Her novel “Bel Canto” was a hit so now novelist Ann Patchett is a star. But back when they were in college, it was her fellow student Lucy Grealy who got treated like a rock star. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, a look at uncommon friendships. Ann Patchett tells how her...Read more
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Episode Archives
Remember the good old days? No? Well that's either because you haven't lived them yet, or you need to check the note you left on the bedside table. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, we're looking at age and memory with a Nobel Prize winner searching through the mechanics of the brain...Read more
There’s another September 11th. On that day thirty years ago, a military coup overthrew Chile’s elected president, Salvador Allende. Newly declassified documents show the C.I.A.’s extensive involvement in the coup. On this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, the Pinochet file. Also,...Read more
Laura Blumenfeld’s father was a tourist in Jerusalem when he was shot in the head. The shooter was a member of the PLO. He had lousy aim – his victim lived. But Blumenfeld never forgot that day. In fact, she vowed to find the man responsible and take revenge. She kept her word. Her story...Read more
When we’ve had enough of reality, we often seek escape in a movie. But we don’t have to shut off our brains when we visit the cinema. Some films actually encourage us to use our minds. This hour, we explore philosophy through the lens of filmRead more
Have you ever wondered why Homer’s “Iliad” is still so popular? Bestselling writer Thomas Cahill says it’s because it’s a real boy’s story. On this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, our enduring fascination with the Ancient Greeks. Also, an archaeologist who’s excavating the real Troy. ...Read more
Is religion dangerous? Sam Harris blames the violent verses in the Koran and the Bible for inciting religious conflict around the world. Renowned religious historian Karen Armstrong says the core message of the major religions is the Golden Rule. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge,...Read more
For decades “imperialism” was a dirty word, and all talk of empire seemed old-fashioned. Now some people say a new empire has emerged – the American Empire. But is America’s unrivaled power good for the world? In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, the debate over American supremacy. ...Read more
Who would have guessed that number two on the Best Seller List this summer would be an intellectual thriller starring four brainy Princeton seniors and a 15th century manuscript written in code? In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, meet the authors of “The Rule of Four.” Lost and...Read more
The past is nebulous - a place no one can go. When we try to get our bearings there, we often find more than one truth. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, we’ll go back to Vietnam with Senator Bob Kerrey. And, one woman pieces together her past in war-torn Liberia. Also, paying...Read more
Chaotic headlines out of Washington, ice melting in Antarctica, world temps rising and global conflict on the rise… it could be worse. It could be Ragnarok. Writer Neil Gaiman retells the ancient Norse myth of the Twilight of the Gods and apocalyptic end of the world in his stunning new...Read more
Chris Ayres never wanted to cover the war. He was perfectly content reporting on celebrity gossip in L.A. But through a twist of fate, he found himself embedded with Marines in Iraq, living in a Humvee and waiting for his death at the hands of the Republican Guard. In this hour of To the Best...Read more
Thomas Paine was a working class Englishman without many prospects when he landed in America in 1774. Two years later his pamphlet "Common Sense" laid the foundation for the Declaration of Independence and transformed American politics. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, why...Read more
Music and social change go hand in hand. We explore the secret history of protest music. Songs and social movements you might have missed -- from the early days of rock and roll to the non-violent hip hop message of FM Supreme.Read more