It’s a mob scene in Madison, Wisconsin as novelist Mark Winegardner reveals the new Godfather. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge our yearly stage show at the Wisconsin Book Festival. Guests also include singer/songwriter Jane Siberry and the humor writers from The Onion.
This...Read more
Ever wonder what it’s like behind on the scenes on TTBOOK? Being in studio while the energy and imagination of Sherman Alexie bounces off the wall? Or watching E.O. Wilson, one of the world’s preeminent biologists unfold the beauty of his mind and the ideas that keep him in love with the world...Read more
"Let me say this as plainly as I can" President Obama said recently, "By August 31, 2010, our combat mission in Iraq will end." Obama's plan will bring home some 150,000 troops. But what are they coming home to? Their divorce rate is triple the national average. Alcoholism, four times the...Read more
Cult film director John Waters has been described as the "Pope of filth" and the "King of Trash." To put it mildly, his films have, well, transgressed the boundaries of good taste. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, pushing the limits in film with John Waters. We'll...Read more
*With his black Fedora hat Jack Abramoff became the symbol of everything that’s corrupt about government. But now he’s out of prison and seeking atonement. Join us for a candid interview with former lobbyist Jack Abramoff. How do we as a society deal with the...Read more
What makes a scientific revolution? Thomas Kuhn said it’s when a new paradigm blows the old scientific model out of the water. Fifty years later, we examine Kuhn's legacy, and talk with iconoclastic scientist Rupert Sheldrake, who says science is mired in untested dogmas. Also, stories of two...Read more
There are about 675 species of native birds in North America. To win the most demanding and prestigious birdwatching competition in the country you have to see ALL of them. And then some. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, die-hard birders compete in “The Big Year.” Also, we’ll...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
Look at the bright side. Keep a positive attitude. Pull yourself up by your own boot straps. If you set your mind on it, you can do anything. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, a rosy view of optimism and wishful thinking. And for you cynics? A look at the positive power of...Read more
Science is moving out of the lab and into the pages of literary fiction. This week, we introduce the “Lab Lit” movement and talk about why fiction needs more realistic portrayals of scientists and science cultureRead more
As a boy in northwest Ohio during the 1930's, Donald Richie spent a lot of time watching movies about exciting new worlds. So it seems only fitting that Donald Richie went on to live in a different world. For the past 50 years he’s lived in Japan, and has established a reputation as one the of...Read more
Physicist Brian Greene sees an elegant universe – one where even baking a batch of cookies can yield surprising lessons about the fabric of the universe, or watching an egg splatter suggests a model for the Big Bang theory. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, thoughts from one of the...Read more
There are people in the world who love books – and there are people who would kill for books. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, the pleasures and perils of book collecting. We’ll go on the road with veteran book buyers Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone. And, we’ll meet...Read more
How do you win friends and influence people if you're an immigrant from Leningrad who's bullied at school? You write your way to friendship. That's what Gary Shteyngart did. We meet him in this hour as we explore creative writing. Also, the connection between alcohol and creativity. And how...Read more
Do you believe in magic? In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge we’ll talk with some people who do. Join us for a conversation with America’s favorite witch – Starhawk. And uncover your own inner wizard! What Merlin, Dumbledore and Gandalf have to teach us all about living a life...Read more
There are children who seem to be re-born into new families, while remembering specific and verifiable things about their former lives. It may be coincidence, or imagination, but some of their stories will curl your hair! In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, a search for...Read more
What’s your billion dollar idea? You know, the one that’s going to change the world? America’s the land of invention, right? And it’s that can-do spirit that makes this country great. But America’s no longer the global innovation giant it once was.
Where have you gone, Thomas Edison?Read more
According to George Bernard Shaw, the seven deadly sins are food, clothing, firing, rent, taxes, respectability and children. This time on To the Best of Our Knowledge, we’ll explore the more traditional Seven Deadly Sins. Musician Joe Jackson will tell us how lust, gluttony and the other sins...Read more
What does it take to become a U.S. president? Driving ambition, of course, but what else? We'll dissect a few presidents - from Lincoln and LBJ to Obama - and consider the chances of a female president in 2016.Read more
Light has long been a powerful metaphor for holiness and truth, and rightly so. From the stars in the sky to the bulbs in our homes, light touches every facet of human life. This hour, a look at the natural, artificial, and symbolic light that colors our history -- and our future....Read more
Whatever happened to psychoanalysis? It used to be the most influential science of the mind, but today its founder, Sigmund Freud, just looks like a sex-obsessed old man. Analyst Adam Phillips says we got Freud all wrong; he remains a radical thinker if we know how to read him. This hour...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