An early spring thaw is good news if you live in a snow belt state. But it's not just the snow mound at the bottom of the driveway that's melting right now – the polar ice caps are melting too. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, stories from the lands of snow and ice. What do we...Read more
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Episode Archives
What makes a great school? Is it the quality of teaching, class size, or the curriculum? When it comes to school reform, everyone seems to have an opinion. Today, we're rethinking schools and the way we teach.Read more
"Life resembles a novel more often than novels resemble life." -- George SandRead more
Thirty years ago, the Iranian Revolution rocked the Middle East and upended the country's cozy relationship with America. We'll take stock of Iran three decades later as we examine the country and it's culture through music, film and politics. Also Salman Rushdie reflects back on "The Satanic...Read more
A car accident at twenty-one left John Callahan paralyzed. He’s become a very successful cartoonist -- poking fun at disabilities and the idiosyncrasies of life. His work has been described as “rude, shocking, tasteless, and depraved” – by his fans. Next time on To...Read more
It’s Oscar season and Hollywood is once again celebrating the best films of the year. It would seem that we're a nation obsessed with movies. As a country, we spend billions of dollars to watch them every year, and celebrate them with a variety of awards ceremonies. But what separates a...Read more
When Charles Mingus died, his widow took his ashes to India and scattered them in the Ganges. But that wasn’t the end. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, Sue Mingus talks about the legacy of her late husband’s music: his spirituality, his anger, and his love. Also, a conversation...Read more
After World War Two, existentialism was all the rage in the U.S.A. College students rebelled by smoking European cigarettes and wearing black clothes and berets. Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus felt that Americans were too self-confident and superficial to accept this dark, brooding...Read more
Patty Loveless is a coal miner’s daughter. And a country singer, just like her distant cousin Loretta Lynn. When Patty Loveless’ father contracted black lung disease the family had to move to Louisville, Kentucky – so Patty’s dad could receive medical attention. In this hour of To the Best of...Read more
Outlet malls are America's number-one travel destination. They get more visitors every year than Times Square, Disney World and the Grand Canyon combined. We definitely have a lust for low prices. But this discount culture comes with a high cost. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, we'...Read more
Welcome to the next generation of African writers. They’re young, multi-lingual, and breaking out of all the old literary boxes. This hour, why Africa has one of the most exciting literary scenes on the planet.Read more
Homer called salt a divine substance. Salt taxes built empires across Europe and Asia. They even sparked a revolution. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, why salt is no ordinary rock. We’ll tell you how it’s changed the course of history. Also, the...Read more
Hillary Clinton once described herself as a "Rorschach test." People see in her what they want, whether they love her or hate her. In this hour of To the Best Of Our Knowledge we'll talk about the complicated feelings many women have about Hillary, her marriage to Bill, and whether it's possible...Read more
Do you ever get the feeling that everyone's reading all the same books and listening to all the same music, and seeing all the same films? Maybe there's a reason why. New York and Los Angeles account for only a fraction of landmass when it comes to the continental United States...Read more
Brutal storms, rising seas, drought... you've seen the headlines. Our climate changed future seems pretty scary. But do all the messages about climate catastrope keep people from taking action to slow carbon emmissions or prepare for changing weather? What would happen if we...Read more
His critics called him a war criminal. Robert McNamara himself has said the Vietnam War was a colossal mistake. So should he take the blame for leading America’s war in Vietnam? In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, filmmaker Errol Morris talks about war and morality... and his...Read more
The way we think about animals often defies logic. In America, dogs may sleep on our beds, but in Korea, they often end up on the dinner plate. Some people may be horrified by a pet boa constrictor's appetite for live mice, but a cat that roams outside is a far deadlier killer. And...Read more
It’s the only musical instrument that’s played without being touched – the theremin. You’ve probably heard its eerie sound in movies like Hitchcock’s “Spellbound” or on the Beach Boys’ hit “Good Vibrations.” In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, the intriguing life of the instrument’s...Read more
Mimi Sheraton loves bialys - those Jewish crusty roles with the toasted onion center. She picks one up every morning from her local Manhattan bakery. Sheraton set out to visit the Polish town of Bialystock to find the people who invented this magical bread. But the thriving town of 50,000 didn’t...Read more
Let boys be boys. It's a hard thing to do today with concern over violence in schools and the seeming violence of boys' play. But what if, thanks to our culture of fear, boys are slipping through the cracks? In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, we take a look at the inner world of...Read more
The Buena Vista Social Club made history as the top-selling record in world music. It also put Cuban music on center stage, and sparked a brisk tourist trade to Cuba. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, we’ll talk with Ry Cooder, the mastermind behind Buena Vista Records. Also, why...Read more
Imagine a country where Islam is the dominant religion but Christians, Jews and Muslims still live together peacefully – a place where philosophers from all three religions talk and debate openly. Well, there was once such a culture in the Middle Ages. For centuries, Al Andalus was the beacon of...Read more
Sure you get to throw a great party and drink lots of champagne, but once the celebration’s over the grueling work of marriage begins. It’s hard to believe in the fairy tale any more with so many divorces. If Cinderella were around today, she might just shack up with Prince Charming and keep...Read more
