Reader's Corner

John Dvorak, author of "Mask of the Sun"

12 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

With the 2017 total solar eclipse less than two weeks away, excitement is reaching a fever pitch in Idaho and other places across the country where th...

Award-winning Writer Shawn Vestal On His Debut Novel "Daredevils"

21 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

This interview was originally broadcast in March, 2017

Why General MacArthur And President Truman Clashed In The Early 1950's

07 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

This program was originally broadcast in March, 2017.

A Fascinating Look Into "Stalin's Last American Spy" With Author Kati Marton

24 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

What does it take for someone with seemingly every advantage in life to turn on their friends, their family and their country, all in the name of a ca...

Navigating "The Road To Character" With NY Times Columnist David Brooks

10 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Every once in a while, you come across individuals who make you feel better just for having encountered them. As today’s guest, David Brooks, puts i...

Charles Fountain On Why The 1919 World Series Scandal Was The Birth Of Modern Baseball

26 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

This program was originally broadcast in May of 2016

Why Americans May Not Want Another Great President, With Aaron David Miller

05 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Washington, Lincoln and FDR are revered as leaders who helped shape the course of history. They are often referred to as “great” presidents. But i...

Author J.D. Vance On "Hillbilly Elegy" And A Culture In Crisis

21 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Following one of the most divisive and contentious elections in history, it is easy to say that we are a nation in cultural crisis. But what does that...

Mary Ellen Hannibal, author of "Citizen Scientist"

14 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In our complex and data driven world, scientists are facing a major challenge to understand and document plant and animal species that may be in the p...

How Winston Churchill Became "Hero Of The Empire"

07 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

This program was originally broadcast in December, 2016.

Dr. Leonard Sax On What He Sees As "The Collapse Of Parenting"

24 Mar 2017

Contributed by Lukas

As anyone with children, or grandchildren, knows, parenting isn’t easy. Children and adolescents are growing up in a complex and connected world whe...

"The Revised Fundamentals Of Caregiving" Author Jonathan Evison Will Visit 2017 Storyfort

10 Mar 2017

Contributed by Lukas

This is an encore of this interview which was first aired in March of 2015.

Author Sy Montgomery On Octopuses And Animal Consciousness

25 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

What’s it like to be an octopus? Is it anything like being a human? Is it even possible to know?

How Voters And Historians View Presidential Greatness With Robert W. Merry

17 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Two hundred and twenty-eight years ago this April, George Washington took the oath of office as the first president of the United States. Since then, ...

Author Peter Bergen On Domestic Terrorism In The "United States Of Jihad"

10 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Domestic terrorism has taken many forms since the horrific events of September 11th. From these disparate acts, a sinister pattern of domestic terrori...

How ISIS Came To Be A Worldwide Threat With Author Joby Warrick

21 Jan 2017

Contributed by Lukas

These days, the terrorist organization known as ISIS has much of the world on high alert. How this happened is the subject of a book by today’s gues...

Matthew Palmer And His Book "The Wolf Of Sarajevo"

30 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Novelists do their best to take you inside the worlds they create for their narratives and characters. Matthew Palmer, has lived inside his novels as ...

Lynn Sherr Tells The Story Of The First American Woman In Space, Sally Ride

23 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

When Sally Ride flew into orbit aboard the space shuttle Challenger in 1983, she made history. As the first American woman in space, Ride helped chang...

A True Story Of Cold War Espionage With Author David E. Hoffman

16 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

At the height of the Cold War, a seemingly unassuming Soviet electronics engineer reached out to several Americans he encountered in Moscow and offere...

Interview With Jim Rasenberger About His Book "The Brilliant Disaster"

09 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

The recent death of Fidel Castro has once again placed Cuba in the spotlight as the world remembers the fiery dictator who sparred with 11 US Presiden...

Historian John Bieter On The People, Land And Myths Of The Owyhee Canyonlands

25 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Owyhee County is Idaho’s second largest county and yet one of its least populated. Despite its emptiness, Owyhee County has a rich history, one that...

Author Tim Egan On The Life Of "Immortal Irishman," Thomas Meagher

11 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

In the 1840s, a million Irish citizens died of starvation during what became known as the “Great Hunger.” Taking up the desperate cause of his cou...

Maureen Corrigan On The Significance Of "The Great Gatsby"

28 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Many of us remember reading The Great Gatsby in our high school English class – and not exactly loving it. What was it about this slim novel by F. S...

Author Martin Ford Discusses Technology Undermining Human Labor

14 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine a world where you are driven to work by a driverless car, your morning news is written by a computer, and your lunch is prepared by a robot. I...

Recounting The 1915 Sinking Of The SS Eastland With Author Michael McCarthy

30 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

On a summer morning in July 1915, thousands of poor factory workers lined the Chicago docks, waiting to board ships for the much anticipated annual pi...

