Laura Pappano is a veteran journalist who has covered the heated disagreements that surround K-12 education for over thirty years. Yet, today's high stakes battle is unlike anything she's seen before. "It isn't rooted in a passion for the success of all children," she writes. "Rather, it's about the hijacking of public education by a far-right Christian movement and the quest to do away with the community-rooted education enterprise." Parent involvement is no longer about baking treats or donating classroom supplies, she notes. It's about organizing to protect the very existence of public schools. Join us when award-winning journalist and founder of The New Haven Student Journalism Project, operated through Yale University’s Office of New Haven Affairs chronicles how this cultural and political war has unfolded in hot spots across the country and how mom activists, including in some cases conservative Christian women, are holding the line against the far-right takeover of public schools, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

According to Award-winning journalist and Regular Contributor Robert Hennelly, most of the labor activists that are reviving the American union movement were not on the planet when Martin Luther King Jr walked the earth. But the torch has been passed and the “dream” endures when ever there’s collective non-violent action that moves US forward. Hennelly, has a passion for uncovering the News behind the News. Born in Paterson, New Jersey, he has always had a keen interest in the roles of immigration, local politics, business, labor unions, real estate ownership, and environmental protection in the evolution of the United States. For more than 30 years, he has reported on a broad spectrum of major public policy questions, ranging from homeland security to the economy, environmental contamination to corruption, and occupational safety to homelessness. Join us today on Leonard Lopate at Large. When Bob Hennelly covers extend medical and compensation benefits to those involved in rescue operations following the 9/11 attacks and more on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Leonard Lopate, the Peabody and James Beard Award-winning broadcaster, is on WBAI where he began his radio career. Tune in weekdays from 1-2pm at 99.5fm New York or you can listen to the show live at WBAI.org. Join us for conversation on current events and call-in into the station to let your voice be heard (212) 209-2877. Listen to past shows: https://soundcloud.com/leonard-lopate Be a Friend: Twitter - https://twitter.com/lopate_leonard Support the Station (select the Leonard Lopate at Large from the pulldown menu): BAI Buddy: https://wbai.wedid.it

A site by site, crime by crime, outlaw by outlaw walking tour through the seedy underbelly of Roaring Twenties Manhattan—where gamblers and gangsters, crooks and cops, showgirls and speakeasies ruled the day and, always, the night. In Gangsterland, historian David Pietrusza tours the Big Apple’s rotten core. The Roaring Twenties blaze and sparkle with Times Square’s bright lights and showgirls, but its dark shadows mask a web of notorious gangsters ruling New York City.

Max Roach Centennial Celebrations in January Include Film Screening, Panel Discussion and Local NYC-NJ Concerts The revolutionary 1960 album We Insist!: Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite explored issues of social justice and racial inequality through the lens of jazz and poetry. In celebration of the centennial of Max Roach (1924-2007)—drummer, bebop pioneer and civil rights activist—this landmark work is reimagined for today’s world. In affiliation with Jazz at Lincoln Center, this special one-night only concert is led by musical director Nasheet Waits (of Max’s percussion ensemble M’Boom) featuring vocalist Cassandra Wilson, poets Sonia Sanchez and Saul Williams, saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, pianist Nduduzo Makhathini, and bassist Eric Revis. Join us for an in-depth discussion with Drummer and Music Educator, Nasheet Waits who’s interest in playing the drums was encouraged by his father, legendary percussionist, Frederick Waits, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Richard Rothstein is the co-author of JUST ACTION: How to Challenge Segregation Enacted Under the Color of Law. He is a Distinguished Fellow of the Economic Policy Institute, and Senior Fellow (Emeritus) of the Thurgood Marshall Institute of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Leah Rothstein is the co-author of JUST ACTION: How to Challenge Segregation Enacted Under the Color of Law that describes how local community groups can redress the wrongs of segregation. Leah has worked on public policy and community change, from the grassroots to the halls of government. Join us for conversation on reforming community policy and practice to be focused on rehabilitation, not punishment on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Bestselling author and historian Steven Ujifusa tells the largely forgotten, colorful story of three businessmen who, driven by very different motives, made much of this immigration possible and forever changed the fates of millions. The men were Jacob Schiff, the managing partner of an investment bank who used his immense wealth to help Jews to leave Europe; Albert Ballin, managing director of the Hamburg-American Line, who created a transportation network of trains and steamships; and the notorious J.P. Morgan, who tried to take over the lucrative steamship business. Join us for a discussion on these titans of industry who forged powerful alliances and compelling rivalries on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large. Be a Friend: Twitter - https://twitter.com/lopate_leonard Support the Station (select the Leonard Lopate at Large from the pulldown menu)

We'd like to hear from you during this Holiday season. How have you been coping with winter, Municipal, State, and Global concerns? Although this is the mos festive time of year it sometimes doesnt feel that way. We would like you to share your remedies on dealing with the winter blues. Call-in in Join the discussion. Listen to past shows: https://soundcloud.com/leonard-lopate Be a Friend: Twitter - https://twitter.com/lopate_leonard Support the Station (select the Leonard Lopate at Large from the pulldown menu): BAI Buddy: https://wbai.wedid.it

Edited by Jennifer Cognard-Black and Melissa A. Goldthwaite - Good Eats: 32 Writers on Eating Ethically features a highly diverse ensemble of award-winning writers, activists, educators, chefs, farmers, and journalists, Good Eats invites readers to think about what it means to eat according to our values. These essays tell the stories of real people—real bellies, real bodies—including the writers themselves, who seek to understand the experiences, families, cultures, histories, and systems that have shaped their eating and their ethics. From gardening as an alternative to factory farming, to the indigenous cultures surrounding salmon and the corporate cultures surrounding chocolate, the topics featured in this collection expand our understanding of what ethical eating can be. Join us when Melissa A. Goldthwaite a Professor of English at Saint Joseph's University share the stories which describe efforts to change how food is made on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Michael Zweig illuminates all propositions with specific examples from US history, from the first settlement of the New World to current life, including his own lived experiences as an activist, educator, and organizer over the past six decades. As such, the book is an urgently needed resource for activists and organizers seeking structural and moral transformation of life in the US. Building on his analysis, Zweig also presents strategies for political action in electoral and movement-building work.

Photos from the 1990s present images of floods and fires that paralyzed the area, juxtaposed with continued bulldozing to clear the way for luxury housing. Politics reshaped Manhattan’s skyline by encouraging new commercial shopping, food, and restaurant destinations. This restructuring marked the beginning of the end of downtown’s blue-collar origins and white-collar replacements, challenging us to ask, “What was lost?”

Could this really be our future? If so, what has to happen now to achieve such a radical change? In How We Ended Racism, Justin Michael Williams and Shelly Tygielski reveal a path for real and lasting global impact―not just talking about it, studying it, or making small steps, but actually ending racism in one generation.

Williams and Tygielski draw from a wide array of scientific studies, as well as their practical successes in teaching a multitude of diverse groups across perceived “divides,” to show us how to shift our perspective and enact lasting change in our families, workplaces, communities, and beyond. Here they provide solid answers to the questions future generations will ask about this pivotal time in history, by laying out the eight conditions that needed to arise in humanity to realize this possibility.

Regular Contributor Bob Hennelly of Stuck Nation covers topics ranging from homeland security to the economy, environmental contamination to corruption, and occupational safety to homelessness. Joing us when Hennelly touches on the hearing held by Sen. Sanders for his Health, Education, Labor and Pension that featured testimony from Fain (UAW), Nelson (AFA CWA) and O’Brien (Teamsters) or Tammy Murphy, Gov. Murphy’s wife, as a viable replacement for the 3x indicted US Senator. And more on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large. Listen to past shows: https://soundcloud.com/leonard-lopate Be a Friend: Twitter - https://twitter.com/lopate_leonard Support the Station (select the Leonard Lopate at Large from the pulldown menu): BAI Buddy: https://wbai.wedid.it

From Brown v. Board of Education in the mid-twentieth century to the current Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Foley explores how organizations have resisted and complied with public policies regarding race. She examines how admissions officers, who have played an important role in the long fight to protect racial diversity in higher education, work around the law to maintain diversity after affirmative action is banned. Foley takes us behind the curtain of student admissions, shedding light on how multiple universities, including the University of Michigan, have creatively responded to affirmative action bans. On the Basis of Race traces the history of a controversial idea and policy, and provides insight into its uncertain future.

Lewin brings these general principles to life by considering the history of the genetics revolution, from the discovery of the double helical structure of DNA to the sequencing of the human genome and the possibilities of gene editing today. History shows us that each period of progress in science relied on dogmas that often advanced but sometimes retarded progress, and that views of reality often changed suddenly and dramatically. Join us when Ben Lewin concludes by asking if the reductionist manifesto that has dominated biology for the past half century can continue to hold, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Leonardo Freitas is the Chairman and Managing Director of Hayman-Woodward. Freitas is an entrepreneur with over twenty-five years of experience in government relations, international trade, and business development in the United States, as well as emerging markets, with a focus on Latin America and Asia.

In The End of Reality¸ Jonathan Taplin provides his perspective into the personal backgrounds and cultural power of these billionaires—Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Marc Andreesen (“The Four”) —and shows how their tech monopolies have brought middle-class wage stagnation, the hollowing out of many American towns, a radical increase in income inequality, and unbounded public acrimony. Meanwhile, the enormous amount of taxpayer money to be funneled into the dystopian ventures of "The Four," the benefits of which will accrue to billionaires, exacerbate these disturbing trends. Join us when film producer and scholar, Jonathan Taplin shares what he calls - the great con job of the twenty-first century—the metaverse, crypto, space travel, transhumanism—being sold by four billionaires (Peter Thiel, Mark Zuckerberg, Marc Andreesen, Elon Musk), leading to the degeneration and bankruptcy of our society, on this installment

Jewish Space Lasers: The Rothschilds and 200 Years of Conspiracy Theoriesis a deeply researched dive into the history of the conspiracy industry around the Rothschild family - from the "pamphlet wars" of Paris in the 1840s to the dankest pits of the internet today. Join us when journalist and conspiracy theory expert Mike Rothschild, who isn't related to the family, sorts out myth from reality to find the truth about these conspiracy theories and their spreaders on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large

Leonard talks with ROLAND RICH, the former Australian Ambassador to the UN about his book. Leviathan.

American Castle, a Pulitzer Prize finalist Mary C. Shanklin reveals a century of controversy, politics, and lifestyles of the super-rich and powerful after Mar-a-Lago became a part-time residence and party place upon Post’s divorce from Hutton over mutual adultery.

Altagracia Pierre - Outerbridge is the owner of the New York City - based law firm, Outerbridge Law, P.C.. Founded in 2019 after representing clients from - intake through trial with a practice focused on - landlord - tenant litigation and transactional matters, diligently protecting landlords' property rights, and - meticulously defending tenants against - unnecessary evictions and penalties

Marjorie Kelly is Distinguished Senior Fellow with The Democracy Collaborative, and the author of - Wealth Supremacy: How the Extractive Economy and the Biased Rules of Capitalism Drive Today's Crises (Berrett-Kohler, September 2023) talks today with Leonard on Leonard Lopate at large.

Today Leonard talks with Brian H. Williams, MD, the author of The Bodies Keep Coming: Dispatches from a Black Trauma Surgeon on Racism, Violence, and How We Heal. Author Brian H. Williams, MD

Industrial hygienist Monona Rossol brings valuable insights of occupational health and safety, which is a crucial aspect of many industries. Whether it's discussing Covid, workplace hazards, air quality, exposure assessments, or safety measures, as an expert in the industrial hygiene Monona provides important information and tips.

For more than a century, Dr. J. Marion Sims was hailed as the “father of modern gynecology.” He founded a hospital in New York City and had a profitable career treating gentry and royalty in Europe, becoming one of the world’s first celebrity surgeons. Statues were built in his honor, but he wasn’t the hero he had made himself appear to be.

Sims’s greatest medical claim was the result of several years of experimental surgeries—without anesthesia—on a young enslaved woman known as Anarcha; his so-called cure for obstetric fistula forever altered the path of women’s health. Join us when author J. C. Hallman Sexcavates history, deconstructing the biographical smoke screen of a surgeon who has falsely been enshrined as a medical pioneer and bringing forth a heroic Black woman to her rightful place at the center of the creation story of modern women’s health care.

The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) is one of the most cherished and reviled laws ever passed. It mandates protection and preservation of all the nation’s species and biodiversity, whatever the cost. It has been a lightning rod for controversy and conflicts between industry/business and environmentalists. Lowell E. Baier’s intellectual curiosity during his 60-year career has taken him from a practicing attorney, to an entrepreneur, a tireless advocate for natural resources and wildlife conservation, and a legal and environmental historian and author. Join us when Lowell E. Baier explores the history of the ESA and it's increasing impact, complexity, and controversy on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large. Listen to past shows: https://soundcloud.com/leonard-lopate Be a Friend: Twitter - https://twitter.com/lopate_leonard Support the Station (select the Leonard Lopate at Large from the pulldown menu): BAI Buddy: https://wbai.wedid.it

In these stories of struggle and hope, as one volunteer said, “you see the American story.” For some families, minor mistakes create catastrophes—food stamps cut off, educational opportunities missed, benefits lost. Other families, with the help of volunteers and social supports, escape these traps and take steps toward reaching their dreams. Engaging and eye-opening, We Thought It Would Be Heaven brings readers into the daily lives of Congolese refugees and offers guidance for how activists, workers, and policymakers can help refugee families thrive. Join us when authors Blair Sackett and Annette Lareau dive into stories of resettled refugees in America and the daunting obstacles they face on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large. Listen to past shows: https://soundcloud.com/leonard-lopate Be a Friend: Twitter - https://twitter.com/lopate_leonard Support the Station (select the Leonard Lopate at Large from the pulldown menu):

DAVID SCHENCK is the former Director of the Ethics Program, Medical University of South Carolina, and was on the faculty of the Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society, Vanderbilt University Medical Center. A leader on ethics in healthcare and a long-time hospice volunteer, David Schenck is familiar with feeling overwhelmed and helpless while trying to help others. Spurred by the toll of the COVID-19 pandemic on frontline workers, he set out to reframe common ideas about caregiver burnout. The result, Into the Field of Suffering: Finding the Other Side of Burnout. Drawing on hundreds of conversations with healthcare workers and caregivers, patients and families, Schenck offers a radically different perspective on caregiving. Join us when David Schenck offers simple practices, caregivers can use to develop awareness and skills to avoid burnout and find renewal on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

A “problem of twelve” arises when a small number of institutions acquire the means to exert outsized influence over the politics and economy of a nation. According to Harvard law professor John Coates, the Big Four index funds of Vanguard, State Street, Fidelity, and BlackRock control more than twenty percent of the votes of S&P 500 companies—a concentration of power that’s unprecedented in America. Then there’s the rise of private equity funds such as the Big Four of Apollo, Blackstone, Carlyle and KKR, which has amassed $2.7 trillion of assets, and are eroding the legitimacy and accountability of American capitalism, not by controlling public companies, but by taking them over entirely, and removing them from public discourse and public scrutiny. Join us as author John Coates examines the last few decades of transformation in the American economy — and calls our attention to what is sure to be one of the major political and economic issues of our time on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Award-winning journalist and Regular Contributor Bob Hennelly has a passion for uncovering the News behind the News. Born in Paterson, New Jersey, he has always had a keen interest in the roles of immigration, local politics, business, labor unions, real estate ownership, and environmental protection in the evolution of the United States. For more than 30 years, he has reported on a broad spectrum of major public policy questions, ranging from homeland security to the economy, environmental contamination to corruption, and occupational safety to homelessness. Join us today on Leonard Lopate at Large. When Bob Hennelly covers New York City's retirees’ traditional Medicare coverage on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

As we celebrate 50 years in Hip Hop, ILLMATIC CONSEQUENCES combines social science and hip-hop studies to address disinformation and propaganda that distorted political discourse after the 2020 election. In this text, scholars and activists come together to clap back on the lies that animated attacks at local school boards and the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. capitol. Following a thematic structure, these contributors address "The Crisis", "The Clapback", and "The Consequences", using hip hop and Afrofuturism as models for analysis and solutions to the cultural divisions in the United States. Inspired by the work of David Roediger, Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Ibram Kendi, and Carol Anderson, ILLMATIC CONSEQUENCES stretches the vision and lexicon of Nasir Jones to a new generation of artists. Readers of this text will become the vanguard of a global society dedicated to freedom, justice, and decolonization. Join us as the authors use Critical Race Theory lenses to theorize political, class, scientific, spatial and cultural dimensions of Hip Hop as modality and practice on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large. Listen to past shows: https://soundcloud.com/leonard-lopate Be a Friend: Twitter - https://twitter.com/lopate_leonard Support the Station (select the Leonard Lopate at Large from the pulldown menu): BAI Buddy: https://wbai.wedid.it

In this powerful and deeply felt memoir of translation, storytelling, and borders, Alejandra Oliva, a Mexican-American translator and immigrant justice activist, offers a powerful chronical of her experience interpreting at the US-Mexico border. Having worked with asylum seekers since 2016, she knows all too well the gravity of taking someone's trauma and delivering it to the warped demands of the U.S. immigration system. Oliva recounts the stories of the people she's met through her work, she also traces her family's long and fluid relationship to the border—each generation born on opposite sides of the Rio Grande. In Rivermouth, Oliva focuses on the physical spaces that make up different phases of immigration, looking at how language and opportunity move through each of them: from the river as the waterway that separates the U.S. and Mexico, to the table as the place over which Oliva prepares asylum seekers for their Credible Fear Interviews, and finally, to the wall as the behemoth imposition that runs along America’s southernmost border. Join us when Alejandra Oliva approaches the painful questions: By which metrics are we measuring who “deserves” American citizenship? What is the point of humanitarian systems that distribute aid conditionally? What do we owe to our most disenfranchised? On this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

More than twenty years ago, 9/11 and the war in Afghanistan set into motion a hugely consequential shift in America’s foreign policy: a perpetual state of war that is almost entirely invisible to the American public. War Made Invisible, by the journalist and political analyst Norman Solomon, exposes how this happened, and what its consequences are, from military and civilian casualties to drained resources at home. Join us when Norman Solomon examines his book War Made Invisible, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large

Tenants in rent-stabilized apartments will see rent increases in the coming year lower than worst-case scenarios, following a Rent Guidelines Board preliminary this past Spring. Join us when Altagracia Pierre-Outerbridge, founder and owner of New York city-based law firm Outerbridge Law P.C. who’s practice is focused on landlord-tenant litigation and transactional matters examine NY tenants, landlords, and the rent guidelines board on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

With Homelessness in NYC being such a pervasive issue today's guest, former Commissioner of Mental Health Dr. Robert Okin covers the two years he spent on the street meeting and photographing homeless individuals with mental illness to find answers to many questions such as: How do they end up on the street? How do they survive the stress and privations of such a life? What combination of biological vulnerabilities, childhood traumas, drugs, mental disorders, and financial devastation brought them down? And how do some manage, against all odds, to climb out of this desperate situation? He masterfully brings these people to life through stories and images that are intimate and gritty. Join us when Dr. Robert Okin challenges us to face the situation and do something about it rather than simply look away on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large. Be a Friend: Twitter - https://twitter.com/lopate_leonard Support the Station (select the Leonard Lopate at Large from the pulldown menu): BAI Buddy: https://wbai.wedid.it

Christopher Miller, the Ukraine correspondent for the Financial Times and the foremost journalist covering the country, was there on the ground when the first Russian missiles struck and troops stormed over the border. But the seeds of Russia's war against Ukraine and the West were sown more than a decade earlier. The War Came To Us is the definitive, inside story of its long fight for freedom. Told through Miller's personal experiences, vivid front-line dispatches and illuminating interviews with unforgettable characters, Join us when Christopher Miller takes us on a riveting journey through the key locales and pivotal events of Ukraine's modern history. From the coal-dusted, sunflower-covered steppe of the Donbas in the far east to the heart of the Euromaidan revolution camp in Kyiv; from the Black Sea shores of Crimea, where Russian troops stealthily annexed Ukraine's peninsula, to the bloody battlefields where Cossacks roamed before the Kremlin's warlords ruled with iron fists; and through the horror and destruction wrought by Russian forces in Bucha, Bakhmut, Mariupol, and beyond, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large. Be a Friend: Twitter - https://twitter.com/lopate_leonard Support the Station (select the Leonard Lopate at Large from the pulldown menu): BAI Buddy: https://wbai.wedid.it

The 1968 presidential race was a contentious battle between vice president Hubert Humphrey, Republican Richard Nixon, and former Alabama governor George Wallace. The United States was reeling from the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr., and Robert F. Kennedy and was bitterly divided on the Vietnam War and domestic issues, including civil rights and rising crime. Drawing on previously unexamined archives and numerous interviews, Luke A. Nichter upends the conventional understanding of the campaign. Join us when Historian Luke Nichter provides this eye-opening account of the political calculations and maneuvering that decided this fiercely fought election and reshaped our understanding of a key moment in twentieth-century American history. Be a Friend: Twitter - https://twitter.com/lopate_leonard Support the Station (select the Leonard Lopate at Large from the pulldown menu):

The Story of Russia is a peek into the thousand years of Russia’s history, concerned as much with the ideas that have shaped how Russians think about their past as it is with the events and personalities comprising it. No other country has reimagined its own story so often, in a perpetual effort to stay in step with the shifts of ruling ideologies. From the founding of Kievan Rus in the first millennium to Putin’s war against Ukraine, Orlando Figes explores the ideas that have guided Russia’s actions throughout its long and troubled existence. Whether he's describing the crowning of Ivan the Terrible in a candlelit cathedral or the dramatic upheaval of the peasant revolution, he reveals the impulses, often unappreciated or misunderstood by foreigners, that have driven Russian history: the medieval myth of Mother Russia’s holy mission to the world; the imperial tendency toward autocratic rule; the popular belief in a paternal tsar dispensing truth and justice; the cult of sacrifice rooted in the idea of the “Russian soul”; and always, the nationalist myth of Russia’s unjust treatment by the West. Join us when Orlando Figes shares a lifetime of scholarship inThe Story of Russia on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

In 1967, David Rothenberg produced a play called Fortune and Men’s Eyes that revealed the horrors of life in prison. This inspired him to establish The Fortune Society (Fortune). In its 50 years, Fortune has become one of the leading reentry service organizations in the country, serving nearly 7,000 formerly incarcerated individuals per year, providing a wide range of holistic services to meet their needs. Fortune has also secured a position as a leading advocate in the fight for criminal justice reform and alternatives to incarceration. In September of 1971, David Rothenberg was one of a small group of courageous civilian monitors brought into Attica at the request of the incarcerated individuals who were fighting for their human rights – an incident that ended in tragedy but showed the world the horrors of the criminal justice system in the United States. Join us when David Rothenberg, former member of the NYC Human Rights Commission discuss his focus on theater, social activism, politics,and a tireless focus on advocating for the lives of those impacted by the criminal justice system on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large. Listen to past shows: https://soundcloud.com/leonard-lopate Be a Friend: Twitter - https://twitter.com/lopate_leonard Support the Station (select the Leonard Lopate at Large from the pulldown menu): BAI Buddy: https://wbai.wedid.it

Sean A. Mirski a lawyer and U.S. foreign policy scholar who has worked on national security issues across multiple U.S. presidential administrations ask, What did it take for the United States to become a global superpower? He suggest the answer lies in a missing chapter of American foreign policy with stark lessons for today In We May Dominate the World, Sean A. Mirski tells the story of how the United States became a regional hegemon in the century following the Civil War. By turns reluctant and ruthless, Americans squeezed their European rivals out of the hemisphere while landing forces on their neighbors’ soil with dizzying frequency. Mirski reveals the surprising reasons behind this muscular foreign policy in a narrative full of twists, colorful characters, and original accounts of the palace coups and bloody interventions that turned the fledgling republic into a global superpower. Join us as Mirski’s offers insight into international politics on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large. Listen to past shows: https://soundcloud.com/leonard-lopate Be a Friend: Twitter - https://twitter.com/lopate_leonard Support the Station (select the Leonard Lopate at Large from the pulldown menu): BAI Buddy: https://wbai.wedid.it

It’s one of the iconic photographs of American history: A Black teenager, a policeman and his lunging German Shepherd. Birmingham, Alabama, May of 1963. In May of 2020, as reporter Paul Kix stared at a different photo–that of a Minneapolis police officer suffocating George Floyd–he kept returning to the other photo taken half a century earlier, haunted by its echoes. What, Kix wondered, was the full legacy of the Birmingham photo? And of the campaign it stemmed from? In You Have To Be Prepared To Die Before You Can Begin To Live, Nonfiction author and journalist Paul Kix takes the reader behind the scenes as he tells the story of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s pivotal 10 week campaign, Project C, as it was known― in 1963 to end segregation in Birmingham, Alabama. At the same time, he also provides a window into the minds of the four extraordinary men who led the campaign―Martin Luther King, Jr., Wyatt Walker, Fred Shuttlesworth, and James Bevel. Join us when journalist Paul Kix shares the story of Project C, which provides a crucial understanding of our own time and the impact that strategic activism can have. Be a Friend: Twitter - https://twitter.com/lopate_leonard Support the Station (select the Leonard Lopate at Large from the pulldown menu): BAI Buddy: https://wbai.wedid.it

Join us today when award-winning journalist and Regular Contributor Bob Hennelly shares his passion for bringing real news. Born in Paterson, New Jersey, he has always had a keen interest in the roles of immigration, local politics, business, labor unions, real estate ownership, and environmental protection in the evolution of the United States. For more than 30 years, he has reported on a broad spectrum of major public policy questions, ranging from homeland security to the economy, environmental contamination to corruption, and occupational safety to homelessness. Today on Leonard Lopate at Large. When Bob Hennelly investigates the story, you're going to get the perspectives popular media won't cover.

According to renowned advocate for children’s welfare and juvenile justice Jane M. Spinak, at the turn of the twentieth century, American social reformers created the first juvenile court. They imagined a therapeutic court where informality, specially trained public servants, and a kindly, all-knowing judge would assist children and families. But the dream of a benevolent means of judicial problem-solving was never realized. A century later, children and families continue to be failed by this deeply flawed court. Jane M. Spinak illustrates how the procedures and policies of modern family court are deeply entwined in a heritage of racism, a profound disdain for poverty, and assimilationist norms intent on fixing children and families who are different. Join us when Spinak shares strategies that center trusting and respecting the abilities of communities to create and sustain meaningful solutions for families on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

According to award-winning journalist Jeff Goodell, the world is waking up to a new reality: wildfires are now seasonal in California, the Northeast is getting less and less snow each winter, and the ice sheets in the Arctic and Antarctica are melting fast. Heat is the first order threat that drives all other impacts of the climate crisis. And as the temperature rises, it is revealing fault lines in our governments, our politics, our economy, and our values. The basic science is not complicated: Stop burning fossil fuels tomorrow, and the global temperature will stop rising tomorrow. Stop burning fossil fuels in 50 years, and the temperature will keep rising for 50 years, making parts of our planet virtually uninhabitable. It’s up to us. The hotter it gets, the deeper and wider our fault lines will open. Join us when Jeff Goodell expounds on his provocative book, The Heat Will Kill You First mixing the latest scientific insight with on-the-ground storytelling on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Writer, educator, filmmaker, and scholar from Chicago - Dr. Rob Eschmann writes on educational inequality, community violence, racism, social media, and youth wellbeing. His research seeks to uncover individual, group, and intuitional-level barriers to racial and economic equity, and he pays special attention to the heroic efforts everyday people make to combat those barriers. From cell phone footage of police killing unarmed Black people to leaked racist messages and even comments from friends and family on social media, online communication exposes how racism operates in a world that pretends to be colorblind. In When the Hood Comes Off, Rob Eschmann blends rigorous research and engaging personal narrative to examine the effects of online racism on communities of color and society, and the unexpected ways that digital technologies enable innovative everyday tools of antiracist resistance. Join us when Eschmann expounds on his investigation which influence online communication on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large. Listen to past shows: https://soundcloud.com/leonard-lopate Be a Friend: Twitter - https://twitter.com/lopate_leonard Support the Station (select the Leonard Lopate at Large from the pulldown menu): BAI Buddy: https://wbai.wedid.it

Today on Leonard Lopate at Large gardening expert Pete Muroski, founder of Native Landscapes in Pawling, NY returns to share tips and take calls. Pete is a talented landscape designer with a particular affinity toward using material that is indigenous to the specific environment. Join us when Pete touches on current weather patterns, proper pruning techniques and timing to keep our terrace, patio, and perimeter landscaping looking and feeling its best and more on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, 99.5FM.

Symbols of Freedom is the surprising story of how enslaved people and their allies drew inspiration from the language and symbols of American freedom. Interpreting patriotic words, phrases, and iconography literally, they embraced a revolutionary nationalism that not only justified but generated open opposition. Mindful and proud that theirs was a nation born in blood, these disparate patriots fought to fulfill the republic’s promise by waging war against slavery. Join us when Professor of History, University of History - Matthew J. Clavin examines his book Symbols of Freedom: Slavery and Resistance Before the Civil War on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

At the height of the John Birch Society’s activity in the 1960s, critics dismissed its members as a paranoid fringe. “Birchers” believed that a vast communist conspiracy existed in America and posed an existential threat to Christianity, capitalism, and freedom. But as historian Matthew Dallek reveals, the Birch Society’s extremism remade American conservatism. Most Birchers were white professionals who were radicalized as growing calls for racial and gender equality appeared to upend American life. Conservative leaders recognized that these affluent voters were needed to win elections, and for decades the GOP courted Birchers and their extremist successors. Join us when Matthew Dallek discuss how the far right steadily gained power, finally toppling the Republican establishment and electing Donald Trump, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Gender Without Identity offers an innovative and at times unsettling theory of gender formation. Rooted in the metapsychology of Jean Laplanche and in conversation with bold work in queer and trans studies, Avgi Saketopoulou and Ann Pellegrini jettison “core gender identity” to propose, instead, that gender is something all subjects acquire -- and that trauma sometimes has a share in that acquisition. Conceptualizing trauma alongside diverse genders and sexualities is thus not about invalidating transness and queerness, but about illuminating their textures to enable their flourishing. Written for readers both in and outside psychoanalysis, Gender Without Identity argues for the ethical urgency of recognizing that wounding experiences and traumatic legacies may be spun into gender. Join us when authors Avgi Saketopoulou and Ann Pellegrini share their clinical research of working with gender complexity on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

New York Times bestselling author Jeffrey Toobin traces the dramatic history and profound legacy of Timothy McVeigh, who once declared, “I believe there is an army out there, ready to rise up, even though I never found it.” But that doesn’t mean his army wasn’t there. With news-breaking reportage, Toobin details how McVeigh’s principles and tactics have flourished in the decades since his death in 2001, reaching an apotheosis on January 6 when hundreds of rioters stormed the Capitol. Based on nearly a million previously unreleased tapes, photographs, and documents, including detailed communications between McVeigh and his lawyers, as well as interviews with such key figures as Bill Clinton. Join us when Jeffrey Toobin shares Homegrown which reveals how the story of Timothy McVeigh and the Oklahoma City bombing is not only a powerful retelling of one of the great outrages of our time, but a warning for our future, on this installment of Leonard Lopate of Large.

Through decades of direct experience of the People's Republic combined with extraordinary access to hundreds of hitherto unseen documents in communist party archives, the author of The People's Trilogy offers a riveting account of China's rise from the disaster of the Cultural Revolution. Join us when Frank Dikötter takes us inside the country's unprecedented four-decade economic transformation--from rural villages to industrial metropoles and elite party conclaves--that vaulted the nation from 126t ­largest economy in the world to second ­largest on this installment of Leonard Lopate a Large.

According to David Neiwert, from right-wing compounds in the Pacific Northwest in the 1970s, to the shocking January 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, America has seen the culmination of a long-building war on democracy being waged by a fundamentally violent and antidemocratic far-right movement that unironically calls itself the "Patriot" movement. Join us when award-winning journalist David Neiwert explores how the movement was built over decades, how it was set aflame by Donald Trump and his cohorts, and how it will continue to attack American democracy for the foreseeable future, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

In 1913, an unlikely friendship blossomed between Henry Ford and famed naturalist John Burroughs. When their mutual interest in Ralph Waldo Emerson led them to set out in one of Ford’s Model Ts to explore the Transcendentalist’s New England, the trip would prove to be the first of many excursions that would take Ford and Burroughs, together with an enthusiastic Thomas Edison, across America. These travels profoundly influenced the way Ford, Edison, and Burroughs viewed the world, nudging their work in new directions through a transformative decade in American history. Join us when, Wes Davis re-creates these landmark adventures in American Journey on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

New York Times bestselling historian Craig Nelson reveals how FDR confronted an American public disinterested in going to war in Europe, skillfully won their support, and pushed government and American industry to build the greatest war machine in history, “the arsenal of democracy” that won World War II. Join us when Craig Nelson traces how Franklin D. Roosevelt steadily and sometimes secretively put America on a war footing by convincing America’s top industrialists such as Henry Ford Jr. to retool their factories, by diverting the country’s supplies of raw materials to the war effort, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

According to Professor Jean Pfaelzer, the very first colonizers who crossed the border of the Golden State were and still are powered by slavery—a piece of American history that many still try to bury. Though unyielding research and vivid interviews, Pfaelzer exposes how California gorged on slavery; its appetite for unfree bodies and unpaid labor persists today in the global traffic in human beings who end up sold into the sex trade or trapped in sweatshops and remote marijuana grows. Join us when public historian, commentator, and professor of American studies at the University of Delaware, Jean Pfaelzer shares how this once-shrouded history spans three centuries of diverse types of slavery and slave revolts on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

The world needs a UN 3.0. The extent and severity of global crises are such that business as usual provides no solution. Roland Rich’s Leviathan describes the necessary next version of the United Nations. It is a confident, The result will allow the UN to tackle the climate crisis, broaden the protection of democracy and human rights, govern globalization, and be better prepared for the next pandemic. Join us when Leviathan contains a vision but not a blueprint. Yet it does spell out how to achieve the first essential step – to clip the wings of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.

