books

This Week In Olympia, EcoConsumers And Colum McCann

Weekday — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:00:00 +0000

This Week In Olympia
Budget talks between state lawmakers have reached into a second special legislative session. Everett Herald reporter Jerry Cornfield joins us with a look at what’s happening this week in Olympia.

An Ecologically Responsible Summer
Ah, summer. Fire up the grill. Mow the lawn. Sprinkle the garden. Breathe in the AC. Wait! Is there a way to do all this in an ecologically friendly way? We get advice from Tom Watson, EcoConsumer.

"TransAtlantic" Author Colum McCann
Bestselling author Colum McCann talks about his new novel "TransAtlantic."

Patent Trolls, Dinosaurs, And The Golden Age Of Radio

Weekday — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 17:00:00 +0000

Patent Trolls Explained
This week President Obama proposed a series of reforms to crack down on “patent trolls.” One proposal would require patent holders to disclose their ties to other companies. We talk with professor Sean O’Connor of the University of Washington School of Law about whether or not patent trolls can be tamed by Congress.

New Science Meets Our Favorite Dinosaurs
The creatures that have run, soared, slithered, paddled, pulsed and gyrated across water, sea and sky captivate our imaginations. Continuing research brings new theories, new data and new fossils to study. Brian Sweetek writes about our evolving understanding in “My Beloved Brontosaurus: On the Road with Old Bones, New Science, and Our Favorite Dinosaurs.”

Radio Retrospective: Who Played It Better?
Shows like “The Shadow” and “The Lone Ranger” had decade long runs during radio’s Golden Age. If an actor playing the title role resigned, executives hired someone new to play the part. Who played it better? We attempt to answer that question by listening to different actors playing the same role.

Recommended Eating
Food writer Sara Dickerman joins us with a lunch recommendation. Prefer to cook for yourself? She also has a pick for a great cookbook!

The State Of Mariners Baseball, And Khaled Hosseini

Weekday — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 16:00:00 +0000

What’s The Fate Of The M’s Leadership?
Five years ago, Seattle Mariners’ General Manager Jack Zduriencik was hired to completely revamp a struggling franchise. Half a decade on, progress has been hard to find. The team is sitting near the bottom of their division. They’ve scored the second fewest runs in the American League. And their core of young hitters has been a huge disappointment. Weekday discusses the future of the Mariners with help from Larry Stone, who covers major league baseball for The Seattle Times.

Khaled Hosseini: "And The Mountains Echoed"
In 2003, Afghan-born author Khaled Hosseini set the literary world ablaze with his best-selling novel “The Kite Runner.” Along with his 2007 follow-up “A Thousand Splendid Suns,” Hosseini has sold more than 38 million books around the world. His latest novel, “And The Mountains Echoed,” which spans six decades and several continents, tells the story of an Afghan family torn apart by time and distance. Told from the perspective of many characters, the sprawling narrative delves deep into what it means to be bonded by family.

Nancy Pearl On Biography

Weekday — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 17:00:00 +0000

Book commentator Nancy Pearl recommends her favorite biographies: David McCullough's "Mornings on Horseback," Robert Massie's "Catherine the Great," and Robert Caro's "The Years of Lyndon Johnson."

News From Olympia, Kyle MacLachlan, And "The Boys In The Boat"

Weekday — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 16:00:00 +0000

This Week In Olympia
The state legislature begins week four of the special session today. Everett Herald reporter Jerry Cornfield joins us with a look at what to expect.

An Interview With Actor Kyle MacLachlan
“Who Killed Laura Palmer?” You may remember that phrase from the 1990 TV show "Twin Peaks" – which was set and filmed here in the Northwest. The short-lived series was a cultural phenomenon during its two year run – due in part to eccentric FBI agent Dale Cooper, played memorably by Yakima-native Kyle MacLachlan. In the 1980s, MacLachlan began his career starring in the David Lynch films "Dune" and "Blue Velvet." His other credits include "The Doors," "Showgirls," "Sex and the City" and "Desperate Housewives." More recently, he’s portrayed the mayor of Portland, in the sketch comedy series "Portlandia."

