It’s often said that the English language is the hardest to learn. What makes English so strange and why does it seem that the language was created without any plan or rules? We’ll find out this hour with Seth Lerer, Avalon Professor in the Humanities at Stanford University and author of “Inventing English: A Portable […]
Got pets? Jon Katz does – four dogs, four donkeys, a cat, several chickens, a herd of sheep, and a giant steer named Elvis – although he considers some of them livestock. Katz, who frequently writes about his menagerie for the online magazine Slate, will be our guest this hour. His latest book about the […]
In the late 60s, Dr. Kenneth Cooper changed the way Americans approach exercise with the release of his book “Aerobics.” Now he hopes to help Texas school children revitalize their health with the Fitnessgram, a multi-platform physical fitness evaluation that Texas schools will implement in the coming year. Dr. Cooper will join us this evening […]
Is there a path to peace? Where does it begin? According to the organizers of the 3rd International Women’s Peace Conference – in Dallas this week, “the power to make peace happen begins with you.” We’ll spend this hour with Professor Jody Williams, founding Coordinator of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, who was awarded […]
What would motivate a “sweet, soft-spoken nurse” to begin murdering her patients? Skip Hollandsworth waited years to find out. He interviewed Nocona nurse Vickie Dawn Jackson for his current Texas Monthly cover story “Angel of Death.” Hollandsworth will be our guest this hour.
When did American Cuisine begin and where is it headed? Ask Andrew F. Smith. He’s written about turkeys, popcorn, ketchup, and junk food. He serves as the Chair of The Culinary Trust and teaches culinary history at the New School in Manhattan. He’s the editor of the “Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America” […]
The legacy of slavery left behind many complicated stories, relationships and places – including unmarked cemeteries. While researching her family history, author and activist China Galland uncovered such a cemetery in East Texas. We’ll explore slavery’s difficult history and the paths to reconciliation this hour with Galland, whose new book is “Love Cemetery: Unburying the […]
Is the military running short on doctors in Iraq and Afghanistan? According to Mother Jones Magazine, the U.S. Army has only 4,200 physicians on active duty worldwide. We’ll spend this hour with Dr. Kevin Patterson, an emergency room doctor who put himself through medical school by serving in the Canadian Army. Patterson’s article on his […]
Do you love your neighborhood? Consider yourself lucky. As society becomes more centered on the individual, many worry that neighborhoods are becoming less… well neighborly. Jay Walljasper, Senior Fellow of the Project for Public Spaces, hopes to reverse that trend. He’ll join us this hour to discuss “The Great Neighborhood Book: A Do-it-Yourself Guide to […]
Remember the Alamo? Of course you do. But what about Goliad? Just weeks after the more famous battle in present-day downtown San Antonio, Goliad marked the deaths of more than 340 Texans and the nadir in the struggle for independence from Mexico. We’ll revisit the battles this hour with William R. Bradle, author of “Goliad: […]