The documentary, Elemental: ReimagineWildfire takes viewers on a journey with the top experts from across the nation to better understand wildfire. The film starts with the harrowing escape from Paradise, California as the town ignited from wind-driven embers and burned within a few hours of the fire's start and then continues to recent record shattering fires. “Elemental: Reimagine Wildfire” includes the voices of the top forest and climate experts, Indigenous prescribed firelighters, and fire survivors, and helps reimagine our relationship with fire as we prepare for an increasingly hotter, drier future. Join us when Director, Co-Writer & Editor Trip Jennings and Executive produced by Ralph Bloemers discuss indigenous fire managers, top fire and climate scientists to explore how wildfire, healthy forests and communities can coexist on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

According to the May Werthan Shayne Chair of Public Policy and Social Science at Vanderbilt University - Larry Bartels a seeming explosion of support for right-wing populist parties has triggered widespread fears that liberal democracy is facing its worst crisis since the 1930s. In his latest book Democracy Erodes from the Top - Bartels suggest that the real crisis stems not from an increasingly populist public but from political leaders who exploit or mismanage the chronic vulnerabilities of democracy. Europe’s most sobering examples of democratic backsliding―in Hungary and Poland―occurred not because voters wanted authoritarianism but because conventional conservative parties, once elected, seized opportunities to entrench themselves in power. Join us when author Larry M Bartels examines the inadequacy of conventional bottom-up interpretations of Europe’s political crisis, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Atlases are being redrawn as islands are disappearing. What does an island see when the sea rises? Sea Change: An Atlas of Islands in a Rising Ocean weaves together essays, maps, art, and poetry to show us—and make us see—island nations in a warming world. Low-lying islands are least responsible for global warming, but they are suffering the brunt of it. This transportive atlas reorients our vantage point to place islands at the center of the story, highlighting Indigenous and Black voices and the work of communities taking action for local and global climate justice. At once serious and playful, well-researched and lavishly designed, Sea Change is a stunning exploration of the climate and our world's coastlines. Full of immersive storytelling, scientific expertise, and rallying cries from island populations that shout with hope—"We are not drowning! We are fighting!"

Have you ever wondered about the correct pronunciation of a word you use all the time. Are there words that you think you’re hearing people mispronounce or misuse all the time? In this installment of “Leonard Lopate at Large” on WBAI, Kathryn and Ross Petras, authors of their New York Times bestseller “You're Saying It Wrong: A Pronunciation Guide to the 150 Most Commonly Mispronounced Words--and Their Tangled Histories of Misuse” and “That Doesn't Mean What You Think It Means: The 150 Most Commonly Misused Words and Their Tangled Histories” take your questions about this crazy thing we call the English language.

David Gessner the Bestselling author of thirteen books that blend a love of nature, humor, memoir, and environmentalism asks what kind of planet his daughter will inherit in this coast-to-coast guide to navigating climate crisis. The world is burning and the seas are rising. How do we navigate this new age of extremes? In A Traveler's Guide to the End of the World, David Gessner takes readers on an eye-opening tour of climate hotspots from the Gulf of Mexico to the burning American West to New York City to the fragile Outer Banks, where homes are being swallowed by the seas. Gessner approaches scientists and thinkers with a father’s question: What will the world be like in forty-two years? Gessner was forty-two when his daughter, Hadley, was born. What will the world be like in 2064, when Hadley is his age now? What is the future of weather? The future of heat, storms, and fire? What exactly will our children be facing? Join us when Gessner tells a story of climate crisis that will both entertain and shake people awake to the necessity of navigating this new age together, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

In the Collaborator Ian Buruma gives an account of three near-mythic figures—a Dutch fixer, a Manchu princess, and Himmler’s masseur—who may have been con artists and collaborators under Japanese and German rule, or true heroes, or something in between. All three figures have been vilified and mythologized, out of a never-ending need, Ian Buruma argues, to see history, and particularly war, and above all World War II, as a neat story of angels and devils. Ian Buruma is the Paul W. Williams Professor of Human Rights and Journalism at Bard College. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, New York Review of Books, New Yorker, Harper’s, The Guardian, Times Literary Supplement, NRC Handelsblad, among others. He is a regular columnist for Project Syndicate. Join us when Ian Buruma examines each character who committed wartime acts that led some to see them as national heroes, and others as villains, on this installment of Leoanrd Lopate at Large.

Join us today when award-winning journalist and Regular Contributor Bob Hennelly shares his passion for bringing real news. Born in Paterson, New Jersey, he has always had a keen interest in the roles of immigration, local politics, business, labor unions, real estate ownership, and environmental protection in the evolution of the United States. For more than 30 years, he has reported on a broad spectrum of major public policy questions, ranging from homeland security to the economy, environmental contamination to corruption, and occupational safety to homelessness. Today on Leonard Lopate at Large. When Bob Hennelly investigates the story, you're going to get the perspectives popular media won't cover.

In The Watchdog, Steve Drummond draws the reader into the fast-paced story of how Harry Truman, still a newcomer to Washington politics, cobbled together a bipartisan team of men and women that took on powerful corporate entities and the Pentagon, placing Truman in the national spotlight and paving his path to the White House. Join us for the story of how a little-known junior senator fought wartime corruption and, in the process, set himself up to become vice president and ultimately President Harry Truman, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

If a scientist’s goal is to deliver content and expertise to the people who need it, then other stakeholder groups―the media, the government, industry―need to be considered as partners to collaborate with in order to solve problems. Written by established scientist Christopher Reddy, who has been on the front lines of several environmental crisis events his new book - Communicating Science in a Crisis - highlights ten specific challenges and reflects on mistakes made and lessons learned. Reddy’s aim is not to teach scientists how to ace an interview or craft a soundbite, rather, through exploring several high-profile case studies, including the North Cape oil spill, Deepwater Horizon, and the 2021 Sri Lanka shipping disaster, he presents a clear pathway to effective and collaborative communication.

Join us when government policy expert Don Kettl examines the hidden crisis brought on by the end of Title 42 A professor emeritus and former dean in the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland, shares his perspectives and why isn’t more being done to help the people streaming across the border? The answers lie in the end of the public health barrier that Title 42 created—and in the role of nongovernmental partners who create public value.

Join us when government policy expert Donald Kettl examines the hidden crisis brought on by the end of Title 42
A professor emeritus and former dean in the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland, shares his perspectives
and why isn’t more being done to help the people streaming across the border? The answers lie in the end of the public health barrier that Title 42 created—and in the role of nongovernmental partners who create public value.
on the hidden crisis brought on by the end of Title 42.

In Plunder, Brendan Ballou explains how private equity has reshaped American business by raising prices, reducing quality, cutting jobs, and shifting resources from productive to unproductive parts of the economy. Ballou vividly illustrates how many private equity firms buy up retailers, medical practices, prison services, nursing-home chains, and mobile-home parks, among other businesses, using little of their own money to do it and avoiding debt and liability for their actions. Join us when Ballou explains how companies forced to take on huge debts and pay extractive fees, companies purchased by private equity firms are often left bankrupt, or shells of their former selves, with consequences to communities that long depended on them, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

White Power and American Neoliberal Culture speaks to the urgency of the present moment by uncovering and examining the ideologies that led us here. This book argues that white extremist worldviews—and the violence they provoke—have converged with a radical economic and social agenda to shape daily life in the United States, especially by enshrining the male-dominated white family as the ideal of national identity. Sources include white terrorist manifestos, white power utopian fiction, neoliberal think tank reports, and neoconservative policy statements, Join us when authors Patricia Ventura and Edward K. Chan paint a striking portrait of how the forces of white supremacy and racial capitalism enable each other, perpetuating social injustice and inequity, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Guthrie P. Ramsey, Jr., is an award-winning musicologist, music historian, composer, and pianist whose prescient theoretical and critical interventions have bridged Black cultural studies and musicology. Representing twenty-five years of commentary and scholarship, these essays document Ramsey’s search to understand America's Black musical past and present and to find his own voice as an African American writer in the field of musicology. Join us when we unpack this far-reaching collection which embraces historiography, ethnography, cultural criticism, musical analysis, and autobiography, traversing the landscape of Black musical expression from sacred music to art music, and jazz to hip-hop on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

As early as 1947, Black parents in rural South Carolina began seeking equal educational opportunities for their children. After two unsuccessful lawsuits, these families directly challenged legally mandated segregation in public schools with a third lawsuit in 1950, which was eventually decided in Brown v. Board of Education. Wanda Little Fenimore employs innovative research methods to recover the Warings’ speeches that said the unsayable about white supremacy. When the couple poked at the contradiction between segregation and “all men are created equal,” white supremacists pushed back. As a result, the couple received both damning and congratulatory letters that reveal the terms upon which segregation was defended and the reasons those who opposed white supremacy remained silent. Join us on Leonard Lopate at Large when Wanda Little Fenimore examines Brown v. Board of Education.

Chemist, artist, and industrial hygienist, Monona Rossol was born into a theatrical family and worked as a professional entertainer from age 3 to 17. Currently, she is the president of Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to providing health and safety services to the arts. Monona is also is the Health and Safety Director for Local 829 of the United Scenic Artists, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and has lectured throughout North America and Europe. In this installment of “Leonard Lopate at Large,” Monona takes your calls on the latest health concerns

When Investigative Journalist Bob Hennelly stops by the show, he unpacks a myriads of topics not mentioned in mainstream media. For example, despite decades of progress in worker safety since the creation of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration in 1970, there's troubling evidence of deadly backsliding particularly for the nation's Black and Latino workers, according to a comprehensive analysis from the AFL-CIO, the nation's largest labor federation. Joins us for a discussion on national and local politics, business, and labor unions. Bob Hennelly of Stuck Nation has a passion for bringing real news to his audience in a balanced and detailed way on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large

Last week NYC tenants and landlords pleaded their case to the Rent Guidelines Board in a five-hour meeting — with one side asking for a rent freeze and the other for an increase at a scale the city has not seen in years. Tenant leaders testified that high rents and utility costs are already forcing New Yorkers out of their homes, and that any rent increase will result in more evictions. Join us when Altagracia Pierre-Outerbridge, founder and owner of New York city-based law firm Outerbridge Law P.C. who’s practice is focused on landlord-tenant litigation and transactional matters examine NY tenants, landlords, and the rent guidelines board on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Andrew Boyd, a United States author, humorist, and veteran of creative campaigns for social change brings together eight of today's leading climate thinkers. From activist Tim DeChristopher to collapse-psychologist Jamey Hecht, grassroots strategist Adrienne Maree brown, eco-philosopher Joana Macy, and Indigenous botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer ― asking them: "Is it really the end of the world? and if so, now what?" In I Want a Better Catastrophe, gallows humor and a broken heart, Boyd steers readers through their climate angst as he walks his own. Boyd's journey takes him from storm-battered coastlines to pipeline blockades and "hopelessness workshops." Along the way, he maps out our existential options, and tackles some familiar dilemmas: "Should I bring kids into such a world?" "Can I lose hope when others can't afford to?" and "Why the fuck am I recycling?" Join us when activist Andrew Boyd shares his quest to live with the "impossible news" of our climate doom, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large

From the start, the War on Drugs targeted Black, Brown, and Indigenous Americans already disadvantaged by a system stacked against them. Even now, as white Americans who largely escaped the fire capitalize on the legalization movement and a booming cannabis industry, their less fortunate peers continue to suffer the consequences of the systemic racism in policing and failed drug policy that fueled the original crisis. Waiting to Inhale illuminates the stories of those on the front lines of the War on Drugs—the individuals and communities disproportionately harmed, sometimes seemingly beyond repair; the official and social forces ranged against them; and the victims, legal and political activists, and cannabis entrepreneurs who are fighting back. Join us when Tahira Rehmatullah co-author of In Waiting to Inhale, discuss a racial reckoning and provide a roadmap to redress this deep and abiding injustice.

Regular contributor Michael Patrick MacDonald grew up in the Old Colony Housing Project in South Boston, a neighborhood that held the highest concentration of white poverty in the United States. After losing four of his eleven siblings and seeing his generation decimated by poverty, crime, addiction, and incarceration, he wandered beyond the entrenched borders of his community toward solidarity and coalition-building with Boston’s Black and brown survivors and organizers. At Northeastern University’s Honors Department, MacDonald teaches Non-Fiction Writing & Social Justice Issues. He leads an annual Northeastern University "Dialogue of Civilizations" classroom to Derry and Belfast, Northern Ireland, where students witness post-Troubles efforts happening at the intersection of justice and healing. Join us on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large when activist, Michael shares his his efforts on multi-cultural coalition building to reduce violence and promote grassroots leadership from our most impacted communities.

(4-19-2023)Today on Leonard Lopate at Large gardening expert Pete Muroski, founder of Native Landscapes in Pawling, NY shares tips on getting ready for Spring. Pete is a talented landscape designer with a particular affinity toward using material that is indigenous to the specific environment. If you’re in need of tip for your kitchen garden, or outdoor oasis call in with your questions for Pete @ 212.209.2877 on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, 99.5FM.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to travel the universe? How would Saturn’s rings look from a spaceship sailing just above them? If you were falling into a black hole, what’s the last thing you’d see before getting spaghettified? While traveling in person to most of these amazing worlds may not be possible—yet—the would-be space traveler need not despair. Join us renowned astronomer and science communicator Philip Plait gives us the scenic route through the galaxy on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(4-14-2023) Just as racism is embedded in the legal system, so is misogyny—even after the law proclaims gender equality and criminally punishes violence against women. In After Misogyny, Julie C. Suk shows that misogyny lies not in animus but in the overempowerment of men and the overentitlement of society to women's unpaid labor and undervalued contributions. This is a book about misogyny without misogynists. From antidiscrimination law to abortion bans, the law fails women by keeping society's dependence on women's sacrifices invisible. Join when author Julie C. Suk takes us on a tour of constitutional change around the world, shows how to remake constitutional democracy on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

With meticulous detective work, Timothy Egan shines a light on one of the most sinister chapters in American history—how a viciously racist movement, led by a murderous conman, rose to power in the early twentieth century. The Roaring Twenties was the height of the uniquely American hate group, the Ku Klux Klan. Their domain was not the old Confederacy, but the Heartland and the West. A FEVER IN THE HEARTLAND is a historical thriller by the Pulitzer and National Book Award-winning author that tells the story of Stephenson the Grand Dragon of the state and the architect of the strategy that brought the group out of the shadows – their message endorsed from the pulpits of local churches, spread at family picnics and town celebrations. Judges, prosecutors, ministers, governors and senators across the country all proudly proclaimed their membership. Join us when Tim Egan examines the Klan's rise to power in the 1920s, the cunning con man who drove that rise, and the woman who stopped them on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

A composer, sound artist, performer, and innovator whose goal over the past four decades has been to bring experimental sound and music to a wider audience. And, through avenues including concert performances and ad jingles, city-wide events and film soundtracks, museum sound installations and hospital sound environments, his work has in fact been experienced by a wider audience than most creative artists can claim. Join us when Composer Charlie Morrow, the writer of the Leonard Lopate at Large theme music, offers fascinating discussion on the phenomena of sound.

Award-winning, print and broadcast journalist Robert "Bob" Hennelly joins us for a discussion on national and local politics, business, and labor unions. Bob Hennelly of Stuck Nation has a passion for bringing real news to his audience in a balanced and detailed way. Bob hosts a weekly radio talk show, "What's Going On - Labor Monday," on WBAI-Pacifica Radio in New York City, focusing on politics and labor. He had been on-air as a senior investigative reporter for WNYC-New York Public Radio for more than 12 years, covering politics, government, and the civil service.

What should we do about the police? We’re swimming in proposals for reform, but most do not tackle the aggressive culture of the profession, which prioritizes locking up bad guys at any cost, loyalty to other cops, and not taking flak from anyone on the street. Far from improving public safety, this culture, in fact, poses a danger to citizens and cops alike. Walk the Walk brings readers deep inside three unusual departments—in Stockton, California; Longmont, Colorado; and LaGrange, Georgia—whose chiefs signed on to replace that aggressive culture with something better: with models focused on equity before the law, social responsibility, racial reconciliation, and the preservation of life. Informed by research, unflinching and by turns gripping, tragic, and inspirational, this book follows the chiefs—and their officers and detectives—as they conjured a new spirit of policing. Join us when Neil Gross examines Walk the Walk which opens a window onto what the police could be, if we took seriously the charge of creating a more just America, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

When W. E. B. Du Bois, believing in the possibility of full citizenship and democratic change, encouraged African Americans to “close ranks” and support the Allied cause in World War I, he made a decision that would haunt him for the rest of his life. Seeking both intellectual clarity and personal atonement, for more than two decades Du Bois attempted to write the definitive history of Black participation in World War I. His book, however, remained unfinished. In The Wounded World, Chad Williams offers the dramatic account of Du Bois’s failed efforts to complete what would have been one of his most significant works. The surprising story of this unpublished book offers new insight into Du Bois’s struggles to reckon with both the history and the troubling memory of the war, along with the broader meanings of race and democracy for Black people in the twentieth century. Join us when Chad Williams offers new insight into Du Bois’s struggles to reckon with both the history and the troubling memory of the war, along with the broader meanings of race and democracy for Black people in the twentieth century on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Phosphorus has played a critical role in some of the most lethal substances on earth: firebombs, rat poison, nerve gas. But it’s also the key component of one of the most vital: fertilizer, which has sustained life for billions of people. In the The Devil’s Element, Dan Egan shares his investigative research of this vital crop nutrient which is causing toxic algae blooms and “dead zones” in waterways from the coasts of Florida to the Mississippi River basin to the Great Lakes and beyond. Egan also explores the alarming reality that diminishing access to phosphorus poses a threat to the food system worldwide―which risks rising conflict and even war. Join us when Pulitzer Prize finalist Dan Egan provides an eye-opening account that urges us to pay attention to one of the most perilous but little-known environmental issues of our time on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Justin Brooks has spent his career freeing innocent people from prison. With You Might Go to Prison, Even Though You're Innocent, he offers up-close accounts of the cases he has fought, embedding them within a larger landscape of innocence claims and robust research on what we know about the causes of wrongful convictions. Putting readers at the defense table, this book forces us to consider how any of us might be swept up in the system, whether we hired a bad lawyer, bear a slight resemblance to someone else in the world, or are not good with awkward silence. Join us when Justin Brooks provides a better understanding of how injustice is served by our system on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

When the Helsinki Accords were signed on August 1, 1975, the likelihood they would have a profound and lasting impact on the world were very small. The thirty-five signatories were the nations of Europe, the United States and Canada were formally known as the Conference of Security and Cooperation in Europe. The Final Act of CSCE contained detailed provisions on respect for human rights and set country borders that essentially held until Russia invaded Ukraine in February,2022. Only 15 years after the summit signing, the Soviet Union imploded and its Eastern European satellites broke with Communism and the broad range of human rights issues –civil, social, economic, and political – were a major factor in this historic turning point. Peter Osnos was a reporter and foreign correspondent for The Washington Post and served as the newspaper’s foreign and national editor. From 1984-1996 he was Vice President, Associate Publisher, and Senior Editor at Random House and Publisher of Random House’s Times Books division. He later founded PublicAffairs where he served as Publisher and CEO until 2005, and was a consulting editor until 2020 when he and his wife, Susan Sherer Osnos, launched Platform Books LLC. Join us when Peter Osnos shares his vast expertise as a journalist and publisher in Would You Believe on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Now that we are in Spring, home improvement season has begun. Join us as Alving and Larry Ubell of Accurate Building Inspectors discuss everything from cooling to upgrades. As regular listeners know, there are few construction questions that Ubells of Accurate Building Inspectors don’t know how to answer. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, one of our favorite handymen will answer your questions on any home repair projects you may be working on this Summer. Call-in 212.209.2877

Control is a book about eugenics, what geneticist Adam Rutherford calls “a defining idea of the twentieth century.” Inspired by Darwin’s ideas about evolution, eugenics arose in Victorian England as a theory for improving the British population, and quickly spread to America, where it was embraced by presidents, funded by Gilded Age monopolists, and enshrined into racist American laws that became the ideological cornerstone of the Third Reich. Despite this horrific legacy, eugenics looms large today as the advances in genetics in the last thirty years (from the sequencing of the human genome to modern gene editing technique) have brought the idea of population purification back into the mainstream. Join us when Dr. Adam Rutherford examine his book Control: The Dark History and Troubling Present of Eugenics on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

In 2015, increasing numbers of refugees and migrants, most of them fleeing war-torn homelands, arrived by boat on the shores of Greece, setting off the greatest human displacement in Europe since WWII. All Else Failed is Dana Sachs’s eyewitness account of the successes—and failures—of the volunteer relief network that emerged to meet the enormous need. Join us when journalist, novelist, and cofounder of the nonprofit Humanity Now: Direct Refugee Relief, Dana Sachs tells a story of despair and resilience, revealing the humanity within an immense humanitarian disaster on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large

Great Kingdoms of Africa explore the great precolonial kingdoms of Africa that have been marginalized throughout history. Great Kingdoms of Africa aims to decenter European colonialism and slavery as the major themes of African history and instead explore the kingdoms, dynasties, and city-states that have shaped cultures across the African continent. Join us for a thought-provoking overview that takes us from ancient Egypt and Nubia to the Zulu Kingdom almost two thousand years later. When author John Parker interweaves political and social history, oral histories and recent archaeological findings on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Written by former tech CEO Ronald Gruner, We The Presidents is a different presidential history. Rather than a single presidency, Gruner focuses on a century of presidencies from Warren G. Harding to Donald J. Trump and how their presidencies have contributed to what America is today. Join on Leonard Lopate at Large Gruner describes the historical roots of the challenges currently facing Americans, and the world on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

The Socially Relevant Film Festival New York is a film festival that focuses on socially relevant film content, and human interest stories that raise awareness to social problems and offer positive solutions through the powerful medium of cinema. SR believes that through raised awareness, expanded knowledge about diverse cultures, and the human condition as a whole, it is possible to create a better world free of violence, hate, and crime. The Socially Relevant Film Festival New York 10th-anniversary edition runs from March 16-31, 2023. Join us when Nora Armani the Founding Artistic Director of the Socially Relevant Film Festival New York shines the spotlight on filmmakers who tell compelling, socially relevant, human interest stories across a broad range of social issues without resorting to gratuitous violence or violent forms of film making, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

When our favorite award-winning investigative reporter and broadcast journalist, Robert "Bob" Hennelly stops by the show, he shares information on public policy, homeland security to the economy, environmental contamination to corruption, and occupational safety to homelessness. Born in Paterson, New Jersey, he has always had a keen interest in the roles of immigration, local politics, business, labor unions, real estate ownership, and environmental protection in the evolution of the United States. Bob Hennelly has penchant for addressing most stories, media outlets will not cover, Join us when Bob Hennelly provides updates on the Norfolk Southern rail disaster, which resulted in the release of a vast quantity of vinyl chloride and other highly toxic chemicals into the air and water in the borderlands of Ohio and Pennsylvania on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large. Listen to past shows: https://soundcloud.com/leonard-lopate Be a Friend: Twitter - https://twitter.com/lopate_leonard Support the Station (select the Leonard Lopate at Large from the pulldown menu): BAI Buddy: https://wbai.wedid.it

When America became a nation, a woman had no legal existence beyond her husband. If he abused her, she couldn’t leave without abandoning her children. Abigail Adams tried to change this, reminding her husband John to “remember the ladies” when he wrote the Constitution. He simply laughed―and women have been fighting for their rights ever since. Fearless Women tells the story of women who dared to take destiny into their own hands. They were feminists and antifeminists, activists and homemakers, victims of abuse and pathbreaking professionals. Inspired by the nation’s ideals and fueled by an unshakeable sense of right and wrong, they wouldn’t take no for an answer. In time, they carried the country with them. Join us when Elizabeth Cobbs examines Fearless Women which gives a voice to fearless women on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

The encyclopedia once shaped our understanding of the world. Created by thousands of scholars and the most obsessive of editors, a good set conveyed a sense of absolute wisdom on its reader. Contributions from Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, Orville Wright, Alfred Hitchcock. Adults cleared their shelves in the belief that everything that was explainable was now effortlessly accessible in their living rooms. Now these huge books gather dust and sell for almost nothing on eBay. Instead, we get our information from our phones and computers, apparently for free. All the Knowledge in the World is a history and celebration of those who created the most ground-breaking and remarkable publishing phenomenon of any age. Simon Garfield, who “has a genius for being sparked to life by esoteric enthusiasm and charming readers with his delight” (The Times), guides us on an utterly delightful journey, from Ancient Greece to Wikipedia, from modest single-volumes to the 11,000-volume Chinese manuscript that was too big to print. He looks at how Encyclopedia Britannica came to dominate the industry, how it spawned hundreds of competitors, and how an army of ingenious door-to-door salesmen sold their wares to guilt-ridden parents. He reveals how encyclopedias have reflected our changing attitudes towards sexuality, race, and technology, and exposes how these ultimate bastions of trust were often riddled with errors and prejudice. Join us when Simon Garfield uncovers a fascinating and important part of our shared past and wonders whether the promise of complete knowledge will forever be beyond our grasp on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Injustice, Inc. exposes the ways in which the justice systems exploit America's history of racial and economic inequality to generate revenue on a massive scale. With searing legal analysis, Daniel L. Hatcher uncovers how courts, prosecutors, police, probation departments, and detention facilities are abandoning ethics to churn vulnerable children and adults into unconstitutional factory-like operations. Join us when Hatcher discuss his book Injustice Inc. which reveals stark details of revenue schemes and reflects on the systemic racialized harm of the injustice enterprise on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large

Join us when brother and sister writing team Kathryn and Ross Petras join us for a refreshing conversation around the use of words. Have you ever wondered about the correct pronunciation of a word you use all the time. This is your chance to call-in and share words or phrases that mispronounce or misuse all the time. This duo authors of many word-oriented books like New York Times bestseller You’re Saying It Wrong. Or their newest book, A History of the World Through Body Parts: The Stories Behind the Organs, Appendages, Digits, and the Like Attached to (or Detached from) Famous Bodies.

Join us when environmental law expert Lowell E. Baier reveals how over centuries the federal government slowly preempted the states’ authority over managing their resident wildlife. In doing so, he educates elected officials, wildlife students, and environmentalists in the precedents that led to the current state of wildlife management, and how a constructive environment can be fostered at all levels of government to improve our nation’s wildlife and biodiversity, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Actual Malice tells a story of New York Times v. Sullivan, the dramatic case that grew out of segregationists’ attempts to quash reporting on the civil rights movement. In its landmark 1964 decision, the Supreme Court held that a public official must prove “actual malice” or reckless disregard of the truth to win a libel lawsuit, providing critical protections for free speech and freedom of the press. Join us when Professor of Law Samantha Barbas, tracks the saga behind one of the most important First Amendment rulings in history, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Based on ten years of work with immigrant children as young as six years old in Arizona and California― and featuring an analysis of three hundred drawings, theater performances, and family interviews―Silvia Rodriguez Vega provides accounts of children’s challenges with deportation and family separation during the Obama and Trump administrations. While much of the literature on immigrant children depicts them as passive, when viewed through this lens they appear as agents of their own stories. According to Professor Rodriguez Vega, when children are the agents of their own stories they can reimagine destructive situations in ways that adults sometimes cannot, offering alternatives and hope for a better future. Join us when Assistant Professor at University of California, Santa Barbara Silvia Rodriguez Vega, provides key insights into how immigrant children presented creative, out-of-the-box, powerful solutions to the dilemmas that anti-immigrant rhetoric and harsh immigration laws present on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large. At once devastating and revelatory, Drawing Deportation provides a roadmap for how art can provide a safe and necessary space for vulnerable populations to assert their humanity in a world that would rather divest them of it.

Black and Queer on Campus offers an inside look at what life is like for LGBTQ college students on campuses across the United States. Michael P. Jeffries shows that Black and queer college students often struggle to find safe spaces and a sense of belonging when they arrive on campus at both predominantly white institutions and historically black colleges and universities. Many report that in predominantly white queer social spaces, they feel unwelcome and pressured to temper their criticisms of racism amongst their white peers. Conversely, in predominantly straight Black social spaces, they feel ignored or pressured to minimize their queer identity in order to be accepted. According to Jeffries, this fraught dynamic has an impact on Black LGBTQ students in higher education, as they experience different forms of marginalization at the intersection of their race, gender, and sexuality. Join us Jeffries provides a new, much-needed perspective on the specific challenges Black LGBTQ students face and the ways they overcome them, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Today on Leonard Lopate at Large gardening expert Pete Muroski, founder of Native Landscapes in Pawling, NY shares tips on getting ready for Spring. According to Pete now is the time to get out into this beautiful winter weather and start pruning, splitting, transplanting, mulching, planting. Call in and join the conversation when Pete examines our unusual weather patterns -- what's going on in the garden, out in the deep woods this winter, and his observations on how the natural world is adjusting to the weather we are seeing and more.

According to Arthur Turrell the most important energy-making process in the universe takes place inside stars. The ability to duplicate that process in a lab, once thought impossible, may now be closer than we think. In The Star Builders, award-winning young plasma physicist Arthur Turrell examines how teams of scientists around the world are being assembled by the boldest entrepreneurs, big business, and governments to solve what is the most difficult technological challenge humanity has ever faced: building the equivalent of a star on earth. If their plans to capture star power are successful, they will unlock thousands, potentially millions, of years of clean, carbon-free energy. Join us when Turrell expounds on star machines with ten times as many parts as the NASA Space Shuttle, and structures that extend over 400 acres on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

From civil rights to Ferguson, Franchise reveals the untold history of how fast food became one of the greatest generators of black wealth in America. Often blamed for the rising rates of obesity and diabetes among black Americans, fast food restaurants like McDonald's have long symbolized capitalism's villainous effects on our nation's most vulnerable communities. Franchise acclaimed historian Marcia Chatelain uncovers a surprising history of cooperation among fast food companies, black capitalists, and civil rights leaders. Join us when Marcia Chatelain tells a story when federal programs under presidents Johnson and Nixon promoted a new vision for racial justice: that the franchising of fast food restaurants, by black citizens in their own neighborhoods, could finally improve the quality of black life. Synthesizing years of research, Franchise tells a troubling success story of an industry that blossomed the very moment a freedom movement began to wither on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Cobalt Red is an exposé of the immense toll taken on the people and environment of the Democratic Republic of the Congo by cobalt mining, as told through the testimonies of the Congolese people themselves. Activist and researcher Siddharth Kara has traveled deep into cobalt territory to document the testimonies of the people living, working, and dying for cobalt. To uncover the truth about brutal mining practices, Kara investigated militia-controlled mining areas, traced the supply chain of child-mined cobalt from toxic pit to consumer-facing tech giants, and gathered shocking testimonies of people who endure immense suffering and even die mining cobalt. Cobalt is an essential component to every lithium-ion rechargeable battery made today, the batteries that power our smartphones, tablets, laptops, and electric vehicles. Join us when Siddharth Kara examines this human rights and environmental catastrophe in the Congo on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

According to University of California, Los Angeles, law professor Joanna Schwartz, in recent years, the high-profile murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and so many others have brought much-needed attention to the pervasiveness of police misconduct. Yet it remains nearly impossible to hold police accountable for abuses of power—the decisions of the Supreme Court, state and local governments, and policy makers have, over decades, made the police all but untouchable. Join us when one of the country's leading scholars on policing Joanna Schwartz examines her book which exposes the myriad ways in which our legal system protects police at all costs, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

THE AFTERMATH by Philip Bump is an assessment of how the baby boom created modern America, and where power, wealth, and politics will shift as the boom ends. He questions... How much longer than we'd expected will Boomers control wealth? Will millennials get shortchanged for jobs and capital as Gen Z rises? What kind of pressure will Boomers exert on the health care system? How do generations and parties overlap? When will regional identity trump age or ethnic or racial identity? Who will the future GOP voter be, and how does that affect Democratic strategies? What does the Census get right, and terribly wrong? Join us Philip Bump examines these questions today on Leonard Lopate at Large.

All matter—everything around us and within us—has an ultimate birthday: the day the universe was born. This informative, eye-opening, and eminently enjoyable book is the story of our atoms’ long strange journey from the Big Bang to the creation of stars, through the assembly of Planet Earth, and the formation of life as we know it. It’s also the story of the scientists who made groundbreaking discoveries and unearthed extraordinary insights into the composition of life. Behind their unexpected findings were investigations marked by fierce rivalries, obsession, heartbreak, flashes of insight, and flukes of blind luck. Join us when Dan Levitt helps us understand the mystery of our existence: how a quadrillion atoms made of particles from the Big Bang now animate each of our cells.

In We Are Not One, historian Eric Alterman traces this debate from Isreal's nineteenth-century origins. Following it's 1948–1949 War of Independence (called the “nakba” or “catastrophe” by Palestinians), few Americans, including few Jews, paid much attention to Israel or the challenges it faced at this time. According to Alterman, following the 1967 Six-Day War, almost overnight support for Israel became the primary component of American Jews’ collective identity. Over time, Jewish organizations joined forces with conservative Christians and neoconservative pundits and politicos to wage a tenacious fight to define Israel’s image in the US media, popular culture, Congress, and college campuses. Join us when Alterman expounds on his researched, and reveals how consensus on Israel and Palestine emerged and why, it is fracturing.

Chemist, artist and industrial hygienist Monona Rossol is the founder of Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety, Inc. A not-for-profit corporation dedicated to providing health and safety services to the arts. She is also the Health and Safety Director for the Local 829 union of the United Scenic Artists International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. Join us when, Monona addresses concerns of the flu and other infectious health statistics on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI 99.5FM.

