Let’s start with a little history about the National Security Agency. In 2003 journalist James Bamford talked with us about his latest book about the NSA. Back then, he said the general public didn’t know much about the National Security Agency, by design.
You can also hear our original interview with Bamford.
In his book, A Chinaman's Chance, former Clinton speechwriter Eric Liu reflects on his own Chinese American identity. He tells Steve Paulson how multiculturalism is challenging traditional notions of what it means to be American.
Ishmael Beah was 12 when the army of Sierra Leone gave him an AK-47 and a lot of drugs and turned him into a killing machine. Beah's been rehabilitated and lives in the USA.
James McManus writes for Harpers. With an advance from the magazine, he entered the world series of poker.
If you really want to get a feel for Isaac Newton - perhaps history's greatest scientist - the best way is to see his original manuscripts at Cambridge University Library. But they're so valuable, it's hard to get permission to look at them. They did let Steve Paulson in, but only in the company of 4 archivists, plus Newton historian Sarah Dry.
Jade Simmons is a classical pianist who's equally happy to play music by Samuel Barber or hip hop master DBR.
Hugh Masakela is a dreamer who longed for personal artistic expression and freedom for his people.
James Kellaris is especially interested in finding out what makes some songs get stuck in listeners’ heads. He talks about this universal annoyance with Jim Fleming.
