Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI Radio in New York

Christopher Ryan’s new book “Civilized to Death: The Price of Progress” explores the ways in which “progress” has perverted the way we live: how we eat, learn, feel, mate, parent, communicate, work and die. Join us for a hard look at the drawbacks of modern life in this edition of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

Have you ever asked yourself “why should I listen to classical music?” or “how can I get the most from the listening experience?” In his book “For the Love of Music: A Conductor's Guide to the Art of Listening,” acclaimed maestro John Mauceri explores how to get the most out of experiencing classical music. A friend and protégé of Leonard Bernstein for 18 years and an eminent conductor who has toured and recorded all over the world, John Mauceri joins us for a look at the lost art of music appreciation in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

It's no secret that the goal of corporate-owned media is to increase the profits of the few, not to empower the many. As a result, people are increasingly immersed in an information system structured to reinforce their social biases and market to their buying preferences. In their book “United States of Distraction: Media Manipulation in Post-Truth America (And What We Can Do About It)” Mickey Huff and Nolan Higdon offer a clear, concise appraisal of our current situation and present readers with action items for how to improve it. Join us for a discussion of how we can escape the clutches of big money in media in this edition of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

Have you ever wondered why birds evoke such a strong curiosity in humans? There aren’t lizard-watchers or beetle-watchers. Ornithologist David B. Lank is a researcher at Simon Fraser University’s department of biological sciences studying the behavior of shorebirds, including breeding and migration biology and the relationship between predator and prey. Join us for this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI when David B. Lank gives us a unique glimpse into the natural world of birds.

The public lands of the western United States include 450 million acres of grassland, steppe land, canyons, forests and mountains. It's one of the last unspoiled realms of the American West and it is under assault as never before. Journalist Christopher Ketcham has been documenting the confluence of commercial exploitation and governmental misconduct in this region for over a decade. His new book “This Land: How Cowboys, Capitalism, and Corruption are Ruining the American West” takes the reader on a journey across these last wild places, to see how capitalism is killing our great national commons. Join us for a discussion over the fight for public lands with Christopher Ketcham in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

Opening with a tender moment shared with William Gale Gedney on the Brooklyn Bridge in 1959, Joseph Caldwell’s “In The Shadow Of The Bridge: A Memoir” charts his three decades spent in downtown Manhattan pining for the great photographer. By the early 1980s with the AIDS epidemic terrorizing New York City and the atmosphere of free love and sex replaced by unrelenting fear, Caldwell was reunited with Gedney to care for him as the disease ravaged his body. Join us for a discussion of “In The Shadow Of The Bridge” and the events that inspired it in this edition of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

Bob Hennelly’s writing has been featured in the New York Times, the Village Voice, the Christian Science Monitor, the Miami Herald, the Detroit Free Press along with dozens of other magazines and newspapers. He has appeared on “60 Minutes” and C-Span's “America and the Courts.” Join us for a wide-ranging discussion with Bob about some of the local stories that are receiving short shrift from most media outlets in this edition of “Leonard Lopate at Large” on WBAI.

Monona Rossol is a chemist, artist, and industrial hygienist. She was born into a theatrical family and worked as a professional entertainer from age 3 to 17. Currently, she is the president of Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to providing health and safety services to the arts. Monona is also is the Health and Safety Director for Local 829 of the United Scenic Artists, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and has lectured throughout North America and Europe. In this installment of “Leonard Lopate at Large,” Monona takes your calls on any public hazard you're concerned about.

Monona Rossol is a chemist, artist, and industrial hygienist. She was born into a theatrical family and worked as a professional entertainer from age 3 to 17. Currently, she is the president of Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to providing health and safety services to the arts. As part of WBAI's fall fund drive Monona agreed to stay on for an extra hour. This is that second hour.

We live in a time of crises according to Paul S. Adler—economic turmoil, environmental degradation, social disintegration and international rivalry. In "The 99 Percent Economy: How Democratic Socialism Can Overcome the Crises of Capitalism," the professor of management and organization, environmental studies and sociology at the University of Southern California argues that these problems are only going to keep getting worse unless we radically transform our economic system. Join us for a discussion with Prof. Adler about the systemic change necessary to reshape our economy into something more fair and equal in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.