Food has power to nourish your mind, supporting emotional wellness through both nutrients and pleasure. In her latest book, journalist Mary Beth Albright draws on cutting-edge research to explain the food/mood connection. She redefines “emotional eating” based on the science, revealing how eating triggers biological responses that affect humans’ emotional states both immediately and long-term. Join us as Albright shares research from the new field of nutritional psychology, combined with straightforward suggestions for what to eat and how to eat it - certain foods help reduce the inflammation that can harm mental health, the critical relationship between the microbiome and the brain, which vitamins help restore the body during intensely emotional times, and how to develop a healthful eating pattern for life - on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Adapted from Sandra Schulberg’s monograph, Filmmakers for the Prosecution retraces the hunt for film evidence that could convict the Nazis at the Nuremberg Trial. The searchers were two sons of Hollywood – brothers Budd and Stuart Schulberg – serving under the command of OSS film chief John Ford. The motion pictures they presented in the courtroom became part of the official record and shape our understanding of the Holocaust to this day. Seventy-five years after the trial, French journalist and filmmaker Jean Christophe Klotz returns to the German saltmines where films lay burning, uncovers never-before-seen footage, and interviews key figures to unravel why the resulting film about the trial – Nuremberg: Its Lesson for Today by Stuart Schulberg –was intentionally buried by the U.S. Department of War. Klotz’s riveting film also fills in the gaps of how these groundbreaking materials were sourced, and poses still-pertinent questions about documentarians’ obligations to posterity. Join us when Sandra Schulberg examines Film makers for the Prosecution which opens Friday, January 27 at DCTV’s Firehouse Cinema in NYC on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

An Australian biologist delves into the extraordinary world of koalas, from their ancient ancestors to the current threats to their survival. Koalas regularly appeared in Australian biologist Danielle Clode’s backyard, but it was only when a bushfire threatened that she truly paid them attention. She soon realized how much she had to learn about these complex and mysterious animals. Join us as Clode embarks on a journey through evolutionary biology, natural history, and ecology to understand where these enigmatic animals came from and what their future may hold. She begins her search with the fossils of ancient giant koalas, delving into why the modern koala has become the lone survivor of a once-diverse family of uniquely Australian marsupials, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

As we honor the life and significant achievements of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on this day, we can only wonder what he would have made of the incredible political turmoil our country is currently experiencing. Join us when award winning journalist - specialized on the economy and politics, Bob Hennelly examines the current state of our government, labor strikes, and more on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(1/10/23) In American Midnight, award-winning historian Adam Hochschild brings alive the horrifying yet inspiring four years following the U.S. entry into the First World War, spotlighting forgotten repression while celebrating an unforgettable set of Americans who strove to fix their fractured country—and showing how their struggles still guide us today -- on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

In South to Freedom, prize-winning historian Alice L. Baumgartner tells the story of why Mexico abolished slavery and how its increasingly radical antislavery policies fueled the sectional crisis in the United States. Southerners hoped that annexing Texas and invading Mexico in the 1840s would stop runaways and secure slavery’s future. Instead, the seizure of Alta California and Nuevo México upset the delicate political balance between free and slave states. Join us when Alice L. Baumgartner shares an essential new perspective on antebellum America and the causes of the Civil War, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(1-6-2022) Professor of Zoology at the University of Manchester and author of a number of history and history of science books examines As Gods, which traces the history of genetic engineering, showing that technology is far too important to be left to the scientists. They have the power to change life itself, but should they be trusted? Four times in the last fifty years, geneticists, frightened by their own technology, have called a temporary halt to their experiments. Now we have powers that can target the extinction of pests, change our own genes, or create dangerous new versions of diseases in an attempt to prevent future pandemics. Join us when biologist and historian Matthew Cobb examines As Gods and genetic engineering on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

The Invisible Extinction, a documentary about the human microbiome opens on January 6, 2023, in New York at the IFC Center and in Los Angeles at the Laemmle Monica Film Center. The Invisible Extinction, co-directed by Steven Lawrence, spotlights the work and of renowned scientists Martin Blaser and his partner in the lab and in life, Gloria Dominguez-Bello - as they endeavor to save our vanishing microbes that are essential for our survival. As Dr. Blaser states we have lost over 50% of our internal biodiversity and the consequences are a huge rise in diabetes, life threatening food allergies, obesity and asthma. Join us when we examine the film The Invisible Extinction which explores promising treatments in the US, Israel and China as well as diving into the brain-gut axis on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

In Freedom’s Dominion, historian Jefferson Cowie traces the American freedom which is typically associated with the fight of the oppressed for a better world. But for centuries, whenever the federal government intervened on behalf of nonwhite people, many white Americans fought back in the name of freedom—their freedom to dominate others. Join us when a prize-winning historian chronicles a sinister idea of freedom: white Americans’ freedom to oppress others and their fight against the government that got in their way, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(12-26-2022) In 2012, the Innocence Project began searching for prisoners convicted by junk science, and three men, each convicted of capital murder, became M. Chris Fabricant's clients. Junk Science and the American Criminal Justice Systemchronicles the fights to overturn their wrongful convictions and to end the use of the "science" that destroyed their lives. Weaving together courtroom battles from Mississippi to Texas to New York City and beyond, Fabricant takes the reader on a journey into the heart of a broken, racist system of justice and the role forensic science plays in maintaining the status quo. Join us when, Innocence Project attorney M. Chris Fabricant presents an insider’s journey into the heart of a broken, racist system of justice and the role junk science plays in maintaining the status quo, on this installment on Leonard Lopate at Large

Media Benjamin, an advocate for social justice for 50 years skillfully wove together the historical record and current analysis, War In Ukraine looks at the events leading up to the conflict, surveys the different parties involved, and weighs the risks of escalation and opportunities for peace. Join us when Medea Benjamin provides an understanding of a war with consequences that could prove cataclysmic, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Join us when Kerri Greenidge a Mellon Assistant Professor in the Department of Studies in Race, Colonialism, and Diaspora at Tufts University shares a stunning counternarrative of the legendary abolitionist Grimke sisters that finally reclaims the forgotten Black members of their family. A landmark biography of the most important multiracial American family of the nineteenth century, The Grimkes suggests that just as the Hemingses and Jeffersons personified the racial myths of the founding generation, the Grimkes embodied the legacy—both traumatic and generative—of those myths, which reverberate to this day.

In War by Other Means Daniel Akst takes readers into the wild, heady, and uncertain times of America on the brink of a world war, following four fascinating resisters -- four figures who would subsequently become famous political thinkers and activists -- and their daring exploits: David Dellinger, Dorothy Day, Dwight MacDonald, and Bayard Rustin. The resisters did not stop the war, of course, but their impact would be felt for decades. Many of them went on to lead the civil-rights and anti-Vietnam War movements, the two most important social stands of the second half of the twentieth century. The various World War II resisters pioneered non-violent protest in America, popularized Gandhian principles, and desegregated the first prison mess halls. Join us on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large when Daniel Akst shared their story that has never been told.

Religion scholar and former insider Bradley Onishi maps the origins of White Christian nationalism and traces its offshoots in Preparing for War. The insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, was not a blip or an aberration. It was the logical outcome of years of a White evangelical subculture's preparation for war. Join us on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large when Bradley Onishi discuss his own experiences in the youth groups and prayer meetings of the 1990s with an immersive look at the steady blending of White grievance politics with evangelicalism, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(12-15-2022) Slow Cooked: An Unexpected Life in Food Politics, charts Marion Nestle astonishing rise from bench scientist to the pinnacles of academia, how she overcame the barriers and biases women of her generation faced, and how she found her life’s purpose after age fifty. Slow Cooked tells her personal story—one that is deeply relevant to everyone who eats and to anyone who thinks it might be too late to follow a passion. Nestle reflects on her late-in-life career as a world-renowned food politics expert, public health advocate, and a founder of the field of food studies after facing decades of low expectations. In this engrossing memoir, Marion Nestle reflects on how she achieved late-in-life success as a leading advocate for healthier and more sustainable diets. Join us when Marion Nestle told the story of how she built an unparalleled career at a time when few women worked in the sciences, and came to recognize and reveal the enormous influence of the food industry on our dietary choices, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Kathryn and Ross Petras are a brother and sister writing team. authors of many word-oriented books like New York Times bestseller You’re Saying It Wrong. Or their newest book, A History of the World Through Body Parts: The Stories Behind the Organs, Appendages, Digits, and the Like Attached to (or Detached from) Famous Bodies. The duo has wrtten a myriad of books, which have received the attention of, or have been featured in, diverse media outlets including the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, the Huffington Post, Bustle, the Atlantic Monthly, the London Times, CNBC, and McSweeney’s. Join us for a discussion around words. Have you ever wondered about the correct pronunciation of a word you use all the time. Are there words that you think you’re hearing people mispronounce or misuse all the time? In this installment of “Leonard Lopate at Large” on WBAI, Kathryn and Ross Petras, take your questions about this crazy thing we call the English language.

(12-12-22)Labeled an investigative journalism classic Raw Deal: Hidden Corruption, Corporate Greed, and the Fight for the Future of Meat offers a shocking exposé of the United States meat industry, the devastating failures of the country’s food system, and the growing disappointment of alternative meat producers claiming to revolutionize the future of food. Well before COVID-19 swept across the United States and the chairman of Tyson Foods infamously declared that the food supply chain was dangerously vulnerable, America’s meat industry was reaching a breaking point. Years of consolidation, price-fixing, and power grabs by elite industry insiders have harmed consumers and caused environmental destruction. Americans have no idea where their meat comes from. And while that’s hurting us, it’s also making others rich. Join us when financial journalist Chloe Sorvino presents an expansive view of the meat industry with in-depth research. Sorvino investigates corporate greed, how climate change will upend our food production, and the limitations of local movements challenging the status quo, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(12-9-22)Partisan warfare and gridlock in Washington threaten to squander America’s opportunity to show the world that democracy can solve serious economic problems and ensure widely shared prosperity. Instead of working together to meet the challenges ahead—an aging work force, exploding inequality, climate change, rising debt—our elected leaders are sabotaging our economic future by blaming and demonizing each other in hopes of winning big in elections. They are weakening America’s capacity for world leadership and the case for democracy here and abroad. Join us when Allan Rivlin shares the late Alice M. Rivlin decades of experience in economic policy making, in which she argued economic policies could lead to sustainable American prosperity and opportunity for all, but crafting them requires the tough, time-consuming work of consensus building and bipartisan negotiation. In a divided country with shifting majorities, major policies must have bipartisan buy-in and broad public support. Otherwise we will have either destabilizing swings in policy or total gridlock in the face of challenges looming at us, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Emily Flitter delivers an explosive and deeply reported look at the systemic racism inside the American financial services industry. In 2018, Emily Flitter received a tip that Morgan Stanley had fired a Black employee without cause, that one tip lit the spark plug for a three-year journey through the shocking yet normalized corruption in our financial institutions. From local insurance agencies and corporate titans like JPMorgan Chase, BlackRock, and Wells Fargo, The White Wall reveals the practices that have kept the racial wealth gap practically as wide as it was during the Jim Crow era. Join us when acclaimed New York Times finance reporter Emily Flitter examines hiring and layoff policies designed to keep Black employees from advancing to high levels; racial profiling of customers in internal emails between bank tellers; major insurers refusing to pay Black policyholders’ claims; and the systematic denial of funding to Black entrepreneurs, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

In the years before the First World War, a collection of writers and artists began to make a name for themselves in England and America for their irreverent spirit and provocative works of literature, art, and criticism. They called themselves the Bloomsbury Group and by the 1920s, they were at the height of their influence. Then a new generation stepped forward—creative young people who tantalized their elders with their captivating looks, bold ideas, and subversive energy. The group had always celebrated sexual equality and freedom in private, feeling that every person had the right to live and love in the way they chose. But as transgressive self-expression became more public, this younger generation gave Old Bloomsbury a new voice. Join us when Nino Strachey discuss her book, Young Bloomsbury which celebrates an open way of living and loving that would not be embraced for another hundred years, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Join us when regular contributor Pete Muroski of Native Landscapes in Pawling, New York examines the type of weather we'll have this winter and identifies signs or signals nature is showing us. Pete covers an array ot topics and has encyclopedic knowledge of how to preserve your surrounding ecosystem. But as any New Yorker knows, not all of us have space for a garden or any outdoor space of own for that matter. According to Pete, outdoor containers for winter plant maintenance can be great for those that live in a high rise or condominium and have limited space for plants and enjoy gardening.

According to Robert Ovetz the US constitution, written by 55 of the richest white men, and signed by only 39 of them, is the sacred text of American nationalism. Popular perceptions of it are mired in idolatry, myth and misinformation - many Americans have opinions on the constitution but have little idea what it says. In his book We the Elites, Ovetz reports he examining the constitution for what it is – a rulebook for elites to protect capitalism from democracy. Social movements have misplaced faith in the constitution as a tool for achieving justice when it actually impedes social change through the many roadblocks and obstructions we call 'checks and balances'. Join us when Senior Lecturer in Political Science at San José State University, Robert Ovetz's shares his research on the constitution which supports the concept that the system isn't broken, but in fact works as it was designed to, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

In Conspiracy, Michael Shermer presents an overarching review of conspiracy theories—who believes them and why, which ones are real, and what we should do about them. Trust in conspiracy theories, he writes, cuts across gender, age, race, income, education level, occupational status—and even political affiliation. One reason that people believe these conspiracies, Shermer argues, is that enough of them are real that we should be constructively conspiratorial: elections have been rigged (LBJ's 1948 Senate race); medical professionals have intentionally harmed patients in their care (Tuskegee); your government does lie to you (Watergate, Iran-Contra, and Afghanistan); and, tragically, some adults do conspire to sexually abuse children. But Shermer reveals that other factors are also in play: anxiety and a sense of loss of control play a role in conspiratorial cognition patterns, as do certain personality traits. Join us when Best-selling author Michael Shermer presents an overarching theory of conspiracy theories—who believes them and why, which ones are real, and what we should do about them, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

As he did for Abraham Lincoln and John Quincy Adams, biographer Fred Kaplan offers a look at the life of Thomas Jefferson and his contributions as a writer. Fred Kaplan emphasizes Thomas Jefferson’s genius with language and his ability to use the power of words to inspire and shape a nation. A man renowned for many talents, writing was one of the major activities of the statemen’s life, though much of his best, most influential writing— numbering approximately 100,000—was done by 1789, when Jefferson was just forty-six. All of his works—from his earliest correspondence; his essays and proclamations, including A Summary View of British America, The Declaration of Independence, and Notes on the State of Virginia; his religious and scientific writings; his inaugural addresses; his addresses to Indian nations; and his exchanges with Washington, Madison, Hamilton, John and Abigail Adams, demonstrate his remarkable intelligence, prescient wisdom, and literary flair and reveal the man in all his complex and controversial brilliance. In His Masterly Pen, readers will find a new appreciation of Jefferson as a whole, of his strengths and weaknesses, and particularly of the degree to which his writing skills—which James Madison admired as “the shining traces of his pen”—are key to his personality and public career. Join us when we examine his complications, the inconsistencies, and the contradictions between his principles and his policies, between his head and his heart, and between his optimistic view of human nature and the realities of his personal situation and the world he lived in on this installment on Leonard Lopate.

(11/21/2022) In Power Concedes Nothing author Max Elbaum an American author and social activist tells the stories behind a victory that won both the White House and the Senate and powered progressive candidates to new levels of influence. It describes the on-the-ground efforts that mobilized a record-breaking turnout by registering new voters and motivating an electorate both old and new. In doing so it charts a viable path to victory for the vital contests upcoming in 2022 and 2024. Join us when Max Elbaum tell the story of the November 2020 US election which was arguably the most consequential since the 1860 election of Abraham Lincoln—and grassroots leaders and organizers played crucial roles in the contention for the presidency and control of both houses of Congress on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

For more than 30 years, Robert "Bob" Hennelly has reported on a broad spectrum of major public policy questions, ranging from homeland security to the economy, environmental contamination to corruption, and occupational safety to homelessness. Now that election day is behind us and many of the votes have been counted, there is still much to discuss. The G.O.P. majority, however slim, will still be a challenge for President Biden and Pelosi’s decision to step aside paving a path for a new generation of democrats are only the tip of the iceberg. Join us award-winning, print and broadcast journalist, Bob Hennelly examines the unprecedented spike in healthcare insurance premium hikes for essential workers, Sen. Raphael Warnock’s Dec. 6 run-off in Georgia, and more on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, on November 16, 1943, American film critic, essayist, fiction writer, poet, and teacher Philip Lopate sits down with his older brother Leonard Lopate for discussion around his extensive career. Phillip Lopate’s publications include an extensive list of essay collection, film, non fiction, poetry collections, a Memoir, Anthologies (as both editor and contributor). He has been awarded a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship, a New York Public Library Center for Scholars and Writers Fellowship, two National Endowment for the Arts grants, and two New York Foundation for the Arts grants. After working with children for twelve years as a writer in the schools, he taught creative writing and literature at Fordham, Cooper Union, University of Houston, Hofstra University, New York University and Bennington College. He is a professor at Columbia University’s School of the Arts, where he teaches nonfiction writing. Join us as Phillip Lopate covers his extraordinary experiences and expansive literary career on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(11/14/2022) David Fenton has been the driving force behind some of the most important and history-making campaigns of the last 50 years, from the No-Nukes concerts with Bruce Springsteen in 1979, to the campaigns to free Nelson Mandela and end apartheid in the late 1980s, exposing the dangers of toxic chemicals in our food, the long battle to legalize marijuana and end racist drug laws, the misinformation in Washington during the Bush era in the 2000s, and recent campaigns that successfully banned fracking in New York and alerted the public to the climate crisis, including the environmental impact of Bitcoin. Join us when, David tells the fascinating story of how he developed the strategies and that have made him a successful media agitator and shows how these tools can be used by anyone to advance their cause on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(11/9/2022) David Dorsen, who first came to national attention in the early 1970s as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and Assistant Chief Counsel of the Senate Watergate Committee will examine, his book Judicial Mayhem: How Federal Judges Betrayed Their Public Trust. Join us when Dorsen gives a 'behind-the-bench' look at how the federal court system can completely malfunction with a never-before-revealed account of this extraordinary miscarriage of justice in a white-collar case on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

November 8th 2022, voters across the state will fill out their ballots in a number of competitive races that have the power to reshape the state’s political future. This marks the time for the general election for federal and statewide offices including U.S. Congress, Governor, ballot proposals, and more. For more than 30 years, Bob Hennelly has reported on a broad spectrum of major public policy questions. Join us when Robert "Bob" Hennelly an award-winning, print and broadcast journalist examines the midterm elections. Call-in and let your voice be heard with your questions, suggestions, and concerns @ 212.209.2877.

(11/4/2022) In The Rescue Effect, by Michael Mehta Webster reveals the science behind nature’s inherent resilience, through compelling stories of species that are adapting to the changing world—including tigers in the jungles of India, cichlid fish in the great lakes of Africa, and corals in the Caribbean. Michael Mehta Webster is a Professor of Practice in the Department of Environmental Studies. He earned a Ph.D. in Zoology at Oregon State University, and a B.S. in Zoology from the University of Wisconsin. Webster argues that there are good reasons to expect a bright future, because everywhere we look, we can see evidence that nature can rescue many species from extinction; and when nature alone is not up to the task, we can help. Join us when Webster shares rigorous research with gripping storytelling, The Rescue Effect provides the cautious optimism we need to help save life on Earth on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(11/3/2022) In Picking Presidents, Gautam Mukunda sets his sights on presidential candidates, proposing an objective and tested method to assess whether they will succeed or fail if they win the White House. Combining political science, psychology, organizational behavior, and economics, Picking Presidents will enable every American to cast an informed vote. Picking Presidents provides analysis of filtered and unfiltered presidents alike, from failed haberdasher and skillful president Harry Truman, to the exceptionally well-qualified—and ultimately reviled—James Buchanan; from Andrew Johnson, who set civil rights back by a century, to Theodore Roosevelt, who evaded party opposition to transform American society. Join us when Gautam Mukunda examines Picking Presidents, which lays out a clear framework that anyone can use to judge a candidate and answer the all-important question in order to determine if they are they up to the job on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(11/2/2022) Senior reporter for the Verge and Vox Media site devoted to technology and society, James Vincent finds the correlation from the cubit to the kilogram, the humble inch to the speed of light, and shares measurement is a powerful tool that humans invented to make sense of the world. In his book Beyond Masure James Vincent dives into its hidden world, taking readers from ancient Egypt, where measuring the annual depth of the Nile was an essential task, to the intellectual origins of the metric system in the French Revolution, and from the surprisingly animated rivalry between metric and imperial, to our current age of the “quantified self.” Join us when Vincent touches on the political consequences of measurement, exploring how it has also been used as a tool for oppression and control on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large. Beyond Measure reveals how measurement is not only deeply entwined with our experience of the world, but also how its history encompasses and shapes the human quest for knowledge.

(10/31/2022) Chemist, artist and industrial hygienist Monona Rossol is the founder of Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety, Inc. A not-for-profit corporation dedicated to providing health and safety services to the arts. She is also the Health and Safety Director for the Local 829 union of the United Scenic Artists International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. Join us when, Monona addresses concerns of the flu and other infectious health statistics on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI 99.5FM.

(10/28/2022) A white supremacist shooting and an astonishing act of forgiveness. A national reckoning with race and the Confederate flag. The fate of marriage equality and the Affordable Care Act. Cody Keenan shares his book GRACE, the propulsive story of ten days in June 2015, when Obama and his chief speechwriter Cody Keenan composed a series of high-stakes speeches to meet a succession of stunning developments. GRACE also delivers a fascinating portrait of White House insiders like Ben Rhodes, Valerie Jarrett, Jen Psaki, and the speechwriting team responsible for pulling it all off during a furious, historic stretch of the Obama presidency Join us when Cody Keenan takes us inside the craft of speechwriting at the highest level for the most demanding of bosses, the relentlessly poetic and perfectionist Barack Obama, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(10/27/2022) "The New Yorkers" introduces the first woman to appear nude in a motion picture, becoming the face of Civic Fame as Miss Manhattan; the couple whose soirée ended the Gilded Age with an embarrassing bang; and the husband and wife who invented the modern celebrity talk show. It reveals the victim of the city's first recorded murder in the seventeenth century and the high school dropout who slashed crime rates in the twentieth. The notorious mobster who was imperiously banished from the city and the woman who successfully sued a bus company for racial discrimination a century before Rosa Parks. Join us when Sam Roberts, a 50-year veteran of New York journalism, an obituaries reporter and formerly the Urban Affairs correspondent at the New York Times takes us on a pulsating journey history of the world's most exceptional metropolis on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(10/25/2022) The Russian Revolution of 1917 has long been considered as the radical event that changed 20th century world history and Russian-style Communism as its core. Yet the first social revolution was not in Russia but in Mexico, and it started seven years earlier in 1910. In the book ARISE!: Global Radicalism in the Era of the Mexican Revolution (October 2022), author Christina Heatherton offers the first book to stake the claim of the Mexican Revolution for the global stage. Tracing the paths of figures like Black American artist Elizabeth Catlett, Indian anti-colonial activist M.N. Roy, Mexican revolutionary leader Ricardo Flores Magón, Okinawan migrant organizer Paul Shinsei Kōchi, and Soviet feminist Alexandra Kollontai, Arise! reveals how activists around the world found inspiration and solidarity in revolutionary Mexico. Join us when Christina Heatherton, an American Studies scholar and historian of anti-racist social movements shares her unique vantage point, as she charts the remarkable impact of the Mexican Revolution on this installment on Leonard Lopate at Large.

(10/24/2022) In April 1944, Rudolf Vrba became the first Jew to break out of Auschwitz—one of only four who ever pulled off that near-impossible feat. He did it to reveal the truth of the death camp to the world—and to warn the last Jews of Europe what fate awaited them at the end of the railway line. Against all odds, he and his fellow escapee, Fred Wetzler, climbed mountains, crossed rivers and narrowly missed German bullets until they had smuggled out the first full account of Auschwitz the world had ever seen—a forensically detailed report that would eventually reach Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and the Pope. Join us when Award-winning journalist and bestselling novelist Jonathan Freedland tells the incredible story of Rudolf Vrba—the first Jew to break out of Auschwitz, a man determined to warn the world and pass on a truth too few were willing to hear on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(10/21/22) According to Thomas B. Pepinsky, COVID-19 has killed more people than any war or public health crisis in American history, but the scale and grim human toll of the pandemic were not inevitable. "Pandemic Politics" examines how Donald Trump politicized COVID-19, shedding new light on how his administration tied the pandemic to the president’s political fate in an election year and chose partisanship over public health, with disastrous consequences for all. At a time when solidarity and bipartisan unity were sorely needed, Americans came to see the pandemic in partisan terms, adopting behaviors and attitudes that continue to divide us today. Join us when Professor of Government and Public Policy at Cornell University, Thomas B. Pepinsky shares a uniquely American tragedy, in which Pandemic Politics reveals how the politicization of the COVID-19 pandemic had profound and troubling implications for public health and the future of democracy itself on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large

(10/19/22) Bill Keller, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, former executive editor of The New York Times, and founding editor-in-chief of the Marshall Project examines his first book, What’s Prison For? Punishment and Rehabilitation in the Age of Mass Incarceration. While much of the national debate about prisons has focused on the history and enormous societal costs of mass incarceration in America, imprisonment itself remains an invisible cultural archipelago. In What’s Prison For?, Keller illuminates the contemporary prison experience and explores a swath of programs aimed at fulfilling one of the criminal justice system’s ostensible purposes: rehabilitation. Join us when Bill Keller takes us inside prison walls, where we meet men and women who have found purpose while in state custody on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI 99.5FM.

(10-17-22) Jim Geraghty has been a passionate participant in the orphan drug revolution since its inception, a leader in the field as a strategy consultant, biotechnology executive, and venture entrepreneur. Advances in medicine have made possible better treatments for widespread, familiar human illnesses like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Yet there are thousands of much less common diseases, most of genetic origin, each classed as "rare" because it afflicts only a small number of people. According to Jim Geraghty these patient groups were long ignored by a pharmaceutical industry that judged them too small to provide a return on the investment needed to develop an effective remedy. Yet these "orphaned" diseases collectively caused misery and expense, often far greater than did more common ailments, for tens of millions of individuals and their families. In his book, Inside The Orphan Drug Revolution: The Promise of Patient-Centered Biotechnology, Jim Geraghty provides eyewitness accounts of advances as they occurred and portraits of the pioneering scientists and physicians, tireless activists, and visionary business leaders who made the revolution happen. Join us for a discussion when Jim Geraghty addresses questions such as: why do drugs to treat orphan diseases cost so much - how can we ensure they are affordable - how can their effectiveness be responsibly assessed - how can access to them be expanded internationally and more on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

In a story that is shocking, eye-opening, and a powerful force for change, New York Times bestselling author Eleanor Hermans explores the patterns that have been operating for more than three thousand years—and are still operating today—against powerful women across the globe, including Cleopatra, Anne Boleyn, Marie Antoinette, Catherine the Great, Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris, and more. Join us on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large, when Eleanor Herman expounds on this particular kind of rage—she calls unadulterated bloodlust—usually reserved for women, especially women in power or vying for it. From the ancient world, through the European Renaissance, up to the most recent U.S. elections, the Misogynist’s Handbook, as Eleanor Herman calls it, has been wielded to put uppity women in their place.

Pete is a lifelong environmentalist and outdoorsman owner of Hudson Valley Native Landscaping specializing in woodland restoration, invasive species removal, native landscaping and tree care. During this conversation Pete provides a colorful and dynamic perspective into the plant kingdom. Pete approaches everything ecologically and aims to restore local woodland habitats while supporting pollinators through native landscaping. Started by John Messerschmidt in 2009, they are leaders in ecological landscaping serving Dutchess, Ulster, Columbia, Greene and Orange counties in New York.

According to Tim Bakken, while almost all the participants within the system hope that only guilty people will be convicted, the unfortunate reality is that innocent people are convicted and imprisoned at an alarming rate. With the privatization of defense institutions, accused innocent people are themselves responsible for finding the facts that could exonerate them. Though the poor are represented by public defenders—in fact, almost no one who is charged with a crime has enough money to pay for a complete defense—it is still accused people, not public officials, who bear the entire burden of proving their innocence. Join us when Professor of Law at the US Military Academy, West Point examines his book The Plea of Innocence: Restoring Truth to the American Justice System ont this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Zelenskyy’s former press secretary tells the story of his improbable rise from popular comedian to the president of Ukraine. Luliia Mendel had a front row seat to many of the key events preceding the 2022 Russian invasion. From attending meetings between Zelenskyy and Putin and other European leaders, visiting the front lines in Donbas, to fielding press inquiries after the infamous phone calls between Donald Trump and Zelenskyy that led to Trump’s first impeachment. Mendel saw first hand Zelenskyy’s efforts to transform his country from a poor, backward Soviet state into a vibrant, prosperous European democracy. Mendel sheds light on the massive economic problems facing Ukraine and the entrenched corrupt oligarchs in league with Russia. She witnessed the Kremlin’s repeated attacks to discredit Zelenskyy through disinformation and an army of bots and trolls. Join us when Luliia Mendal shares her details about her own life as a member of Zelenskyy’s new Ukraine. Written with the sound of Russian bombs and exploding shells in the background. Mendel details life lived under Russian siege in 2022 as she says goodbye to her fiancé who joins the front lines, like so many other Ukrainian men on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large. Throughout this story of Zelenskyy, Ukraine, and its extraordinary people, Iuliia Mendel reminds us of the paramount importance of truth and human values, especially in these darkest of times.

Ten years after an attack on the US diplomatic mission in Benghazi killed Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans, Ethan Chorin reveals Benghazi was a watershed moment in American history, one that helped create the world America lives in today: polarized, fearful, and dangerously unstable. According to Chorin, Benghazi is not a story contained in 13 hours, but a decades-long history beginning with the rise of Muammar Gaddafi, stretching through 9/11, the War on Terror, and the Arab Spring. Chorin draws on his own experience during the Benghazi attack, his expertise as a former diplomat and scholar of Libyan history, and new interviews with Libyan insiders, eyewitnesses, and key players like Hillary Clinton and Ben Rhodes. Join us when Chorin makes clear why Benghazi still matters so much ten years later—and why we can’t afford to continue overlooking and misunderstanding it on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Michael Patrick MacDonald grew up in the Old Colony Housing Project in South Boston, a neighborhood that held the highest concentration of white poverty in the United States. After losing four of his eleven siblings and seeing his generation decimated by poverty, crime, addiction, and incarceration, he learned to transform personal and community trauma by becoming a leading Boston activist, organizer and writer. McDonald serves as Author-in-Residence & Professor of the Practice at Northeastern University’s Honors Department, where he teaches his curricula: “Non-Fiction Writing & Social Justice Issues” and “The North of Ireland: Colonialism, Armed Resistance and the Struggle for Peace with Justice" every fall. Regular contributor to the program Michael Patrick MacDonald is the author of the book All Souls: A Family Story From Southie and the acclaimed Easter Rising: A Memoir of Roots and Rebellion. On this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large, activist Michael Patrick McDonald will focus on Queen Elizabeth’s Complicated Relationship with Ireland, Britain’s First Colony on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(9-15-2022) Music + Revolution: Greenwich Village in the 1960s, is a narrative appreciation of the Greenwich Village music scene of that decade -- in particular the glorious collision of music and message that created the protest song movement. Even before the Beatnik Riots of 1961, New York City's Greenwich Village was the epicenter of revolutionary movements in American music and culture. But, in the early 1960s and throughout the decade, a new wave of writers and performers inspired by the folk music revival of the 1950s created socially aware and deeply personal songs that spoke to a generation like never before. Join us when Richard Barone examines his book Music + Revolution: Greenwich Village in the 1960s on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Author of Promises Betrayed, Jamil Hassan provides a first-hand account of the Afghanistan evacuation, all told from the unique perspective of an Afghan ally. Having served as a translator for General David Petraeus and General John Nicholson in Afghanistan Jamil and his family were, and are, high-value targets for possible Taliban retribution. Jamil provides account of how he and his family, by the narrowest of margins, eventually made their way onto a plane and out of Kabul, on August 18, 2021. Join us when Jamil Hassan examines Promises Betrayed, the story of America's "War on Terror" in Afghanistan, the Biden Administration's actions, and the Afghans who were left behind on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(9-9-2022) Martin Luther King used news cameras as a means of exposing anti-Black violence by white mobs in the 1950s and 60s. Darnella Frazier used her phone to record and post the murder of George Floyd by Derek Chauvin in May 2020. These are just two of many people who have captured images of injustice for the world to see. The Prophetic Lens takes an important look at the use of the video camera as an indispensable prophetic tool for the security of Black lives and greater possibility for racial justice. Join us when Phil Allen Jr. founder of the non-profit organization Racial Solidarity Project based in Los Angeles, CA. shares his passion for dialogue, resistance, and solutions to the problem of systemic racism which was fostered by his family and personal life experiences as well as his educational journey, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Join us on Leonard Lopate at Large when the After Dinner Opera Company reviews the New York and Orchestral Staged Premiere of SACCO AND VANZETTI Begun by Marc Blitzstein. Completed & Conducted by Leonard Lehrman. Directed by Benjamin Spierman. In 1921, Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, both Italian-Americans, were convicted of robbery and murder. Although the arguments brought against them were mostly disproven in court, the fact that the two men were known radicals prejudiced the judge and jury against them.

(9/2/2022) In Freedomland, Annemarie H. Sammartino tells Co-op City's story from the perspectives of those who built it and of the ordinary people who made their homes in this monument to imperfect liberal ideals of economic and social justice. Located on the grounds of the former Freedomland amusement park on the northeastern edge of the Bronx, Co-op City's 35 towers and 236 townhouses have been home to hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers and is an icon visible to all traveling on the east coast corridor. In 1965, Co-op City was planned as the largest middle-class housing development in the United States. It was intended as a solution to the problem of affordable housing in America's largest city. While Co-op City first appeared to be a huge success story for integrated, middle-class housing, tensions would lead its residents to organize the largest rent strike in American history. Join us when Annemarie H. Sammartino tells Co-op City's story from the perspectives of those who built it and of the ordinary people who made their homes in this monument to imperfect liberal ideals of economic and social justice on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(9/1/2022) Robert "Bob" Hennelly is an award-winning, print and broadcast journalist. For more than 30 years, he has reported on a broad spectrum of major public policy questions, ranging from homeland security to the economy, environmental contamination to corruption, and occupational safety to homelessness. Join us when Bob Hennelly shares his investigative work--focusing on national labor issues and public policy, occupational safety and health, the New York City politics and civil service on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(8/30/2022)According to Socio-cultural Anthropologist Joshua Reno and Associate Professor of Anthropology Britt Britt Halvorson, many associate racism with the regional legacy of the South yet in fact, it is the Midwest that has upheld some of the nation’s most deep-seated convictions about the value of whiteness. From Jefferson’s noble farmer to The Wizard of Oz, imagining the Midwest has quietly gone hand-in-hand with imagining whiteness as desirable and virtuous. Since at least the U.S. Civil War, the imagined Midwest has served as a screen or canvas, projecting and absorbing tropes and values of virtuous whiteness and its opposite, white deplorability, with national and global significance. Imagining the Heartland provides a poignant and timely answer to how and why the Midwest has played this role in the American imagination. Join is when anthropologists Britt Halvorson and Josh Reno argue that there is an unexamined affinity between whiteness, Midwestness, and Americanness, anchored in their shared ordinary and homogenized qualities on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(8-29-2022)Jacobin staff writer Luke Savage exposes the hollowness and futility of the liberal project in the 21st century, offering searing critiques of some of its leading figures, notably Barack Obama and Justin Trudeau, and touching on topics that extend over the milquetoast politics of the Biden presidency, Aaron Sorkin’s The West Wing, the monopolists of Silicon Valley, and the worst excesses of cable news punditry. Join us when Luke Savage writer and essayist whose work has appeared in The Atlantic, The New Statesman, The Washington Post, and The Guardian explores his new book The Dead Center on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Join us for a discussion when sibling language experts and regular contributors to the program Kathryn and Ross Petras. This language duo are authors of the bestselling You're Saying It Wrong: A Pronunciation Guide to the 150 Most Commonly Mispronounced Words—and Their Tangled Histories of Misuse and the hosts of a popular NPR podcast. Kathryn & Ross Petras are the New York Times bestselling authors of You’re Saying It Wrong, as well as companion “word nerd” books That Doesn’t Mean What You Think It Means and Awkword Moments, and numerous other non-fiction books. On this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large Kathy and Ross return to discuss language trends.

