HOUR ONE
Historian and cultural educator Simon Schama didn’t look too far back in time for his latest book The American Future: A History. Using the 2008 presidential election as a reference point, Schama examines the history of four on-going social debates in the U.S.: war, religion, race and immigration, and economic division.
In this week’s installment of our ongoing series This I Believe, Bob talks with executive director Dan Gediman about the essay from Helen Keller. As an infant, Keller was struck by a fever that left her deaf and blind. But with the guidance of her teacher Anne Sullivan, Keller learned to communicate through the eyes and ears of others. After graduating from Radcliffe College, Keller became a renowned author, activist and lecturer.
HOUR TWO
The Rote Kapelle, or Red Orchestra, was what the Gestapo called a group of ordinary Germans who tried to bring down the Nazi regime from within Germany. After years of research and exclusive interviews, Anne Nelson has published Red Orchestra: The Story of the Berlin Underground and the Circle of Friends Who Resisted Hitler.
Musician Yusuf Islam, also known as Cat Stevens, is one of the most beloved songwriters of his generation.But at the height of his fame in 1977 (and with 8 gold records under his belt), Stevens converted to Islam, changed his name, and left music to do philanthropic work in the Muslim community.Yusuf returned to music in 1995, and has a new album out titled Roadsinger.