Monday, July 16, 2012: Chip Taylor’s songs have been recorded by Johnny Cash, Peggy Lee, Dusty Springfield, Aretha Franklin and Frank Sinatra. But over the past year, Taylor has released not one, but three of his own studio albums, including one recorded with his three granddaughters. The newest, F**k All The Perfect People, was recorded in Norway and includes the track, “This Darkest Day,” a tribute to the victims of last year’s attacks in Oslo. Then, author Nell Freudenberger’s third novel, The Newlyweds, is a story of betrayal, love, marriage, and secrets. From the backyards of America to the back alleys of Bangladesh, two lovers are brought together by an arranged marriage and the internet. Freudenberger talks to Bob about her latest book and what it’s like to win literary awards from PEN and the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012: National Book Award finalist and Edgar Award winner Jess Walter’s new novel, Beautiful Ruins, examines our contemporary obsession with celebrity. This epic tale spans 50 years, beginning in Italy with a young American actress in the legendary Elizabeth Taylor/Richard Burton behemoth Cleopatra. Then, in 1957, 19 year old Janet Groth wanted to be a writer. Fresh from her Midwestern college, Groth interviewed at The New Yorker for a job, ending up as a receptionist, the position she held for the next 21 years. Her memoir, The Receptionist: An Education at The New Yorker, is an insider’s look in America’s most prestigious magazine.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012: Yellowstone National Park turns 140 years old this year, and thousands of people will visit over the summer. But what those tourists may not realize is that America’s first national park has a very dark past. George Black tells the story in his new book Empire of Shadows. Then, 22-year-old New Zealand singer-songwriter Kimbra is featured on a number of songs, including Gotye’s hit “Somebody That I Used To Know.” Her first studio album, Vows, was released in May and continues to gain critical acclaim. Kimbra talks to Bob about her music and her career so far.
Thursday, July 19, 2012: Electronic technology is becoming ever-more commonplace in modern society, and authors Parag & Ayesha Khanna have written a book which attempts to predict and explain some of the coming changes. Their book is titled Hybrid Reality: Thriving in the Emerging Human-Technology Civilization.
Friday, July 20, 2012: Doyle McManus, Washington columnist for the Los Angeles Times, joins Bob to discuss the latest political news. Next, Bob talks with Charlie Schroeder, who spent two years reenacting his way through 2,000 years of Western civilization. He wrote a book about the experience called Man of War. Then, in this week’s installment of our ongoing series This I Believe, we hear the essay of Susan Chang. The digital revolution has fully transformed life in America. Our eyes and ears feast on delights from “the cloud” and just about any piece of information you’d ever want to know is a Google search away. Chang was an early adopter of digital devices, and rode the bandwagon for more than two decades. But now, she has chosen an analog life, progressing at a slower pace, and making time for reflection and enjoyment – not just entertainment.