Radio Times

Guests: Patti Niemi and Christopher Deviney

Marty talks with percussionist PATTI NIEMI about her memoir 'Sticking It Out,' about her path from Juilliard to the orchestra pit and why she chose to play the drums instead of the flute. Niemi, a member of the percussion section of the San Francisco Opera Orchestra, will be joined in studio by her boyfriend, Philadelphia Orchestra Principal Percussionist CHRISTOPHER DEVINEY, to talk about their relationship and their lives as professional musicians.

Guests: Frans de Waal, Daniel Smith, Francine Prose

On today’s show, monkey business! First, we’ll hear from primatologist FRANS de WAAL about the morality of apes, and how their behavior gives us a better understanding of how humans have developed our notions of what’s right and what’s wrong.  We’ll also hear Marty’s interview with DANIEL SMITH, who wrote about living with anxiety in his book Monkey Mind. The book has been praised for its accurate portrayal of living and anxious life with humor and bravery.  Lastly, we’ll listen to Marty’s conversation with FRANCINE PROSE, author of the new novel Mister Monkey.  The book is a humorous account of an off-off-off Broadway production and pokes fun at the world of theater.

Guests: Jim Newell, Susan Ferrechio

The final presidential debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton was held last night.  Today, we’re going to take a look at what happened and what the candidate’s performances portend for the rest of the campaign and on election.  We’ll be joined by JIM NEWELL of Slate, and SUSAN FERRECHIO of the Washington Examiner.

Guests: Robert Strauss, Lynn Bufka

James Buchanan is considered among the worst presidents in our nation’s history.  Buchanan had a lot of political experience but that didn’t translate into good decision-making in the oval office, according to a new biography by journalist ROBERT STRAUSS.  He meddled with the Dred Scott Supreme Court decision, exacerbated the Panic of 1857, and fomented the John Brown uprisings. Strauss recounts Buchanan’s dismal presidency in his book, Worst. President. Ever. James Buchanan, the POTUS rating Game, and the Legacy of the Least of the Lesser Presidents. Then, are you feeling stressed out by this election?  You’re not alone, according to a new survey by the American Psychological Association, more than half of American adults report that the 2016 Presidential contest is a major source of stress and anxiety. We’ll talk with one of the survey’s authors, psychologist LYNN BUFKA, about the mental health impact of the election and how to cope for three more weeks.

Guests: Charlie Gerow, Mona Charen, Rebecca Traister

Since the Access Hollywood hot-mic video leaked over a week ago, nine women have come forward alleging that Donald Trump sexually assaulted them.  The presidential candidate has sharply denied these accusations and has fought back by implying that some of his accusers aren’t attractive enough for him to harass.  Trump has also continued to point to evidence of Bill Clinton’s sexual misconduct.  Trump has also been strongly asserting that the election is rigged and has suggested the need for drug testing before the next debate.  So what affect has all this had on the Trump ticket, the election, and women.  We’ll talk with the National Review’s MONA CHAREN and New York Magazine’s REBECCA TRAISTER.  But first we check in how the Trump strategy is shaking out on Pennsylvania with Harrisburg-based Republican strategist with CHARLIE GEROW of Quantum Communications.

Guests: Scott Barry Kaufman, Chris Myers and Mike Godsey

From the office to the classroom, it’s tough to be an introvert. You’re often more likely to get promoted if you’re a great public speaker and at school you’re graded based on class participation. In this hour, we’ll talk about the true scientific meaning of “introvert,” the latest science into our brains, our personality and whether we can change. Mary Cummings-Jordan will talk with SCOTT BARRY KAUFMAN, Scientific Director of the Science of Imagination Project at the Positive Psychology Center. And we’ll get a first person take on what it’s like to be an introvert and an entrepreneur from CHRIS MYERS, Co-Founder and CEO at BodeTree. And we’ll talk with MIKE GODSEY, a contributing writer for The Atlantic and an English teacher in California, about the challenges facing introvert students and teachers.

sekihan via Flickr

Guests: Francine Prose

Marty talks with FRANCINE PROSE, author of the new book Mister Monkey: A Novel, the darkly humorous tale of an off-off-off-off Broadway children’s musical about a playfully larcenous pet chimpanzee. Prose has written twenty other works of fiction, including Blue Angel, which was a finalist for the National Book Award.  She also has several non-fiction books, including last year’s Peggy Guggenheim: The Shock of the Modern. She has received a Guggenheim and a Fulbright fellowship and is now a Visiting Professor of Literature at Bard College.

Guests: Casey Schwartz, Alan Schwarz, Mikaela Gilbert-Lurie

Abuse of prescription drugs like Adderall and Concerta continues to rise among young adults, especially on college campuses where they are used as study aides or party drugs.  When journalist CASEY SCHWARTZ first took Adderall, a drug commonly prescribed for ADHD, she was in college, had a paper due the next day, and was facing an all-nighter.  Schwartz became addicted to the amphetamine for ten years and wrote about her struggle in a recent New York Times Magazine article titled, “Generation Adderall.”  We’ll talk to Schwartz this hour about her addiction and about the non-medical use of prescription stimulants with ALAN SCHWARTZ, author of ADHD Nation: Children, Doctors, Big Pharma, and the Making of an American Epidemic.   We’ll also hear from University of Pennsylvania student, MIKAELA GILBERT-LURIE about the prevalence of these drugs on Penn’s campus.  She wrote an article, “A Bitter Pill to Swallow: Inside Penn’s Adderall Obsession” in the spring for the student-run arts and culture magazine 34th Street.

Guests: Kenneth Vogel, Katie McGinty

WikiLeaks released more hacked emails this week from Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman John Podesta’s private account.  WikiLeaks says it will continue publishing over 50,000 emails until election day.  We start off this hour talking to Politico’s KENNETH VOGEL about what the emails reveal about Hillary Clinton, her campaign, and what effect they may have on the election. Then, Marty speaks with Democratic candidate for US Senate, KATIE McGINTY. She’s in a closely-watched race with incumbent, Pat Toomey.

Guests: Frances Jensen, Ron Fournier, Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Anna Sosa

On this week’s edition of Radio Times in Review we’re going to listen to three stories about raising kids. First, we’ll learn about the inner workings of the teenage brain and how parents can best handle their behavior when we hear Marty’s conversation with University of Pennsylvania neuroscientist FRANCES JENSEN, author of The Teenage Brain: A Survival Guide to Raising Adolescents and Young Adults.  We’ll also hear from political columnist and author RON FOURNIER who joined us to discuss his experience as a parent of a child with Asperger’s Syndrome.  He wrote about bonding with his son, Tyler, and coming to terms with the reality of his son’s life in his book Love That Boy.  We’ll also hear about the many things kids learn from playing their toys from psychology professor KATHY HIRSH-PASEK of Temple University and researcher ANNA SOSA from Northern Arizona University.