Midday on WNYC show

Midday on WNYC

Summary: WNYC hosts the conversation New Yorkers turn to each afternoon for insight into contemporary art, theater and literature, plus expert tips about the ever-important lunchtime topic: food. WNYC Studios is a listener-supported producer of other leading podcasts including Radiolab, Death, Sex & Money, Snap Judgment, Here’s the Thing with Alec Baldwin and many others. © WNYC Studios

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Podcasts:

 Please Explain: Bad Habits and Self-Destructive Behavior | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 28:24

For this week’s 'Please Explain' Dr. Richard O’Connor will help us overcome some of the most common self-destructive habits, including procrastination, excessive worrying, internet addiction, overeating, risk-taking, and self-medication. He’s a psychotherapist the author of Rewire: Change Your Brain to Break Bad Habits, Overcome Addictions, Conquer Self-Destructive Behavior. This segment is guest hosted by Nancy Giles. 

 A Tale of Modern India Based on King Lear | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 21:04

Preti Taneja discusses her new novel, We That Are Young. The book charts the journey of a young man who returns home to India after a long absence. A complex story unfolds involving a family locked in a vicious corporate power struggle while dealing with shifting cultural expectations.  On September 16 Preti Taneja will be at the Brooklyn Book Festival at 3:00 pm giving a talk about The Fragility of Families at Borough Hall Media Room (209 Joralemon St, Brooklyn, NY 11201). On September 20 at 4:30 pm Preti Taneja will be in conversation with James Shapiro at the "Year of Lear" event at the Jaipur Festival at Asia Society (725 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10021).  On October 25 at 7:00 pm Preti Taneja will be at The Asian American Writers' Workshop (110-112 W. 27th Street, Sixth Floor, NY, NY 10001).  This segment is guest hosted by Nancy Giles.   

 Ethan Hawke's Ode to Blaze Foley | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 25:53

Ethan Hawke and Ben Dickey discuss their new film Blaze. The film was written and directed by Hawke and stars Dickey who plays Blaze Foley, a country musician who was influential in the Texas outlaw music movement. Dickey is also a musician in his own right and won the Best Actor award at Sundance for his debut performance in the film. In-theater Q&As will take place this weekend at the IFC Center, the Landmark 57 and the Alamo Drafthouse in Brooklyn. This segment is guest hosted by Nancy Giles. 

 The Families Getting Rich from Toxic Chemicals | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 23:15

Jamie Lincoln Kitman, New York bureau chief for Automobile Magazine, discusses his latest piece in The Nation: “Worse Than Lead?” The article looks at the powerful companies and families whose fortunes have depended on making toxic lead-based products, and how they subsequently shifted their businesses to producing equally toxic flame retardants when leaded gasoline was phased out. This segment is guest hosted by Nancy Giles. 

 The Joy of Simple Things | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 23:36

Ingrid Fetell Lee discusses her new book Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness. Lee explores how the seemingly mundane spaces and objects we interact with every day have surprising and powerful effects on our mood. Drawing from neuroscience and psychology, she explains why different settings trigger various emotions and reveals how we can harness the power of our surroundings to live fuller, healthier, and truly joyful lives.  On September 6 Ingrid Fetell Lee will be at the New Canaan Library in partnership with Elm Street Books at 6:30 pm.  On September 7 Ingrid Fetell Lee will be at Books are Magic at 7:30 pm.  This segment is guest hosted by Nancy Giles. 

 Kusama to Infinity and Beyond | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 16:29

Heather Lenz discusses her new documentary, Kusama – Infinity, which opens September 7 in Los Angeles and New York and nationwide September 14. Now the top-selling female artist in the world, Yayoi Kusama overcame impossible odds to bring her radical artistic vision to the world stage. Kusama created a legacy of artwork that spans the disciplines of painting, sculpture, installation, performance, poetry, and literary fiction. Also joining the discussion is Hanna Schouwink, a Yayoi Kusama expert and senior partner at the David Zwirner gallery.  Heather Lenz will be doing a Q&A following the 7:45 pm screening of Kusama - Infinity at Film Forum on September 7.  This segment is guest hosted by Nancy Giles.

 The Supreme Court's Move to the Right | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 32:33

New York Times staff writer Emily Bazelon discusses her latest piece in the New York Times Magazine, “The G.O.P. Plan To Rule The Courts (online as "How the Trump Administration Is Remaking the Courts"). She looks at the long-term implications of the U.S. court system moving further to the political and cultural right than the American public. This segment is guest hosted by Nancy Giles. 

