Mark Kurlansky tells Steve Paulson that salt made food a tradable commodity and that it inspired revolutions from India to France. Because people have to have salt, governments want to control and tax it.
Intelligent. Optimistic. Curious.
Audio
Jane Scott, recently retired as the rock critic of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, talks about meeting Jimi Hendrix and Paul McCartney, and not meeting Elvis.
Joelle Fraser wrote a memoir called “The Territory of Men.” She talks about her parents who did their best, despite pre-Women’s Lib conditioning and alcoholism.
Richard Davidson is a neuro-psychologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a longtime friend of the Dalai Lama. He tells Steve Paulson about observing contemplatives with a brain scanner.
Jeffrey Eugenides won the Pulitzer Prize for his novel “Middlesex.” He tells Steve Paulson why he chose to use a hermaphrodite as his narrator.
Ahhh, the sound of grizzly bears fighting over salmon in a tidal pool. Incredible! When you listen to those grizzly bears you are listening to one of the greatest, if not thee greatest, resource American has. It’s land. William Cronon says our land IS who we are. So it makes since, that in the 19th century a bold and visionary invention was created: the National Park. Cronon told Steve Paulson that National Parks are America's greatest invention.
John Strausbaugh says blackface (and whiteface) have long histories in this country and helped Americans learn to live with each other.
Liz Mermin tells Anne Strainchamps that her film, "The Beauty Academy of Kabul", chronicles the efforts of some Afghan women to maintain a little independence and earn a little money.
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