From 2013 comes this conversation with Susan Dunn, author of "1940:  FDR, Wilkie, Lindbergh, Hitler- the Election amid the Storm."  

For the Fourth of July, we listen back to a 2011 conversation with Harlow Giles Unger, talking about his book "Improbable Patriot:  The Secret History of Monsieur de Beaumarchais, the French Playwright who Saved the American Revolution."   Beaumarchais is perhaps best remembered for his groundbreaking plays that were the basis for the operas "The Marriage of Figaro" and "The Barber of Seville" - but as  the book's subtitle suggests, this book focuses on Beaumarchais's crucial role in aiding the colonists in the Revolutionary War.  

In memory of Carl Reiner, who passed away this past Monday at the age of 98, we are replaying my 2003 interview with the legendary entertainer.  

We preview an extraordinary two-part American Experience documentary called "The Vote" - which explores the final decade of relentless activism that finally led to passage of the 19th amendment in which American women gained the right to vote.  Our guest is Michelle Ferrari, who is writer, producer and director for the film.    The documentary airs on July 6th and 7th on PBS stations across the country.

Performing Arts organizations across the globe are grappling to contend with the COVID-19 pandemic and the many ways in which it has changed our lives, both individually and collectively.  We go behind the scenes of one such organization- the Racine Theater Guild- with Doug Instenes (Managing and Artistic Director) and Joycelyn Fish (Director of Marketing and Development) to see how the RTG came to the decisions it ultimately made on what to do with the end of the past season and the start of next season. 

We look at the presidential race with Dr. Jerald Mast, Professor of Political Science and Chair of the Political Science Department at Carthage College. 

Our guest is Steve Benen,  a Digital Producer for The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC.   His book is titled "The Impostors: How Republicans Quit Governing and Seized American Politics."  It is Benen's contention that the Republican Party, at least at the national level,  no longer functions properly as a major political party, having largely abandoned the process of formulating public policy. 

From 2007 comes this interview with Chip Heath, co-author of "Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Die and Others Survive."  

We live in a world in which the internet is an indispensable part of daily life- and we effortlessly navigate the internet without giving it a second thought.  But this interview from late 1998/early 1999 takes us back to a time when the internet was a very new and intimidating new frontier.  Carol Sabbar, who was (and is still) a staff member for the Carthage College library, was asked to come on the program to explain what the internet was and how one could best explore it.  

Our guest is Dr. John D, Feerick, former dean of the Fordham School of Law - and one of the primary authors of the 25th amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which specifies the line of succession in the event that the president is disabled.   His book is titled "That Farther Shore: A Memoir of Irish Roots and American Promise."