"The Boys In The Boat" Author Daniel James Brown
In 1936, as the US was starting to recover from the Great Depression, a group of University of Washington students won the right to represent the country at the Berlin Olympic Games. The story of how the Husky varsity crew team beat the competition and took home a gold medal has become legend in rowing circles. Writer Daniel James Brown looks behind the news event to the story of how this group of young men came together as a unified crew.

Dance Of The Planets, SuperFly Films, And War's Aftermath

Weekday — Thu, 30 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Dance Of The Planets
If you’ve looked up to the night sky lately you might have noticed the three brightest planets in our solar system, Venus, Jupiter and Mercury, orbiting close to each other. If not, this might be your last chance for a while to see “The Dance of Planets.” UW astronomy lecturer Toby Smith explains to us why the rotation of planets is significant and what other astronomical phenomenon we can watch for this year.

Art Of Our City
SuperFly Film making at the Seattle International Film Festival is a program that pairs up adult mentors with school-aged aspiring filmmakers. Many local filmmakers say the program helped launch their careers. This year’s crop of young filmmakers will screen their work on Saturday evening. Find out how 12-year-old Solomon and his mentor BC Campbell worked together.

The Mission Is Never Over
Ten years ago on May 1, 2003, President George W. Bush declared major combat over in Iraq. That wasn’t accurate and according to Captain Ed Hrivnak, retired Air Force Flight Nurse, the announcement had a deep seated psychological impact on the troops serving. Hrivnak has written "Wounded," a book based on the journal he kept while caring for wounded servicemen at the start of the invasion of Iraq.

Surviving A Perilous Atlantic Rowing Adventure

the conversation with ross reynolds — Wed, 29 May 2013 19:07:42 +0000

University of Puget Sound graduate Jordan Hanssen and three other men attempted to row a boat 3,569 miles across the Atlantic from Senegal to Miami. The journey would have set a Guinness World Record for the longest unassisted, human-powered row — had they made it. But the boat capsized, and the rowers were rescued by the Coast Guard. Ross Reynolds interviews Hanssen about the adventure.

Are The Rich Undeserving?

the conversation with ross reynolds — Tue, 28 May 2013 18:59:40 +0000

Do Americans feel that the proper measures are in place to deal with economic inequality in the United States? Ross Reynolds sits down with author Leslie McCall for a conversation about economics in America and her new book, "The Undeserving Rich: American Beliefs About Inequality, Opportunity, And Redistribution."

Why The Color Pink Calms Prison Inmates With Adam Alter

Rachel Solomon — Fri, 24 May 2013 03:00:00 +0000

Pepto-Bismol pink is a color sometimes used in prisons to calm inmates. People with names that start with K are more likely to donate to victims of Hurricane Katrina than Hurricane Rita. Professional cyclists pedal faster when people are watching.

A variety of external factors influence our thoughts, feelings, and decisions, says Adam Alter, a professor of psychology at NYU and the author of “Drunk Tank Pink: And Other Unexpected Forces that Shape How We Think, Feel, and Behave.”

He spoke about the degree to which our environment shapes who we are at Seattle’s Town Hall on April 2, 2013.

Boy Scouts Vote, Nancy Pearl On Summer Reads And Home Repair With Roger Faris

Weekday — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Boy Scouts of America Vote On Gay Scouts
Leaders of the Boy Scouts of America are gathered in Texas for a historic vote to decide whether gay youth can participate in the Scouts. Former Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna is an Eagle Scout and executive vice president of the Chief Seattle Council of the BSA. He joins us from Dallas.

Nancy Pearl Recommends Summer Books
What should you be reading on airplanes, road trips, while lounging on the beach or unwinding during those long summer evenings? Nancy Pearl has a few recommendations to keep your mind and spirit entertained during the summer months.

Home Repair Advice With Roger Faris
How’s your home holding up? Maybe you have some projects you have been meaning to get to. Get help this morning from home repair expert Roger Faris who will be on hand to take your calls at 206.543.5869 around 9:30 a.m. You can also email your questions right now to weekday@kuow.org.