For over 20 years, Journalist Susan Hartman has been writing intimate stories about immigrants and their communities. Her book, City of Refugees, the Story of Three Newcomers Who Breathed Life into a Dying American Town. Hartman shows how an influx of refugees helped revive Utica, New York, an old upstate manufacturing town that was nearly destroyed by depopulation and arson. According to Susan Hartman Many Americans imagine refugees as threatening outsiders who will steal jobs or be a drain on the economy. But across the country, refugees are rebuilding and maintaining the American Dream. Hartman follows 3 of these newcomers over the course of 8 years as they and their families adjust to new lives in America. Hartman was educated at Kirkland College and received an MFA from Columbia University’s School of the Arts, where she now teaches. She has taught journalism at Yale, NYU, and Barnard College. Join us when Hartman examines City of Refugees is a complex and poignant story of a small city but also of America—a country whose promise of safe harbor and opportunity is knotty and incomplete, but undeniably alive.

Since he first appeared on the American literary scene, Jerome Charyn has dazzled readers with his “blunt, brilliantly crafted prose” With Big Red, Charyn reimagines the life of one of America’s most enduring icons, “Gilda” herself, Rita Hayworth, whose fiery red tresses and hypnotic dancing graced the silver screen over sixty times in her nearly forty-year career. The quintessential movie star of the 1940s, Hayworth has long been objectified as a sex symbol, pin-up girl, and so-called Love Goddess. Reanimating such classic films as Gilda and The Lady from Shanghai, Big Red is a bittersweet paean to Hollywood’s Golden Age, a tender yet honest portrait of a time before blockbusters and film franchises―one that promises to consume both Hollywood cinephiles and neophytes alike. Lauded for his “polymorphous imagination” (Jonathan Lethem), Charyn once again has created one of the most inventive novels in recent American literature.

According to Professor Falguni Sheth despite the disapproval that "visibly" Muslim women face in the West, the U.S. does not ban the hijab or niqab. Nevertheless, it does find a way to manage assertive Muslim women. How so? Subtly and without outright confrontation: through the courts, bureaucratic processes and liberal discourses. Join us when Professor Sheth examines her book Unruly Women.

(8/11/22) Marc Lamont Hill and New York Times bestselling author Todd Brewster weave four recent pivotal moments in America’s racial divide into their disturbing historical context—starting with the killing of George Floyd—Seen and Unseen reveals the connections between our current news headlines and social media feeds and the country’s long struggle against racism. According Hill for most of American history, our media has reinforced and promoted racism. But with the immediacy of modern technology—the ubiquity of smartphones, social media, and the internet—that long history is now in flux. From the teenager who caught George Floyd’s killing on camera to the citizens who held prosecutors accountable for properly investigating the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, ordinary people are now able to reveal injustice in a more immediate way. As broad movements to overhaul policing, housing, and schooling gain new vitality, Seen and Unseen demonstrates that change starts with the raw evidence of those recording history on the front lines. Join us when professor at Temple University, American academic, author, and activist Marc Lamont Hill examines how the power of visual media over the last few years has shifted the narrative on race and reignited the push towards justice on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(8-10-22)In 1945, when Congress began reviewing the record of the most conspicuous acts of courage by American soldiers during World War II, they recommended awarding the Medal of Honor to 432 recipients. Despite the fact that more than one million African-Americans served, not a single Black soldier received the Medal of Honor. The omission remained on the record for over four decades. But recent historical investigations have brought to light some of the extraordinary acts of valor performed by black soldiers during the war. Men like Vernon Baker, who single-handedly eliminated three enemy machine guns, an observation post, and a German dugout. Or Sergeant Reuben Rivers, who spearhead his tank unit's advance against fierce German resistance for three days despite being grievously wounded. Meanwhile Lieutenant Charles Thomas led his platoon to capture a strategically vital village on the Siegfried Line in 1944 despite losing half his men and suffering a number of wounds himself. Join us when Robert Childs examines Immortal Valor on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

From Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Will Bunch, the epic untold story of college—the great political and cultural fault line of American life According Will Bunch today there are two Americas, separate and unequal, one educated and one not. The strongest determinant of whether a voter was likely to support Donald Trump in 2016 was whether or not they attended college, and the degree of loathing they reported feeling toward the so-called “knowledge economy of clustered, educated elites. Somewhere in the winding last half-century of the United States, the quest for a college diploma devolved from being proof of America’s commitment to learning, science, and social mobility into a kind of Hunger Games contest to the death. That quest has infuriated both the millions who got shut out and millions who got into deep debt to stay afloat. Join us for an examination of After the Ivory Tower Falls, when award-winning journalist Will Bunch embarks on a deeply reported journey to the heart of the American Dream, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(8/4/22) Taylor Brorby author of Boys and Oil: Growing up gay in a fractured land, recounts his upbringing in the coalfields; his adolescent infatuation with books; and how he felt intrinsically different from other boys. Now an environmentalist, Brorby uses the destruction of large swathes of the West as a metaphor for the terror he experienced as a youth. From an assault outside a bar in an oil boom town to a furtive romance, and from his awakening as an activist to his arrest at the Dakota Access Pipeline, Boys and Oil provides a startling portrait of an America that persists despite well-intentioned legal protections. Join us when Brorby, an Annie Tanner Clark Fellow in Environmental Humanities and Environmental Justice at the Tanner Humanities Center at the University of Utah discusses his memoir about growing up gay amidst the harshness of rural North Dakota, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI 99.5FM.

According to author Jonathan Zimmerman, in America we like to think we live in a land of liberty, where everyone can say whatever they want. Throughout our history, however, we have also been quick to censor people who offend or frighten us. We talk a good game about freedom of speech, then we turn around and deny it to others. Free speech allows us to criticize our leaders. It lets us consume the art, film, and literature we prefer. And, perhaps most importantly, it allows minorities to challenge the oppression they suffer. While any of us are censored, none of us are free. Join us when, historian Jonathan Zimmerman and Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Signe Wilkinson discuss their perspective of free speech in America: who established it, who has denounced it, and who has risen to its defense, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(8/1/22) Using diary entries, interviews and first-hand accounts, author and screenwriter Thomas McKelvey Cleaver brings to life the struggle in the air over the island of Guadalcanal between August 20 and November 15, 1942. For 40 years from 1961, the late Eric Hammel interviewed more than 150 American participants in the air campaign at Guadalcanal, none of whom are still alive. These interviews are the most comprehensive first-person accounts of the battle assembled by any historian. More importantly, they involved the junior officers and enlisted men whose stories and memories were not part of the official history, thus providing a unique insight. Join us when Pacific War expert Thomas McKelvey Cleaver examines the unpublished stories covering these events.

{7/27/22) Though you may not know his name, Robert Welch (1899-1985)—founder of the John Birch Society—is easily one of the most significant architects of our current political moment. In A Conspiratorial Life, the first full-scale biography of Welch, Edward H. Miller delves deep into the life of an overlooked figure whose ideas nevertheless reshaped the American right. Welch became an unlikely candy magnate, founding the company that created Sugar Daddies, Junior Mints, and other famed confections. In 1958, he funneled his wealth into establishing the organization that would define his legacy and change the face of American politics: the John Birch Society. Join us when Edward H. Miller an associate teaching professor at Northeastern University and the author of A Conspiratorial Life: Robert Welch, connects the accusatory conservatism of the midcentury John Birch Society to the inflammatory rhetoric of the Tea Party, the Trump administration, Q, and more on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(7/26/22) Robert Jensen co-authors of An Inconvenient Apocalypse argues that humanity’s future will be defined not by expansion but by contraction. For decades, our world has understood that we are on the brink of an apocalypse—and yet the only implemented solutions have been small and convenient, feel-good initiatives that avoid unpleasant truths about the root causes of our impending disaster. On this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large, Jensen examines how geographic determinism shaped our past and led to today’s social injustice, consumerist culture, and high-energy/high-technology dystopias. Jensen weaves a secular reading of theological concepts—the prophetic, the apocalyptic, a saving remnant, and grace—to chart a collective, realistic path for humanity not only to survive our apocalypse but also to emerge on the other side with a renewed appreciation of the larger living world.

(7/25/22) As we experience extreme heat temperatures during this home improvement season Lawrence Ubell of Accurate Building Inspectors will be live in studio discussing everything from cooling to upgrades. As regular listeners know, there are few construction questions that Ubells of Accurate Building Inspectors don’t know how to answer. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, one of our favorite handymen will answer your questions on any home repair projects you may be working on this Summer. Call-in 212.209.2877

(7/21/22) Every government agency in the United States, from Homeland Security to Departments of Motor Vehicles, has the authority to make its own rules for sex classification. Many transgender people find themselves in the bizarre situation of having different sex classifications on different documents. Whether you can change your legal sex to “F” or “M” (or more recently “X”) depends on what state you live in, what jurisdiction you were born in, and what government agency you’re dealing with. Join us whem, noted transgender advocate and scholar Paisley Currah explores this deeply flawed system, showing why it fails transgender and non-binary people on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large

(7/20/22) Acclaimed author Jamie Susskind suggest not long ago, the tech industry was widely admired, and the internet was regarded as a tonic for freedom and democracy, not anymore. Every day, the headlines blaze with reports of racist algorithms, data leaks, and social media platforms festering with falsehood and hate. In The Digital Republic, author Jamie Susskind argues that these problems are not the fault of a few bad apples at the top of the industry. They are the result of our failure to govern technology properly. The Digital Republic charts a new course. It offers a plan for the digital age: new legal standards, new public bodies and institutions, new duties on platforms, new rights and regulators, new codes of conduct for people in the tech industry. Join us when Jamie Susskind examines his publication Inspired by the great political essays of the past, steeped in the traditions of republican thought, offering a vision of a different type of society: a digital republic in which human and technological flourishing go hand in hand on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

For decades, New York Times best-selling author John Allen Paulos has enlightened readers by showing how to make sense of the numbers and probabilities behind real-world events, political calculations, and everyday personal decisions. Who’s Counting? features dozens of his insightful essays—original writings on contemporary issues like the COVID-19 pandemic, online conspiracy theories, “fake news,” and climate change. With an abiding respect for reason, a penchant for puzzles with societal implications, Paulos clarifies mathematical ideas for everyone and shows how they play a role in government, media, popular culture, and life. He argues that if we can’t critically interpret numbers and statistics, we lose one of our most basic and reliable guides to reality. Join us when author John Allen Paulos shares his research on probability, and the philosophy of science on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(7/15/2022) Chemist, artist and industrial hygienist Monona Rossol is the founder of Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety, Inc. A not-for-profit corporation dedicated to providing health and safety services to the arts. She is also the Health and Safety Director for the Local 829 union of the United Scenic Artists International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. Join us when, Monona addresses concerns of the COVID pandemic actually being over, health statistics, as well as new findings of Money Pox on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI 99.5FM.

(7/14/2022) Robert "Bob" Hennelly is an award-winning, print and broadcast journalist. For more than 30 years, he has reported on a broad spectrum of major public policy questions, ranging from homeland security to the economy, environmental contamination to corruption, and occupational safety to homelessness. Join us when Bob Hennelly shares his investigative work--focusing on national labor issues and public policy, occupational safety and health, the New York City politics and civil service on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(7/11/22) Ranging from chattel slavery, through the New Deal to the Covid pandemic, Ellis Cose has produced a groundbreaking work that investigates how pivotal decisions have established and perpetuated discriminatory practices. Race and Reckoning: From Founding Fathers to Today's Disruptors -- examines our nation’s history, in which numerous racialized decisions have solidified the fates of generations of citizens of color. Some of the earliest involved race-based slavery, the removal of Indigenous peoples from their lands, and the exclusion of most Asians. More have proliferated over time. While America grew into a superpower in the twentieth century, it continued to discriminate against people of color—both soldiers who served overseas and civilians on the home front, herding Japanese Americans into internment camps during World War II and denying Black citizens their right to vote. Join us when Ellis Cose shares research which uncovers how, at countless points in history, America’s leaders have upheld a narrative of American greatness rooted in racism, as he offers a hopeful yet clear-eyed vision of American possibility on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(7/8/22) According to Bob Keefe, the battle against climate change is no longer just an environmental or social issue. As shareholders demand corporations protect assets against climate change and the economic impact of environmental disasters suck billions of dollars out of the economy, capitalism itself has become an ally. The economic impact of climate change is rattling the foundation of our economy at its very core. It’s blowing up centuries-old industries from automobiles to oil and gas, creating new opportunities for investors and entrepreneurs. It’s costing Americans billions of dollars each and every year. And most importantly, it’s forcing politicians to pass long-overdue policies that will transform our businesses, our lives and our future like never before. Join us when Bob Keefe, executive director of E2, a national, nonpartisan organization dedicated to providing business perspectives on environmental issues, shares with listeners how this new reality will impact their industries, businesses, jobs, and communities and transform our country’s economy.

Roe v. Wade, was a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the Court ruled that the Constitution of the United States generally protects the liberty to choose to have an abortion. Recently The Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, ending right to abortion upheld for decades Despite her famous pseudonym, no one knows the truth about “Jane Roe,” Norma McCorvey (1947–2017), whose unwanted pregnancy in 1970 opened a great fracture in American life. Join us when Journalist Joshua Prager, examine the years spent with Norma, her personal papers, a previously unseen trove, and his experience of her final moments. With an explosive revelation at the core of the case, he tells her full story for the first time on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(7/1/2022) McDonald serves as Author-in-Residence & Professor of the Practice at Northeastern University’s Honors Department, where he teaches his curricula: “Non-Fiction Writing & Social Justice Issues” and “The North of Ireland: Colonialism, Armed Resistance and the Struggle for Peace with Justice" every fall. Regular contributor to the program Michael Patrick MacDonald is the author of the book All Souls: A Family Story From Southie and the acclaimed Easter Rising: A Memoir of Roots and Rebellion. On this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large, activist Michael Patrick MacDonaldt will focus on his efforts to reduce violence and promote grassroots leadership for the most impacted communities.

(6/29/2022) Join us when Pete Muroski of Native Landscapes Garden Center focuses our attention on organic edible landscape techniques, such as organic gardening and how it can be incorporated into landscaping. Vegetable gardens -- terrace, roof top or windowsill gardening. How to grow fruits and vegetables in a healthy manner, pesticide free, the early summer growing season and more on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI 99.5FM.

(6/27/2022) No Wider War is the second volume of a two-part exploration of America's involvement in Indochina from the end of World War II to the Fall of Saigon. Drawing on the latest research, unavailable to the authors of the classic Vietnam histories, including recently declassified top secret National Security Agency material, Sergio Miller examines in depth both the events and the key figures of the conflict to present a masterful narrative of America's most divisive war. Join us on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large when Sergio Miller examines No Wider War, A History of the Vietnam War on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Escaping Gravity is former NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver's firsthand account of how a handful of revolutionaries overcame the political patronage and bureaucracy that threatened the space agency. The success of Elon Musk's SpaceX, Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic, and countless other commercial space efforts were preceded by decades of work by a group of people Garver calls “space pirates.” Join us when Garver examines the quest to transform NASA which put Garver in the crosshairs of Congress, the aerospace industry, and hero-astronauts trying to protect their own profits and mythology within a system that had held power since the 1950s, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Rebecca Wragg Sykes uses her experience at the cutting-edge of Palaeolithic research to share our new understanding of Neanderthals, shoving aside clichés of rag-clad brutes in an icy wasteland. She reveals them to be curious, clever connoisseurs of their world, technologically inventive and ecologically adaptable. Above all, they were successful survivors for more than 300,000 years, during times of massive climatic upheaval. Since their discovery 150 years ago, Neanderthals have gone from the losers of the human family tree to A-list hominins. The perception of the Neanderthal has changed dramatically, but despite growing scientific curiosity, popular culture fascination, and a wealth of coverage in the media and Sykes asks are we getting the whole story? Join us when Rebecca Wragg Sykes shares her complex and fascinating research on the reality of 21st century Neanderthals which remains virtually unknown and inaccessible outside the scientific literature, on this installment of Leoanrd Lopate at Large.

Bob Hennelly who has a passion for bringing real news to his audience, will be co-hosting Leonard Lopate at Large touching on local politics, Jan. 6th Hearings, The Poor People’s Campaign and more. Join us for a thought provoking Friday afternoon when Bob Hennelly sit in as co-host on the next installment of Leonard Lopate at Leonard.

First Light Switching on Stars at the Dawn of Time by Emma Chapman tells the story of the first stars, hundreds of times the size of the Sun and a million times brighter, that seeded the Universe with the heavy elements that we are made of and tells us how these stars formed, why they were so unusual, and what they can teach us about the Universe today. Emma Chapman a Royal Society research fellow and fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, based at Imperial College London incorporates the very latest research into this branch of astrophysics, this booksheds light on a time of darkness, telling the story of stars, hundreds of times the size of the Sun and a million times brighter, lonely giants that lived fast and died young in powerful explosions that seeded the Universe with the heavy elements that we are made of. Join us when Emma Chapman tells us how these stars formed, why they were so unusual, and what they can teach us about the Universe today, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Chemist, artist and industrial hygienist Monona Rossol is the founder of Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety, Inc. A not-for-profit corporation dedicated to providing health and safety services to the arts. She is also the Health and Safety Director for the Local 829 union of the United Scenic Artists International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. Join us when, Monona addresses concerns of the COVID pandemic actually being over, health statistics, as well as new findings of Money Pox on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI 99.5FM.

Robert "Bob" Hennelly is an award-winning, print and broadcast journalist. For more than 30 years, he has reported on a broad spectrum of major public policy questions, ranging from homeland security to the economy, environmental contamination to corruption, and occupational safety to homelessness. Bob has a passion for bringing real news to his audience in a balanced and detailed way. He believes in "old-fashioned" journalism--investigating for himself the facts of a situation, and not assuming that press releases and news service wire-copy provide the whole story.

According to award-winning journalist Adam Piore, there’s a story behind every apartment sale, every building development, and each real estate transaction in New York City. In this publication Piore charts the extraordinary transformation of America’s greatest city from a near-bankrupt urban combat zone into the land of Billionaires’ Row and Hudson Yards—a luxury playground for the global 1 percent—and provides an inside look at the bombastic developers behind the biggest real estate deals of this century. The New Kings of New York offers a behind-the-scenes picture of what it’s like to operate at the highest levels of the industry, and how some of the skyline-transforming deals were accomplished. Also, featuring the larger-than-life characters behind the deals. Join us when Adam Piore offers a captivating account of the world's biggest (and most disastrous) real estate transaction, as well as the pandemic of 2020 which left 95 percent of Manhattan’s office spaces empty on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

According to author Rachel E. Gross, a camera obscura reflects the world back but dimmer and inverted. Similarly, science has long viewed woman through a warped lens, one focused narrowly on her capacity for reproduction. As a result, there exists a vast knowledge gap when it comes to what we know about half of the bodies on the planet. That is finally changing. Today, a new generation of researchers is turning its gaze to the organs traditionally bound up in baby-making—the uterus, ovaries, and vagina—and illuminating them as part of a dynamic, resilient, and ever-changing whole. Welcome to Vagina Obscura, an odyssey into a woman’s body from a fresh perspective, ushering in a whole new cast of characters. Join us when journalist Rachel E. Gross takes us on a scientific journey to the center of a wonderous world where the uterus regrows itself, ovaries pump out fresh eggs, and the clitoris pulses beneath the surface like a shimmering pyramid of nerves on this episode of Leonard Lopate at Large.

In The Fed Unbound: Central Banking in a Time of Crisis, Lev Menand, a legal scholar and former Treasury official, assesses how and why the Fed has taken on more and more responsibilities to keep the economy out of recession, as it did during the 2008 crisis and again during the COVID-19 pandemic. Join us when Menand argues that the Fed significantly exceeded the bounds of its legal authority—and, more broadly, that using the Fed as our primary instrument of economic policymaking skews our economy in favor of the rich, furthering our economic divide on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

In his new book for Simon & Schuster, historian David Hackett Fischer argues that African history is American history. AFRICAN FOUNDERS draws on extensive research to show how enslaved Africans and their descendants enlarged American ideas of freedom in varying ways in different regions of the early United States. At a time when many states have banned Critical Race Theory from curriculums. And – seemingly everywhere – the debate rages on as parents and politicians insist that CRT doesn’t belong in classrooms teaching American history. AFRICAN FOUNDERS emphasizing the fact that early Black Americans deserve to be recognized as founders of this nation. Join us when, Hackett Fischer, whose 2005 book Washington’s Crossing won the Pulitzer Prize for History, reveals how much our country was shaped by these African influences in its early years, changing the landscape of American laws and ethics, and producing a new, distinctly American culture, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

According to Ran Abramitzky and Leah Boustan, immigration is one of the most fraught, and possibly most misunderstood topics in American social discourse—yet, in most cases, the things we believe about immigration are based largely on myth, not facts. Join us when Ran Abramitzky and Leah Boustan examine their book Streets of Gold: America's Untold Story of Immigrant Success using powerful story-telling and unprecedented research employ big data and algorithms, provide a new take on American history with surprising results, especially how comparable the “golden era” of immigration is to today, and why many current policy proposals are so misguided on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

The New Political Capitalism, How businesses and societies can thrive in a deeply politicized world, bridges the gap between the reality of the relationship between politics and business, and the lack of familiarity of the business community, even at the most senior levels, with political thinking. The book demonstrates how businesses that develop effective political antennae can enhance their performance in the emerging age of Political Capitalism. Join us when Dr. Joe Zammit-Lucia an adviser focused on business leadership in contemporary culture, author, public speaker, and commentator in the international press on the inter-relationship between business and politics his book on Leonard Lopate at Large.

Love them or hate them, guns are woven deeply into the American soul. Names like Colt, Smith & Wesson, Winchester, and Remington are legendary. Yet few people are aware of the roles these men played at a crucial time in United States history, from westward expansion in the 1840s, through the Civil War, and into the dawn of the Gilded Age. Through personal drive and fueled by bloodshed, they helped propel the young country into the forefront of the world's industrial powers. Join us on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large when John Bainbridge examines his book Gun Barons: The Weapons That Transformed America and the Men Who Invented Them.

According to Ira Shapiro, the Founding Fathers gave the US Senate many functions, but one fundamental responsibility was to provide the check against a dangerous president who threatened our democracy. Two hundred and thirty years later, when Donald Trump, a potential authoritarian, finally reached the White House, the Senate should have served as both America’s first and last lines of defense. Ira Shapiro the author of The Betrayal: How Mitch McConnell and the Senate Republicans Abandoned America, forty-five-year Washington career has focused on American politics and international trade. Shapiro has served twelve years in senior staff positions in the U.S. Senate. Join us when Ira Shapiro examines the pivotal challenges the Senate underwent during the Trump administration, arguing that the body’s failure to provide leadership represented the most catastrophic failure of government in American history. As well as the Senate’s performance during President Biden’s first year in office, the 2022 Senate elections and beyond, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Jennifer Raff celebrated anthropologist reports 20,000 years ago, people crossed a great land bridge from Siberia into Western Alaska and then dispersed southward into what is now called the Americas. Until we venture out to other worlds, this remains the last time our species has populated an entirely new place, and this event has been a subject of deep fascination and controversy. No written records—and scant archaeological evidence—exist to tell us what happened or how it took place. Join us when Jennifer Raff examines her study if many different models which have been proposed to explain how the Americas were peopled and what happened in the thousands of years that followed on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large

Author, illustrator, and historian Don Hollway introduces to two titans of the ancient world. At the Gates of Rome reveals the tale of Stilicho and Alaric and the series of hard-fought wars they waged. Stilicho bested his rival in battle but failed to capture the wily Alaric. Eventually, a truce was declared. Alaric and his men would serve honorably in the Roman army, but it was a tentative peace, ultimately undone by the corruption at the heart of Rome. Fatal betrayals finally drove the barbarian horde to bring down the world’s greatest civilization. Join us when Don Hollway combines ancient chronicle accounts of Stilicho and Alaric into an unforgettable history of betrayal, politics, intrigue and war for the heart and soul of the Roman Empire, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Inspired is a book about the science of creativity, distilling an explosion of exciting new research from across the world. Through narrative storytelling, Matt Richtel marries these findings with timeless insight from some of the world’s great creators as he deconstructs the authentic nature of creativity, its biological and evolutionary origins, its deep connection to religion and spirituality, the way it bubbles in each of us, urgent and essential, waiting to be tapped. Join us when Matt Richtel examines the traits of successful creators, which conditions allows creativity to thrive, and how can we move past creative blocks on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI 99.5FM.

When Daniel Bergner’s younger brother was diagnosed as bipolar and put on a locked ward in the 1980s, psychiatry seemed to have achieved what JFK promised: a revolution of chemical solutions to treat mental illness. Yet as Bergner’s brother was deemed a dire risk for suicide and he and his family were told his disorder would be lifelong, he found himself taking heavy doses of medications with devastating side effects. Now, in recounting his brother’s journey alongside the gripping, illuminating stories of Caroline, who is beset by the hallucinations of psychosis, and David, who is overtaken by depression, Bergner examines the evolution of how we treat our psyches. Join us when Daniel Bergner reveals how the pharmaceutical industry has perpetuated our biological view of the mind and our drug-based assumptions about treatment—despite the shocking price paid by many patients and the problematic evidence of drug efficacy on this installment of Leonard Lopate of Large.

Oliver Milman joins the scientists tracking the decline of insect populations across the globe, including the soaring mountains of Mexico that host an epic, yet dwindling, migration of monarch butterflies; the verdant countryside of England that has been emptied of insect life; the gargantuan fields of U.S. agriculture that have proved a killing ground for bees; and an offbeat experiment in Denmark. With urgency and great clarity, Milman explores this hidden emergency, arguing that its consequences could even rival climate change. Join on us as we discuss The Insect Crisis, with acclaimed journalist Oliver Milman who dives into the torrent of recent evidence that suggests this kaleidoscopic group of creatures is suffering the greatest existential crisis in its remarkable 400-million-year history, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI 99.5FM.

(5/11/2022) Our Laundry, Our Town decodes and processes the fractured urban oracle bones of Alvin Eng's upbringing in Flushing, Queens in the 1970s. Back then, his family was one of the few immigrant Chinese families in a far-flung neighborhood in New York City. His parents had an arranged marriage and ran a Chinese Hand Laundry. From behind the counter of his parent’s laundry and within the confines of a household, rooted in a different century and culture, he sought to reconcile this insular home life with the turbulent yet inspiring street life that was all around them––from the faux martial arts of tv’s Kung Fu to the burgeoning underworld of the punk rock scene. Finding his way in the downtown theater and performance world of Manhattan, he discovered the under-chronicled Chinese influence on Thornton Wilder’s foundational Americana drama, Our Town. This discovery became the unlikely catalyst for a psyche-healing pilgrimage to Hong Kong and Guangzhou, China—his ancestral home in southern China—that led to writing and performing his successful autobiographical monologue, The Last Emperor of Flushing. Join us as we re-examine the parameters of diversity, equity, and inclusion, with the author of Our Laundry, Our Town - Alvin Eng, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Join us for a discussion when sibling language experts and regular contributors to the program Kathryn and Ross Petras stop by. This language duo are authors of the bestselling You're Saying It Wrong: A Pronunciation Guide to the 150 Most Commonly Mispronounced Words—and Their Tangled Histories of Misuse and the hosts of a popular NPR podcast. Kathryn & Ross Petras are the New York Times bestselling authors of You’re Saying It Wrong, as well as companion “word nerd” books That Doesn’t Mean What You Think It Means and Awkword Moments, and numerous other non-fiction books. On this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large Kathy and Ross return to discuss language trends.

The United States federal government has spent over $10 billion on medical protective wear and emergency supplies, yet as COVID-19 swept the nation, life-saving equipment such as masks, gloves, and ventilators was nearly impossible to find. In this nonfiction thriller, award-winning investigative reporter J. David McSwane takes us behind the scenes to reveal how traders, contractors, and healthcare companies used one of the darkest moments in American history to fill their pockets. Determined to uncover how this was possible, he spent over a year on private jets and in secret warehouses, traveling from California to Chicago to Washington DC, to interview both the most treacherous of profiteers and the victims of their crimes. Join us when we discuss, Pandemic, Inc. the story of the fraudster who signed a multi-million-dollar contract with the government to provide lifesaving PPE, and yet never came up with a single mask. The Navy admiral at the helm of the national hunt for additional medical resources. The Department of Health whistleblower who championed masks early on and was silenced by the government and conservative media. And the politician who callously slashed federal emergency funding and gutted the federal PPE stockpile, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

In The Forever Prisoner, Cathy Scott-Clark and Adrian Levy recount dramatic scenes inside multiple black sites around the world through the eyes of those who were there, trace the twisted legal justifications, and chart how enhanced interrogation, a key “weapon” in the global “War on Terror,” metastasized over seven years, encompassing dozens of detainees in multiple locations, some of whom died. Based on four years of intensive reporting, on interviews with key protagonists who speak candidly for the first time, and on thousands of previously classified documents. Join us as we discuss The Forever Prisoner, a powerful chronicle of a shocking experiment that remains in the headlines twenty years after its inception, even as US government officials continue to thwart efforts to expose war crimes, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(5/3/2022) Join us when Ari Rabin-Havt reviews his book The Fighting Soul, which takes a step beyond profiles or televised interviews. As a close advisor and deputy campaign manager on Sanders’s presidential campaign, Rabin-Havt spent more hours between 2017 and 2020 with the Vermont senator than anyone else. Traveling the country for rallies and to support striking workers, the two visited thirty-six states, drove tens of thousands of miles, and ate in countless chain restaurants. One result was a meteoric and galvanizing presidential campaign. Another is The Fighting Soul, an unforgettable chronicle of life on the road with Sanders and the first in-depth portrait of this fiercely independent, and famously private, left-wing firebrand. Rabin-Havt will examine how Sanders has done more to shape our history than anyone else who has not reached the White House on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(4/29/2022) Clash explores the political, economic, social, and technological forces that have shaped the relationship between U.S. presidents and the press during times of crisis. In addition to Trump’s presidency, Clash examines those of John Adams, Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama. Some of these presidents faced military or international crises. Others were challenged by economic downturns or political scandals. Join us when we examine what happened between presidents and the press during these pivotal times, in order to further understand how we arrived at our current troubled state of affairs, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(4/28/2022) As regular listeners know, there are few construction questions that Alvin and Lawrence Ubell of Accurate Building Inspectors don’t know how to answer. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, our favorite handymen will answer your questions on any home repair projects you may be working on this Spring.

(4/27/2022) Robert "Bob" Hennelly is an award-winning, print and broadcast journalist. For more than 30 years, he has reported on a broad spectrum of major public policy questions, ranging from homeland security to the economy, environmental contamination to corruption, and occupational safety to homelessness. Join us when Bob Hennelly shares his research on the Amazon workplace compensation policy, the chaos and confusion of mask mandates especially while COVID numbers begin to spike, healthcare worker assaults and more on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

The BBC has broadcast to over two hundred countries and in more than forty languages. With special access to the BBC’s archives, historian David Hendy presents a dazzling portrait of a unique institution whose cultural influence is greater than any other media organization. Mixing politics, espionage, the arts, social change, and everyday life, The BBC: A Century on Air, is a vivid social history of the organization that has provided both background commentary and screen-grabbing headlines. Join us as David Hendy examines how topics woven so deeply into the culture and politics of the past century have touched so many, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(4/21/2022) Richard Cohen’s forthcoming work MAKING HISTORY. Poignantly addresses Vladimir Putin’s narratives of Russia and Ukraine that have been a long time in the making… Richard Cohen Ask What other parts of the nation’s history has Putin manipulated? In MAKING HISTORY Richard Cohen dives into the many schemes of Putin’s political (and cultural) propaganda, summarizing and putting into context the lies he wants the world (or, at least, Russians) to believe. Want to know more? Listen to the next installment of Leonard Lopate at Large coming up at 1pm ET on 99.5FM

World-renowned primatologist Frans de Waal draws on decades of observation and studies of both human and animal behavior in his book “Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist”. He argues that despite the linkage between gender and biological sex, biology does not automatically support the traditional gender roles in human societies. De Waal challenges widely held beliefs about masculinity and femininity, and common assumptions about authority, leadership, cooperation, competition, filial bonds, and sexual behavior. Frans de Waal will discuss his thought-provoking approach to the long-running debate about the balance between nature and nurture, and where sex and gender roles fit in, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI 99.5FM

Some implode in chaos, others thrive. Morrow thrives. Join us when Composer Charlie Morrow, the writer of the Leonard Lopate at Large theme music, offers fascinating discussion on the phenomena of sound. The project includes experiences recalled during birth. Charlie Morrow’s story begins at birth, a cliché for some, but for him a dearly held fact, because memories of his birth catapulted him into art. He spent over a decade recalling the “physically painful passage through maternal contractions and expulsion into the aerobic world,” he writes his involuntary attention to sound begins at gestation. Discover how Morrow’s early immersive experiences influenced his practice and how they’re mirrored in the work of his collaborator-founder-inventor-colleagues on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(3/15/2022) Rebroadcast - On April 10, 1977, Leonard Lopate was heard through the airwaves on WBAI for the first time. He was playing gospel records for Easter. With the Easter holiday weekend upon us, we thought the timing couldn’t be better for Leonard to return to his radio roots with another gospel music spectacular. Join us for a Good Friday special featuring classic Easter recordings from Leonard’s personal collection of recordings from the golden age of black gospel music.

(4/14/2022) Join us when Award-winning journalist Mark Follman examines his book TRIGGER POINTS: Inside the Mission to Stop Mass Shootings in America. Mark Follman gained exclusive access to leaders of the FBI’s elite Behavioral Analysis Unit and top mental health experts who pioneered the field, and he immersed in confidential threat-assessment programs nationwide, including a leading model created for K-12 schools after Columbine. Follman says, it’s time to go beyond all the thoughts and prayers, misguided blame on mental illness, and dug-in disputes over the Second Amendment. The emerging field of behavioral threat assessment, with its synergy of mental health and law enforcement expertise, focuses on circumstances and behaviors leading up to planned acts of violence in order to identify warning signs that offer a chance for constructive intervention before it's too late.

4/12/2022)New York Times journalist Keith O'Brien reviews his book Paradise Falls: The True Story of an Environmental Catastrophe. O’Brien uncovers how mothers who loved their neighborhood on the east side of Niagara Falls were exposed to the poisonous secrets buried in their neighborhood. Join us on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large, when Keith O'Brien examines this staggering story of an unlikely band of mothers in the 1970s who discovered Hooker Chemical's deadly secret of Love Canal—exposing one of America’s most devastating toxic waste disasters and sparking the modern environmental movement as we know it today.

