The Roundtable

In the book "The Spirit of Philadelphia," former Congressman Chris Gibson explores the concept of the social state and its potential for renewal in contemporary society. Joe Donahue spoke with Chris Gibson in a WAMC on the Road event at Kinderhook Books in Kinderhook, New York on June 18, 2025. Find out about Gibson's future book events here.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are Chief of Staff and Vice President for Strategy and Policy at Bard College Malia DuMont, Tetherless World Professor of Computer, Web and Cognitive Sciences at RPI Jim Hendler, Executive Director of The Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York Nic Rangel, and Wall Street Investment Banker Mark Wittman.

The new book “The Baddest Man: The Making of Mike Tyson” by best-selling author Mark Kriegel is a story about fame, race, greed, criminality, trauma, and the creation of the most feared and mesmerizing fighter in the history of boxing. In a life that included incarceration and molestation, booze, coke, the death of a child, and perhaps the most treacherous fame Mike Tyson has nevertheless survived. Decades removed from his short lived prime we are still very interested in Mike Tyson.

In the new children’s book “Marianne the Maker” Kelly Corrigan and her daughter Claire Corrigan Lichty make the case for making. Which just might just be the antidote to the current epidemic of depression and anxiety that is facing so many children today.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are public policy and communications expert Theresa Bourgeois, Professor of History and International Relations at Vassar College Robert Brigham, and Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute Robert Pondiscio.

This week's Book Picks come from Jackie Kellachan from the Golden Notebook in Woodstock, NY.

Author Matthew Gavin Frank’s new book “Submersed: Wonder, Obsession, and Murder in the World of Amateur Submarines” begins with an investigation into the subculture of homemade submersible obsessives. Men and women, mostly men, who are so compelled to sink into the deep sea that they become amateur submarine builders. They do so at great personal risk as the 2023 fatal implosion of OceanGate’s Titan proved to the world.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are Joseph Palamountain Jr. Chair in Government at Skidmore College Beau Breslin, Semi-retired, Editor at large/columnist/editorial writer, Times Union Jay Jochnowitz, Albany Law School Professor and Director of the Justice Center Sarah Rogerson, and Former Associate Editor for the Times-Union Mike Spain.

Over the last 40 years few comedians have been a part of so many iconic beloved projects than Larry Charles. Larry was one of the original writers and producers of the first five seasons of “Seinfeld,” he executive produced both “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Entourage” while directing 18 episodes of “Curb,” and served as the showrunner for “Mad About You.” His film directing credits include “Borat,” “Bruno,” and “The Dictator,” as well as the documentary “Religulous” with Bill Marr, and “Masked and Anonymous” with Bob Dylan.Larry Charles writes about these 40 years of blood, guts, and laughter in his new memoir “Comedy Samurai: Forty Years of Blood, Guts, and Laughter.”

The latest nation's report card shows that American children’s reading skills reached new lows, while there is a debate about the best way to teach reading in school. Maya Payne Smart is a writer, parent educator, and literacy advocate argues that America’s reading crisis begins well before children enter kindergarten. She says it starts at birth, which is why she wrote a step-by-step guide for parents to do what it takes to set their children up to thrive as readers from day one to early elementary school. The name of the book is “Reading for Our Lives: The Urgency of Early Literacy and the Action Plan to Help Your Child.”