"Inside Baseball's Endless Season" with sportswriter Barry Svrluga

16 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Hot dogs and popcorn under the sweltering summer sun at the local ball park is an image embedded into American culture. But for the players jogging in...

Part 2 With "American Amnesia" Author, And Political Scientist Jacob Hacker

09 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Today we’re continuing our timely conversation with author Jacob S. Hacker about the changing dynamics between the public and private sectors in dri...

Jacob Hacker On "American Amnesia" And The Importance Of Government In The Economy

03 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

For much of the 20th century, private and public enterprises worked as both partners and adversaries to drive economic growth in our country. But in r...

Marine Biologist Terrie Williams And The Inspiring "Odyssey Of KP2"

26 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Terrie Williams is the author of The Odyssey of KP2: An Orphan Seal, a Marine Biologist, and the Fight to Save a Species. The book, which was Boise St...

Author Robert Putnam On The Divergent Opportunities For America's Children

12 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

The belief that with hard work, prosperity and success are open to everyone, is at the heart of our national identity. Yet, according to today’s gue...

The Tale Of A Japanese-American Family Caught Between Two Worlds With Pamela Rotner Sakamoto

30 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

It’s been more than 70 years since the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, ushering in the end of World War II. Yet true stories such as th...

Best-Selling Author Erik Larson On The Sinking Of The Lusitania In 1915

12 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

On May 1st, 1915, crowds lined New York’s harbor to bid farewell to nearly 2,000 family, friends and crew aboard the world’s fastest civilian line...

Pamela Newkirk Tells Of The Shameful Treatment Of Ota Benga In The Early 20th Century

01 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

In 1906, an African native known as Ota Benga was displayed in a cage in the monkey house at the Bronx Zoo. Thousands came to view the sensational exh...

Jonathan Katz And Jason Herbeck Survived The 2010 Haiti Earthquake And Now Talk About Its Aftermath

24 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Jonathan Katz talks more about his award-winning book, The Big Truck That Went By: How the World Came to Save Haiti and Left Behind a Disaster. Mr Kat...

Why Relief Efforts After The 2010 Haiti Earthquake Created Disaster With Author Jonathan Katz

17 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

On a hot January afternoon in 2010, reporter Jonathan M. Katz heard a loud rumbling outside his home in the hills above Port-au-Prince, Haiti. At firs...

Author Clive Thompson On How Technology Can Benefit Intelligence

10 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Every new technology has its critics. Whether it’s a fancy new digital gadget with a seemingly endless number of functions, or an addictive new app ...

All About The Life, Presidency, And Assassination Of James A. Garfield With Author Candice Millard

28 May 2016

Contributed by Lukas

A shot fired in the lobby of a Washington, D.C. , train station in 1881 would eventually claim the life of the United States’ 20th president — Jam...

James Barrat Explores The Potential Pitfalls Of Artificial Intelligence

14 May 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Until now, human intelligence has had no rival. But as Artificial Intelligence continues to advance, we should ask ourselves: Can we coexist with comp...

A.J. Baime On American Industry And "The Arsenal Of Democracy" of WWII

29 Apr 2016

Contributed by Lukas

When Germany invaded its European neighbors in 1940, the United States was a long ways from being prepared. The country’s military resources had bee...

How Grocer A&P Changed Retail With Author Marc Levinson

15 Apr 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Grocery shopping is on almost everyone’s weekly list. For many households, that means driving to the supermarket, or an even larger discount mega-st...

Julia Angwin Uncovers A World Of Relentless Surveillance

01 Apr 2016

Contributed by Lukas

It’s a scenario familiar to many of us: We go online and search for a product we’re interested in purchasing. Moments later, we click on our favor...

"Satchel: The Life And Times Of An American Legend" With Author Larry Tye

18 Mar 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Baseball legends hold a special place in our country’s collective heart. Dizzy Dean, Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays and Hank ...

In Memoriam: Oscar Award-Winning Actor George Kennedy

04 Mar 2016

Contributed by Lukas

This week we are mourning the loss of one of Hollywood’s most beloved actors – George Kennedy. Mr. Kennedy gained world-wide fame for his Oscar-wi...

Stephan Talty And The Fascinating Story Of WWII Double "Agent Garbo"

26 Feb 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Few would put the name Juan Pujol alongside Eisenhower, Churchill and Roosevelt – the Allied giants of World War II. Yet, this underachieving chicke...

Chad Harbach On His Bestselling Novel, "The Art Of Fielding"

13 Feb 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Baseball has inspired many works of fiction – including Chad Harbach’s bestselling novel, The Art of Fielding. But while the action is centered ar...

