Thecuriousmanspodcast

Matt Crawford speaks with author Larry Freeland about his book, Legacy of Honor: The Patriarch. A tale of courage, sacrifice, love, and honor, this 20th century historical fiction saga addresses the horrors of WWI and the challenges that military men faced upon returning including mental trauma, and physical illness in addition to the hardships of the Great Depression. All told through the eyes of the character, Doughboy Sam McCormack who was based on author Larry Freeland's own grandfather, Sam Freeland. 

Matt Crawford speaks with author William Hazelgrove about his book, The Last Charge of the Rough Rider: Theodore Roosevelt's Last Days. There have been many books about Teddy Roosevelt but few that focus on his last moments. Racked by rheumatism, pathogens in his blood, an embolism, a bad leg from an accident and a bullet lodged in his chest from an assassin's attempt, he was still trying to recapture his "Crowded Hour." With the U.S on the verge of joining The Great War, Roosevelt wanted nothing more than to make that one last charge up the hill and recapture his former glory or, go out in a blaze of glory. As always Hazelgrove transports us back in time and takes us along on T.R's last ride. Hop on!

Matt Crawford speaks with author, poet and editor Kwame Dawes about his and Chris Abani's edited work, Tisa: New-Generation African Poets, A Chapbook Box Set. This twelve-piece, limited-edition box set, an African Poetry Book Fund (APBF) project, features the work of eleven new African poets. For those of you out there who are daunted by poetry, I implore you to listen to this interview and then go and get the box set. professor Dawes, completely lifts the veil on poetry and makes it accessible to us all. In this set I discovered how an African poet could transport me to their home and convey their struggle with one verse. 

Matt Crawford speaks with author Alex Wheatle about his book, Sufferah: Memoir of a Brixton Reggae Head. In this breathtaking memoir, acclaimed author Alex Wheatle details how reggae music became his salvation through a childhood marred by abuse, imprisonment, and police brutality.

Matt Crawford speaks with author James M. Zimmerman about his book, The Peking Express: The Bandits Who Stole a Train, Stunned the West, and Broke the Republic of China. In May 1923 publisher and reporter John Benjamin Powell bought a first-class ticket for the Peking Express. Along with the other 300 passengers he expected an idyllic overnight journey. Bandit leader Sun Mei-yao and his band had other ideas, descending upon the train in the dark of night to take hostages and force the government to meet their demands. A true tale of adventure and intrigue this is a book that takes you for a ride and impossible to put down.

Matt Crawford speaks with journalist and author Brett Forrest about his new book, Lost Son: An American Family Trapped Inside the FBI's Secret Wars. Forrest uncovers what brought an altruistic Billy Reilly to Russia in 2015, what happened to him there, and what the FBI's role was in this small-town Midwestern family's worst nightmare. This book will have you enraged but more importantly it will bring you into the Reilly's home and into Billy's life. Forrest takes the deep dive, does the research and tells the whole story. An exhaustively researched and nuanced read that you will be engrossed in and find hard to put down.

Matt Crawford speaks with author Winnie M. Li about her book, Complicit: A Novel. While lecturing at an obscure college, Hollywood has-been, Sarah Lai is visited by a journalist asking about her past work with celebrated film producer Hugo North. As Sarah recounts the dark and sordid details of her past life and the industry, she gave her all to, she realizes that she also has some sins to atone for. A prescient novel that makes us all contemplate how we would react in certain situations; Li and I dive into that and so much more. How do the actions of these individuals' mar hundreds of people's work and livelihood? How do we measure the acceptable social punishment these people received based on their actions. This book will stir emotions and thoughts and I highly recommend it.

Matt Crawford speaks with author and Political Historian about his book, Disunion Among Ourselves: The Perilous Politics of The American Revolution. As always, Eli takes what we think we know about history and turns it on its head. The United States as we know it was not a fait accompli, in fact far from it. Merritt details the many compromises it took for the Colonies to reach an agreement and move forward, from choosing George Washington as the leader of the Army, to Jefferson writing The Declaration of Independence and of course our biggest sin, perpetuating slavery. We also discuss Juneteenth and how we need to understand that history is not zero-sum but additive. As always, I cannot recommend Merritt's work enough and hope you will give a listen, a read and then discuss it with your peers.

Matt Crawford speaks with author Neil King Jr. about his book, American Ramble: A Walk of Memory and Renewal. A desire to walk from Washington D.C, to New York City began as a whim and then quickly formed into an obsession for King. By the spring of 2021 amongst the backdrop of one of the most pivotal years in our country, it was time to take that walk. A 26-day journey to places that tell some of this nation's story, King also embraces the ramble and the happenstance meetings with his fellow citizens. A salve against our current climate and maybe a path to remembering our better angels, this is a book that is sure to stir its reader. I hope you will take the journey as well.

Matt Crawford speaks with author William Anderson about his book, The Price of Perfect. Atlanta's oppressive racial past rises up to threaten the reputation of controversial architect Jack Collier. When it is discovered that a black man had been hung at the site of his new project, social advocate Shandra Berry demands the tree be saved as a memorial. As the community becomes involve and Jack pushes back to leave his building unaltered, questions of racism and hate take the oxygen out of the room and tempers and accusation abound. A timely piece of fiction that is sure to make us all sit back and think about how race is and isn't talked about in our current climate. Maybe this book could be the conversation starter.