On Point - Books
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Henry Ford And His World
The controversial and brilliant Henry Ford and the world he invented.
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George Packer On America's 'Unwinding'
New Yorker writer George Packer's inside history of the great unwinding of America's 20th century way of life and where we stand now.
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Burt Bacharach
The wizard of pop. From "Raindrops" to "Walk On By." Burt Bacharach joins us with his new memoir of a life in music.
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Fantastic Creatures And Their Future
The mother of all diversity: nature. Her most fantastic creatures and how they're faring now.
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Rationing In Our Future?
A new book says rationing--of food, energy and more--is in our future. We hear the case, and the pushback.
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'Gatsby' On The Big Screen
"The Great Gatsby" is back. On the big screen. We'll revisit the tale, from F. Scott Fitzgerald to Leonardo DiCaprio.
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E.O. Wilson On 'Letters To A Young Scientist'
Bees disappearing. Cicadas coming out. A new generation of scientists coming up. We'll talk with super-biologist E.O. Wilson about our future and nature.
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How Global Tourism Changes The World
Here comes the big travel season. We look at how global tourism is changing the world.
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Sharon Olds On Poetry And Divorce
Poems about her divorce just won Sharon Olds a Pulitzer Prize. She joins us.
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The Brain As An Analogy Machine
How humans think. The human brain as an analogy machine.
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Inside North Korea With 'The Orphan Master's Son'
Inside North Korea. We talk with the Pulitzer-Prize winning author of "The Orphan Master's Son."
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Isabel Allende On Her New Novel: 'Maya's Notebook'
Bestselling author Isabel Allende's novel of a Chilean grandmother saving a granddaughter who's down and out in Las Vegas.
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Fred Hiatt's 'Nine Days'
Washington Post editor Fred Hiatt's latest novel tells the fictional tale of a girl's search for her missing father in China. We'll talk with him and the real woman behind the story.
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'The Mortal Sea'
"The Mortal Sea." A ship's captain turned scholar tracks our impact on the oceans through time.
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David Stockman On Crony Capitalism
Ronald Reagan budget director David Stockman says crony capitalism has left the U.S. economy in giant trouble. He's with us.
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The Secrets Of Happy Families
What happy families do right, from telling the family story to creating healthy relationships across generations.
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Douglas Rushkoff On 'Present Shock'
Never mind future shock. Douglas Rushkoff says we're suffering "present shock." The tyranny of the digital, always-on "now."
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Margaret Fuller: Journalist, Critic, Transcendentalist
America's first feminist. The 19th century's journalist, critic, transcendentalist, adventurer, Margaret Fuller.
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Inside America's Gun Culture
We're looking inside America's gun culture.
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The Circus: Past And Future
Acrobat Duncan Wall ran away to join the circus, and found the circus has changed. He's with us.
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The Feminine Mystique At 50
The Feminine Mystique at 50. We'll talk with women about the book, Betty Friedan, what's changed, what hasn't, and women now.
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The History Of Ninjas
Japan's old politics by other means — the real, thousand-year history of the ninja.
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Dave Barry On "Insane City"
We're talking with Pulitzer-prize winning humor man Dave Barry about Miami madness and his new book "Insane City."
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Robert Green Ingersoll: The Great American Agnostic
Robert Green Ingersoll, the great American agnostic — and how his 1880s message resonates today.
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Feeling The Heat
Fire-walking, the hydrogen bomb, Death Valley, and more. We'll go deep on the essence of heat.
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Ayana Mathis And 'The Twelve Tribes Of Hattie'
Breakout novelist Ayana Mathis and her raw telling of African-America's great northern migration in "The Twelve Tribes of Hattie."
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Jared Diamond
Jared Diamond tells us what we can learn from traditional societies.
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Ken Jennings: Don't Believe Your Parents
"Because I said So." Jeopardy champ Ken Jennings on the myths and warnings parents give their kids.
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Best Books Of 2012
From the origins of the universe, to the Tudor age, to an Indian reservation in North Dakota, On Point looks at the best books of the year.
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1775: Revolution And Realignment
American Revolution. Historian Kevin Phillips looks at American politics then and now from 1775.
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Dolly Parton
Superstar Dolly Parton joins us to talk music and where she's found meaning in life.
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Davy Rothbart On "My Heart Is An Idiot"
This American Life contributor Davy Rothbart on life and love on the road, and his latest collection "My Heart Is An Idiot."
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Anna Karenina
Anna Karenina on the big screen. We'll open Tolstoy's classic novel of, passion, love and despair.
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Thomas Jefferson: Politics And Power
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jon Meacham on lessons from the politics of Thomas Jefferson. What we can learn now.
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Song Of The Vikings
Mythic storytelling out of Iceland, and the song of the Vikings.
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David Denby: The End of Movies?
The New Yorker's David Denby on the future life - or death - of the movies.
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Perfectionism
Living with perfectionism, and the science of never being satisfied.
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Consider The Lobster
From sea floor to still life to roll. The lobster in science, myth, art, and on the plate.
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John Grisham
Best-selling author John Grisham joins us with his latest legal thriller, "The Racketeer."
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'A Clockwork Orange' At 50
We revisit the great and terrifying transgressive novel of Anthony Burgess.
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Author Lois Lowry
Newberry Medal winning children's author Lois Lowry on the last in "The Giver" series, and J.K. Rowling after Harry Potter.
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Steven Johnson And A Better Future
From Wikipedia to Kickstarter, we'll look at the growing power of collaboration as a source of hope and progress with Steven Johnson, author of "Future Perfect."
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Michael Chabon
We'll talk with author Michael Chabon about America now and his hot new book, Telegraph Avenue.