Stephanie Witt Talks Urbanization and Cultural Conflict In The Great Basin

06 Feb 2016

Contributed by Lukas

With 70 percent of its land owned by the federal government, the Great Basin is known as America’s last frontier. It’s home to ghost towns, endles...

How Early Pioneers Of Flight Got Their Wings With "Birdmen" Author Lawrence Goldstone

30 Jan 2016

Contributed by Lukas

On May 30th, 1912, Wilbur Wright died peacefully in his own bed in the family home in Dayton, Ohio. He was 45 years old. The cause of death was typhoi...

Author Mary Pilon Shares The Fascinating History Of "Monopoly"

16 Jan 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Those of us who grew up playing the board game “Monopoly” likely remember the thrill of landing on an up-for-grabs Boardwalk or Park Place, and bu...

Leon Panetta On His Life As A Public Servant And Finding Osama Bin Laden

09 Jan 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Leon Panetta’s long service to our country is surely unique in the number of incredibly high level and tough assignments he has held and held to acc...

Rod Gramer's "The Good Assassin" Tackles Issues Of A Rising Surveillance State

01 Jan 2016

Contributed by Lukas

“Three shots. That’s all it takes to change the course of American history.”

Author Peter Carlson Writes A Book On A Civil War Odyssey

25 Dec 2015

Contributed by Lukas

History books are full of stories about the dangers and deprivations endured by soldiers who fought in the Civil War. What may be less well known are ...

Beth Macy Chronicles The Bassett Furniture Company Amid Globalization In 'Factory Man'

11 Dec 2015

Contributed by Lukas

For nearly a century, The Bassett Furniture Company was the center of life in the town of Bassett, Virginia, just as its wealthy namesake family was t...

An Exploratory Trip To The Arctic in 1879 As Described By Author Hampton Sides

28 Nov 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This interview was originally broadcast in July, 2015

Pulitzer Prize-Winner Matt Richtel Investigates Texting And Driving

07 Nov 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This is an encore interview with Matt Richtel. It was originally broadcast in November, 2014.

What Really Brought Down The Berlin Wall With Author Mary Elise Sarotte

31 Oct 2015

Contributed by Lukas

In 1987, President Ronald Reagan challenged the Soviet Union’s Mikhail Gorbachev to “tear down this wall.” Two years later, the Berlin Wall was ...

Conversation With Dr. Martin Blaser On The Overuse Of Antibiotics

24 Oct 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This program was originally broadcast in April of 2015.

Part 2 Of An Interview With Daniel James Brown About "The Boys In The Boat"

10 Oct 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This interview was originally broadcast in December, 2013:

An Epic Quest For Rowing Gold At The 1936 Berlin Olympics

03 Oct 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This interview for Reader's Corner was originally broadcast in December of 2013:

The Downside Of Computer Automation With Author Nicholas Carr

19 Sep 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This interview was originally broadcast in February of 2015

The True Story Behind Boris Pasternak's 'Dr. Zhivago'

04 Sep 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This program was originally broadcast in April, 2015

Part Two Of An Archive Interview With Samuel Pisar

21 Aug 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This interview was originally broadcast in November, 2005.

Listening Back To An Interview With Holocaust Survivor Samuel Pisar

14 Aug 2015

Contributed by Lukas

In 2005, Reader's Corner had the privilege of welcoming author Samuel Pisar to the program. He was one of the youngest survivors of the Holocaust, an ...

Jacob Soll On Financial Accountability And The Rise And Fall Of Nations

30 Jul 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This Reader's Corner interview was originally broadcast in February, 2015

Author Dan Hurley On 'The New Science of Building Brain Power'

17 Jul 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This interview was first broadcast in January of 2015.

Elizabeth Kolbert And Her Pulitzer Prize-Winning Book "The Sixth Extinction"

10 Jul 2015

Contributed by Lukas

For as long as humans have walked the Earth, we’ve been making changes to it – oftentimes with little or no comprehension about the far-reaching c...

The History Of The Battle At Bunker Hill With Author Nathaniel Philbrick

03 Jul 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This interview was originally broadcast in September of 2013.

Author Thomas Dyja On How Chicago Built The American Dream

20 Jun 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This interview was first broadcast in December of 2014.

Remembering D-Day With Author And Historian John C. McManus

05 Jun 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This is an encore interview and was first broadcast in June, 2014.

Author Jan Jarboe Russell Talks WWII Family Internment And Prisoner Exchange

30 May 2015

Contributed by Lukas

The story told by Jan Jarboe Russell in her book, “The Train to Crystal City,” will have a familiar ring to those who know about the World War II ...

Author Paul Tough Challenges The Way We Measure Success In Children

16 May 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This interview was broadcast first in January of 2013.

Author Robert K. Fitts On American Baseball's 1934 Tour Of Japan

01 May 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This Reader's Corner interview was originally broadcast in September of 2013.

