The Bob Edwards Show, December 23-27, 2013
Monday, December 23, 2013: Starting today we highlight Bob’s best interviews of the year. But first, Salon.com’s senior book critic Laura Miller shares with Bob her favorite books from 2013. Then, we share Bob’s interview with best-selling writer George Saunders about his book Tenth of December and his writing process. Finally, Bob sits down with Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist Dave Barry to discuss his novel Insane City.
Tuesday, December 24, 2013: It’s more of the Best of 2013 and today we start with NPR’s Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me long-time host Peter Sagal. Then, while exploring a remote cave in Eastern Europe in 1993, spelunker Christopher Nicola made an unusual discovery: a chamber that contained clear evidence that 20th-century people once lived there. After searching for more than a decade, Nicola discovered that 30 people lived in the cave during World War II. Bob speaks with documentary filmmaker Janet Tobias and Sonya Dodyk, who was just a little girl when she lived in the cave with her family. The documentary is titled No Place on Earth. Finally, two-time Man Booker Prize winner Hilary Mantel may seem like an overnight success, but she’s been a working novelist for over 25 years. Bob talks with Mantel about her career and the success she’s found by telling the story of Henry VIII’s England in Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies.
Wednesday, December 25, 2013: Bob talks to StoryCorps founder and radio producer Dave Isay about his book Ties that Bind: Stories of Love and Gratitude from the First 10 Years of StoryCorps. Then, we bring back another of Bob’s best interviews of 2013: legendary soul and gospel singer Mavis Staples talks with Bob about her incredible career with “Pops” and The Staple Singers and about her latest album. One True Vine was produced by Jeff Tweedy of the band Wilco and recorded at the band’s studio in Chicago.
Thursday, December 26, 2013: Washington Post film critic Ann Horaday joins Bob to talk about the year’s best films. Then, another of Bob’s favorite interviews of 2013, this one with actress Rita Moreno. She is one of the few performers to win an Oscar, for Best Supporting Actress in West Side Story (1961); a Tony, in 1975 for The Ritz; a Grammy, as part of The Electric Company Album (1972); and finally, two Emmys: one for her guest appearance on The Muppet Show in 1976 and one for her role in The Rockford Files. She tells her fascinating life story in her autobiography Rita Moreno: A Memoir.
Friday, December 27, 2013: Our week-long celebration of the Best of 2013 continues. But first, Doyle McManus, Washington columnist for the Los Angeles Times, joins Bob to discuss the latest political news. Then, in 2010, Bob spoke with singer-songwriter Meg Hutchinson about her album The Living Side. The album featured a song called Gatekeeper, which Hutchinson wrote about Sergeant Kevin Briggs of the California Highway Patrol. For years, Briggs has worked on the Golden Gate Bridge, talking hundreds of people out of jumping to their deaths. Earlier this year, Bob talked with both Hutchinson and Briggs about the song and about Briggs’ work. Finally, the latest installment of our ongoing series This I Believe.