(4-11-2022) In Democracy under Fire, Lawrence Jacobs provides a history of political reforms since the late-eighteenth century that over time weakened democracy, widened political inequality as well as racial disparities, and rewarded toxic political polarization. Much of the attention paid to Trump's rise to power has focused on his corrosive personality and divisive style of governing. Jacobs will examine the ascendance of Trump which is the culmination of nearly 250 years of political reforms that gradually ceded party nominations to small cliques of ideologically motivated party activists, interest groups, and donors, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(4/8/22)Philosopher Elizabeth Cripps approaches climate justice not just as an abstract idea but as something that should motivate us all. In her book, What Climate Justice Means and Why We Should Care, Cripps uses irrefutable science and uncontroversial moral rules. By unraveling the legacy of colonialism and entrenched racism she explores our obligations to each other, the non-human world, and makes the case for immediate action, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI 99.5FM

Sally Hayden the Africa correspondent for the Irish Times, based between the UK and Uganda focused on migration, conflict, and humanitarian crises. Hayden sheds light on a human rights disaster of epic proportions in "My Fourth Time, We Drowned: Seeking Refuge on the World's Deadliest Migration Route". It is an intimate portrait of life for detainees, as well as a condemnation of NGOs and the United Nations. But most importantly, My Fourth Time, We Drowned examines the resilience of humans: how refugees and migrants locked up for years fall in love, support each other through the hardest times, and carry out small acts of resistance to survive in a system that wants them to be silent and disappear, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI 99.5FM.

(4/5/22) Before working at WNYC, investigative journalist and regular contributor Bob Hennelly was national affairs correspondent for Pacifica Network News. His written work has appeared in the New York Times, the Village Voice, the Christian Science Monitor, the Miami Herald, the Detroit Free Press along with dozens of other magazines and newspapers. His work has been featured on 60 Minutes and C-Span's America and the Courts. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Bob weighs in on New York City’s new mayor and the people he is bringing into his administration along with other issues he is currently reporting on in the Tri-State area.

(4-4-22)Join us when author Daniel Treisman examines his book Spin Dictators. Which traces how leaders have pioneered less violent, more covert, and more effective methods of monopolizing power. While they have cultivated an image of competence, concealed censorship, and used democratic institutions to undermine democracy, all while increasing international engagement for financial and reputational benefits. The book reveals why most of today’s authoritarians are spin dictators—and how they differ from the remaining “fear dictators” on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

Join us for a thought-provoking conversation with author and activist Andre Henry, when he shares his new book, All the White Friends I Couldn’t Keep. In his book Henry explores how the historical divides between Black people and non-Black people are expressed through our most mundane interactions, and why he suggests this struggle won’t be resolved through civil discourse, diversity hires, interracial relationships, or education. But in fact, a revolution, that disrupt systems of racial violence and inequality in tangible, creative ways. Henry shares stories of his own path to activism—from studying at seminary to becoming a student of nonviolent social change, from working as a praise leader to singing about social justice—and connecting those experiences to lessons from successful nonviolent struggles in America and around the world on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI 99.5FM

(3/30/22) Join us when Pete Muroski of Native Landscapes Garden Center, shares information on planting and landscape maintenance as we move into the growing season. Because Spring is the best time of year to begin planting, Pete will take questions from callers and cover topics such as: finding the optimal location of the home for the right plant, which plants remove toxins from the air, proper planting techniques, how plants acclimate to their new homes in the growing season, the benefits of planting native plants and how native plants sustain wildlife in our gardens and in the natural world on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI 99.5FM

(3/29) Join us when acclaimed author, Buddy Levy examines River of Darkness: Francisco Orellana and the Deadly First Voyage through the Amazon, a thrilling account from one of history's greatest adventures of discovery. Levy shares the narrative non-fiction, based on historical facts and research of a legendary 16th-century explorer and his death-defying navigation of the Amazon - river of darkness, pathway to gold. Buddy Levy is an author of eight books reviewed in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, USA Today, The Washington Post, The Washington Times, and Library Journal; co-star, for 25 episodes, on the HISTORY Channel’s docu-series DECODED, and on-camera expert on the 4-part TV Series THE FRONTIERSMEN: The Men Who Built America, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI 99.5FM.

Join us, when NYT Bestselling author Azar Nafisi explores the role of literature in an era when politics can greatly influence writers and the press. Drawing on her experiences as a woman and voracious reader living in the Islamic Republic of Iran, her life as an immigrant in the United States, and her role as literature professor in both countries, Azar has written a guide to the power of literature in turbulent times. In her book READ DANGEROUSLY, Nafisi crafts an argument for why, in a genuine democracy, we must engage with the enemy, and how literature can be a vehicle for doing so, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI 99.5FM.

In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI 99.5FM, Ted Hamilton, co-founder, and staff attorney at the Climate Defense Project, a legal organization fighting for a stable planet for present and future generations, discusses the legal system’s complicity in the climate crisis. In his new book Beyond Fossil Law, Hamilton exposes how judges, police, and prosecutors enforce the dominance of the fossil fuel industry. In his groundbreaking new book, Hamilton shares the stories of the activists fighting back in the streets and courtrooms worldwide—from the Valve Turners in the United States to the Rights of Nature movement in Latin America.

In Majority Minority, Dr. Justin Gest examines how societies respond to great demographic change. Dr. Gest discusses contemporary politics of the United States and other countries where persistent immigration has altered populations and may soon produce a majority minority milestone, where the original ethnic or religious majority loses its numerical advantage to one or more foreign-origin minority groups. During this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI 99.5FM, Dr. Gest suggests rather than yield to people's prejudices, states hold great power to shape public responses and perceptions of demographic change through political institutions.

In A Molecule Away from Madness: Tales of the Hijacked Brain, author, and neurologist Sara Manning Peskin examines extraordinary stories of the brain under siege. Sara Manning Peskin is an assistant professor of clinical neurology at the University of Pennsylvania. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, Boston Globe Magazine, and the Philadelphia Inquirer. Join us, when Peskin covers the four main groups of molecules she reports have the power to sabotage our brains; and labels them as “mutants”, “rebels”, “evaders”, and “invaders” on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large.

(3/17/2022) Chemist, artist and industrial hygienist Monona Rossol is the founder of Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety, Inc. A not-for-profit corporation dedicated to providing health and safety services to the arts. She is also the Health and Safety Director for the Local 829 union of the United Scenic Artists International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Monona addresses concerns of the COVID pandemic actually being over, federal guidelines, and overall COVID preparedness planning for the months ahead.

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Walter Pincus exposes the darkest secret in American nuclear history. How sixty-seven nuclear tests in the South Pacific’s Marshall Islands decimated a people and their land. Unknown to many people, the most important place in American nuclear history is the Marshall Islands. It was here, from 1946 to 1958, that America perfected the weapon that preserved the peace of the post-war years. It was here that America executed its largest nuclear detonation, a thousand times more powerful than Hiroshima. And it was here that a native people became unwilling test subjects in the first large scale study of nuclear radiation fallout when the ashes rained down on villagers, contaminating the land they loved and forever changing a way of life. On this episode of Leonard Lopate at Large join us for a conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Walter Pincus on his book, Blown to Hell, in which tells for the first time the tragic story of the Marshallese people caught in the crosshairs of American nuclear testing.

(3/11)In Tyranny from Plato to Trump: Tyrants, Sycophants, and Citizens, noted philosopher Andrew Fiala looks to uncover the true implications of a tyrant. He asks what is a tyrant and what makes a tyrant possible? He states, when tyrants rise to power, sycophants blindly follow, and the entire nation suffers; The solution can be found through legal frameworks such as the Constitution, and educational efforts aimed at cultivating civics and wisdom. On this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large Andrew Fiala will discuss power grabs, partisan stand-offs, propaganda, and riots which make for tantalizing fiction, but when that drama becomes a reality similar to the January 6 Capitol riot, Fiala suggests models from the past as the best solution.

The Socially Relevant Film Festival was founded by Actress/Filmmaker Nora Armani as a response to the proliferation of violence and violent forms of storytelling in media and entertainment. S.R.F.F believes in the power of film, raising awareness of social issues and promoting positive social change. This year the ninth edition of SR Socially Relevant™ Film Festival NY is a hybrid festival with in-person and online film screenings. This new edition will deal with topics such as: Climate Change and Women, Immigration and Refugees, Empowering Women, Indigenous Peoples’ Rights, LGBTQ Rights, Genocide and Holocaust, Youth and Children, Disability, Incarceration and Freedom, Politics and Social Equality, Sex Trafficking, Racism, BIPOC cultures and colorism, and Life during COVID. Join us on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large, for a conversation with Nora Armani, an award-winning actor/filmmaker with international stage and screen credits, who has organized film festivals internationally.

Martin Abrahamson, MD and Dr. Sanjiv Chopra, MD have collaborated to create “Conquer Your Diabetes: Prevention, Control, Remission”. Deepak Chopra, MD says "If you want your wellness to include mastery over diabetes, this book is a must-read". Drs. Abrahamson and Chopra are renowned master clinicians and teachers at Harvard Medical School, with decades of extensive clinical experience. In their book they tell us everything we need to know about diabetes—from the basics (e.g. the difference between Type 1 and Type 2, and the role genetics, diet, and exercise play in each) to recent advances in preventing, managing, and even curing the disease. In addition to being incredibly current, the information is encouraging. On this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large the authors will put all the pieces of the diabetes puzzle together, including a concise history of the disease, underlying types and causes, pre-diabetes, obesity, weight loss, pregnancy, mental health, type 2 diabetes prevention and remission, and latest treatments.

(3/7) Rosemarie Reed began her career in radio at WBAI, starting as a volunteer and finally as General Manager. After five years at WBAI, she became an independent radio producer, receiving numerous grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to produce dramatic readings based upon little known books concerning human rights issues. she was awarded a CPB grant and began filming in Moscow on Conversations with Gorbachev. She later turned her attention to women in science, she received support from The National Science Foundation and The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. On this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large, Rosemarie Reed will be discussing Playing in the FM Band: The Steve Post Story, which will have its US theatrical premiere at Film Forum (NY) on Friday, March 11. The film chronicles the personal life, career, and legacy of Steve Post (1944-2014), the brilliant, irreverent WBAI (and later WNYC) radio host whose voice was a familiar tonic during Watergate, the Vietnam War, the Nixon era, and beyond.

America’s public lands include more than 600 million acres of forests, plains, mountains, wetlands, deserts and shorelines. In his latest release, Our Common Ground, A history of America's public lands, John Leshy traces the emergence of a bipartisan political consensus in favor of the national government holding these vast land areas primarily for recreation, education and conservation of biodiversity and cultural resources. He says this is a bright spot in an era of cynicism about government. Leshy is a leading expert in public lands policy and discusses the key political decisions that led to this conservation of land beginning at the very founding of the nation. Find out more about public lands, as it is particularly timely as the world grapples with the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI 99.5FM.

According to Jason Pack, we no longer inhabit a world governed by international coordination, a unified NATO bloc, or an American hegemon. Traditionally, the decline of one empire leads to a restoration in the balance of power, via a struggle among rival systems of order. In his latest book Libya and the Global Enduring Disorder, Pack draws on over two decades of research in Libya and Syria. He shows how even the threats posed by the Arab Spring and the Benghazi assassination of US Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, couldn't bring about a unified Western response. Join us on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI 99.5FM, where Pack will discuss what he calls, the "Enduring Disorder, " where superpowers have undercut global collaboration, self-reinforcing the progressively collapsing world order.

In her book, "A Block in Time," author Christiane Bird shares a story of New York City, told through the prism of one block. The block is located between Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth Streets, Fifth Avenue and Broadway to the east, and Sixth Avenue to the west. It's the story of high life and low life, immigrants and tourists, farmers and aristocrats, crooked cops, moral reformers and Solomon Pieters, a former slave who was the first owner of the block. Bird has worked on staff for the New York Daily News and has written for the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and Miami Herald, among other publications. Join us for a discussion with Bird, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI 99.5FM.

Author Andrew Rice chats on his book THE YEAR THAT BROKE AMERICA, which examines how the year 2000 portended what would follow, and where we’d find ourselves 22 years later. Back at the start of the new millennium, it was easy to laugh and roll our eyes about the crazy events in Florida in the year 2000—but what happened then and there has determined where we are and who we’ve become. He traces those earlier events to today’s political and cultural landscape. Pointing out that Florida was where some of the 9/11 hijackers learned to fly, where Donald Trump first planned to run for president, and where the controversy over Elián Gonzalez’s immigration case played out. Andrew Rice is a contributing editor at New York magazine. He is a former staff writer at The Hill and The Observer -- and was a cub political reporter in the year 2000. Tune-in to Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI 99.5FM when Andrew Rice shares his findings from synthesizing hours of interviews, court records, FOIA requests, and original archival research.

Author Amy Zegart provides an analysis of her latest publication -- Spies, Lies, and Algorithms, in which she draws on decades of research and hundreds of interviews with intelligence officials. Zegart provides a history of U.S. espionage, from George Washington’s Revolutionary War spies to today’s spy satellites. She examines how fictional spies are influencing real officials and gives an overview of intelligence basics and life inside America’s intelligence agencies. Zegart has been featured by the National Journal as one of the ten most influential experts in intelligence reform. She has served as a commissioner on the 2020 CSIS Technology and Intelligence Task Force and has advised the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence. She served on the Clinton administration’s National Security Council staff and as a foreign policy adviser to the Bush 2000 presidential campaign. She has also testified before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and advised senior officials on intelligence, homeland security and cybersecurity matters. Amy Zegart is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University. Tune in to Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI 99.5FM to hear Zegart separate fact from fiction, as she offers an engaging and enlightening account of the past, present and future of American espionage as it faces a revolution driven by digital technology.

On this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Michael Clinton, author of “ROAR into the Second Half of Your Life," will share his findings about the most significant social movement of our time. He says it's happening now. In this “people’s revolution,” mature Americans (50 and over) kick-start new careers, pursue new lifestyles and find new loves. And they’re challenging everything they were told about the second half of their lives. Mature Americans are taking pride in their “true” age (70 is the new 70 etc). Michael will also discuss how the pandemic caused million to reassess their careers and march into the "Great Resignation." Michael Clinton is a mature markets expert and columnist for Esquire and Men’s Health. He has worked in publishing for four decades; serving as president and publishing director of Hearst Magazines, Executive Vice President of Conde Nast and other industry roles. Michael is a prime source for demographic data and marketing strategies that support under-served mature markets. Callers were welcomed to join this refreshing conversation as Michael expounded on “Reimagineers” – who they are and how they can ignore the rules, pursue new passions and conceive a whole new script.

On this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI-99.5FM, author Tim Kane discusses his book The Immigrant Superpower, How Brains, Brawn, and Bravery Make America Stronger. In his book Kane combines stories of immigrants who have contributed to the American experience in the military and in business. He also analyzes immigration’s effects on wages and unemployment. He concludes that immigration has been a source of American strength and exceptionalism since the nation’s founding and that the only way to win the great power competition of the twenty-first century is to embrace America’s identity as a nation of immigrants. Kane is the J.P. Conte research fellow in Immigration Studies at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution. He has served as a senior economist on the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress. He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and received a Ph.D. in economics from the University of California San Diego.

In his book, Gal Beckerman editor at The New York Times Book Review, takes us back to the seventeenth century, to the correspondence that jump-started the scientific revolution, and then forward through time to examine engines of social change: the petitions that secured the right to vote in 1830s Britain, the zines that gave voice to women’s rage in the early 1990s, and even the messaging apps used by epidemiologists fighting the pandemic in the shadow of an inept administration. Gal Beckerman who has a Ph.D. in media studies from Columbia University and writes for many publications, including The New Republic and The Wall Street Journal, shows that our most defining social movements—from decolonization to feminism—were formed in quiet, closed networks that allowed a small group to incubate their ideas before broadcasting them widely. Join us on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, when Gal Beckerman discusses his book, The Quiet Before as he looks to the past to help us imagine a different future.

Award-winning journalist and writer for the Washington Post -- spanning over several decades, John Pomfret converses about his book “From Warsaw with Love”. Pomfret’s publication is a portrait of an unlikely and largely secretive relationship between Americans and Poles, spanning dozens of operations ranging from daring rescue missions to a “black site” prison for suspected terrorists. As a correspondent for the Washington Post in Poland, Pomfret broke a strange story about Polish Intelligence Officers taking six American officers both military and intelligence, out of Iraq. Over the subsequent years he was fascinated by the idea of writing a broader story on how that operation jump-started an incredibly close alliance between Washington and Warsaw. Listen in, as John Pomfret who was based in Warsaw, Vienna, and Sarajevo examines this unfamiliar story on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

Join us for a discussion when sibling language experts and regular contributors to the program Kathryn and Ross Petras stop by. This language duo are authors of the bestselling You're Saying It Wrong: A Pronunciation Guide to the 150 Most Commonly Mispronounced Words—and Their Tangled Histories of Misuse and the hosts of a popular NPR podcast. On this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large Kathy and Ross return to discuss language trends.

Join us for a compelling conversation with historian Neil Lanctot, Ph.D. When he discusses his book, The Approaching Storm. A colorful triptych of three American icons who changed history and the engrossing story of the roots of World War I. In the early years of the twentieth century, the most famous Americans on the national stage were Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Jane Addams: two presidents and a social worker. Each took a different path to prominence, yet the three progressives believed the United States must assume a more dynamic role in confronting the growing domestic and international problems of an exciting new age. Dr. Neil Lanctot shares a fascinating view of how these three titans splintered as they could not agree on how America should respond to what soon proved to be an unprecedented global catastrophe, on this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(2/8/2022) Tune in to this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large, when author Dr. John Abramson, one of America's top drug litigation experts discuss Sickening, How Big Pharma Broke American Health Care and How We Can Repair It. In his exposé, Dr. Abramson has compiled a wealth of research alongside multiple patient stories in which he reports the pharmaceutical industry’s financial interests have corrupted and diminished our health care system, costing not only many Americans their entire bank accounts but also, for many, their lives. Dr. Abramson has been a member of the faculty at Harvard Medical School for 25 years and has served as an unpaid consultant to the FBI and Department of Justice, including in a case that resulted in the largest criminal fine in U.S. history.

Stephen Zunes, a leading scholar of the Middle East and North Africa gives in depth insight into The Western Sahara and Moroccan conflict. Western Sahara a sparsely populated territory about the size of Colorado located in Northwestern Africa along the Atlantic coast, with rich phosphate deposits has been occupied and annexed by the Kingdom of Morocco in violation of a series of U.N. Security Council resolutions and a landmark ruling of the International Court of Justice. In his newly updated book Western Sahara: War, Nationalism, and Conflict Irresolution. Zunes reports The United States and France, which see the Moroccan monarchy as an important ally, have blocked the United Nations from enforcing its resolutions calling for an end of the Moroccan occupation and a referendum on independence. Listen in as, Stephen Zunes discusses this controversy unknown to many, on this segment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(2/3/2022) In the past thirty years alone, more than 2,800 innocent American prisoners – their combined sentences surpassing 25,000 years – have been exonerated and freed after being condemned for crimes they did not commit. Terrifyingly, this number represents only a fraction of the actual number of persons wrongfully accused and convicted over the same period. On this segment of Leonard Lopate at Large, David Rudolf will discuss his latest book American Injustice: Inside Stories from the Underbelly of the Criminal Justice System, in which he draws from his years of experience in the American criminal legal system to shed light on the misconduct that exists at all levels of law enforcement and the tragic consequences that follow in its wake.

(2/1/22) As some listeners may recall, Leonard Lopate at Large premiered on July 16, 2018 on WBAI. What they may not be aware of is that other than Leonard, the show only had one staff member—executive producer Jesse Lent. As Jesse heads to Europe to pursue his career in music full time, the two of them look back at the highs and lows of putting together a daily talk show before and during a pandemic. Leonard will also introduce his new producer, Keziah Glow, to the listening audience for the first time. Join us for a look back at the show’s past, present and future along with a listen to some of Jesse’s music, both as a soundtrack composer and with his group The Sweetheartz of the Psychic Rodeo, in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(1/28/22) The festival NYC’s Movie Renaissance: 1945-1955 is running at Film Forum from Jan. 28 to Feb. 10. Mainly comprised of film shot on the East Coast during a brief surge of local production by such directors as Jules Dassin, Elia Kazan and Stanley Kubrick, Film Forum’s latest offering was inspired by the new book Keep ‘Em in the East: Kazan, Kubrick and the Postwar New York Renaissance by film historian Richard Koszarski. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, film historian Susan Delson joins Richard for a discussion of why this era is so important to the legacy of New York City moviemaking.

(1/26/22) Before working at WNYC, investigative journalist and regular contributor Bob Hennelly was national affairs correspondent for Pacifica Network News. His written work has appeared in the New York Times, the Village Voice, the Christian Science Monitor, the Miami Herald, the Detroit Free Press along with dozens of other magazines and newspapers. His work has been featured on 60 Minutes and C-Span's America and the Courts. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Bob weighs in on New York City’s new mayor and the people he is bringing into his administration along with other issues he is currently reporting on in the Tri-State area.

(1/24/22) Michael Waldman is the president of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law. His book The Fight to Vote, recently updated with a new edition including over 60 pages of new material, describes the long struggle to extend the right to vote to all Americans. From the writing of the Constitution to the January 6 insurrection join us for a look at why every step along the way, as disenfranchised Americans have sought this right, others have fought to stop them in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(1/21/22) Davos Man: How the Billionaires Devoured the World, the new book from New York Times global economics correspondent Peter S. Goodman exposes how billionaires’ systematic plunder of the world—brazenly accelerated during the pandemic—has transformed 21st-century life and dangerously destabilized democracy. Join us for a look at how the global billionaire class is impacting nearly every aspect of modern society in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI

(1/20/22) As regular listeners know, there are few construction questions that Alvin and Lawrence Ubell of Accurate Building Inspectors don’t know how to answer. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, our favorite handymen answer your questions on any home repair projects you may be tackling this winter.

(1/18/22) There is a lot more to Mark Vonnegut than simply being the son of an iconic author. As a pediatrician, Dr. Vonnegut has spent 40 years treating children for coughs, fevers, ear infections or whatever the job calls for. His new book, The Heart of Caring: A Life in Pediatrics, is a look back at his career but also the myriad ways that the US medical system has changed in that time. Join us for a journey into the heart of caring in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(1/11/22) Chemist, artist and industrial hygienist Monona Rossol is the founder of Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety, Inc. The not-for-profit corporation is dedicated to providing health and safety services to the arts. She is also the Health and Safety Director for the Local 829 union of the United Scenic Artists International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Monona discusses what you can do to stay safe as the Omicron variant continues to surge in New York and beyond.

(1/10/22) No matter your political leaning, most of us can sense that America might be barreling toward a catastrophe of some sort. Drawing upon sophisticated predictive models and more than 150 interviews with civil war scholars, military leaders, law enforcement officials, secret service agents, agricultural specialists, environmentalists, war historians and political scientists The Next Civil War: Dispatches from the American Future, the new book from journalist Stephen Marche, games out the terrifying scenarios that seem to be unfolding in front of our eyes. Join us for a frank look the future of this country’s people, its land and its government in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(1/6/22) Sunset in a Glass: Adventures of a Food and Wine Road Warrior is a collection of true stories from Spanish culinary and travel authority Gerry Dawes, a recipient of Spain’s esteemed Spain's National Gastronomy Award. From sharing tables with icons like Anthony Bourdain, James Earl Jones or Keith Hernandez to sitting down with the county’s greatest chefs and winemakers, join us for a look back at Gerry’s decades of experiencing all of Spain’s wonders in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(1/4/22)“Where does Russia belong in the pantheon of nations? What does it see itself offering the world of today and the world of tomorrow,” writes Dr. Matthew Schmidt associate professor of national security and political science at the University of New Haven in his article for the peer-reviewed journal Demokratizatsiya entitled Is Putin Pursuing a Policy of Eurasianism? In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Dr. Schmidt discusses the Russian leader’s long-term strategy in Ukraine.

(12/21/21) Regular contributor to the show Pete Muroski of Native Landscapes in Pawling, New York is an expert on just about anything you’d want in your garden. He also knows how to get the most out of your gardening experience while respecting the local ecosystem. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Pete talks about the ways you can engage your inner botanist while the ground is still frozen.

(12/20/21) Everywhere we look, corporations and governments are spying on us—seeking personal information about who we are and whom we know. Ad networks monitor our web-surfing to send us "more relevant" ads. The NSA screens our communications for signs of radicalism. Schools track students' emails to stop school shootings. Cameras guard every street corner and traffic light and drones fly in our skies. In his new book Privacy Matters, Neil Richards asserts that privacy isn't dead, but rather up for grabs. Join us for a discussion of how we can preserve our right to confidentiality in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(12/17/21) In addition to his work on WBAI and WNYC, investigative journalist Bob Hennelly’s writing has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, the Village Voice, the Christian Science Monitor, the Miami Herald, the Chief-Leader, the Detroit Free Press along with dozens of other magazines, online publications and newspapers. In his latest appearance on Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Bob discusses his latest reporting on the government response to Covid and the union workers whose jobs place them at the highest risk.

(12/16/21) When attorney Chris Hansen discovered that women were being charged exorbitant fees to test for hereditary breast and ovarian cancers, tests they desperately needed—all because Myriad Genetics had patented BRCA genes, he sued them. In his new book The Genome Defense: Inside the Epic Legal Battle to Determine Who Owns Your DNA, attorney and human genetics expert Jorge L. Contreras tells the tale of how Hansen and his team of ACLU lawyers took their case all the way to the Supreme Court. Find out who owns the right to our own genetic code in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(12/15/21) Ever since President Ronald Reagan successfully branded government as a dangerous threat, privatization has touched every aspect of our lives, from water and trash collection to the justice system and the military. However, citizens can, and are, wresting back what is ours. The Privatization of Everything: How the Plunder of Public Goods Transformed America and How We Can Fight Back, the new book from Donald Cohen, founder and executive director of In the Public Interest, and journalist Allen Mikaelian exposes the hidden crisis of privatization that has been slowly unfolding over the past 50 years and offers a road map for taking the country back. Join us for a look at the dangers of privatization in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(12/13/21) As we being to emerge from the pandemic, other crises move center stage—outrageous inequality, climate disaster, desperate refugees, mounting tensions of a new cold war. The abiding motif of our time appears to be relentless chaos. Acknowledging the possibilities for new beginnings at moments of catastrophe, Mao Zedong famously proclaimed, “there is great disorder under heaven; the situation is excellent.” As Slovenian philosopher and international director of the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities of the University of London Slavoj Žižek examines in his new book Heaven In Disorder, the modern relevance of Mao’s observation depends on whether today’s catastrophes can be a catalyst for progress or have passed over into something terrible and irretrievable. Join us for a look at what the fracturing of the Left, the empty promises of liberal democracy and the tepid compromises offered by the powerful mean for the rest of us in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(12/10/21) Sibling language experts and regular contributors to the program Kathryn and Ross Petras are the authors of the bestselling You're Saying It Wrong: A Pronunciation Guide to the 150 Most Commonly Mispronounced Words—and Their Tangled Histories of Misuse and the hosts of a popular NPR podcast. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Kathy and Ross sound off on some of the more bizarre language trends of the past year.

(12/7/21) Have you ever wondered what really goes on at your insurance provider’s office? Why do your claims get denied? Why are your prescription drug prices so high? How To Avoid Being a Victim of the American Healthcare System: A Patient's Handbook for Survival, the new book by Dr. David Wilcox, offers tips on how to get more from your health care provider. Join us for a look at a better way to navigate our thorny healthcare system in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(12/2/21) In the 1982 Supreme Court decision Island Trees School District v. Pico, the justices ruled that school officials can’t ban books in libraries simply because of their content. However, attempts to censor syllabi or ban books in one form or another continue to shape our education system. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Deborah Caldwell Stone, director of the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom, discusses the past, present and future of banned books.

(12/1/21) Chemist, artist and industrial hygienist Monona Rossol is the founder of Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety, Inc. The not-for-profit corporation is dedicated to providing health and safety services to the arts. She is also the health and safety director for the Local 829 Union of the United Scenic Artists International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Monona offers advice on how to protect yourself from the Delta and Omicron variants as we head into the holidays.

(11/30/21) In 2005, Gloria J. Romero became the first woman ever to hold the title of Democratic majority leader of the California State Senate. In her new book, Just Not That Likable: The Price All Women Pay for Gender Bias, Senator Romero explores the conundrum faced by female leaders in all fields—expected to exhibit strength and a strong will, yet penalized as being abrasive (or worse) when they do. Join us for a look at the challenges women face after they break through the glass ceiling in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(11/29/21) The history of Africa has long been relegated to the remote outskirts of our global story. What if, instead, we put Africans at the center of our thinking about the origins of modernity? Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism professor and former New York Times foreign correspondent Howard W. French does just that in his new book Born in Blackness: Africa, Africans, and the Making of the Modern World, 1471, a sweeping narrative spanning more than six centuries. Join us for a look at the trivialization in depictions of African societies throughout the last 500 years and how to overcome it for a more accurate understanding of human history in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(11/23/21) For anyone still experiencing the extended symptoms known as long COVID, health effects from the virus that stubbornly won’t go away, a full recovery is still not in sight months after surviving the worst. In their new book Long Haul COVID: A Survivor’s Guide: Transform Your Pain & Find Your Way Forward, author and COVID survivor Julie Luongo and psychologist Dr. Joseph J. Trunzo look at ways of coping with the anguish that comes with long-haul coronavirus symptoms so that you can focus on the healing process. Join us for a look at one way forward in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(11/22/21) The fight over the future of the Postal Service is on. Leadership at the USPS has been handed over to special interests whose plans includes higher postage costs, slower delivery times and fewer post offices. In his new book First Class: The US Postal Service, Democracy, and the Corporate Threat, historian and policy analyst Christopher W. Shaw brings readers to the front lines of the struggle over how our mail is delivered. Join us for a look at what a corporate takeover of the US mail would mean for America in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(11/19/21)In the beginning, Earth was an inhospitably alien place―in constant chemical flux, covered with churning seas, crafting its landscape through incessant volcanic eruptions. Amid all this tumult and disaster, life began. In his new book A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth: 4.6 Billion Years in 12 Pithy Chapters, senior editor of the scientific journal Nature Henry Gee zips through the last 4.6 billion years with equal parts enthusiasm and intellectual rigor. Join us for a look at life's life story in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(11/18/21) Cancer is a complex, evasive enemy and there are no quick victories in the fight against it. But the battle has been a monumental feat of medical and scientific research and fundraising acumen. In their new book A New Deal for Cancer: Lessons from a 50-Year War, editors Charles Fuchs and Abbe Gluck bring together some of today’s leading thinkers, activists and medical visionaries to describe the many victories and setbacks in the search for a cure. Join us for a look at the past, present and future of treating this terrible disease in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(11/16/21) With unpredictable weather creating a bizarre harvest season up and down the East Coast, our favorite gardening guru Pete Muroski of Native Landscapes in Pawling, NY returns to the program to take your calls. Join us for a discussion on preparing your garden for the colder months while helping insects, birds and other animals maintain local ecosystems in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(11/15/21) In addition to his work on WBAI and WNYC, investigative journalist Bob Hennelly’s writing has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, the Village Voice, the Christian Science Monitor, the Miami Herald, the Chief-Leader, the Detroit Free Press along with dozens of other magazines, online publications and newspapers. In his latest appearance on Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Bob discusses his latest reporting on the government response to the coronavirus at the local, state and federal level.

(11/11/21) Retired US Army lieutenant colonel, American University professor, public policy leader and former Republican Senate candidate from Virginia Daniel Gade teamed up with Wall Street Journal Reporter Daniel Huang for his new book Wounding Warriors: How Bad Policy is Making Veterans Sicker and Poorer. Drawing from interviews with dozens of veterans along with years of internal reporting, the book lays deep structural rot inside the Department of Veterans Affairs and what we can all do to turn things around. Join us for a look at how we can really support the troops in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(11/10/21) Discovered by director King Vidor when she was a Broadway chorus girl in the production Blackbirds of 1928, South Carolina-born actress Nina Mae McKinney (1912-1967) was still a teenager when she made her screen debut the following year in Hallelujah, Hollywood’s first feature film with sound that included an all-Black cast. Following rave reviews (The New York Times hailed it as “most impressive”), McKinney’s studio, MGM, touted her as one of their major stars, a first for an African-American performer. On the occasion of a Nina Mae McKinney retrospective at Film Forum in Manhattan’s West Village, filmmaker and Film Comment magazine contributor Ina Archer and American film historian Donald Bogle discuss the actress’s significance in film history in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(10/28/21)Two distinct Americas have always coexisted throughout the history of our nation. In his book American Schism: How the Two Enlightenments Hold the Secret to Healing Our Nation, Seth David Radwell looks at what led us to the raging partisan division we are currently experiencing. From the nation’s original sin of slavery through Jim Crow segregation and The Age of Trumpism, join us for a look at the cultural divide that has defined this country and what can be done to stop this vicious cycle of hatred and discord in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(10/27/21) We don’t vote for federal judges; they’re appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. However, public influence has undeniably had a dramatic effect on the Court, it is the wealthy and powerful who have always benefitted from our legal system. Attorney Richard Jacobs’s new book Democracy of Dollars: Where Natural and Constitutional Rights Go To the Highest Bidder looks at the ways direct democracy has been hijacked by big money and partisan politics. Join us for a look at how to transform America into an actual representative democracy in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(10/26/21) No one was prepared for what happened when a mysterious respiratory illness emerged in Wuhan, China in January of 2020. Politicians, government officials, business leaders and public-health professionals were seemingly unable to do anything to while the most devastating pandemic in a century ravaged local communities. As Wall Street Journal investigative journalist Gregory Zuckerman describes in his book A Shot to Save the World: The Inside Story of the Life-or-Death Race for a COVID-19 Vaccine, the world’s biggest drug and vaccine makers were slow to react, leaving it up to a small group of untested scientists and executives to quite literally save civilization. Join us for a look at the race to the discovery that changed everything in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(10/25/21) Even by the most conservative estimates, we have a decade or less to radically slow global warming before we risk hitting irreversible tipping points that will lock in catastrophic climate change. The good news is that we now know how to slow global warming enough to avert disaster. In his new book, Cut Super Climate Pollutants Now! The Ozone Treaty’s Urgent Lessons for Speeding Up Climate Action (Resetting Our Future), co-written with Stephen O. Andersen and Alan Miller, founder of the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development Durwood Zaelke explains how to cut the rate of global emissions in half. Join us for a look at how humanity can stay in the race to net zero climate emissions by 2050 in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(10/22/21) Erica Abeel’s new historical fiction novel The Commune is a look at the Hamptons commune populated by the newly liberated women present at the creation of the seminal 1970 Women's March for Equality. Find out what happens when these pioneering feminists find themselves whipsawed between the bold new ideals of the women's movement and the harsh realities of their time in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(10/21/21) Sibling language experts and regular contributors to the show Kathryn and Ross Petras are the authors of the New York Times bestseller You're Saying It Wrong: A Pronunciation Guide to the 150 Most Commonly Mispronounced Words—and Their Tangled Histories of Misuse as well as Awkword Moments: A Lively Guide to the 100 Terms Smart People Should Know. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Kathy and Ross take your calls on the latest language trends.