Author Douglas Brinkley On Teddy Roosevelt's Crusade For America's Wilderness

24 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This is an encore interview and was originally broadcast in October 2014.

Former China Correspondent Adam Brookes Pens Debut Novel, 'Night Heron'

11 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This interview was originally broadcast in November of 2014.

Pulitzer Prize Winner Dan Fagin And The Story Of 'Toms River'

27 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This interview with Dan Fagin was originally broadcast in September of 2014.

Author Julia Sweig On Her Book 'Cuba: What Everyone Needs to Know'

21 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Cuba is a mere 90 miles from the United States, a puddle-jump flight or a long swim across the straits of Florida. Yet, for more than a half-century, ...

Author Peter Stark On John Jacob Astor's Lost Pacific Empire

14 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This interview was originally broadcast in September, 2014

Part 2: An Interview With Terrie Williams, Upcoming Speaker At Boise State

27 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This interview was originally broadcast in May, 2013.

Marine Biologist Terrie Williams On Endangered Monk Seals And 'The Odyssey Of KP2'

21 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This Reader's Corner interview was originally broadcast in April 2013.

Author Christine Bader On Corporate Idealism

30 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This interview was originally broadcast in August of 2014.

Terrorism Expert Aaron Zelin Weighs In On ISIS, Global Jihad

24 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

The recent terrorist attacks in Paris, France that claimed 17 lives sent shock waves around the world and heightened concerns about growing tensions b...

Author Gary Bass Examines Cold War Foreign Policy In Asia

17 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This interview was originally broadcast in May of 2014.

"38 Nooses" Part 2, With Scott W. Berg

03 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This is an encore broadcast of part 2 of the interview with Scott W. Berg, it was originally aired in October of 2013.

Interview With '38 Nooses' Author Scott W. Berg

27 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This interview was originally broadcast in October of 2013.

Pulitzer Prize Winner Isabel Wilkerson On 'America's Great Migration'

20 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This interview with Isabel Wilkerson was originally broadcast in October of 2014.

An Interview With 'All The Light We Cannot See' Author Anthony Doerr

06 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This interview was originally broadcast in May, 2014.

Former Congressman Mickey Edwards On The Downside Of Partisan Politics

29 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This Reader's Corner interview was originally broadcast in May, 2014

Author Adam Makos Tells An Incredible Story Of Chivalry In The Skies Of WWII

08 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

In honor of Veteran's Day, we're broadcasting this interview with Adam Makos. The program was originally broadcast in March, 2014.

The Genius Of Dogs With Author Dr. Brian Hare

25 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This Reader's Corner interview was originally broadcast in April, 2014.

A Year On The Ragged Edge Of The West With Author Bryce Andrews

08 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This Reader's Corner interview initially was broadcast in January, 2014.

Interview With "In The Garden Of Beasts" Author Erik Larson

19 Sep 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This Reader's Corner interview originally was broadcast in July of 2013

The Business Success Of LEGO With Author David Robertson

05 Sep 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This is an encore broadcast of the interview with David Robertson. The conversation was originally broadcast in January of 2014.

Imagining A Post-Antibiotic Future With Maryn McKenna

30 Aug 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Antibiotics are ubiquitous in modern human life. Along with their well-known medical applications, they also are routinely used in agriculture, includ...

Understanding Russia's Modern History With Author Daniel Treisman

23 Aug 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Generations of western leaders have puzzled over how to manage their nation’s relationship with Russia – and headlines in recent months, especiall...

Author Christian Caryl On 1979 And The Birth Of The 21st Century

15 Aug 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This Reader's Corner interview was first broadcast in January, 2014

Talking About Commitment With Idaho Author Heidi Reeder

02 Aug 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Businesses seeking to increase productivity, athletes striving to improve their performance, and couples intent on strengthening their relationship sh...

The Legacy Of Photographer Edward Curtis With Author Timothy Egan

12 Jul 2014

Contributed by Lukas

It took Edward Curtis just a few years after arriving in the small town of Seattle in 1887 to establish a reputation as one of its finest portrait pho...

A Conversation With 'The Last Great Senate' Author Ira Shapiro

04 Jul 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Ask just about anyone their opinion about politics and the federal government and two words you are likely to hear in response are: dysfunction and gr...

Part 2: Idaho Author Anthony Doerr On Promoting 'All The Light We Cannot See'

27 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

In May, Anthony Doerr visited Reader's Corner to talk about his new novel, "All the Light We Cannot See." Ten years in the writing, the book tells the...

Football And Concussions: An Interview With 'League Of Denial' Author Steve Fainaru

20 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

"This program is an encore and was originally broadcast in November of 2013"

Author Justin Vaughn On The Heroic Expectations Of The American President

14 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

The office of the President of the United States is among the most highly visible institutions anywhere in the world. The person who occupies the offi...