Midday on WNYC

Jane Gardam discusses her latest novel, Last Friends. It’s the third book in the Old Filth trilogy, and tells the story of the marriage of Edward Feathers and Betty as seen through the eyes of Edwards friend and Betty's lover Terry Veneering.

J. Maarten Troost recounts his adventures in the South Pacific, following in the footsteps of Robert Louis Stevenson to the Marquesas, the Tuamotus, Tahiti, the Gilberts, and Samoa. His book Headhunters on My Doorstep: A True Treasure Island Ghost Story  chronicles his journey and his recovery from alcoholism.

Martin Luther King, Jr.  was arrested in Birmingham, Alabama, on Good Friday, April 12, 1963, and while he was in jail, he saw in the newspaper a statement from eight "moderate" clergymen who branded the civil rights protests extremist and "untimely." King drafted a furious rebuttal that became known as the "Letter from Birmingham Jail"—a work that would become a masterpieces of American moral argument and would inspire not just the marchers of Birmingham and Selma, but peaceful insurgents from Tiananmen to Tahrir Squares. Jonathan Rieder discusses the Letter, looking at its timeless message and its crucial position in the history of civil rights. His book Gospel of Freedom: Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail and the Struggle That Changed a Nation gives us a new perspective on the Letter and the man who wrote it.

Richard Kaplan discusses the “King: A Filmed Record,” which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, from the start of his non-violent campaign for equal rights to his assassination in Memphis in 1968. Candid footage of Dr. King and newsreel coverage of the protests and counter-protests are accompanied by narrators including Harry Belafonte, Ruby Dee, Ben Gazzara, Charlton Heston, James Earl Jones, Paul Newman, and Joanne Woodward. “King: A Filmed Record” is playing at Film Forum at 7:10 pm, on August 28.

Producer-director Bennett Singer discusses the film “Brother Outsider,” a documentary exploring the life and work of civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, who influenced Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and played a major role in organizing the 1963 March on Washington. Rustin’s role in the civil rights movement has been overlooked largely because he lived as an openly gay man. Walter Naegle, Rustin’s life partner from 1977 until Rustin's death in 1987, and who will be accepting the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Rustin's behalf, also joins the conversation. “Brother Outsider” airs on the World Channel on August 28, at 7 pm and midnight.

Former New York Times columnist Ira Berkow discusses the Mets and his collection of opinions, stories, and observations from his long and distinguished career. From memories of inaugural franchise manager Casey Stengel and Hall of Famer Tom Seaver to reflections on ace Johan Santana and the superstar David Wright, Summers at Shea is a collection of 50 years of his writing, bringing to life Mets’ personalities from the last half century.

New Yorker writer Ken Auletta evaluates Mayor Bloomberg’s legacy as he prepares to leave office after 12 years running New York. Auletta looks back on how Bloomberg has shaped the city and influenced politics. His article “After Bloomberg” is in the August 26, 2013, issue of The New Yorker.

Tom Shadyac, the director behind the hit movies "Ace Venture: Pet Detective"; "The Nutty Professor"; "Liar, Liar"; "Patch Adams"; and "Bruce Almighty," talks about how a brush with death made him change the way he sees the world. His book Life’s Operating Manual: With the Fear and Truth Dialogues is s a series of essays and dialogues that look at the way we should live our lives.

Ben Zimmer, executive producer of Vocabulary.com and the Visual Thesaurus, and language columnist for The Wall Street Journal, discusses the use of the word “bubble” in the financial sense.

Rowan Moore, former director of the Architecture Foundation, the architecture critic for The Observer, argues that hope, power, sex, and our changing relationship to the idea of home are the most powerful forces behind architecture. In Why We Build: Power and Desire in Architecture, he looks at notable projects, including the High Line, the island experiment of Dubai, the Covent Garden brothels of 18th-century London, and Daniel Libeskind’s failed design for the World Trade Center site.

Director James L. Freedman and Senator Bill Bradley talk about the documentary “Glickman.” It tells the triumphant story of Marty Glickman, who, due to anti-Semitism, was denied the chance to participate for the U.S. in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, but went on to become one of the most revered and influential sportscasters in history. James L. Freedman wrote, produced, and directed the film. “Glickman” debuts at 9 pm on HBO on August 26. As Leonard mentioned during his conversation with James L. Freedman and Senator Bill Bradley, he interviewed Marty Glickman back in 1992. Here's the audio:  Marty Glickman on the Leonard Lopate Show in 1992

David Dobbs explains how epigenetics works and looks at how our social lives affect our genes. Studies have shown that our genes are socially fluid and social isolation can be deadly. His article “The Social Life of Genes” is in the September/October 2013 issue of Pacific Standard.

Gerard Lordahl, Director, Open Space Greening Program at GrowNYC, answers gardening questions from listeners! He’ll also tell us what’s in season now, how to keep gardens bountiful into the fall, and ways to make the most of the late-summer and early-fall season. Leave a question for Gerard! Or call us during the segment at 212-433-9692! You can send soil and leaf samples to: GrowNYC 51 Chambers Street Room 228 New York, New York 10007

Paul Binder, founder of the Big Apple Circus, discusses the uncommon life of circus artists, their animal partners. His memoir Never Quote the Weather to a Sea Lion looks at the weird and the workaday, the curious and the commonplace, the exhilaration and the exhaustion of life in the circus.

Evan J. Mandery gives a behind-the-scenes look at the Supreme Court and capital punishment—a most politically complex, racially charged, and morally vexing issue. His book A Wild Justice: The Death and Resurrection of Capital Punishment in America looks at two Supreme Court 1970s cases—Furman v. Georgia, which struck down Georgia’s death penalty law, and Gregg v. Georgia, which reversed direction