Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI Radio in New York

In the 1980s and ‘90s the large-scale nightclubs Limelight, Tunnel, Club USA, and Palladium dominated New York City’s entertainment scene, their influences reverberating around the world. With a career in club promotion and ownership spanning four decades, it was Peter Gatien who channeled his lessons from other cities to become the enigmatic ruler of the city's party scene. But as Peter describes in his new book “The Club King: My Rise, Reign, and Fall in New York Nightlife,” while he and his team ramped up their vision to new hedonistic heights, newly anointed mayor Rudolph Giuliani was leading a major shift in the city and Peter’s empire became a target of the administration. Join us for the story of the soaring heights of Manhattan nightlife and its ultimate demise told by someone at the center of it all, Peter Gatien, in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI

In an era of political correctness, race-baiting, and, of course, “fake news,” liberals and conservatives are up in arms both about free speech, its perceived excesses and what the First Amendment actually means. Thane Rosenbaum’s new book “Saving Free Speech...from Itself” aims to demystify this important issue at the heart of both our societal and political lives. Join us for a discussion of free speech in America in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

Douglas W. Tallamy’s first book, “Bringing Nature Home,” awakened thousands of readers to an urgent situation—wildlife populations are in decline because the native plants they depend on are fast disappearing. His solution? Plant more native plants. In this new book, “Nature's Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard,” Douglas takes the next step and outlines his vision for a grassroots approach to conservation, demonstrating to homeowners everywhere how they can turn their yards into conservation corridors and wildlife habitats. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Douglas W. Tallamy is joined by regular contributor to the show, Pete Muroski of Native Landscapes for a look at how to make a difference in your front yard.

From directors Sarah Teale, Russell Michaels and Simon Ardizzone, the team behind the 2006 Emmy-nominated documentary “Hacking Democracy,” the new HBO original doc “Kill Chain: The Cyber War on America's Elections” again follows Finnish hacker and cyber security expert Harri Hursti as he travels throughout the US and around the world to show how our election systems remain unprotected, with very little accountability or transparency. Join us for a discussion with Sarah Teale and Harri Hursti on “Kill Chain” and the disturbing revelations it contains in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

Before he became a familiar journalistic voice at WNYC or WBAI’s former general manger, Robert Hennelly was national affairs correspondent for Pacifica Network News. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, the Village Voice, the Christian Science Monitor, the Miami Herald, the Detroit Free Press along with dozens of other magazines and newspapers. His work has been featured on “60 Minutes” and C-Span's “America and the Courts.” In latest appearance on Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Bob discusses the government response to COVID-19 and how the pandemic is affecting union workers.

Are there words you’re sure people are mispronouncing or misusing all the time? Maybe you just want to expand your vocabulary without sounding forced. Kathryn and Ross Petras have got you covered. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, our favorite language experts discuss their new book “Awkword Moments: A Lively Guide to the 100 Terms Smart People Should Know.”

When author Mike Jaccarino was offered a job at the Daily News in 2006, he was asked a single question, “kid, what are you going to do to help us beat the Post?” That was the year things went sideways at the Daily News, when the New York Post surpassed its nemesis in circulation for the first time in the history of both papers. Mike’s new book “America's Last Great Newspaper War: The Death of Print in a Two-Tabloid Town” is a behind-the-scenes story of the lengths both sides’ runners and shooters would do in hopes of scooping their print rival. Join us for a look back at this epic struggle for the hearts and minds of New York City newspaper readers in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

For decades, the Religious Right has presented itself as a social movement preoccupied with a number of cultural issues, including abortion and same-sex marriage. In her new book “The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism,” Katherine Stewart reveals a disturbing truth: this is a political movement that seeks to gain power and to impose its vision on all of society. Stewart’s extensive reporting has led her to believe that America's religious nationalists aren't just fighting a culture war, they’re waging a political war on the norms and institutions of American democracy. Join us for a conversation with Katherine Stewart on the rise of Christian conservatism as a political force in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

Anna Prouse is a journalist and advisor, handpicked by General David Petraeus to lead reconstruction efforts in southern Iraq. Due to a strange series of coincidences, her life was actually saved by Qasem Soleimani (before he was the target in a fatal U.S. drone strike on January 3 in Baghdad) after he had vacillated several times about having her killed. For eight years Anna was one of the only western women negotiating with the Iraqi government and military, interacting with pivotal figures like Governor of Kuwait Aziz Saleh al-Numan Aziz, Iraqi General Saad and Colonel Abu Lika. Join us for a discussion of reconstruction efforts in Iraq from a woman who didn’t just witness them from the sidelines but helped lead the US efforts in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

In his new book “The World According to Physics,” quantum physicist, New York Times bestselling author, and BBC host Jim Al-Khalili offers a fascinating and illuminating look at what physics reveals about the world. Join us for a discussion of what physics can tell us about the universe and our home planet in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.