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To The Best Of Our Knowledge

Anne Karpf tells Steve Paulson our voices communicate all sorts of things, which listeners can understand even if they don't speak the same language.

To The Best Of Our Knowledge

Though names like Mother Ann Lee and Charles Fourier are not names that ring a bell for most today, they founded two of the most influential utopian movements in US history. 19th Century communes like the Shakers and Brook Farm are gone today their legacy – politically and culturally, are all around us.  Chris Jennings is the author of “Paradise Now: The Story of American Utopianism.” Steve Paulson sat down with Jennings and asked him about what is now a dirty word, utopia.

To The Best Of Our Knowledge

In his new book “Better Living Through Criticism,” A.O. Scott distills his decades-long career into a simple to read manifesto that not only explains the qualities of a good critic, but argues their fundamental importance to any culture.

To The Best Of Our Knowledge

Albert Glinsky is the author of “Theremin: Ether Music and Espionage.” The book is a biography of Leon Theremin and a history of the instrument that bears his name.

To The Best Of Our Knowledge

Amy Borkowsky’s mother leaves unbelievable messages on her answering machine.  She tells Steve Paulson that what her mother does is based on love and her devotion to the role of mother.

To The Best Of Our Knowledge

Ani Pachen is a Tibetan nun who became a warrior after the Chinese invaded.  With Adelaide Donnelley, she’s written her story in a book called “Sorrow Mountain: The Journey of a Tibetan Warrior Nun.”

To The Best Of Our Knowledge

What have the recent leaks about the NSA's surveillance program have revealed? Computer scientist and independent scholar Susan Landau gives us her perspective, and weighs in on the questions of inquiries, and checks and balances.

You can also hear our extended conversation with Landau.

To The Best Of Our Knowledge

What's the perfect drug for a culture of distraction? Adderall. Sales of the prescription drug have increased exponentially and not always legally, especially to young adults. Casey Schwartz spent her twenties gulping down prescription stimulants to help her get through school and start her career.  She wrote about her experience in a story for "The New York Times Magazine" called "Generation Adderall."

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