I was listening to two different shows today and I could not have learned what I learned from any other source. One of "On Point" with the great Tom Ashbrook interviewing an author I'd never heard of about their latest book. Now, I know I'm about to reinforce every stereotype you have about NPR and its listeners...but, stick with me...you might learn something.
The first was about life stages and Literature and how each informs the other throughout history. You can listen here (http://onpoint.wbur.org/2011/03/10/life-stages-literature ). The author is also a professor (typical NPR listener) who has published Morning, Noon, and Night. His name is Arnold Weinstein. He even sounds liberal, no? Anywho...it was a magnificent interview in which I remembered fondly so many literary characters, authors and the impact they continue to have on me as I grow older...praise be to Toni Morrison and Shakespeare and Mark Twain. Praise be to reading quietly and living loudly.
The second program was on Talk of the Nation. You can listen here (http://www.npr.org/2011/03/10/134428733/Spouses-Dementia-Leaves-Poet-A-Strange-Relation ). The book is entitled Strange Relations, by Rutgers Professor (another one) and poet Rachel Hadas. Her husband has a rare kind of dementia and she has returned to poetry to help deal with the grief of losing her husband slowly. It was a warm interview, full of good information and a wonderful reminder of what "until Death do Us part" really means...plus, you always get good callers on these shows. They aren't ditto heads...they have their own experiences and opinions. It reminds me every single day that not everyone in America is a moron.
The last one is extraordinarily simple--I love pie....and Pi.
http://www.npr.org/2011/03/09/134367508/celebrating-the-pies-of-march
also...there is this...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.npr.org/2011/03/10/134425095/carolina-chocolate-drops-folk-meets-the-beatbox