Thecuriousmanspodcast

Matt Crawford speaks with author Howard Blum about his book, The Spy Who Knew Too Much. Blum does what he does best in his newest book, finds an unbelievable story and takes us along for the ride in what seems like a Hollywood thriller. An ex-CIA spy John Paisley's boat is found adrift, and he's found dead floating wrapped in 37lbs of chain. Cause of death? Suicide. Enter Pete Bagley, once a rising star at the CIA and headed to its possible directorship. However, suspecting a mole in the CIA's ranks, Bagley career was tarnished as forces tried to create doubt and suggest he was the mole. Eventually exonerated but his career tainted he retired... Until John Paisley turned up dead. Coming out of retirement and at great risk to himself Bagley starts his own investigation to solve this puzzle. You will not believe where it leads and what he found. Strap in folks, this is a hard one to put down.

Matt Crawford speaks with author Candice Millard about her book, River of the Gods. The headwaters of the Nile River have been shrouded in mystery for millennia and considered by some the Holy Grail of exploration, enter Richard Burton and John Hanning Speke. Sent by the Royal Geographical Society to claim the prize for England these men would endure hardship beyond belief for years at a time. Temporary blindness, paralysis, violence and finally betrayal were just some of what these men had to overcome through multiple joint and separate expeditions. One common thread through it all was "The Gem of the party," Sidi Mubarak Bombay, a former slave who was even more amazing than these two larger than life men. So, who did discover the source of the Nile? Read the book and find out!

Matt Crawford Speaks with author Michael Fabey about his book, Heavy Metal. Imagine trying to build the Empire State building on its side, on an unstable footing and that gives you a glimpse into the challenge constructing a supercarrier. Fabey focuses in on those amazing workers who do just that, time and time again and generation after generation in the Newport News Shipbuilding yard. A true story of American innovation and craftsmanship, this is a read that shows just what the American worker is capable of.

Matt Crawford speaks with author Lynda Gratton about her book, Redesigning Work. Gratton is one of the foremost global thought-leaders on the future of work and her research on hybrid work was featured as the cover article for Harvard Business Review in May 2021. There is no one better to address the global shift in work that the pandemic has had on all of us, and she brings her vast experience to bear. Whether you run a multinational corporation or a small IT team this is the blueprint on how to transform your team.

In this episode Matt Crawford speaks with author Natalie Jacobson about her book, Every Life A Story: Natalie Jacobson Reporting. Jacobson spent over forty years in broadcast news and has spoken to people from all walks of life, from Barrack Obama to a local lineman. As Tip O'Neil has famously said, "All politics is local." Jacobson went after the news with the mantra that all news should be local and connect with the viewer. A great book that shows where T.V news used to be and that we should work our way back to it. 

In this interview Matt Crawford speaks with author John Allore about his book, Wish You Were Here. November 3, 1978, 19-year-old Theresa Allore would go missing while attending Champlain College in Compton Quebec. Her family would not be notified for Ten days and immediately it would be treated as a case of a young rebellious, drug using, possible lesbian women, who simply left to sow her wild oats. Her body was found on April 13, 1979, one mile from her dormitory. Still unsolved, this is her story and the story of so many other women whose murder and sexual assaults were largely ignored or covered up by authorities. Told by her brother John Allore and Patricia Pearson, this is a gut punch of a read that details the ineptitude and wanton disregard by the authorities they uncovered while investigating Theresa's murder. 

In this episode Matt Crawford speaks with sociologists Janet Ruane and Karen Cerulo about their book: Dreams of a Lifetime. If you could do anything you want without risk of failure, what would you do? For many of us we view dreams as things that are unrealistic and that may never happen. What if dreams were actually a socioeconomic barometer and by studying them, we could get a glimpse into people's sense of upward mobility. A great and interesting read that is very entertaining while educating.

In this interview Matt Crawford speaks with author Mark Lee Gardner about his book, The Earth is All that Lasts. Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull and Custer are inextricably linked in history, unfortunately their stories are often encapsulated in the events of Little Bighorn. Gardner takes a deep dive and looks beyond that singular moment to give us an intimate view of these two Lakota chiefs and their beautiful people. An important and integral read to understand Indigenous American History, I hope you all will.

In this interview Matt Crawford speaks with author John Avlon about his book, Lincoln and the Fight for Peace. Inarguably the Civil War was the most fraught time in our nation. Avlon digs deep and gives us the insight of Lincoln and how he planned on dealing with a nation healing its wounds and trying to reconnect. This book shows how the character of the President does make a difference, and that it does indeed matter. Firm yet compassionate, self-aware yet magnanimous, Lincoln led the country through the war in a way only he could. A great read at any time but one that lends particular perspective today.  

In this episode Matt Crawford speaks with author Dr. Jamie Weiner about his book, The Quest for Legitimacy. At first blush we may think that children of wealthy families have not a care in the world, but there is a weight that comes with that wealth, how people view you and what some expect because of it. A truly interesting topic and psychological study that also sheds light on not just the wealthy but anyone who struggles to fit in, under the shadow of a relative.