glory. He also uses modern sabermetrics to determine the greatest Jewish players at each position, who would be on an all-time Jewish All-Star Team, and how that team would rate against the greatest teams in baseball history in his book The Baseball Talmud.
Phillip Lopate's Essays
Phillip Lopate, Leonard's brother, discusses brotherhood and his essay in the anthology Brothers: 26 Stories of Love and Rivalry. He'll also discuss his series of essays on the achievements and limitations of Susan Sontag, looking at her significance to him personally and to the culture at large, in his book Notes on Sontag.
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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.
Video Pick: David Chang on Momofuku
The Leonard Lopate Show
Recent Videos:
- Arthur Schwartz on The Southern Italian Table
- David Plouffe on The Audacity to Win: The Inside Story and Lessons of Barack Obama’s Historic Victory
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- Paul Shaffer on We’ll Be Here for the Rest of Our Lives: A Swingin' Show-Biz Saga
- George Steel on the New York City Opera’s new season
- Gail Collins on When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of Women from 1960 to the Present
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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.
- Comments [9]
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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