Thecuriousmanspodcast

In this episode Matt Crawford speaks with authors Ian Logan and Jonathan Glancey about their book Logomotive. Ian Logan shows his love for the great iconography of train design from the bygone heyday of the great Locomotives with his beautiful photographs. With Jonathan Glancey's elegant prose this book is a historical work of art that transports us back in time and takes us on a transcontinental ride in the boxcars of our imagination. A hand in glove collaboration this book is a must have for anyone who appreciates history, trains or Americana of any kind.

Matt Crawford speaks with author Shannon Bontrager about his book Death at the Edges of Empire. How has the burial and commemoration of our war dead shaped our history and our culture? What was Lincoln promising to those who died on the Civil War battlefields in his Gettysburg Address? Bontrager examines these aspects of our past and explains how they continue to shape the lens through which we view our past. A fresh and captivating look at a piece of our history I hadn't understood until reading this book.

Matt Crawford speaks with author Harold Schechter about his book Maniac. This is the unbelievable and horrible true story of the nations deadliest school massacre in 1927 Bath Michigan. What prompted Andrew Kehoe to rig the school to explode on the last and busiest day of school? Why did he then load his truck with explosives and blow himself and others up in a suicide attack. Read and see for yourself.

In this episode Matt Crawford speaks with author Glenn Stout about his book Tiger Girl And The Candy Kid. Set in the heart of the Jazz Era this story reveals the dark and roiling emotions of the time. Those that had, had a lot and those that didn't had nothing. Prohibition drove many to crime, including politicians and law enforcement Tiger Girl and The Candy Kid felt they were just getting their piece of the pie. Fast paced and hard to put down this is an amazing part of our history and Stout transports us back in time.

Matt Crawford speaks with author Nicholas Griffin about his book The Year of Dangerous Days. This is a frenetically paced story capturing one pivotal year in the history of Miami. 1980 would prove to be a foundational year that the current city and its future still rest on today. Jimmy Carter, Fidel Castro, Janet Reno, Edna Buchanan, Mayor Ferre are just a few of the players in this story. Then of course you have racial unrest and riots, 120,000 Cuban refugees, 150 percent murder rate increases and billions in drug money. I dare you to try and put this book down.

In this episode Matt Crawford speaks with author Kevin Maurer about his book Rock Force. WWII is such a wide ranging and detailed part of our history that it still holds tales of heroism barely recounted. Maurer takes us back to The Pacific theatre and the men who were tasked with taking back an American foothold. There are many stories that detail what happened but few capture the personality of the men involved as well as Maurer. I felt like I was landing on topside with these men and enjoying a slice of apple pie. A phenomenal and personal read.

In this episode Matt Crawford speaks with author Nathanial Gronewold about his book Anthill Economics. Does modern economic theory violate basic laws of nature and physics? Why would it matter if it did? Gronewold shows us how interconnected those fields of science actually are, or at least how they should be. A book that will take your mind to many different places and challenge you to look at many assumptions in your every day life. This is a book that begs discussion. Great read!

In this episode Matt Crawford speaks with author Menachem Kaiser about his book Plunder. Kaiser tells his story of trying to recover Nazi stolen family property in Poland and the amazing chain of events that led him down that path. Encounters with the residents of the stolen property, a Polish lawyer known as "The Killer", Nazi treasure hunters and a surprise family discovery are all contained within. Kaiser is intimately honest with the reader and holds nothing back in his telling of his families story. This book will grab you with an iron grip and not let go. A truly unique and touching read.

In this episode Matt Crawford speaks with author Jamal Greene about his book How Rights Went Wrong. In this much needed read Greene describes how our idea of rights, and how absolute those rights are has pushed us into separate camps and divides us further. While judges are meant to be the arbiters of those cases they have also driven a wedge between us and inflamed passions instead of tempering them. This book offers common sense solutions and examples in how we may bring down the temperature in the country. 

In this episode Matt Crawford speaks with author David Laskin about his book What Sammy Knew. A touching and engrossing novel about a young man's coming of age story in the turbulent 60's and 70's. Laskin tells the story of Sammy and brings us back to the politics, drugs and activism of the era through Sammy's eyes and actions. What really brings us back is the relationship between this young Jewish man and his African American housekeeper Tutu Carter. This is a fun, thought provoking and emotional read.