(10/19/21) Chude Pam Allen and Robert Allen’s new book Reluctant Reformers: Racism and Social Reform Movements in the United States, an updated edition of the latter’s iconic 1974 title, explores the racism that drove the US political system from the early 19th century to the end of World War II. In addition to a forward by New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie, this new printing includes a postscript describing the Black freedom movement of the 1960s and the central role it has played in the development of today’s radical social justice movements. Join us for a conversation with Chude Pam Allen and the book’s editor Steven Hiatt in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(10/15/21) From the early 1980s to the mid-1990s, Bryan Miller was a household name among East Coast foodies as the restaurant critic for the New York Times. Over the course of his decade as a columnist, he dined out more than 5,000 times in eateries around the world. Wine Spectator once called him “the most powerful restaurant critic in America.” And for much of that time, he wanted to die. Bryan’s new book Dining in the Dark: A Famed Restaurant Critic's Struggle with and Triumph over Depression chronicles his battle with the mental illness Bipolar II that changed his life forever. Join us for an honest look at the often invisible suffering people with debilitating depression face in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(10/14/21) From the first Women’s March the day after the 2017 inauguration to the Blue Wave in the 2018 midterms or the flood of female presidential candidates in 2020, women from across the ideological spectrum became energized in a way America had not witnessed in decades in response to the presidency of Donald Trump. They marched, they organized, they donated vast sums of cash and they ran for office. They formed new alliances. And they were a major reason why he was voted out. Featuring exclusive interviews with key figures such as Kamala Harris, Stacey Abrams and Nancy Pelosi, Resistance: How Women Saved Democracy from Donald Trump, the new book from Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin, looks at this recent explosion of female-centered activism and what it means for the future. Join us for a look at women’s role in the refutation of Trumpism in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(10/8/21) Companies hold the power to shape our daily lives, the state holds the power to make them fall in line and the people hold the power to choose their leaders. But now, this balance has shaken loose. Through interviews with some of the world’s most influential thinkers and innovative economic and political models, The Raging 2020s: Companies, Countries, People—and the Fight for Our Future, the new book from former Senior Advisor for Innovation to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Alec Ross, proposes a new social contract―one that resets the relationship between corporations, the politicians and the rest of us. Join us for a look at a different way forward in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(10/7/21) Digital technology, big data, big tech, machine learning and AI are revolutionizing both the tools of economics and the phenomena it seeks to measure. In her book Cogs and Monsters: What Economics Is, and What It Should Be former advisor to the UK Treasury and the Bennett Professor of Public Policy at the University of Cambridge Diane Coyle explores the enormous problems facing economics today. Join us for a look at how economics can provide a positive road map in the 21st century in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(10/6/21)“Whatever the justification for foreign intervention, the results are the same,” Ian Buruma writes in his Project Syndicate op-ed The Colonial Trap. “Dependency—not just on another state, but on NGOs and other well-meaning institutions that do what governments should be doing—fuels corruption…The colonial elites, bloated with free money, have no legitimacy in the eyes of their compatriots. Rebels and revolutionaries may have more, but only know how to rule by force. The imperial power is trapped. Leaving is almost always bad. Staying is worse.” Join us for a look at whether the current administration can avoid the foreign policy mistakes of the past in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(10/4/21) There’s no shortage of false prophets out there serving up misguided dieting advice. Count calories! Cut carbs! Exercise more! Skip meals! Add this powder to your water! Pop a pill! Yet as more people try diligently to follow this advice, waistlines continue to expand. In Supersized Lies, Robert J. Davis, PhD, aka The Healthy Skeptic, shows you why this inability to lose weight isn't your fault as he reveals how hype, half-truths, and unproven solutions have steered you into fruitless quests inflicting emotional and often physical harm. Join us for a hard look at the flawed ideas at the heart of most diet plans in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(9/30/21) Drone pilots who carry out targeted assassinations, undocumented immigrants who man the kill floors of industrial slaughterhouses, guards who patrol the wards of the United States’ most violent and abusive prisons—in his new book Dirty Work: Essential Jobs and the Hidden Toll of Inequality in America, journalist Eyal Press looks at the state of America through the stories of people who perform society’s most ethically troubling jobs. As he shows, we are increasingly shielded and distanced from an array of morally questionable activities that other, less privileged people perform in our name. Join us for a look at the lives of the people doing society’s dirty work in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(9/28/21) US soldiers are stationed in over 800 locations across the world to enforce our country’s concept of the rule of law. In his new book The Spoils of War: Power, Profit and the American War Machine, Harper’s Magazine editor Andrew Cockburn examines the true intentions behind Congress’s adventures in “nation building.” Join us for a hard look at the largest military machine in history—us, in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(9/23/21)The streets of Brooklyn may not be considered ideal terrain for cultivating wine grapes, but what about our rooftops? In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Rooftop Reds director of operations Clara Kann and founder Devin Shoemaker join us to discuss their unique approach to winemaking.

(9/22/21) George Washington is said to have remarked that anyone who attempted to provide an accurate account of the American Revolution would be accused of writing fiction. Of course, no one called the uprising from American colonists by that name or referred to the struggle as the Revolutionary War at the time. John Adams insisted that the British were the real revolutionaries, for attempting to impose radical change without the consent of the colonies. In his new book The Cause: The American Revolution and its Discontents, 1773-1783 Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning historical scholar Joseph J. Ellis of Mount Holyoke College takes a fresh look at the events between 1773 and 1783, recovering a war more brutal than anything we learned in grade school. Join us for a critical look at the stories we have long told about our origins as a nation in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(9/14/21) Civil War (or, Who Do We Think We Are), the new film by Emmy-nominated director Rachel Boynton (Big Men, Our Brand is Crisis) considers how Americans tell the story of the Civil War and its legacy of slavery and racism. Join us for a look at our own history in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(9/13/21) You may think the story of human evolution begins following the asteroid impact that killed the dinosaurs. Yet, over the last 20 years scientists have made discoveries that have forced them to rethink that narrative. In her new book, Beasts Before Us: The Untold Story of Mammal Origins and Evolution, palaeontologist and the Leverhulme Early Career Research Fellow at the Oxford University Elsa Panciroli charts the emergence of mammals from their emergence underwater to their evolution as mostly land-dwelling creatures. Join us for a reconsideration of where we came from in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(9/10/21) In 1961, at the height of the Cold War, the United States severed diplomatic relations with Cuba. For over five decades, the standoff continued before Barack Obama normalized relations with the island in 2014 only to have the policy reversed by his predecessor. In her new book Cuba: An American History, historian and the Julius Silver Professor of History and Latin American and Caribbean History at New York University Ada Ferrer examines the island’s past and its relationship with the United States. Join us for a look at the last 500 years of Cuban history and what it can tell us about the future of diplomacy between the two nations in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(11/9/21) James Reston Jr. is the author of 18 books ranging from politics to medieval history to science to baseball. In his latest, The Nineteenth Hijacker: A Novel of 9/11, he set out to use fiction as a way of understanding radical Islam and its role in what was a defining moment in the lives of anyone old enough to remember. As the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks approaches, join us for a different way of examining the tragic events that changed the world forever in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(9/7/21)Although the free jazz movement of the 1960s and ‘70s was much maligned in some jazz circles, its pioneers—Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, Sun Ra, Albert Ayler and John Coltrane—are now acknowledged as central to the evolution of jazz as one of America’s greatest art forms. Documentarian and drummer Tom Surgal’s new film Fire Music examines what free jazz was (to the music scene then) and what it is. Join us for a look at the architects of a movement whose radical brand of improvisation pushed harmonic and rhythmic boundaries way beyond the formal confines of bebop in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(9/3/21) Police officers are nine times more likely to kill African-American men than they are other Americans. Yet, in his new book Presumed Guilty: How the Supreme Court Empowered the Police and Subverted Civil Rights, legal scholar and dean of the law school at UC Berkeley Erwin Chemerinsky argues that the problem goes way beyond racism in law enforcement. Join us for a look at why it is our judicial system and, more specifically, the Supreme Court where the lion’s share of the blame for inequity in policing belongs in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(9/2/21) In her new book What About the Baby? Some Thoughts on the Art of Fiction, bestselling novelist Alice McDermott assembles the pithiest wisdom about the act of writing that she has collected throughout her career as an acclaimed novelist and college professor. Join us for musings on the art of creating great literature in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(9/1/21) Every drug certified by the FDA must be tested using the horseshoe crab derivative known as Limulus lysate. Because of this, a multimillion-dollar industry has emerged involving the license to bleed horseshoe crabs and the rights to their breeding grounds. In the latest edition of his book Crab Wars: A Tale of Horseshoe Crabs, Ecology, and Human Health, William Sargent breaks down this exploitation of the horseshoe crab at the hands of multinational pharmaceutical conglomerates. Join us for a look at an issue with profound implications not only for the future of the crabs themselves but for the ecosystems that depend on them in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(8/27/21) Investigative journalist and regular contributor to the show Bob Hennelly’s work has appeared in the New York Times, the Village Voice, the Christian Science Monitor, the Miami Herald, the Detroit Free Press along with dozens of other magazines and newspapers. His reporting has been featured on 60 Minutes and C-Span's America and the Courts and he is the author of the new book Stuck Nation: Can the United States Change Course on Our History of Choosing Profits Over People? In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Bob talks about the scandals that brought down New York Governor Andrew Cuomo along with what the state’s first female governor Kathy Hochul will mean for local politics.

(8/26/21) From the initial discovery of the coronavirus, President Trump refused to take responsibility and encouraged the entire GOP to ignore safety guidelines. In their book Nightmare Scenario: Inside the Trump Administration's Response to the Pandemic That Changed History, Washington Post economics editor Damian Paletta and national health policy reporter Yasmeen Abutaleb reveal how backstabbing and sniping among cabinet members, staff and aides created a toxic environment that did profound damage to the public health institutions that Americans needed the most during the pandemic. Join us for a look at how we got here in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(8/25/21) In the wake of the September 11 terror attacks, the US government implemented a wave of overt policies to fight the nation’s enemies. Unseen and undetected by the public, however, another set of tools was brought to bear on the domestic front. In her new book Subtle Tools: The Dismantling of American Democracy from the War on Terror to Donald Trump, director of the Center on National Security at Fordham University School of Law Dr. Karen J. Greenberg shows how these “subtle tools” imperiled the very foundations of democracy. Join us for a look at the deeper consequences of the War on Terror in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(8/24/21) The history section of your local bookstore is most likely stacked with books by and about Presidents, First Ladies even First Pets. In his new book First Friends: The Powerful, Unsung (And Unelected) People Who Shaped Our Presidents, former Bill Clinton aide Gary Ginsberg provides fresh insights into the lives of the men who held the most powerful political office in the world by looking at the friends on whom they relied. Join us for a look at the company some of our former presidents kept in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(8/19/21) From his star-making performances in Bull Durham and The Professional to his celebrated role alongside Morgan Freeman in The Shawshank Redemption, from his Oscar for best supporting actor in Mystic River or for directing Dead Man Walking, Tim Robbins holds a special place in film history. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Tim returns to the show to discuss his new play We Live On, an update of Studs Terkel’s Hard Times.

(8/18/21) Public defenders represent more than 80 percent of the people accused of a crime in this country. More often than not, even the best of those defenders are overworked, underpaid and incentivized to put the interests of judges and politicians above those of their clients. Jonathan Rapping’s book Gideon's Promise: A Public Defender Movement to Transform Criminal Justice looks at the role public defenders play in upholding an unjust status quo. Join us for a look at one way to change the criminal justice system from the inside in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(8/16/21)"Climate change is a hoax and so is coronavirus." "Vaccines are bad for you." These days, many of our fellow citizens reject scientific expertise and prefer ideology to facts. They are not merely uninformed—they are misinformed. How can we get them to change their minds and accept the facts when they don't believe in facts? In his new book, How to Talk to a Science Denier: Conversations with Flat Earthers, Climate Deniers, and Others Who Defy Reason, Lee McIntyre, a research fellow at the Center for Philosophy and History of Science at Boston University, shows that anyone can fight back against science deniers. Join us for a look at why science denial can kill in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(8/13/21) In her new book Perversion of Justice: The Jeffrey Epstein Story, journalist Julie K. Brown recounts her uncompromising and risky investigation of Jeffrey Epstein's underage sex trafficking operation. Join us for a deep dive on the explosive reporting Julie did for the Miami Herald that finally brought Jeffrey Epstein to justice while exposing the powerful people and broken system that protected him in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(8/9/21)“Climate change is a hoax—and so is coronavirus.” “Vaccines are bad for you.” These days, many of our fellow citizens reject scientific expertise and prefer ideology to facts. They are not merely uninformed—they are misinformed. They cite cherry-picked evidence, rely on fake experts, and believe conspiracy theories. How can we convince such people otherwise? How can we get them to change their minds and accept the facts when they don't believe in facts? In his new book The Storm Is Upon Us: How QAnon Became a Movement, Cult, and Conspiracy Theory of Everything, author Lee McIntyre shows that anyone can fight back against science deniers and argues that it's important to do so. Join us for a look at the defining issue of our time in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(7/29/21) Quarantine is our most powerful response to uncertainty—it means waiting to see if something hidden inside us will be revealed. In quarantine, we are considered infectious until proven safe. Geoff Manaugh and Nicola Twilley’s new book Until Proven Safe: The History and Future of Quarantine tracks the history and future of quarantine around the globe. Join us for a bit of context for what most of us have been dealing with for the past 18 months in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(7/28/21)Chemist, artist and industrial hygienist Monona Rossol is the founder of Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety, Inc. The not-for-profit corporation is dedicated to providing health and safety services to the arts. She is also the Health and Safety Director for the Local 829 union of the United Scenic Artists International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Monona discusses what you can do to protect yourself as the Delta variant causes new cases of SARS-CoV-2 to skyrocket in New York and across the country.

(7/26/21) “Denialism has moved from the fringes to the center of public discourse, helped in part by new technology. As information becomes freer to access online…so the opportunities for countering accepted truths multiply,” wrote sociologist and regular contributor to The Guardian Keith Kahn-Harris back in 2018 in his book Denial: The Unspeakable Truth. Join us for a look at the forces behind the rise in mass denial of years of scientific evidence for everything from vaccinology to climate change from someone who was studying this phenomenon long before the pandemic hit in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(7/22/21) You know the name Alvin Ailey, but how much do you know about the man behind the iconic modern dance company? Peabody Award-winning director Jamila Wignot’s new documentary Ailey, which makes it’s theatrical debut on July 23 before eventually airing as part of PBS’s American Masters series, grants artful access to the elusive visionary behind the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Join us for a look at the enduring power of Mr. Ailey’s vision in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(7/21/21) Regular listeners probably know investigative journalist Bob Hennelly from his cutting political analysis segments on this show and others informed by his own hard-nosed reporting. But in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Bob joins us to discuss his new book Stuck Nation: Can the United States Change Course on Our History of Choosing Profits Over People?

(7/20/21) As New York and much of the country starts to emerge from the pandemic, has the way we talk to each other changed? In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, sibling language experts Kathryn and Ross Petras, authors of You're Saying It Wrong: A Pronunciation Guide to the 150 Most Commonly Mispronounced Words—and Their Tangled Histories of Misuse, consider the question.

(7/15/21) Everyone knows that democracy is in trouble, but do we know what democracy actually is? In his new book Democracy Rules, German political philosopher and Princeton University professor Jan-Werner Müller takes us back to basics. Join us for a consideration of why democracy is founded not just on liberty and equality but also on uncertainty in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(7/14/21) With the summer in full swing, our resident gardening expert Pete Muroski of Native Landscapes in Pawling, NY joins us again to help you get the most out of the warmer months. Pete also takes your calls on any plant-related issue great or small in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(7/12/21) Regular contributor to the program Michael Patrick MacDonald is the author of the book All Souls: A Family Story From Southie and the acclaimed Easter Rising: A Memoir of Roots and Rebellion. He is also a regular contributor to The Boston Globe’s op-ed page. As an activist, Michael has focused his efforts on multi-cultural coalition building to reduce violence and promote grassroots leadership from our most impacted communities. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Michael discusses the demonstrations for Orangemen’s Day (also known as the Glorious Twelfth) that will be taking place across the UK on Monday.

(7/9/21) Part travelogue, part history and part reflective meditation on conflict and reconciliation, Sherry Buchanan’s new book On The Ho Chi Minh Trail: The Blood Road, The Women Who Defended It, The Legacy offers both a personal and historical exploration of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, highlighting the role women played in keeping this critical route open during the Vietnam War. Join us for a look at this important aspect of Vietnamese history in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(7/7/21/) Every nation needs its creation myth, and since Texas was a nation before it was a state, it's no surprise that its myths bite deep. But no piece of history is more important to Texans than the Battle of the Alamo, when Davy Crockett and a band of rebels went down in a blaze of glory fighting for independence from Mexico, losing the battle but setting Texas up to win the war. Yet, as Vanity Fair correspondent Bryan Burrough reveals in his new book Forget the Alamo: The Rise and Fall of an American Myth, co-authored with Chris Tomlinson and Jason Stanford, that so-called historical retelling is nothing more than a fantasy. Join us for a clear-eyed look at this legendary chapter in American history in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(7/6/21) In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson launched the “War on Crime,” sending militarized police forces into impoverished Black neighborhoods. Facing increasing surveillance and brutality, residents threw rocks and Molotov cocktails at officers, plundered local businesses and vandalized exploitative institutions. In her new book, America on Fire: The Untold History of Police Violence and Black Rebellion Since the 1960s, associate professor of History and African American Studies at Yale University and professor of law at Yale Law School Elizabeth Hinton draws on exclusive sources to uncover a previously hidden geography of police brutality and murder in smaller American cities—from York, Pennsylvania to Stockton, California. Join us for a look at how we got to this pivotal moment in challenging systemic racism in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(7/2/21) From an expert in animal consciousness, comes a book that will turn the fly on the wall into the elephant in the room. For most of us, the only thing we know about flies is that they're annoying and our usual reaction is to try to kill them. In his new book Super Fly: The Unexpected Lives of the World's Most Successful Insects, myth-busting biologist Jonathan Balcombe shows why flies continue to reshape our understanding of evolution. Forget everything you know us about this misunderstood insect and join us for another installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(7/1/21)On Jan. 6, thousands of people descended on the US Capitol to aid President Donald Trump in combating what they perceived as a shadowy cabal of Satan-worshipping pedophiles. They, like millions of Americans, believed that a mysterious insider known as "Q" was exposing a vast deep-state conspiracy. In their new book Pastels and Pedophiles: Inside the Mind of QAnon, radicalization experts Drs. Mia Bloom and Sophia Moskalenko explain why the rise of QAnon should not surprise us. Join us for a look at QAnon—what it is and what can be done about its corrosive effect on our democracy—in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(6/29/21) You may know Dennis Kucinich as a Democratic candidate for president in 2004 and 2008 or from his eight terms representing Ohio in Congress. But you probably don’t know about this chapter of his life. In his new book, The Division of Light and Power, the former politician tells the story of his fight as mayor of Cleveland to protect local power company Muny Light against a utility monopoly. Join us for a look at one mayor’s fight for affordable electricity in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(6/25/21) Why do societies change course? The question is critical to the historical study of any era but is just as important today. In his book Disruption: Why Things Change, David Potter, the Francis W. Kelsey Collegiate Professor of Greek and Roman History at the University of Michigan, argues that paradigm shifts always begin on the fringes. Join us for a look at how an idea takes hold on a mass scale and why in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(6/24/21) On June 3, the New York Senate passed the Adult Survivors Act. The law, if signed into law, would create a one-year window to revive civil lawsuits for sex crimes committed against anyone 18 or older. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, attorney and former competitive gymnast Sarah Klein, the first known victim of former Olympic women’s gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar, discusses what this new law would mean for adult survivors of sexual assault.

(6/23/21) After the events of the past year, Governor Andrew Cuomo is now easily as famous as his father Mario, also a governor of New York for three terms. Like Robert Moses before him, he has become one of the state’s most infamous power brokers. Though initially celebrated for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, it is now apparent that Cuomo’s management of the crisis was a tragic failure. The Prince: Andrew Cuomo, Coronavirus, and the Fall of New York, the new book from Guardian and Jacobin columnist Ross Barkan, is a searing indictment of the Governor’s handling of coronavirus and his time overall in the highest office of the state. Join us for a look at the most powerful man in New York politics in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(6/21/21) We live in an age of displacement. Refugee numbers are increasing and climate change and COVID-19 are making the situation much worse. Meanwhile, rising populist nationalism around the world has undermined the political willingness of rich countries to accept migrants and asylum seekers. The Wealth of Refugees: How Displaced People Can Build Economies, the new book by professor of forced migration and international affairs at the University of Oxford Alexander Betts, looks at how accepting refugees benefits the receiving societies. Beyond the obvious moral imperative for more privileged nations to help people around the world in crisis, join us for a look at how the skills, talents and aspirational drive of refugee populations improve the country they emigrate to in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(6/18/21) With 13 candidates battling to become New York City’s next mayor in the June 22 Democratic primary, you are forgiven for not knowing exactly where every candidate stands on the issues. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, investigative journalist and regular contributor to the program Bob Hennelly goes beyond the headlines and the horserace to offer insight based on his own reporting and informed analysis.

(6/17/21) On Jan. 28, 1986, NASA’s space shuttle Challenger exploded after taking off from Cape Canaveral. Christa McAuliffe, America’s “Teacher in Space,” was instantly killed, along with the other six members of the mission. At least that's what most of us remember. In his new book The Burning Blue: The Untold Story of Christa McAuliffe and NASA's Challenger Disaster, author Kevin Cook looks at what really happened on that ill-fated day. Join us for a hard look at what led an overconfident space agency to launch a crew that had no chance to escape in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(6/16/21) If you’re over the age of 40, whether you thought it was thrilling or cruel, chances are the circus played some kind of role in your childhood. In his new book, Battle for the Big Top: P.T. Barnum, James Bailey, John Ringling, and the Death-Defying Saga of the American Circus, bestselling author Les Standiford shines a light on the era when three circus kings—James Bailey, P.T. Barnum and John Ringling—all vied for control of the massive audience for the American circus. Join us for one of the nation’s original showbiz showdowns in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(6/15/21) A police officer kills a 12-year-old boy. It’s caught on video. The officer faces no legal consequences. A police officer strangles a man selling cigarettes. It’s caught on video. The officer faces no legal consequences. It happens over and over again. The culprit here, alongside the cops, is the legal principle known as qualified immunity. In his new book Above the Law: How “Qualified Immunity” Protects Violent Police, Ben & Jerry's co-founder Ben Cohen looks at 12 cases in which justice was denied because of qualified immunity or “Q.I.” Join us for a look at this troubling practice and what can be done to change it in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(6/9/21) Covid numbers may be in decline, but according to professor of Sociology at SUNY Binghamton and former member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines Walden Bello, there is another worldwide scourge that is just as serious—fascism. “The global spread of fascism is real, as real as the spread of Covid-19, and you better believe it,” Walden writes in his latest column for Foreign Policy in Focus entitled Fascism’s Global Spread is Real. Join us for a look at a different type of international infection in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(6/8/21) Chemist, artist and industrial hygienist Monona Rossol is the founder of Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety, Inc. The not-for-profit corporation is dedicated to providing health and safety services to the arts. She is also the Health and Safety Director for the Local 829 union of the United Scenic Artists International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Monona discusses whether New York Mayor Bill de Blasio will be will be able to deliver on his promise to safely lift all Covid restrictions on the city by July 1 and what it will mean for all remote learning to be eliminated when public schools reopen in the fall.

(6/7/21) In this new book North by Shakespeare: A Rogue Scholar's Quest for the Truth Behind the Bard's Work, investigative journalist Michael Blanding presents the parallel narratives of renegade scholar Dennis McCarthy, known as “the Steve Jobs of the Shakespeare community,” and Sir Thomas North, an Elizabethan courtier whom McCarthy believes to be the undiscovered source of Shakespeare’s work. Plagiarism software has revealed direct links between Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet and North’s published and unpublished writings—as well as Shakespearean plotlines seemingly lifted straight from North’s own colorful life. Prepare to have your view of William Shakespeare as a singular genius playwright upended in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(6/4/21) From blurry vision to crooked teeth, ACLs that tear at alarming rates and spines that seem to spend a lifetime falling apart, it’s a curious thing that human beings have beaten the odds as a species. Professor of biology at Lewis-Clark State College in Idaho Dr. Alex Bezzerides’s new book Evolution Gone Wrong: The Curious Reasons Why Our Bodies Work (Or Don't) is a look at the many twists and turns of our ancestral past. Join us for a look at why the body behaves like it does in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(6/1/21) Some of the only truly feral cattle in the world wander through an abandoned island off the northernmost tip of Scotland. A variety of wildlife not seen in many lifetimes has rebounded on the irradiated grounds of Chernobyl. A lush forest supports thousands of species that are extinct or endangered everywhere else on earth in the Korean peninsula's narrow DMZ. Investigative journalist Cal Flynn’s new book Islands of Abandonment: Nature Rebounding in the Post-Human Landscape is a tour through these new ecosystems where the natural world has reasserted its wild power and promise. Join us for the ultimate redemption story in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(5/28/21) Perhaps the most underestimated First Lady of the 20th century, Lady Bird Johnson was also one of the most accomplished and often her husband Lyndon B. Johnson’s secret weapon. Managing the White House in years of national upheaval, through the civil rights movement and the escalation of the Vietnam War, Lady Bird projected a sense of calm and, following the glamorous and modern Jackie Kennedy, an old-fashioned image of a First Lady. In truth, she was anything but. Drawing from previously undiscovered source materials, including a personal journal from her time as First Lady, journalist and historical scholar Julia Sweig’s new book and podcast Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight offers startling new insight on just how influential Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Johnson was during LBJ's presidency. Join us for a reconsideration of this critical yet overlooked historical figure in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(5/27/21) Perhaps the most overlooked aspect of Harry S. Truman’s presidency is his judicial legacy, with even the finest of Truman biographies neglecting to consider the influence the 33rd president had on the Supreme Court. The Truman Court: Law and the Limits of Loyalty the new book from former Assistant Attorney General for the District of Columbia Rawn James Jr. aims to correct this oversight. Join us for a look at how President Truman reshaped both the ideological and temperamental composition of the Court in ways still unparalleled in US history in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(5/24/21) After witnessing the brutal murder of their families and the violent destruction of their communities, a cadre of Jewish women in Poland—some still in their teens—helped transform the Jewish youth groups into resistance cells to fight the Nazis. As revealed in Judy Batalion’s new book The Light of Days: The Untold Story of Women Resistance Fighters in Hitler's Ghettos (soon to be a major motion picture directed by Stephen Spielberg), these “ghetto girls” paid off Gestapo guards, hid revolvers in loaves of bread and jars of marmalade and helped build systems of underground bunkers. Join us for the untold story of these heroic women who put their lives on the line to fight back against the Nazis in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(5/21/21) Astonishingly irrational ideas are spreading. Covid denial persists in the face of overwhelming evidence. Anti-vaxxers compromise public health. Conspiracy thinking hijacks minds and incites mob violence. Toxic partisanship is cleaving nations and climate denial has pushed our planet to the brink. Meanwhile, American Nazis march openly in the streets, and Flat Earth theory is back. What the heck is going on? Why is this all happening and why now? More importantly, what can we do about it? In his new book Mental Immunity: Infectious Ideas, Mind-Parasites, and the Search for a Better Way to Think, director of the Humanism Initiative at Carnegie Mellon University Andy Norman reveals these diverse phenomena all share a root cause. Join us for a look at why we live in a time when the so-called “right to your opinion” is thought to trump our responsibilities and what we can do to overcome this phenomenon in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(5/20/21) Investigative journalist Bob Hennelly’s writing has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, the Village Voice, the Christian Science Monitor, the Miami Herald, the Detroit Free Press along with dozens of other magazines and newspapers. In addition to his radio work for NPR and Richard Wolfe’s Economic Update, he is also a regular contributor to this show. With New York Mayor Bill de Blasio promising to fully reopen the city by July 1, in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Bob considers what this will mean for the transit workers, food service workers and retail employees that are on the front lines of this public health crisis.

(5/19/21) From city streets to City Hall, this is the story of how one middle class community defeated the largest residential real estate deal in American history. In Saving Stuyvesant Town: How One Community Defeated the Worst Real Estate Deal in History, lifetime Stuy Town resident and former City Councilman Dan Garodnick recounts how his neighbors stood up to mammoth real estate interests and successfully fought to save their homes. Join us for a look at New York City's biggest-ever affordable housing preservation win in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(5/17/21) After reading two-time Pulitzer Prize winning historian Alan Taylor’s new book American Republics: A Continental History of the United States, 1783-1850 it is not understand why this formative period in the country’s history is often left out of high school history classes. Native peoples sought to defend their homelands from the flood of American settlers through strategic alliances with the other continental powers before falling to massive relocation efforts and genocide at the hands of the US government. While the practice of slavery continued to grow, Congress offered no legal recourse for enslaved people. Join us for a critical look at a period in American history with strong echoes in the present in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(5/14/21) Us Kids, the latest film from documentarian Kim A. Snyder (Newtown), chronicles the March For Our Lives movement started by the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida after a 19-year-old former classmate killed 17 students and faculty and injured 17 back in 2018. Sam Fuentes is one of a group of Parkland students who, in the face of unimaginable tragedy, helped lead the largest student-led gun control movement in American history. Join us for a look at their work to shock the US political system into change in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(5/13/21) Fate of Fact, the latest podcast from Pulitzer-Prize winning historian and best-selling author Jon Meacham, looks at the strong grip misinformation and disinformation have on American politics and how we got here. Join us for a look at why the right has chosen to break with a governing consensus once embodied by the figurative conversation between Franklin Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(5/12/21) It would be fair to say that Jonathan Taplin has led a charmed life. Tour manager for Bob Dylan and The Band in the ‘60s, producer of Martin Scorsese’s 1973 debut Mean Streets featuring two young actors named Harvey Keitel and Robert De Niro, it was Jonathan’s work as a producer on The Last Waltz that will forever preserve his status as a legend among rock fans. From the folk scene to Woodstock, to the Easy Riders and Raging Bulls of Hollywood in the ‘70s and beyond, Jonathan’s new book The Magic Years: Scenes from a Rock-and-Roll Life is a first hand account from someone who was the right-hand man to some of the greatest talents of the 20th century. Join us for a look back with a cultural figure from that revolutionary period that actually remembers in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(5/11/21) Given the raging national debate about providing tuition-free college funded at the national level, the time is right for a book that looks at how we can actually do it. In her new book The Path to Free College: In Pursuit of Access, Equity, and Prosperity, senior researcher at the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research and professor of political science at Grand Valley State University Dr. Michelle Miller-Adams argues that free college is not some federal government giveaway, but rather a public investment in our most valuable resource—our nation’s people. Join us for a serious look at how to make federally funded college a reality in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(5/6/21) We live in an age where scams are the new normal. Today’s viral grifters have ascended to fame and descended into infamy, yet the question remains—why do these types of digital fraud continue to happen so frequently? In her new book Hype: How Scammers, Grifters, and Con Artists Are Taking Over the Internet―and Why We're Following, former Vice reporter and executive producer of the Netflix doc Fyre Gabrielle Bluestone breaks down the empty promises driving the social media ecosystem. Join us for a look at how to break out of this vicious cycle in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(5/4/21) Whether we realize it or not, all of us participate in the social contract every day. Caring for others, paying taxes and benefiting from public services are a major part of what binds us together as a society. Drawing on evidence and examples from around the world for her new book What We Owe Each Other: A New Social Contract for a Better Society, director of the London School of Economics Dame Minouche Shafik shows how every country can provide citizens with the basics to have a decent life and be able to contribute to society. But why stop there? Join us for a glimpse at how we can build a better society together in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(4/30/21) When it comes to Confederate monuments, there is no common ground. Polarizing debates over their meaning have intensified into legislative maneuvering to preserve the statues, legal battles to remove them and protestors taking matters into their own hands. As professor of History at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Karen L. Cox describes in her new book No Common Ground: Confederate Monuments and the Ongoing Fight for Racial Justice, these conflicts have raged well over a century. But never have they been as intense as they are today. Join us for a look at the battle to take down these reminders of our nation’s bloody legacy of slavery in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(4/28/21) Spring is finally here. But, with the pandemic still at dangerous levels in the New York area, many of us are still stuck at home. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Alvin and Lawrence Ubell of Accurate Building Inspectors discuss simple, do-it-yourself projects you can tackle to get your living space ready for the big comeback.

(4/27/21) By the time Todd Miller spotted him, Juan Carlos had been wandering alone in a remote border region for days. Parched, hungry and disoriented, he approached Todd and asked him for a ride. While his instinct was to oblige, he hesitated; aiding an unauthorized person’s entrance into the US is a federal crime. Todd has been reporting from international border zones for over 25 years. In his new book Build Bridges, Not Walls: A Journey to a World Without Borders, he invites readers to join him on a journey that begins with the most basic of questions—what happens to our collective humanity when the impulse to help one another is criminalized? Join us for a discussion of abolishing international dividing lines in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(4/26/21) It has been nearly three years since Leonard Lopate at Large premiered on WBAI on July 16, 2018. Over the course of 500 shows, Leonard has talked to many of the nation’s foremost thinkers, artists and activists. But most important of all has been the ongoing conversation between our listeners and us. It may be a one-sided conversation for the most part, but we did everything we could to include you in it from taking your calls in countless segments to hearing your feedback in so many personal emails. To commemorate this milestone for Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, executive producer Jesse Lent interviews Leonard about the highs and lows of the last several years and of a radio career spanning five decades.

