The kind of people who live in places like Jackson, Kentucky often get characterized as poor, white and angry. And worse, as redneck and racist – hillbilly white trash. J.D. Vance knows them well. They’re his people. He grew up in Kentucky coal country and the Ohio rust belt - places he left behind when he went to Yale Law School. Today he practices in Silicon Valley, but he’s just written a book called “Hillbilly Elegy," which should be required reading for this election year. Welcome to Jackson, Kentucky.
Intelligent. Optimistic. Curious.
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Golan Levin tells Jim Fleming that one cell phone going off at a concert is an annoyance, but 200 of them can become part of a sophisticated musical composition.
Philosopher Harry Frankfurt tells Steve Paulson why "b.s." is a more insidious problem than outright falsehood.
Political scientist and linguist George Lakoff thinks that Conservatives have devoted a lot of thought, care and money to developing a rhetoric that advances their social agenda.
Greil Marcus explains why Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" was an anthem for the sixties and a critical turning point for Dylan as an artist.
Henry Raddick is an enthusiastic contributor of reviews to the Amazon.com website. He tells Steve Paulson that he reads all the books he reviews, and only says good things about them.
Sleep may be an utterly common activity. In this EXTENDED interview, neuroscientist Giulio Tononi believes it's the greatest experiment in consciousness.
Harmon Leon is a gonzo journalist and avowed leftie who specializes in what he calls “infiltrating” right-wing America.
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