Radio Times

Guests: Nathaniel Philbrick, Louis Masur, Mallory Carra, Sean Wilentz

We’re bringing you an hour of American political history on this week’s edition of Radio Times in Review. First, we’ll hear about the fraught relationship between infamous American defector Benedict Arnold and General George Washington when we listen to Marty’s conversation with writer NATHANIEL PHILBRICK. We’ll also talk about one of the most discussed early American political figures of late, Alexander Hamilton.  When we were joined by Rutgers University professor LOUIS MASUR and entertainment journalist MALLORY CARRA, we found out about the intentions of the founding father and what the musical that bears his name gets right, and wrong, about his legacy.  And lastly, we’ll hear about the history of partisanship in America, and how it’s benefitted political discourse and policy when we listen to Marty’s interview with Princeton University history professor, SEAN WILENTZ.  His book is called The Politicians and the Egalitarians.

Guests: Liz Sly, Samer Abboud, Andrew Tabler

Evacuations from Aleppo resumed yesterday.  Buses carried rebels and civilians out of the long-besieged city to opposition-controlled areas in the countryside.  The fall of Aleppo is a major victory for President Bashar al-Assad and marks a turning point in the almost six-year civil war that has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced half the Syrian population.  This hour, we’ll discuss the future of Syria’s war and the opposition, the influence of Iran, Russia and Turkey, as well as the continuing humanitarian crisis.  Marty’s guests are LIZ SLY, Washington Post Beirut bureau chief, SAMER ABBOUD, professor at Arcadia University and author of the book, Syria, and ANDREW TABLER, fellow at The Washington Institute and author In the Lion's Den: An Eyewitness Account of Washington's Battle with Syria.

Guests: Margot Lee Shetterly, Yvonne Darlene Cagle

During World War II, NASA hired black female mathematicians to fill a labor shortage. The women were known the “human computers,” engineering and calculating the ways to get John Glenn into space. In this hour, Marty talks with MARGOT LEE SHETTERLY, author of Hidden Figures—the true story of the black female mathematicians at NASA whose calculations helped American’s space achievements. The book has been turned into a film which debuts in select theaters Christmas Day and nationwide January 6th. Then, YVONNE DARLENE CAGLE, an American NASA astronaut will discuss her career and how we can encourage more young women of color in STEM fields.

Guests: Sheri Fink and Karen Greenberg

Despite President Obama’s efforts, the Guantánamo Bay prison remains in operation. In this hour, we’ll discuss national security, interrogation, and the controversial U.S. military prison. We’ll be joined by SHERI FINK, a correspondent at The New York Times, who has reported extensively on torture and Guantánamo Bay. Then, we’ll talk about the War on Terror's impact on justice and law in America with KAREN GREENBERG, Director of the Center on National Security at Fordham Law School and author of the new book, Rogue Justice: The Making of the Security State.

Guests: James Serpell and Brittany Watson

Many kids dream of getting a cute puppy for Christmas, and some lucky ones do. But often new animal owners are unprepared for the real work of caring for and training these animals. In this hour, we’ll talk about animal behavior, and how to deal with animals you may receive, or even encounter, over the holidays. Our guests will be JAMES SERPELL, Director of Penn Vet's Center for the Interaction of Animals and Society, and BRITTANY WATSON, Penn Vet’s Director of Shelter Medicine and Community Engagement.

Guest: Phyllis Korkki

Whether in our heads or paper, most of us have a “to-do” list. Maybe it’s paying bills, organizing family photographs, or replacing the water heater.  And there are the bigger goals, too -- learning Arabic, finishing that screenplay, or starting a new business. So why don’t some of us get these things done? New York Times business writer PHYLLIS KORKKI has been giving people advice about deadlines for years and has explored the distractions and obstacles that get in the way. Now she’s come up with a practical guide to accomplishing your goals which she lays out in a new book, The Big Thing: How to Complete Your Creative Project Even if You're a Lazy, Self-Doubting Procrastinator Like Me.

Guests: Amber Khan, Symi Rom-Rymer and Jacob Bender

Muslim and Jewish women, members of the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom, are gathering across the country to build bridges, fight hate and defy negative stereotypes. We’ll talk with AMBER KHAN and SYMI ROM-RYMER, both members of the group, about working to put an end to anti-Muslim and anti-Jewish sentiments. We’ll also be joined by JACOB BENDER, Executive director of the Philadelphia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, who is Jewish, about his work as the first non-Muslim to ever hold such a high-ranking position within the organization.

Guest: Steven Hahn

In the eight decades around the Civil War, from 1830-1910, America evolved from a land of disparate peoples, states and territories into one of the most powerful nations in the world.  But as Hahn argues, the hunger for empire-building and conquest came at enormous, particularly for native people, within and outside the new nation’s borders. Pulitzer Prize-winning historian STEVEN HAHN examines this tumultuous time in American history in his new book, A Nation Without Borders: The United States and Its World in an Age of Civil Wars.  Hahn talks with Marty about American nationhood, power and identity and what this early history tells us about our politics and country today.

Guests: Catherine Saint Louis, Jeanmarie Perrone and Jose Benitez

In this hour, we’ll discuss drug addiction and overdoses. First, we’ll be joined by CATHERINE SAINT LOUIS, a New York Times reporter, to discuss the rise in infant drug dependence in rural areas. Then, why has the Philadelphia region, the city and surrounding suburbs, seen a dramatic spike in fatal overdoses in the last few weeks? There were also spikes in overdoses in South Jersey and Bucks County. This hour we’ll talk about the surge in drug overdoses and what can be done to prevent the fatalities. We’ll be joined by JOSE BENITEZ, Executive Director of Prevention Point Philadelphia, and by JEANMARIE PERRONE, the Director of Medical Toxicology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. They are both members of the Mayor’s Task Force to fight opioid addiction in Philadelphia.

Guests: Drew Harwell, Libby Nelson, Danielle Brian

There are questions regarding President-elect Trump’s conflicts of interest involving his business interests and responsibilities as president.  He recently canceled a press conference which was intended to lay out his plans to separate himself from his companies.  Trump has said that he will turn over the day-to-day business operations to his children, who have been playing an active role in his transition into the White House, but still plans to continue his role as executive producer of “The Apprentice.”  Today on the show, we’ll delve into the myriad of potential conflicts of interest when we speak with DREW HARWELL,  reporter for The Washington Post and with LIBBY NELSON, policy and politics reporter for Vox.  We’ll also hear from DANIELLE BRIAN of the Project on Government Oversight to get insight into the legality of Trump’s business operations while serving as President.