(4/22/21) Investigative journalist Bob Hennelly’s writing has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, the Village Voice, the Christian Science Monitor, the Miami Herald, the Detroit Free Press along with dozens of other magazines and newspapers. In addition to his radio work for NPR and Richard Wolfe’s Economic Update, he is also a regular contributor to this show. With the Biden administration proposing major federal funding for infrastructure, Bob looks at how to identify the communities who have been disproportionately hurt by the pandemic due to a lack of public health facilities and accessible public transportation in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(4/22/21) Some of Abraham Lincoln’s most enduring policies came to him before the Civil War, visions of a country linked by railroads running ocean to ocean, canals turning small towns into bustling cities, public works bridging farmers to market. John F. Wasik’s new book Lincolnomics: How President Lincoln Constructed the Great American Economy tracks Lincoln from his time in the 1830s as a young Illinois state legislator pushing for internal improvements to his presidential fight to build the Transcontinental Railroad. Join us for a look at why Lincoln believed these brick-and-mortar developments were essential to lifting citizens above poverty in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(4/20/21) Long after the transatlantic slave trade was officially outlawed in the early 19th century by every major slave-trading nation, US merchants were still sending hundreds of illegal slave ships to the African coast. As revealed in the new book The Last Slave Ships: New York and the End of the Middle Passage from McDonald-Boswell assistant professor of history at Erskine College Dr. John Harris, the key instigators were slave traders who moved to New York City after the shuttering of another massive slavery market in Brazil in 1850. These traffickers were determined to make lower Manhattan a key hub in the illegal slave trade to Cuba. Join us for a look at how our government ignored and even abetted this human rights atrocity in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(4/19/21) The Cold War was not just a contest of power. It was also about ideas―economic and political, artistic and personal. In his new book The Free World: Art and Thought in the Cold War, Pulitzer Prize–winning scholar and critic and the Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of English at Harvard University Louis Menand tells the story of American culture in the pivotal years from the end of World War II to the pivotal years of the Vietnam War. Join us for a look at how changing economic, technological and social forces put their mark on that era’s creations of the mind in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(4/16/21) The rapid changes brought on by COVID-19 have led to a major boom in remote working, leaving managers and employees scrambling to adjust. After experiencing the benefits of working from home, many companies, including Twitter and Google, have plans to incorporate telecommuting permanently. But as Naylor Fitzhugh Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School Tsedal Neeley explores in her new book Remote Work Revolution: Succeeding from Anywhere, virtual work has it challenges, leaving many employees feeling lost, isolated, out of sync and out of sight. Join us for at look how to maintain professional connections and a healthy work/life balance while working remotely in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(4/15/21) Despite Obama-era fantasies of a post-racial America, discrimination based on race remains a fundamental problem in all areas of our daily lives. In his new book Rich Thanks to Racism: How the Ultra-Wealthy Profit from Racial Injustice, civil rights attorney Jim Freeman reveals the hidden strategy behind systemic racism. Join us for a look at who is driving the public policies that continue to devastate communities of color across the country in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(4/14/21) As asserted in the New & Noteworthy section of the New York Times about Columbia University professor of nonfiction writing Phillip Lopate’s latest anthology The Golden Age of the American Essay: 1945-1970, “himself an excellent essayist, [Phillip] is also a leading curator of the form.” Focusing on this landmark era in American writing, the book includes work from literary giants like Susan Sontag, Norman Mailer, James Agee, E. B. White and Joan Didion. Join us for a look at some of the form’s greatest innovators in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(4/12/21) Marlon Peterson grew up in 1980s Crown Heights, raised by Trinidadian immigrants. In the aftermath of childhood trauma, he participated in a robbery that resulted in two murders. At the age of 19, Marlon served a 10-year prison sentence. While incarcerated, he immersed himself in anti-violence activism, education and prison abolition work. In his new memoir Bird Uncaged: An Abolitionist's Freedom Song, Marlon challenges the typical “redemption” narrative and our assumptions about what real justice is. Join us for a dramatic rethinking of the prison industrial complex in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(4/9/21) Shale gas extraction—commonly known as fracking—is often portrayed as an energy revolution that will transform the American economy and geopolitics. But in greater Williamsport, Pennsylvania, fracking is personal. NYU associate professor of sociology and environmental studies Colin Jerolmack’s new book Up to Heaven and Down to Hell: Fracking, Freedom, and Community in an American Town is a devastating account of what happens when one of the most momentous decisions for the well-being of our planet is made without the general public’s consent. Join us for a look at the real cost of unchecked industry in this installment of Leonard Lopate on WBAI.

(4/8/21) ProPublica reporter Alec MacGillis’s new book Fulfillment: Winning and Losing in One-Click America is not another inside account from a former Amazon employee or exposé of the dominant company in the country. Rather, it is an investigation of the America that falls within Amazon’s growing shadow. As MacGillis shows, Amazon epitomizes a land where winner and loser cities and regions are drifting steadily apart while work has become increasingly rudimentary and isolated. Join us for a look at who’s thriving and who’s struggling to make ends meet in this rapidly changing economy in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(4/7/21) For decades, a secret army of tax attorneys, accountants and wealth managers has been developing into the shadowy Wealth Defence Industry. These agents of inequality are paid big money to hide the fortunes of the richest 0.01 percent from the IRS. In his new book, The Wealth Hoarders: How Billionaires Pay Millions to Hide Trillions, Chuck Collins offers an insider account of how this industry is doing everything it can to create and entrench hereditary dynasties of wealth and power. Join us for a look at the inner workings of the world’s wealthiest people in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(4/6/21) Regular contributor to the show Pete Muroski of Native Landscapes in Pawling, New York is an expert on just about anything you’d want in your garden. He also has a comprehensive knowledge of how to get the most out of your gardening experience while respecting the local ecosystem. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Pete explains how taking advantage of this special time of year can lead to better results for your outdoor greenery.

(3/31/21) Universities play an outsized role in America’s cities. They bring diverse ideas and people together and they generate new innovations. But they also gentrify neighborhoods and exacerbate housing inequality in an effort to enrich their campuses and attract students. Paul E. Raether Distinguished Professor of American Studies at Trinity College Davarian L. Baldwin’s new book In the Shadow of the Ivory Tower: How Universities Are Plundering Our Cities looks at the many ways academic institutions can negatively impact the communities around them. Join us for a look at an alternative vision for urban life, one that necessitates a more equitable relationship between our cities and colleges, in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(3/30/21) What exactly is a flavor? Why are some so pleasing while others are not? William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor at North Carolina State University Rob Dunn’s new book Delicious: The Evolution of Flavor and How It Made Us Human, co-written with Monica Sanchez, is a foray into the heart of such questions. Join us for a look at human evolution and the joys of food and drink in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(3/29/21) Harriet Tubman—no-nonsense, funny, prescient and strategically brilliant—was one of the most important conductors on the Underground Railroad. She hid the enslaved men, women and children she rescued in the basements of Martha Wright, a Quaker mother of seven and Frances Seward, wife of the man who would eventually become Lincoln’s Secretary of State, William H. Seward. Executive editor of The New Yorker Dorothy Wickenden’s new book The Agitators: Three Friends Who Fought for Abolition and Women's Rights brings the extraordinary friendship between these women to life. Join us for a look at women’s rights during the abolition crusade in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(3/26/21) The word "peacebuilding" evokes a story we've all heard over and over—violence breaks out, foreign nations are scandalized, peacekeepers and million-dollar donors come rushing in, warring parties sign a peace agreement and within months the situation is back to where it started. Professor of Political Science at Barnard College, Columbia University Séverine Autesserre’s new book The Frontlines of Peace: An Insider's Guide to Changing the World considers what new strategies can be used to build lasting peace in conflict zones, particularly by working with local residents. Join us for a look at the radical changes we must make in our approach to peacemaking in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(3/24/21) With vaccination levels rising and infection rates dropping, the dream of being able to gather together in public again seems to be getting closer every day. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Leonard and executive producer Jesse Lent take your calls on where you want to go, what you want to do and who you want to see when the world is open to the public again.

(3/23/21) Investigative journalist Bob Hennelly’s writing has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, the Village Voice, the Christian Science Monitor, the Miami Herald, the Detroit Free Press along with dozens of other magazines and newspapers. In addition to his radio work for NPR and Richard Wolfe’s Economic Update, he is also a regular contributor to our show. With the Biden administration racing toward 100 million vaccinations in the new President’s first 100 days in office, Bob looks at how the effort is going both nationally and here in New York in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(3/22/21) The Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Glenn Frankel’s latest book, Shooting Midnight Cowboy: Art, Sex, Loneliness, Liberation, and the Making of a Dark Classic, tells the story of the controversial 1969 Oscar-winning film that signaled a major change in American popular culture. The movie’s boundary-pushing subject matter earned it an X rating when it was originally released. Join us for a look at the film that unleashed a new wave of innovation in American cinema in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(3/19/21) A hidden set of rules governs who owns what—explaining everything from whether you can recline your airplane seat to why HBO lets you borrow a password illegally. In his new book Mine! How the Hidden Rules of Ownership Control Our Lives, Professor of Real Estate Law at Columbia Law School Michael Heller reveals the six simple stories that everyone uses to claim everything. Join us for an eye-opening (and mind-bending) look at how who secretly owns what controls our lives in this installment of Leonard Lopate on WBAI.

(3/18/21) On a clear evening, if you look up you can see thousands of stars shining in the dark sky, each with a story of their own. In his new book A History of the Universe in 21 Stars: (and 3 imposters) science writer Giles Sparrow guides you through 21 celestial bodies you can see in the night sky and what they can teach us about our universe. From red giants, quasars and supernovae to black holes, join us for a look at how we came to unravel the mysteries of the cosmos in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(3/16/21) Brain diseases are now the world's leading cause of disability and no cognitive ailment is increasing its reach faster than Parkinson's disease. In the past 25 years, the number of people diagnosed with Parkinson’s has doubled to more than six million. That number is projected to double again by 2040. In their book Ending Parkinson's Disease: A Prescription for Action, Drs. Michael Okun and Ray Dorsey offer a plan to prevent the disease, improve treatment and end the devastating silence associated with it. Join for a look at what can be done in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(3/15/21) After five years of near-constant upheaval in all areas of American life including language, have new words been created since Joe Biden was sworn in as president on Jan. 20? In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, sibling language experts, regular contributors to the program and the authors of Awkword Moments: A Lively Guide to the 100 Terms Smart People Should Know and That Doesn't Mean What You Think It Means: The 150 Most Commonly Misused Words and Their Tangled Histories Kathryn and Ross Petras consider the latest cultural shift in US history.

(3/12/21)We burn 2,000 calories a day. So, if we exercise and cut carbs, we'll lose more weight, right? Wrong. In his paradigm-shifting new book, Burn: New Research Blows the Lid Off How We Really Burn Calories, Lose Weight, and Stay Healthy, one of the nation’s foremost researchers in human metabolism and an associate professor of evolutionary anthropology at Duke University Dr. Herman Pontzer explores how we can effectively control our weight and improve our health by taking the body’s metabolic functions into account. Join us for a new look at weight loss, nutrition and exercise in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(3/11/21) Behind every disease is a story, from the natural history of the disease to its description, discovery and treatment. John A. Campbell Professor of Radiology at Indiana University Dr. Richard B. Gunderman’s latest book Contagion: Plagues, Pandemics and Cures from the Black Death to Covid-19 explores some of the most notorious communicable diseases in history, revealing their hidden stories. Join us for a look a the way contagious diseases have changed world history and human evolution in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(3/10/21) Regular contributor to the show, chemist, artist and industrial hygienist Monona Rossol is the founder and of Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety, Inc. The not-for-profit corporation is dedicated to providing health and safety services to the arts. She is also the Health and Safety Director for the Local 829 union of the United Scenic Artists International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Monona responds to listeners' concerns about whether the current available coronavirus vaccines are safe and whether masking actually works.

(3/5/21) The Vale do Javari indigenous territory is home to 4,000 indigenous people from six known tribes, but it also protects the largest number of tribal peoples living in complete isolation in the Brazilian Amazon. Collectively, the tribes face threats of loss of ancestral land, oil exploitation, animal poaching, drug trafficking and gold mining all while facing an underlying health crisis that left unchecked could completely wipe all of them out. Building on a family legacy of exploration and environmental filmmaking, in her new documentary Tribes on the Edge, filmmaker and activist Céline Cousteau journeys to the Brazilian Amazon at the request of tribal leaders in order to bear witness. Join us for a look at their struggle to survive while preserving a way of life thousands of years old in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(3/4/21) The dioxins present in Agent Orange, the defoliant used in the Vietnam War, continue to leave a legacy of death, deformity and disability in their wake. In The People vs. Agent Orange, documentarian Kate Taverna speaks to whistleblowers, researchers and the people who have lived through contact with the poison in both Vietnam and the United States. Oregon resident Carol Van Strum is one of those people. The film documents her efforts to stop the ongoing spraying of the same toxins by the timber industry. Join us for a look why the battle to stop public exposure to this devastating chemical continues in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(3/3/21) A gripping account of the legal battles, insidious marketing campaigns and cutting-edge food science that have brought us to our current public health crisis, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Michael Moss’s new book Hooked: Food, Free Will, and How the Food Giants Exploit Our Addictions looks at all that the food industry is doing to exploit our compulsive culinary habits for profit. Join us for a look at why what we eat has never mattered more in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(3/2/21) In 1986, the National Coalition of Cancer Survivorship started a movement that changed the definition of what it means to be a survivor after 23 members—linked by their shared experiences surviving cancer—came together for a weekend in Albuquerque determined to demolish the myths surrounding the disease. Judith Pearson’s latest book From Shadows to Life: A Biography of the Cancer Survivorship Movement is the story of the war on cancer fueled by the survivor movement and its impact on the way we treat this terrible illness. Join us for a look at the movement to eradicate cancer while respecting the humanity of all those affected in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(2/25/21) “The problem the authorities faced on Jan. 6 was not an inability to respond, but failure to anticipate the threat,” Dr. Martha Crenshaw, senior fellow at Stanford University’s Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies wrote in her Feb. 10 op-ed for the New York Times entitled I’ve Studied Terrorism for Over 40 Years. Let’s Talk About What Comes Next. In this installment of Leonard Lopate on WBAI, Martha examines the ways the national security apparatus missed the mark on domestic terrorism and what can be done to disrupt the same kinds of white nationalist groups that were behind the Capitol riots.

(2/24/21) Kill Shot: A Shadow Industry, a Deadly Disease, the latest book by Associated Press investigative reporter Jason Dearen, is the story of how hubris and fraud led to the most deadly drug contamination in US history. Join us for a look at the victims, the heroes and the legal loopholes that allowed it all to happen in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(2/23/21)Investigative journalist Bob Hennelly’s writing has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, the Village Voice, the Christian Science Monitor, the Miami Herald, the Detroit Free Press along with dozens of other magazines and newspapers. He also has an esteemed career in radio from his reporting for NPR to his brief tenure as WBAI’s general manager. With vaccinations temporarily halted by the severe winter weather that pounded much of the country last week, Bob looks at the systemic issued coming to the light as the world struggles to get ahold of the pandemic in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(2/19/21)The anti-facist movement Antifa is a common scapegoat for the political right in America in everything from the mass Black Lives Matter protests of last summer to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol. But who are the people behind this controversial group and what do they really stand for? In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, the author of the 2017 book Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook and lecturer at Rutgers University Mark Bray joins us for an honest look at Antifa.

(2/17/21) According to Donald Trump and many of his supporters, the former President cannot be held legally responsible for the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol, because the First Amendment of the US Constitution protects freedom of speech. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, free speech expert, senior fellow at USC's Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership and Policy and regular contributor to the show Ellis Cose looks at exactly where those protections start and end for both Trump and the insurrectionists.

(2/15/21) You’ve heard it said over and over in the past four years that Donald Trump was “like no president in modern history,” but what about in all of American history? Known for his racist diatribes in public speeches and capitulation to the Confederacy, Lincoln’s Vice President Andrew Johnson was the first president to face impeachment. Though Johnson was only impeached once. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, presidential historian and author of The Impeachers: The Trial of Andrew Johnson and the Dream of a Just Nation, Brenda Wineapple compares the two administrations.

(2/12/21) Freida Lee Mock’s new documentary Ruth: Justice Ginsburg in her Own Words is the story of how Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who couldn’t get a job despite tying first in her graduating law class, became one of the most consequential Supreme Court justices of the century. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Freida is joined by Lilly Ledbetter of the landmark Supreme Court decision on pay equality Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. and former member of the Virginia House of Delegates Jennifer Carroll Foy.

(2/11/21) For too many students, today's PhD is a bridge to nowhere. According to The New PhD: How to Build a Better Graduate Education by Leonard Cassuto and Robert Weisbuch, 50 percent of students entering graduate school never complete the degree. Of those that do, less than one in eight will find full-time employment in their field of study. Join us for a look at why universities don’t prepare grad students for the jobs they can actually get in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(2/9/20)With so many of us working remotely because of the pandemic, you may be thinking about making your home office more permanent—or at least more comfortable. Regular contributors to the show, Alvin and Lawrence Ubell of Accurate Building Inspectors know a thing or two about home conversions. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Larry and Al take your calls about how to safely set up a workspace in your home or how to improve the one you’ve got.

(2/5/21) Land—whether meadow or mountainside, desert or peat bog, parkland or pasture, suburb or city—is central to our existence. In his latest book Land: How the Hunger for Ownership Shaped the Modern World, British-American author and journalist Simon Winchester examines what we human beings are doing—and have done—with the billions of acres that together make up the solid surface of our planet. Join us for a look at who claims to own the ground beneath our feet and why it matters in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(2/4/21) When it comes to filling your outdoor space with local plants, regular contributor to the show Pete Muroski of Native Landscapes in Pawling, New York has an encyclopedic knowledge of how to preserve your surrounding ecosystem. But as any New Yorker knows, not all of us have space for a garden or any outdoor space of own for that matter. And even if you are lucky enough to have a garden, odds are it will be pretty well frozen for the next several months. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Pete takes your calls on how to make the most out of an indoor garden and offers some suggestions for which plants to add to your household.

(2/1/21) Israeli journalist and historian Gershom Gorenberg’s latest book War of Shadows: Codebreakers, Spies, and the Secret Struggle to Drive the Nazis from the Middle East is a cinematic story of the race for information in North Africa during World War II. Years in the making, the book dispels the notion of the war as a clash of heroes and villains instead revealing the spiraling series of failures, accidents and desperate triumphs that decided the fate of the Middle East and the world beyond it. Join us for a look at an untold corner of WWII history in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(1/29/21)Chemist, artist and industrial hygienist Monona Rossol is the founder of Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety, Inc. The not-for-profit corporation is dedicated to providing health and safety services to the arts. She is also the Health and Safety Director for the Local 829 union of the United Scenic Artists International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Monona discusses whether the latest developments in vaccination and testing have affected our ability to move towards opening schools and businesses safely.

(1/28/21) We often think of slavery as a southern phenomenon, far removed from the booming cities of the North. But even though slavery had been outlawed in Gotham by the 1830s, Black New Yorkers were still far from safe. In his latest book, The Kidnapping Club: Wall Street, Slavery, and Resistance on the Eve of the Civil War, historian Jonathan Daniel Wells tells the story of the powerful network of judges, lawyers and police officers who circumvented anti-slavery laws to allow the kidnapping of both free and fugitive African Americans. Join us for a sobering look at this terrible chapter of the city’s history in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(1/27/21) Investigative journalist and regular contributor to the show Bob Hennelly’s writing has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, the Village Voice, the Christian Science Monitor, the Miami Herald, the Detroit Free Press along with dozens of other magazines and newspapers. In his latest appearance on Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Bob discusses the shamefully overlooked number of COVID-19 deaths among police, firefighters and EMTs who assisted in onsite relief efforts immediately following the events of September 11, 2001.

(1/26/21) Craig Unger’s new book American Kompromat: How the KGB Cultivated Donald Trump, and Related Tales of Sex, Greed, Power, and Treachery describes how a relatively insignificant targeting operation by the KGB’s New York rezidentura more than 40 years ago—an attempt to recruit an influential businessman as a new asset—triggered a sequence of intelligence protocols that morphed into the greatest intelligence bonanza in history. Based on extensive, exclusive interviews with dozens of high-level sources, American Kompromat reveals something more sinister than the average citizen could even imagine. Join us for a look at what may be the former president’s darkest secret in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(1/21/21)In his latest book, Pro Truth: A Practical Plan for Putting Truth Back Into Politics co-written with Dr. Gleb Tsipursky, author Tim Ward explains how to protect yourself from lies and help restore honest discourse to our democracy. Join us for a look at how we can we turn back the tide of post-truth in our political system in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(1/19/21)Regular contributor to the program Michael Patrick MacDonald is the author of the New York Times bestselling memoir All Souls: A Family Story From Southie. He is also a regular contributor to The Boston Globe’s op-ed page. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Michael brings us up to date with all of the major developments in the UK’s departure from the European Union that have happened since the last time he was on the show.

(1/15/21) It remains one of the most audacious spy plots in American history—a bold and extremely dangerous operation to invade Russia, defeat the Red Army and mount a coup in Moscow against Soviet dictator Vladimir Ilich Lenin. The Lenin Plot had the “entire approval” of President Woodrow Wilson. The result was thousands of deaths, both military and civilian, on both sides. Barnes Carr’s latest book The Lenin Plot: The Unknown Story of America's War Against Russia offers rare insight into the beginnings of the Cold War. Join us for a look at this largely untold episode in American history in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(1/13/21) It is the defining issue of our times, but what if we’re thinking about solving global warming in completely the wrong way. In his latest book What If Solving the Climate Crisis Is Simple? Michael Mann Distinguished Professor at Penn State University Tom Bowman explains that the issue is one of making a commitment not just to try but actually achieve permanent change. Join us for a look at what new solutions a change in perspective can bring to this vexing issue in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(1/12/21) As President Trump’s supporters cry out that their free speech has been stifled both in the bloody display at Wednesday’s storming of the US Capitol Building that killed four and the resulting fallout from Twitter, Facebook, Apple and others, we invite free speech expert and Touro College law professor Thane Rosenbaum to discuss what speech is actually protected in the American legal system. His book “Saving Free Speech...from Itself” aims to demystify this important issue. Join us for a discussion of what the First Amendment means today in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(1/7/21) On Wednesday, Jan. 6, when an armed mob of Trump supporters occupied the US Capitol building in DC for several hours at the President’s behest, the incident was almost entirely organized online. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, the David Austin Professor of Management at MIT and author of The Hype Machine: How Social Media Disrupts Our Elections, Our Economy, and Our Health—and How We Must Adapt Sinan Aral considers the role that online networking played in one of the lowest points in American politics.

(1/5/21) Barbara A. Res worked directly with Donald Trump for nearly two decades on some of his biggest projects and had nearly unlimited access to him. The future President even selected her to oversee construction of New York City’s Trump Tower, arguably the greatest success of his pre-political life. As Trump continues to shred every democratic norm in the waning days of his presidency, the author of Tower of Lies: What My Eighteen Years of Working With Donald Trump Reveals About Him, takes us into the closed-door meetings, boardrooms, limo rides and helicopter flights of his real estate days to help shed light on who this man really is in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(1/4/21) It's impossible to understand the last 75 years of American history without understanding the bond between American presidents and British prime ministers. FDR, of course, had Churchill. JFK famously had Macmillan, his consigliere during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Reagan found his ideological soulmate in Thatcher and George W. Bush found his fellow believer, in religion and in war, in Tony Blair. Ian Buruma’s latest book The Churchill Complex: The Curse of Being Special, from Winston and FDR to Trump and Brexit is more than just a reflection on the weight of Churchill's legacy but a look at how the destinies of the US and the UK are intrinsically linked. Join us for a hard look at the special relationship between our two nations in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(12/22/20) You’ve heard of a staycation, but how about a quarantini and some contact-free delivery in the bubble with your quaranteam? In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, our favorite language experts and regular contributors to the show Kathryn and Ross Petras discuss the new words that have developed during the pandemic as we head into a holiday season like none before it.

(12/21/20) The holidays can be a stressful time for a cat. From new strange people and packages showing up in their domicile to their beloved humans disappearing for days (or even weeks) at a time, there are a plenty of things that can cause feline anxiety as we all participate in end-of-the-year festivities of one type or another. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI we welcome veterinary experts Drs. Debra F. Horwitz and Carlo Siracusa’s, the authors of Decoding Your Cat: The Ultimate Experts Explain Common Cat Behaviors and Reveal How to Prevent or Change Unwanted Ones, back to the show for another round of Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Your Cat: holiday edition.

(12/17/20) Investigative journalist Bob Hennelly’s writing has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, the Village Voice, the Christian Science Monitor, the Miami Herald, the Detroit Free Press along with dozens of other magazines and newspapers. He also has had an esteemed career in radio from his reporting for NPR to his tenure as WBAI’s general manager. With the coronavirus surging around the country and around the world as the first round of vaccinations begins, Bob looks at the state of the response locally and nationally in his latest appearance on Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(12/16/20) In 2010, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger released a photo-sharing app called Instagram, with one simple but irresistible feature; it would make anything you captured look more beautiful. In less than two years, it caught Facebook’s attention. Mark Zuckerberg bought the company for a historic $1 billion when Instagram had only 13 employees. Drawing on unprecedented access with the founders of Instagram, as well as influencers like Anna Wintour and Kris Jenner, Bloomberg News social media reporter Sarah Frier’s new book No Filter: The Inside Story of Instagram explores how the company has changed the way we eat, travel, communicate and present ourselves to the world. Join us for a look at the battle within tech companies for their most valuable commodity—your attention in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(12/14/20)Since their discovery more than 160 years ago, Neanderthals have only gained importance in most anthropologists’ perception of early humans. In her new book Kindred: Neanderthal Life, Love, Death and Art, Dr. Rebecca Wragg Sykes shoves aside clichés of rag-clad brutes in an icy wasteland to reveal curious, clever connoisseurs of the world in their time, technologically inventive and ecologically adaptable. Join us for a reconsideration of 300,000 years of humankind in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(12/11/20) The United States has been in a constant state of war since 2001. However, this is not quite as significant when you consider that the United States has been at war or invaded other countries almost every year since our founding in 1776. In his latest book, The United States of War: A Global History of America's Endless Conflicts, from Columbus to the Islamic State, professor of political anthropology at American University David Vine traces this pattern of bloody conflict from Columbus’s 1494 arrival in Guantanamo Bay through the 250-year international expansion of the US empire. Join us for a look at our nation’s many wars, in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(12/8/20)Billie Holiday, one of the greatest vocalists of all time, was always controversial—a proud black woman who preferred white audiences, an exploited artist and a violent drug addict, a loyal friend and a vindictive lover, a blues singer who didn’t sing the blues. Featuring unseen interview footage from Charles Mingus, Sarah Vaughan, Tony Bennett, Count Basie and even the FBI agents who arrested her, director James Erskine’s new documentary Billie aims to discover who this jazz icon really was. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, the film’s executive producer and executor of the late singer’s estate Michele Smith joins James for a new look at the legacy of Billie Holiday.

(12/4/20)Filmed in Wuhan, China by an independent crew, the MTV Documentary Films release 76 Days chronicles the city’s 76-day lockdown for COVID-19. Directed by Hao Wu and two China-based journalists, Weixi Chen and a third filmmaker (known only as Anonymous) the film looks at the local struggles faced by the residents of Wuhan in the earliest days of the coronavirus outbreak. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Hao Wu discusses what we can learn from the first people to cope with this terrible pandemic.

(12/3/20) The confounding 2017 murder of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s brother Kim Jong Nam in a Malaysian airport sparked an international investigation at the heart of the new Ryan White documentary Assassins. The film focuses on on the two women on trial for the killing—one from rural Indonesia and the other from Vietnam. Who are they? Fierce assassins or pawns in a twisted game of cloak and dagger being played at the highest levels of government? Go beyond the headlines for a look behind one of the strangest political assassinations in modern history in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(12/1/20) On the publication date of his new collection of essays, Dispatches from the Race War, social justice advocate Tim Wise joins us for a frank discussion on racism in America in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI. Seen through the lens of major flashpoints during the Obama and Trump years, Dispatches from the Race War faces the consequences of white supremacy in all its forms—from the rise of openly avowed white nationalism to the violent policing of African Americans, from Trayvon Martin to George Floyd.

(11/30/20) Called “the Beatles of comedy” by the Library of Congress, the four-man troupe Firesign Theatre wrote and performed together for over 40 years, but it is their sketches from between 1968 to 1975 for Columbia Records remains their best known and most influential. From “what’s all this brouhaha?” to “forward into the past!” or “your brain may no longer be the boss!” numerous phases from Firesign’s work on record and the radio (on WBAI affiliate KPFK) became a part of the popular lexicon. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, founding members Phil Proctor and David Ossman discuss the highs and lows of their four decades of making people laugh and think.

(11/25/20) This is Not My Memoir tells the life story of Andre Gregory, iconic theatre director, writer and actor. Co-written with Todd London, the book shares memories of a charmed life lived in the pursuit of art, from wartime Paris to Golden-Age Hollywood, from avant-garde theaters to monasteries in India. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, writer and legendary character actor Wallace Shawn joins the conversation to discuss the making of their groundbreaking 1981 film My Dinner With Andre.

(11/24/20) David Nasaw’s latest book The Last Million: Europe's Displaced Persons from World War to Cold War is a sweeping history of the 1 million refugees left behind in Germany after WWII. Join us for a look at a moment in history that is rarely discussed in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(11/23/20) Talia Lavin is every skinhead’s worst nightmare—a loud, unapologetic Jewish woman, acerbic, smart and profoundly antiracist, with the investigative chops to expose the tactics and ideologies of online hatemongers. For her new book Culture Warlords: My Journey Into the Dark Web of White Supremacy, Talia created fake online profiles and a racist persona to investigate how hate speech is spread online. Join us for a journey through some of the most disturbing parts of the Internet in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(11/20/20) The new documentary Born to Be follows the work of Dr. Jess Ting, a plastic surgeon at New York’s Mount Sinai Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery offering transgender and non-binary people unprecedented access to quality transition-related health and surgical care. Join us for a discussion with Dr. Ting and Born To Be director Tania Cypriano about why medical rights are human rights in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(11/18/20) Efrem Sigel’s book Juror Number 2: The Story of a Murder, the Agony of a Neighborhood recounts his experience on a jury in the murder trial that changed the course of his life as he struggled to understand the systemic issues that led to the crime. Join us for a hard look at how the failures of NYCHA’s housing projects, public schools and the criminal justice system compounded to cause this tragic event in this installment on Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(11/16/20)The New York Times Book Review described author, critic and Professor of Writing at Columbia University Phillip Lopate’s new anthology The Glorious American Essay: One Hundred Essays from Colonial Times to the Present as “marshaling a quintessentially American vision.” The sprawling collection includes three centuries of American essays, from Cotton Mather and Benjamin Franklin to David Foster Wallace and Zadie Smith. Join us for a look at the history of the essay in America from an expert of the form in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(11/12/20) One of the main reasons pet owners in the US give up their cats (often leading to euthanasia) is because of unwanted behaviors. Drs. Meghan E. Herron, Debra F. Horwitz and Carlo Siracusa’s book Decoding Your Cat: The Ultimate Experts Explain Common Cat Behaviors and Reveal How to Prevent or Change Unwanted Ones is the first to analyze the underlying reasons for your cat’s actions to help understand what’s truly best for them. When we had welcomed these feline experts to the show a couple months back the response was so overwhelming, we thought we’d ask them to join us one more time to take some more listener questions. That’s right, it’s another round of Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Your Cat in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(11/11/20) As regular listeners know, there are few building issues that our favorite masters of home repair Alvin and Lawrence Ubell don’t know how to fix. Though with cases of COVID-19 on the rise, it’s looking like we’re all going to need to hunker down this winter. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Larry and Al take your calls on how to turn your living space into somewhere you’re comfortable spending your days while we wait on a vaccine.

(11/9/20) Jumping off hospital rooftops, hanging themselves in janitorial closets, overdosing on drugs—they’re A students and their suicides are often like well-planned school projects. Doctors are our healers, yet they have the highest rate of suicide among any profession. Two-time Emmy Award-winner Robyn Symon’s eye-opening new documentary Do No Harm exposes a silent epidemic and the truth about a sick healthcare system that not only drives our brilliant young doctors to take their own lives but puts patients’ lives at risk too. Join us for a hard look at this disturbing phenomenon in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(11/4/20) Despite being home to more than 267 million people, the culture of the Southeast Asian country of Indonesia (consisting of over 17,000 islands, 6,000 of which are populated), remains mostly unknown in the West. This is particularly true regarding food. In her new cookbook Coconut & Sambal, chef and Bon Appetit contributor Lara Lee reveals the secrets behind authentic Indonesian cookery that her grandmother taught her. Join us for a journey though the unique and delicious food culture of Indonesia in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(11/4/20) In the new documentary A La Calle, which translates as “to the street” in Spanish, directors Maxx Caicedo and Nelson G. Navarrete look at Venezuela’s recent political upheavals through the eyes of Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López. His arrest and imprisonment inspires a national movement against the dictatorship of Nicolás Maduro. Join us for a look at government corruption in Venezuela and the local people who had the courage to challenge it in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(11/3/20) The framers of the Constitution battled over it. Lawmakers have tried to amend or abolish it more than 700 times. To this day, millions of voters and even members of Congress, misunderstand how it works. It deepens our national divide and distorts the core democratic principles of political equality and majority rule. In this Election Day edition of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Jesse Wegman of the New York Times editorial board and author of Let the People Pick the President: The Case for Abolishing the Electoral College makes the case for doing away with this core principle of American elections.

(11/2/20) Before he became a familiar journalistic voice at WNYC or WBAI’s former general manger, Robert Hennelly was national affairs correspondent for Pacifica Network News. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, the Village Voice, the Christian Science Monitor, the Miami Herald, the Detroit Free Press along with dozens of other magazines and newspapers. In his latest appearance on Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Bob previews Tuesday’s election, with an emphasis on the less covered local races that could play a decisive role in national politics.

(10/30/20)Marion Nestle is the Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health at New York University. Her latest book, Let's Ask Marion What You Need to Know about the Politics of Food, Nutrition, and Health, is an insightful collection of her exchanges with environmental advocate Kerry Trueman. Back by popular demand, Marion and Kerry return to the show to take your calls on how to see through the hype and eat right in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(10/29/20)The career of Ken Kwapis reads like a top five list of iconic TV series. The casts of The Larry Sanders Show, Freaks and Geeks, The Office, The Bernie Mac Show and Parks and Recreation have all praised his famously light touch as a director. Ken’s new memoir But What I Really What to Do Is Direct: Lessons from a Life Behind the Camera is a rollercoaster ride of brawls with the top brass, clashes over budgets and the passion that made it all worthwhile. Join us for a look at what it takes to succeed in show business on your own terms in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(10/27/20) Dr. Sean B. Carroll is the Allan Wilson Professor of Molecular Biology and Genetics and at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Carroll’s latest book “A Series of Fortunate Events: Chance and the Making of the Planet, Life, and You” tells the story of the awesome power of chance, the surprising source of all beauty and diversity in the universe. Join us for a look at one of the most important but least appreciated aspects of life in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(10/26/20) Abraham Lincoln did not come out of nowhere. But if the 16th US president was shaped by his times, he also managed at his life's fateful hour to shape them to an extent few could have foreseen. What emerges in “Abe: Abraham Lincoln in His Times,” the new book by David S. Reynolds, professor of American studies at the CUNY Graduate Center, is a man who at each stage in his life managed to arrive at a broader view of things than all but his most enlightened peers. Join us for a look at a President whose name continues to be brought up by major politicians in both parties in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(10/23/20) Regular contributors to the show Kathryn Petras and Ross Petras, the sister and brother team of word masters, are the authors of “You’re Saying It Wrong,” “That Doesn’t Mean What You Think It Means,” “Very Bad Poetry” and “Wretched Writing.” In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Kathy and Ross take your calls on how the way we speak is changing because of the pandemic.