 Small Town Police Abuses Continue | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 31:18

Senior reporting fellow at ProPublica Ian MacDougall discusses his recent piece “How the Trump Administration Went Easy on Small-Town Police Abuses.” He looks into policing abuses that have plagued small towns across the country and how the Trump administration has stood in the way of meaningful reform. Specifically, Ian shines a light on Ville Platte, Louisiana, where for decades the city police department maintained an unwritten policy of jailing people without probable cause – for days or even weeks at a time – to pressure them to cooperate with law enforcement. This segment is guest hosted by Nancy Giles.

 New Lessons for a New Way of Living | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 30:01

Yuval Harari discusses his new book 21 Lessons for the 21st Century. Harari addresses the challenge of navigating life in the face of constant and disorienting change. He untangles political, technological, social, and existential issues while offering advice on how to prepare for a very different world than the one we live in now.   This segment is guest hosted Jenna Flanagan.

 Vulnerabilities of an Inter-connected World | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 31:54

Bruce Schneier discusses his new book Click Here to Kill Everybody: Security and Survival in a Hyper-connected World. Computers are connected to everything small and large from home appliances like ovens and thermostats to large industrial sites like chemical plants. Digital attackers can now crash your car, your pacemaker, and the nation’s power grid. Schneier reveals the hidden web of technical, political, and market forces that underpin the pervasive insecurities of today’s connected world.  On September 17 Bruce Schneier will be having a talk moderated by Ben Wizner at 12:30 pm at the Center of National Security at Fordham Law (150 West 62nd Street). This segment is guest hosted Jenna Flanagan.

 Lee Breuer's 'Gospel at Colonus' | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 16:52

The Public and the Onassis Foundation USA are partnering to remount MacArthur Genius Grant winner Lee Breuer's landmark “Gospel at Colonus.” Set in the context of a Black Pentecostal service, this production is a retelling of Sophocles’ classic Oedipus at Colonus. The production is free of charge and will run for just six performances at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park from September 4-9. Composer Bob Telson, choir director JD Steele, and Shari Addison, who stars as Ismene, discuss the production and Breuer’s seminal vision. This segment is guest hosted Jenna Flanagan.

 Sound of Music for Rare Silent Movies | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 18:20

Ben Model is a silent film accompanist, historian, and DVD distributor whose Undercrank Productions DVD label releases rare, lost or overlooked films of the silent era. Model discusses his current work on a two-disc set of rare films starring comedienne Alice Howell, due out in early 2019. On September 8 Ben Model will be providing live musical accompaniment for “Grandma’s Boy” at the Silent Clowns Film Series. On September 19 Ben Model will be providing live musical accompaniment for “The Three Musketeers” at the Cinema Arts Centre on Long Island. In October, Undercrank Productions will be releasing “Found at ‘Mostly Lost.’” This segment is guested host Jenna Flanagan.

 Gary Shteyngart's Latest Novel | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 16:11

Gary Shteyngart discusses his new novel Lake Success. The book follows an unhappy Manhattan couple as they navigate a crumbling marriage, having a young autistic child, and an investigation into their finances. How these two flawed characters navigate the chaos of their own making is at the heart of this exploration of familial longing. Gary Shteyngart will be at Barnes & Noble (Union Square) on September 4 at 7:00 pm.  On September 5 at 7:30 pm Gary Shteyngart will be in conversation with Angela Ledgerwood at St. Joseph's College  (245 Clinton Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205).   This segment is guest hosted by Jenna Flanagan. 

 Techniques for Making Difficult Decisions | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 32:44

Steven Johnson discusses his new book Farsighted: How We Make the Decisions That Matter the Most. Johnson uncovers powerful tools for honing the important skill of complex decision-making. He argues that successful decision-makers rely on a future-oriented approach and the ability to consider all their options in a creative and productive way. Johnson also takes calls from listeners about their own decisions. On September 16 Steven Johnson will be at the Brooklyn Book Festival.  This segment is guest hosted by Jenna Flanagan. 

 Behind the Scenes of the Supreme Court | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 32:19

David A. Kaplan discusses his new book The Most Dangerous Branch: Inside the Supreme Court's Assault on the Constitution. Based on exclusive interviews with Supreme Court justices and their law clerks, Kaplan provides details about life behind the scenes at the Court and argues that both conservative and liberal justices are guilty of overreach.  On October 4 at 6:00 pm David A. Kaplan will be in conversation with Burt Neuborne at The Roosevelt House.  This segment is guest hosted by Jenna Flanagan.   

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