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Henry James' 'Portrait Of A Lady'
A fresh take that finds a bridge out of the Victorian Age and a tough comment on American exceptionalism.
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When America First Met China
Tea, drugs, fortune and the 19th century high seas. We'll look back to the exotic history of when America first met China.
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Go Go-Go
The black church plus blues plus funk meant go-go music in 1970s Washington DC. We'll get the soundtrack and story of a tough time.
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Seattle Explored
A new comic novel pokes fun at Seattle and its residents. We'll settle in on Seattle.
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Unexpected Meetings
Marilyn Monroe and Nikita Khrushchev. Mark Twain and Helen Keller. Unexpected encounters of the famous and infamous.
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Searching For The Black Rhino
Montana writer Rick Bass goes way into Africa on the trail of the 3000-pound black rhino.
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Science Of Sleep
The science and mystery of sleep and dreams. It's becoming more clear.
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An Art Forger Tells All
Ken Perenyi made millions forging famous works of art. Now he tells all.
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Fishing With A Fly
Everything you wanted to know about fly fishing. We wade into the waters with fly fisherman Taylor Streit.
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Fifty Shades Of Grey
The Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy has sold 20 million copies. We'll ask what's up with the ladies?
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It's About The Middle Class
James Carville and Stan Greenberg on Election 2012. Money. Power. And the battle over America's battered middle class.
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Thinking About Central Park
19 writers on the magic of Central Park.
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Little America In Afghanistan
From long before 9-11, when American first tried to remake Afghanistan, to Obama's surge.
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Why We Lie
Why we lie. Why we cheat. Psychology has a new theory of the case.
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E-Book Sensation Oliver P?tzsch
German e-book sensation Oliver P?tzsch, of "The Hangman's Daughter," is back. We'll look at Germany, Europe, and the human condition.
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Life As A Bird
What it's like to be a bird. We'll get inside the minds and senses of the creatures that fly.
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Great Summer Reads
From "50 Shades of Grey" to "Canada." We'll take a look at the best books for the summer.
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A Jarhead At Home
Ex-Marine Anthony Swofford told his story about war in the Gulf. Now he's talking about the pain at home, in his America.
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The American Bible
Religion professor Stephen Prothero's "The American Bible" looks at the books, speeches and songs that carry the American spirit.
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The Role Of Government
Michael Lind joins us on the great tug of war in American economic history over when government should lead.
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Ancient Survivors
Horseshoe crabs, velvet worms - snails, clams, lizards and more. We'll explore the world's oldest creatures. Survivors. Untouched by time.
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Predator Nation
"Inside Job" director Charles Ferguson on Wall Street now, and the crisis still to be addressed.
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Novelist Hilary Mantel On The Age Of Henry VIII
We go back to the deadly intrigues in the court of Henry VIII with celebrated "Wolf Hall" author, Hilary Mantel.
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Special Interests And The Democratic Party
Democrats charge Republicans with being prisoners of special interests. A young conservative turns that charge around.
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Toni Morrison
Nobel laureate Toni Morrison joins us to talk race, war, redemption and her new book, "Home."
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Toni Morrison
Nobel laureate Toni Morrison joins us to talk race, war, redemption and her new book, "Home."
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The Future Of Food
On a crowded planet, it may get strange. We'll dig in.
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David Frum
Former Bush speechwriter David Frum on the GOP today and his tough new novel "Patriots."
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The Subliminal Self
A fresh take on the uncanny, unnerving power of the unconscious mind.
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Etgar Keret
Etgar Keret has been called the Kafka, the Vonnegut, the Woody Allen of Israel. He's with us.
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Cornel West And Tavis Smiley On Poverty
Cornel West and Tavis Smiley join us to with a call to confront poverty in America.
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The Healthiest Man In The World
Writer A.J. Jacobs achieved enlightenment in "The Year of Living Biblically." Now, he's trying to get buff . He joins us.
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Taco USA
From Tamale Kings and Chili Queens to frozen margaritas and Taco Bell. We look at the rise of Mexican food in the USA. The whole enchilada.
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The Arabian Nights
A new twist on the old magic in the tales of the Arabian Nights.
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Literary Americans Abroad
Young literary Americans abroad, from Ernest Hemingway at the bullfights to novelist Ben Lerner right now.
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The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games trilogy was a huge hit. Now comes the movie. It's a brave new world of teen dystopia. We'll dive in.
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A New Age Of Reformation
Church historian Diana Butler Bass says a new reformation may be leaving religion behind.
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The Great War Reexamined
Our own Jack Beatty joins us on the Great War, the war to end all wars, the First World War, and how it all could have been different.
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Writer Zakes Mda On South Africa
Acclaimed South African writer Zakes Mda on his changing South Africa.
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The Wisdom Of The Kama Sutra
A new translation of the Kama Sutra. We'll talk sex, ancient wisdom, and how to live right.
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Charles Murray On White America
America's coming apart around money and morals, says Charles Murray. He's sparked a great debate about why. We'll hear it.
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Bringing Up Baby
No two countries do it alike. The French have their own rules. We'll look at bringing up baby around the world.
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Leonardo Da Vinci And Humanism's Blueprint
Leonardo da Vinci and the most famous drawing in history. His Vitruvian Man, arms and legs outstretched in a circle. Leonardo's vision of the world.
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Verdi And Wagner
The opera "therapist," the opera "terrorist." Two greats. We'll listen in with critic Peter Conrad.
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Yuck! The Science Of Disgust
From spoiled milk to monkey brains - and worse. What revolts us and why? We'll take on the science of disgust.
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Caitlin Flanagan On Protecting Girlhood
Caitlin Flanagan says we need to take our daughters back to a more protected childhood. Critics are fuming. We'll dive in.
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