(10/22/20) As executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) for 23 years, Ira Glasser transformed the organization from a fledgling small operation on the verge of bankruptcy into a juggernaut with offices in every state and a $30 million endowment. In the new documentary “Mighty Ira,” he reflects on a life spent defending civil rights. Join us for a conversation with Ira Glasser and Nico Perrino, one of the filmmakers behind “Mighty Ira,” in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(10/21/20) Jon Meacham is a renowned presidential historian, contributing writer to The New York Times Book Review, contributing editor at TIME, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author. His book, “The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels” has been made into an HBO documentary, premiering on Oct. 27. Produced by C13Originals and the History Channel, Jon’s latest project, the It Was Said podcast, looks back at some of America’s greatest orations. Join us for an hour with one of US history’s greatest scholars in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

Robert C. Hockett is the Edward Cornell Professor of Law at Cornell Law School and was one of the key architects of one of the most discussed policy proposals of our time, the Green New Deal. His new book “Financing the Green New Deal: A Plan of Action and Renewal” which includes a foreward by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's former Chief of Staff Saikat Chakrabarti, looks at how to structure funding for the groundbreaking proposal in a way that could make it possible to execute. Join us for a look at the Green New Deal with one of the people who wrote it in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(10/16/20) The word treason—the only crime specifically defined in the US Constitution—is tossed around a lot by politicians and pundits on both sides of the aisle these days. But, as accusations of treason flood our news feeds, it is not always clear what the crime truly is, or when it should be prosecuted. “On Treason: A Citizen's Guide to the Law” by legal scholar and Martin Luther King Jr. Professor of Law at UC Davis Carlton F.W. Larson is an indispensable guide for anyone seeking to understand the role of treason law in our constitutional democracy. Join us for an examination of what treason is and what can be done about it in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

From his star-making performances in “Bull Durham" and Robert Altman’s “The Professional” to his revered role alongside Morgan Freeman in “The Shawshank Redemption,” from his Oscar-winning turn in “Mystic River” to his work directing iconic films like “Dead Man Walking” and “Bob Roberts,” Tim Robbins holds a special place in the history of film. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Tim returns to the show to discuss “Bobbo Supreme,” his latest project which features a star-studded cast including Jack Black, Isla Fisher, Alfre Woodard, Patton Oswalt, Thomas Lennon, Haley Joel Osment and Sasheer Zamata.

(10/14/20) Chicago native Michael Fosberg has been working to create a national dialogue on race and identity since 2001, when he launched his one-man autobiographical play Incognito. For the past 15 years, Michael has performed Incognito, his personal history of being raised as a white child and then discovering his biological father is African-American, hundreds of times at public high schools, colleges, corporations, government agencies and community organizations across the country. Using the experience as a springboard, Michael’s latest book “Nobody Wants to Talk About It: Race, Identity and the Difficulties in Forging Meaningful Conversations” chronicles his attempts to do just that in audience Q&A sessions around the country. Join us for a look at why we all need to welcome the difficult discussions about race in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(10/13/20)The new HBO documentary “Siempre, Luis” follows Puerto Rican activist Luis A. Miranda Jr. throughout the course of a year as his devotion to family and country propels his devotion to empowering his fellow Latinos. As seen in the film, Luis’s campaign to mitigate the devastation of Hurricane Maria in his homeland eventually led to him bringing a production of his son Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash hit musical “Hamilton” to the island. Join us for a look at this proud American’s lifetime dedication to community and fatherhood in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

As a leader in the Black Lives Matter movement, Shaun King has become one of the most prominent figures on the frontlines of the modern fight for civil rights. In his new book “Make Change: How to Fight Injustice, Dismantle Systemic Oppression, and Own Our Future,” he offers a look at the moments that have shaped his life and considers the ways social movements can grow and evolve in this hyper-connected, yet hyperpolarized era. Join us for a look at Shaun’s greatest triumphs and most painful losses and what he believes you can learn from them in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(10/8/20) “The Folly and the Glory: America, Russia, and Political Warfare 1945–2020” is Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award winner Tim Weiner’s look at the 75-year battle between the US and Russia that culminated in the election of Donald Trump. With vivid storytelling and riveting insider accounts, Weiner traces the roots of the political warfare America and Russia have waged against each other for the last 75 years with espionage, sabotage, diplomacy and disinformation. Join us for a look at US-Russian relations from the Cold War of the 20th century to the cyber war of today in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(10/7/20)It may not feel like a normal fall, but your garden doesn’t know it’s a pandemic. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, gardening expert Pete Muroski of Native Landscapes of Pawling, NY takes your questions on what you need to do to prepare your plants for when the temperature heads below freezing.

(10/5/20)Chemist, artist and industrial hygienist Monona Rossol is the founder and of Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety, Inc. The not-for-profit corporation is dedicated to providing health and safety services to the arts. She is also the Health and Safety Director for the Local 829 union of of the United Scenic Artists International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Monona takes your questions on how to protect yourself from the coronavirus as we head into the colder months.

Best known for his role in covering up the Watergate scandal when serving as White House Counsel for Richard Nixon from July 1970 until April 1973, it was John Dean’s subsequent testimony to Congress as a witness that was critical in causing that president’s resignation. In his latest book “Authoritarian Nightmare: Trump and His Followers,” John and co-author Bob Altemeyer look to social science and polling data in an attempt to understand the Trump phenomenon and consider what can be done to stop it. Join us for a fresh look at the President and his followers from an icon of presidential history in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(10/1/20) Drawing on two decades of his own research and business experience, the David Austin Professor of Management at MIT Sinan Aral’s new book “The Hype Machine: How Social Media Disrupts Our Elections, Our Economy, and Our Health--and How We Must Adapt” peers under the hood of the biggest, most powerful social networks to examine just how much influence they have over our lives. Join us for a look at how to harness this game-changing technology for good in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(9/29/20) There is a crime spree happening in America and the privileged perps are getting away with it. Professor of Law at Western New England University Jennifer Taub’s new book Big “Dirty Money: The Shocking Injustice and Unseen Cost of White Collar Crime” is a look at the ways that ordinary Americans suffer when the well-heeled gain wealth, status and influence through white collar crime. Join us for a look at true cost of a justice system that favors the rich and powerful in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(9/28/20) Narrated by Woody Harrelson, the new Netflix documentary “Kiss the Ground” sheds light on the alternative farming method called regenerative agriculture that experts claim has the potential to balance our climate, replenish our water supply and provide food for people who need it the most around the world. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, actor and activist Ian Somerhalder (“Lost” “Smallville” “Vampire Diaries”), who is featured in the film, joins directors Rebecca and Josh Tickell for a look at this possible solution to the food crisis.

One of the main reasons pet owners in the US give up their cats (often leading to euthanasia) is because of unwanted behaviors. Drs. Meghan E. Herron, Debra F. Horwitz and Carlo Siracusa’s book “Decoding Your Cat: The Ultimate Experts Explain Common Cat Behaviors and Reveal How to Prevent or Change Unwanted Ones” is the first to analyze the underlying reasons for your cat’s actions to unlock what’s best for them. Learn the keys to maintaining a long and fulfilling relationship with your favorite feline in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(9/24/20) As regular listeners know, there are few building issues that our favorite masters of home repair Alvin and Lawrence Ubell don’t know how to fix. But the pandemic has created a whole new universe of issues in the world of improving and maintaining your living space. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Larry and Al take your questions on the new normal in tackling building and repair projects in age of COVID-19.

(9/22/20) Before he became a familiar journalistic voice at WNYC or WBAI’s former general manger, Robert Hennelly was national affairs correspondent for Pacifica Network News. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, the Village Voice, the Christian Science Monitor, the Miami Herald, the Detroit Free Press along with dozens of other magazines and newspapers. In his latest appearance on Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Bob discusses his latest reporting on the way the coronavirus is affecting all areas of American life and how the government is responding to it.

(9/21/20) With so many of us trapped in the house (or in cramped New York City apartments), the need for entertainment that can be enjoyed from the comfort of your couch has never been greater. So, what have you been listening to for the past six months? What books are you dusting off from the far reaches in your bookshelf? What shows are you binge watching right now? In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Leonard and Executive Producer Jesse Lent take your phone calls on what has been offering you an escape during these difficult times.

(9/18/20) Marion Nestle is the Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health at New York University. Her latest book “Let's Ask Marion What You Need to Know about the Politics of Food, Nutrition, and Health” is an insightful collection of her exchanges with environmental advocate Kerry Trueman. Join us for a consideration of the individual, social and global politics of food in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(9/17/20) Since its inception in 1947, the Central Intelligence Agency has been a powerful player on the world stage, operating largely in the shadows to protect American interests. Based on extensive, exclusive interviews with nearly every living CIA director, MSNBC contributor and bestselling author Chris Whipple’s new book “The Spymasters: How the CIA Directors Shape History and the Future” pulls back the curtain on the world’s most elite spy agency. Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at seven decades of CIA activity in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(9/16/20) On March 10, 2015, the tiny country of Andorra, located between France and Spain in the Pyrenees mountains, found itself at the center of one of the most convoluted and outrageous bank robberies in modern history. That was the day that Spanish, American and Andorran government officials shut down Banca Privada d'Andorra in an efforts to destroy the Catalonian Independence Movement. The action caused dozens of innocent bank customers to lose their life savings or face prison time for money laundering crimes they never committed. Join us for a look at what really happened in Andorra in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(9/15/20) Globalization has profoundly shaped the world we live in, yet its rise was neither inevitable nor planned. It is also one of the most contentious issues of our time. While it may have made goods less expensive, it has also sent massive flows of money across borders and shaken the global balance of power. Economist Marc Levinson’s latest book “Outside the Box: How Globalization Changed from Moving Stuff to Spreading Ideas” offers a fresh take on the history of globalization. Join us for a look at the evolution of international trade over the past two centuries in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(9/14/20) Free speech has long been one of American's most revered freedoms. Yet now, more than ever, free speech is reshaping America’s social and political landscape even as it is coming under attack. In his latest book, “The Short Life and Curious Death of Free Speech in America,” bestselling author and former Newsweek columnist Ellis Cose examines how the Constitutional right has been coopted by the wealthy and politically corrupt. Join us for an examination of the state of the First Amendment in America today in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

To those on the left, Donald Trump’s rallies are a Black Mass of American politics with the President summoning the nation’s darkest forces. To his supporters the rallies are a form of pilgrimage; joyous ceremonies that make them feel a part of something bigger than themselves. Based on hundreds of hours of reporting, Carl Hoffman’s new book “Liar's Circus: A Strange and Terrifying Journey Into the Upside-Down World of Trump's MAGA Rallies” aims to understand these strange and powerful happenings and the movement driving them. Join us for a trip through the heart of Trump country in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(9/10/20) The new book “The Perfect Fascist: A Story of Love, Power, and Morality in Mussolini’s Italy” from Moore Collegiate Professor of History at Columbia University Victoria De Grazia pivots from the intimate story of a tempestuous marriage―brilliantly reconstructed through family letters and court records―to a riveting account of Mussolini’s rise and fall. Join us for a look at the seductive appeal of fascism during the time of Italy’s most infamous leader in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(9/9/20) In his latest book “The Deep History of Ourselves: The Four-Billion-Year Story of How We Got Conscious Brains” neuroscientist and Henry And Lucy Moses Professor of Science at NYU Joseph LeDoux digs into the natural history of life on earth to provide a new perspective on the similarities between us and our ancestors in deep time. Join us for a look at how nervous systems evolved in animals, how the brain developed and what exactly it means to be human in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(9/4/20)According to the website Healthline.com, “you can’t go wrong with mushrooms. They’re fat-free, low-sodium, low-calorie, and cholesterol-free. They’re also packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals.” However, if you eat the wrong species of fungi, it’s possible that things could go terribly wrong with mushrooms. In this culinary installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, co-owner of Hudson Valley Mushrooms Demetri Papas and ecologist and writer Steve Gabriel, both active mushroom farmers, pull back the veil on this most mysterious of vegetables.

Over the past six decades, Henry Kissinger has been one of America’s most consistently praised―and reviled―public figures. Diplomatic historian and Distinguished Professor of History Political Science and European Studies at Vanderbilt University Thomas Schwartz’s new book “Henry Kissinger and American Power: A Political Biography” considers whether he was a master strategist or a cold-blooded monster who eroded America’s moral standing for the sake of self-promotion. Join us for a look at a man whose legacy is as complex as the last 60 years of US history itself in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(9/2/20) In an era when racist ideology and violence are again running rampant in the public square, National Book Award–winner Edward Ball’s “Life of a Klansman: A Family History in White Supremacy” offers a personal origin story of white supremacy. This memoir of Edward’s own family tree traces their militant roots in the Old South to their hate-driven actions today. Join us for a hard look at the Ku Klux Klan from the inside out in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

In his latest book “Radical Hamilton: Economic Lessons from a Misunderstood Founder” investigative journalist Christian Parenti reconsiders the history of America’s founding and the men who orchestrated it. A figure whose role in history has been all but rewritten by Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical blockbuster, a new portrait of the revolutionary mind of Alexander Hamilton emerges in this book. Join us for a look at the man beyond the myth in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(8/31/20) CUNY Graduate Center professor Julie C. Suk’s new book “We the Women: The Unstoppable Mothers of the Equal Rights Amendment” is the true story of the women who persisted across generations to change the US Constitution. Join us for a look back at the founding mothers of the ERA and the forgotten female activists who transformed our lives for the better in the name of gender equality in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(8/27/20) The basic premise of journalist and historian Richard Kreitner’s new book “Break It Up: Secession, Division, and the Secret History of America's Imperfect Union” is simple—The United States of America has never lived up to its name and never will. This disunionist impulse may have found its greatest expression in the Civil War, but the seduction of secession wasn’t limited to the South or the 19th century. It was there at our founding and has never gone away. Join us for a revolutionary journey through American history in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(8/18/20)Four teenage boys are high school seniors at two very different schools within the city of Los Angeles, the second largest school district in the nation with nearly 700,000 students. In his latest book, “Show Them You're Good: A Portrait of Boys in the City of Angels the Year Before College” through extensive interviews with the four teens, author Jeff Hobbs captures the joys and challenges of being a young person confronting the future in contemporary America. Join us for a journey through the eyes of a high school senior in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(8/17/20) If there's one thing we know about Donald Trump, it's that he lies. But he's by no means the first president to do so. In his latest book “Lying in State: Why Presidents Lie—And Why Trump is Worse” professor of English and journalism at Brooklyn College and media critic for The Nation Eric Alterman asks how we ended up with such a pathologically dishonest commander in chief. Join us for a look at how we arrived in this age of alternative facts in the final installment of Leonard Lopate at Large’s three-part summer series on WBAI looking back at the presidency of Donald Trump.

Donald Trump's campaign chairman went to jail. So did his personal lawyer. His long-time political consigliere was convicted of serious federal crimes and his national security advisor pled guilty to others. Several Russian spies were indicted in absentia. Yet despite all this, a years-long inquiry led by special counsel Robert Mueller and only the third presidential impeachment in American history, Donald Trump survived to run for re-election. Why? Through dozens of interviews with prosecutors in Mueller's office, the President’s legal team, Congressional investigators, White House staffers and several key players (including some who are now in prison), CNN chief legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin attempts to make sense of the chaos in his latest book “True Crimes and Misdemeanors: The Investigation of Donald Trump.” Join us for a look back at the political crises President Trump faced before the pandemic in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

Richard Nixon tried it first. Hoping to make communist bloc countries uneasy and thus unstable, Nixon let them think he was just crazy enough to nuke them. He called this the madman theory. Nearly half a century later, President Trump has employed his own madman theory, sometimes intentionally and sometimes not. Through interviews with current and former Trump administration officials, CNN chief national security correspondent Jim Sciutto’s book “The Madman Theory: Trump Takes On the World” is the first comprehensive portrait of the impact of the President’s erratic foreign policy as told from the inside. Join us for a look at Donald Trump’s legacy around the globe in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(8/12/20) As demographics in the US shift toward a non-white majority, Americans inspired to vote for the first time will increasingly decide our elections. Grace Lee and Marjan Safinia’s new two-part PBS documentary series “And She Could Be Next” profiles a defiant group of women of color who as candidates and activists are harnessing the political power of this powerful new demographic. Join us for a conversation on the way democracy can be improved with the participation of the nation’s most marginalized peoples in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(8/11/20) “Leave it as it is,” Theodore Roosevelt reportedly declared when gazing across the Grand Canyon for the first time. “The ages have been at work on it and man can only mar it.” Roosevelt’s rallying cry signaled the beginning of a battle that still rages today. To write his latest book “Leave It As It Is: A Journey Through Theodore Roosevelt's American Wilderness,” bestselling author David Gessner set off on a road trip across America guided by Roosevelt’s crusading environmental legacy. Join us for a look at TR’s most enduring legacy—the national parks system—in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(8/10/20)More than a decade after Michael Pollan transformed the conversation about what we eat, a combination of global diet trends and corporate interests have left American agriculture in a state of emergency. In his latest book, “Perilous Bounty: The Looming Collapse of American Farming and How We Can Prevent It” former farmer and food and agriculture correspondent for Mother Jones Tom Philpott exposes the small handful of seed and pesticide corporations, investment funds and magnates who benefit from the practices that are putting our food supply in danger and the farmers and activists who are valiantly pushing back. Join us for a look at how to preserve one of the nation’s most critical resources in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(8/10/20)In 2016, outsider candidate Rodrigo Duterte upset the political establishment in the Philippines by winning the presidency after promising vengeance and violence. Within hours of him taking office, bodies piled up in the streets. Rappler, the country’s top online news site, investigated the murders and revealed a government-sanctioned drug war targeting poor addicts instead of lucrative dealers. In her latest documentary “A Thousand Cuts,” Filmmaker Ramona S. Diaz documents the increasingly dangerous war between the local press and the Philippine government.

(8/6/20) As the centennial of the founding of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) was approaching, the organization asked columnist and contributing editor for Newsweek Ellis Cose to become its first ever writer-in-residence. The result is Ellis’s latest book “Democracy, If We Can Keep It: The ACLU’s 100-Year Fight for Rights in America,” the definitive story of the ACLU but also an essential account of America’s rediscovery of rights supposedly granted but long denied. Join us for the history of the organization's fight for the liberties promised in the Constitution in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(8/3/20) We gravitate toward people like us; it’s human nature. Race, class, and gender shape our social identities, the people we perceive as “like us” or “not like us.” But one overlooked factor can be even more powerful—the way we speak. In her new book “How You Say It: Why You Talk the Way You Do And What It Says About You,” Professor of Psychology at the University of Chicago Katherine D. Kinzler examines how and why the way we talk is central to our social identity. Join us for an examination of this largely overlooked phenomenon in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(7/31/20) "As American school officials debate when it will be safe for schoolchildren to return to classrooms, looking abroad may offer insights,” reads the opening line of Dr. Bob Spires’s article for The Conversation entitled “How other countries reopened schools during the pandemic and what the US can learn from them.” An assistant professor of education at the University of Richmond, Dr. Spires also defines himself as a scholar of comparative international education. Join us for a discussion of how looking at what other countries did right (and wrong) can help officials and administrators learn how to reopen schools safely here at home in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(8/30/20) Before he became a familiar journalistic voice at WNYC or WBAI’s former general manger, Robert Hennelly was national affairs correspondent for Pacifica Network News. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, the Village Voice, the Christian Science Monitor, the Miami Herald, the Detroit Free Press along with dozens of other magazines and newspapers. In his latest appearance on Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Bob discusses his latest reporting on people being kicked out of their homes due to the pandemic and what is being done to help them.

(7/29/20)Back in April, we welcomed Dr. Gerald M. Goldhaber to the show to discuss his new book “Murder, Inc.: How Unregulated Industry Kills or Injures Thousands of Americans Every Year...And What You Can Do About It.” In the months since then, as the coronavirus changed nearly every aspect of American life, Dr. Goldhaber has been speaking out about the link between corporations deliberately targeting communities of color with devious ad campaigns and the way these same communities are now being disproportionately affected by the pandemic. Join us with a reckoning with the cost of American corporatocracy in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

According to two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter James B. Steele, the downward spiral of America’s middle class is no accident. In “America: What Went Wrong?: The Crisis Deepens,” he and longtime colleague Donald L. Barlett describe in vivid detail how Washington and Wall Street have made decisions that enrich the wealthy at the expense of everyone else. An expanded edition of their 1991 bestseller “America: What Went Wrong?,” book now includes a look at how the latest government policies are launching a fresh assault on the average American. Join us for a look at political and corporate America run amok with one of the best-qualified sources on the subject in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(7/23/20) With fake news on Facebook, trolls on Twitter and viral outrage everywhere, it's easy to believe that the Internet changed everything about American politics. But in her latest book “Political Junkies: From Talk Radio to Twitter, How Alternative Media Hooked Us on Politics and Broke Our Democracy” New School for Social Research professor and political historian Claire Bond Potter reveals that the roots of today's dysfunction go back much further. Join us for an exploration of how our media ecosystem got so polluted in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(7/22/20) “Democracy Now” co-host Juan Gonzales has called Monona Rossol a hero for her work in helping to cope with the environmental disaster that arose in lower Manhattan following the tragic events of September, 11, 2001. The chemist, artist, and industrial hygienist is the founder and of Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to providing health and safety services to the arts, and the Health and Safety Director for the Local 829 union of of the United Scenic Artists International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Monona discusses the dangers of reopening workplaces and schools in the wake of the pandemic and how workers and parents can keep themselves and their children safe.

(7/21/20) Julian E. Zelizer’s latest book “Burning Down the House: Newt Gingrich, the Fall of a Speaker, and the Rise of the New Republican Party” is the story of how Congressman Newt Gingrich (Speaker of the House from 1995 to 1999) and his allies tainted American politics, launching the enduring era of brutal partisan warfare that we are still currently experiencing. From the Contract with America to the rise of the Tea Party and the Trump presidential campaign, Gingrich’s fingerprints can be seen throughout the most divisive episodes in contemporary American politics. Join us for an examination of how we got here in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(7/14/20) Regular contributor to the show Pete Muroski of Native Landscapes in Pawling, New York is an expert on just about anything you’d want in your garden. He also knows how to get the most out of your gardening experience while respecting the local ecosystem. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Pete talks about the unique challenges that the pandemic presents.

When, in 1967, self-made millionaire named Paddy Roy Bates inaugurated himself ruler of the Principality of Sealand, a tiny dominion of the high seas, he began the extremely strange, completely true story of Sealand, an indefatigable micronation located on a World War II anti-aircraft gun platform off of the British coast. Dylan Taylor-Lehman’s book “Sealand: The True Story of the World’s Most Stubborn Micronation and Its Eccentric Royal Family” describes how this rogue adventurer seized the disused Maunsell Sea Fort from pirate radio broadcasters, settled his family there and defended their tiny kingdom from UK government officials and armed mercenaries for half a century. Join us for a discussion of the Bates family’s outrageous attempt to build a sovereign kingdom on an isolated platform in shark-infested waters in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

Heather Cox Richardson’s latest book “How the South Won the Civil War: Oligarchy, Democracy, and the Continuing Fight for the Soul of America” traces the story of the American paradox, the competing claims of equality and subordination woven into the nation's fabric and identity. Debunking the myth that the Civil War released the nation from the grip of oligarchy, expunging the sins of the Founding Fathers, it reveals how and why the Old South not only survived in the West but thrived. Join us for a hard look at the enduring evil of the nation’s original sin in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(7/7/20)In the long history of American demagogues, from Huey Long to Donald Trump, never has one caused so much irreparable damage to the country in such a short time as Senator Joseph McCarthy. McCarthyism is a term still used for those making slanderous (and often untrue) charges of guilt by association to destroy their enemies. From 1950 to 1954, McCarthy ended countless careers and even destroyed lives, whipping the nation into a frenzy of paranoia, accusation, loyalty oaths and terror. Join us for a discussion with Larry Tye, whose new book “Demagogue: The Life and Long Shadow of Senator Joe McCarthy” includes an exclusive look at McCarthy’s personal records, in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(7/20/20) Greg Mitchell’s new book “The Beginning or the End: How Hollywood―and America―Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb” chronicles the first efforts of American media and culture to process the Atomic Age. A movie that began as a cautionary tale inspired by atomic scientists aiming to warn the world against a nuclear arms race would be drained of all impact due to revisions and retakes ordered by President Truman and the military—for reasons of propaganda, politics, and petty human vanity (this was Hollywood). Join us for one of the strangest origin stories in the history of moviemaking in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(7/2/20)The new Netflix documentary “Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen” is an unprecedented, eye-opening look at transgender depictions in film and television, revealing how Hollywood simultaneously reflects and manufactures our deepest anxieties about gender. In the film, leading trans activists and icons like Laverne Cox, Lilly Wachowski, Yance Ford, Mj Rodriguez, Jamie Clayton and Chaz Bono share their personal reactions and resistance to some of Hollywood’s most beloved classics. Join us for conversation about “Disclosure” with director Sam Feder along with writer-actress Jen Richards and visiting Yale University Visiting Professor of Women's Gender, and Sexuality Studies Susan Stryker, who are both featured in the documentary, in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(7/1/20) As regular listeners know, there are few building issues that our favorite masters of home repair Alvin and Lawrence Ubell don’t know how to fix. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Larry and Al answer your questions on projects that you can tackle while you’re socially distancing.

(6/29/20)The United States is recognized as the most religiously diverse country in the world. Yet, its laws and customs, which many have come to see as normal features of American life, actually keep the Constitutional ideal of “religious freedom for all” from becoming a reality. In her new book “White Christian Privilege: The Illusion of Religious Equality in America,” Fairleigh Dickinson University professor Dr. Khyati Y. Joshi traces Christianity’s influence on the American experiment from before the founding of the Republic to the social movements of today.

(6/26/20) The new PBS documentary “Unsettled: Seeking Refuge in America” reveals the untold stories of LGBTQ refugees and asylum seekers who have fled persecution from their home countries and are resettling in the US. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, director Tom Shepard is joined by two of the subjects of “Unsettled,” Melanie Nathan and Cheyenne Adriano, for a discussion of the important issues the film examines.

(6/25/20)“Einstein is an example of an inventive and free spirit; yet he still kept his biases,” reads Paris Diderot University professor and researcher Francois Vannucci’s article for The Conversation, “Einstein’s Two Mistakes” He adds, “his ‘first mistake’ can be summed up saying: ‘I refuse to believe in a beginning of the universe.’ However, experiments proved him wrong. His verdict on God playing dice means, ‘I refuse to believe in chance.’ Yet quantum mechanics involves obligatory randomness.” Join us for a refutation of (at least some of) the great physicist’s work in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(6/23/20) Before he became a familiar journalistic voice at WNYC, Robert Hennelly was national affairs correspondent for Pacifica Network News. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, the Village Voice, the Christian Science Monitor, the Miami Herald, the Detroit Free Press along with dozens of other magazines and newspapers. In his latest appearance on Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Bob discusses his new article for InsiderNJ “Thirty Days that Woke America: Can N.J. Finally Own its Own Slavery History?”

The Herbert Fuller, a three-masted sailing ship loaded with New England lumber, left Boston bound for Buenos Aires on July 8, 1896 with 12 people on board. Just before 2am on the vessel’s sixth day at sea, the captain, his wife and the second mate were slaughtered in their quarters. Incredibly, no one saw or heard anything. Gerard Koeppel’s “Not a Gentleman's Work: The Untold Story of a Gruesome Murder at Sea and the Long Road to Truth” is the story of the fates of two vastly different men whose lives intersected briefly on one horrific voyage at sea. Join us for a maritime murder mystery more than 100 years in the making in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

(6/15/20) Herman J. (1897–1953) and Joseph L. Mankiewicz (1909–1993) wrote, produced, and directed over 150 pictures. Herman wrote the screenplay for “Citizen Kane” with Orson Welles, sharing the honors for the film’s only Academy Award. While Joe earned two of his four Oscars for writing and directing 1950 Best Picture winner “All About Eve.” Despite triumphs as diverse as “Monkey Business” and “Cleopatra,” “Pride of the Yankees and “Guys and Dolls,” the brothers spent their Hollywood years deeply discontented and yearning for what they did not have―a career in New York theater. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Sydney Ladensohn Stern discusses writing the first-ever portrait of these two legends of the silver screen in her book “The Brothers Mankiewicz: Hope, Heartbreak, and Hollywood Classics.”

In his new book The Ages of Globalization: Geography, Technology, and Institutions” economist Jeffrey D. Sachs turns to world history to shed light on how we can meet the global challenges of the 21st century. Along the way, he considers how the interplay of geography, technology and institutions influenced the Neolithic revolution, the role of the horse in the emergence of empires, the spread of large fiefdoms in the classical age and the rise of industrialism. Join us for a look at the effects of globalism past and present in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

What happens when a third of the electorate refuses to abandon President Trump, no matter what he does? In his latest book “Trumpocalypse: Restoring American Democracy,” conservative political commentator and former George W. Bush speechwriter David Frum posits that a huge swath of America has put their faith in Donald Trump and Donald Trump only, because they see the rest of the country building a future that doesn’t have a place for them. According to David, those voters aren’t looking for policy wins. They’re seeking cultural revenge. Join us for a hard look at our national politics in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

Before he became a familiar journalistic voice across New York City’s radio dial, Bob Hennelly was national affairs correspondent for Pacifica Network News. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, the Village Voice, the Christian Science Monitor, the Miami Herald, the Detroit Free Press along with dozens of other magazines and newspapers. In his latest appearance on Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Bob talks about the harrowing process of reopening sections of the country as COVID-19 continues to claim hundreds of lives daily and examines the ways that economic inequality and structural racism have made things much worse.

Do you ever notice odd patterns in the meaning or spelling of similar words? Kathryn and Ross Petras have too. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, our favorite language experts discuss their new book “Awkword Moments: A Lively Guide to the 100 Terms Smart People Should Know.”

The 1919 Elaine race massacre, despite possibly being the worst race riot in our country’s history, has been widely unknown for the better part of a century. In 2008, when the Episcopal Church formally apologized for its role in transatlantic slavery and related evils, J. Chester Johnson was asked to write the Litany of Offense and Apology for what was to be a National Day of Repentance. In his research, Johnson came upon a treatise by historian and anti-lynching advocate Ida B. Wells on the Elaine massacre, where more than 100 (and possibly hundreds) of African-American men, women and children perished at the hands of white posses, vigilantes and federal troops in rural Phillips County, Arkansas. His new book “Damaged Heritage: The Elaine Race Massacre and A Story of Reconciliation” not only investigates what happened in Phillips County on that terrible day but examines the ways that the past is still with us. Join us for the untold story of the Elaine Race Massacre in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

Cynthia Kinahan owns Pawling Bread Co, a bakery revered for their fresh sourdough loaves and black–sesame-stuffed croissants. Born in Malaysia, Cynthia discovered the allure of American cuisine after college, as she explained to the food blog Edible Husdon Valley back in 2018. Drawn to baking though her interest in American bread, eventually she began selling her goods at the Pawling Farmers’ Market where her baked goods quickly earned a large, loyal following. Jim Lahey thought he was going to be a sculptor. After noticing he couldn't find bread in New York like the beautiful, crusty loaves he ate in Italy while traveling there as an art student, he took it upon himself to recreate those loaves. In 1994, he opened Sullivan Street Bakery in the West Village, which now has locations in Hell’s Kitchen, Chelsea and Miami. In 2015, his work at Sullivan Street earned him the first-ever James Beard Award for Outstanding Baker in 2015. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Cynthia and Jim compare notes on their baking philosophies, running a bakery and how COVID-19 has changed everything.

Roee Messinger’s new film “American Trial: The Eric Garner Story” is an unscripted courtroom drama imagining the trial that never happened involving Daniel Pantaleo, an NYPD officer videotaped administering a fatal chokehold on Staten Island resident Eric Garner in 2014. The video, in which Garner repeatedly called out “I can’t breathe!” has become a rallying cry against police brutality and the murder of unarmed black people at the hands of law enforcement. In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, Eric Garner’s widow Esaw Snipes-Garner, who appears in the film, joins director Roee Messinger and executive producer Ralph Richardson for a conversation about "American Trial" and the horrific events that inspired it.

Don and Mimi Galvin appeared to be living the American dream. After World War II, Don's work with the Air Force brought them to Colorado, where their 12 children perfectly spanned the baby boom—the oldest born in 1945, the youngest in 1965. But behind their idyllic profile there were psychological breakdowns, sudden outbursts of violence and clandestine abuse. By the mid-1970s, six of the 10 Galvin boys were diagnosed as schizophrenic. Robert Kolker’s latest book “Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family” documents the life of a family that seemed to carry an unfathomable burden. Join us for a discussion of the story that inspired the book in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

In his latest graphic novel “The Dairy Restaurant” writer and New Yorker cartoonist Ben Katchor retells the history of where we choose to eat—a history that starts with the first man who was allowed to enter a walled garden and encouraged by the garden's owner to enjoy its fruits. He also examines the historical confluence of events and ideas that led to the development of a “milekhdike (dairy) personality” and the proliferation of Jewish dairy restaurants in America before they mostly disappeared. Join us for a look at the role that the dairy restaurant has played in America’s culinary landscape in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

Former Minnesota Attorney General and environmental attorney Barbara Freese stared corporate denial in the face when cross-examining coal industry witnesses over a decade ago who were disputing the science of climate change. The experience inspired her to research all of the damage that corporate denial had caused in recent years. The resulting book, “Industrial-Strength Denial: Eight Stories of Corporations Defending the Indefensible, from the Slave Trade to Climate Change” is a sobering look at the dynamics of delusion and public deception. Join us for a conversation with Barbara Freese on the dangers of misinformation at the hands of powerful companies in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

How much is a human life worth? The calculations that that corporations and governments use to generate such a horrific number are often buried in technical language, yet they influence our economy, laws, behaviors, policies, health and safety. Howard Steven Friedman’s new book “Ultimate Price: The Value We Place on Life” explains in simple terms how economists and data scientists at corporations, regulatory agencies and insurance companies develop and use these price tags and examines their limitations. Join us for a discussion of the price of life in the free market with Howard Steven Friedman in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.