Midday on WNYC

In her recent piece “On the Other Side” for The California Sunday Magazine, writer Ann Babe chronicles women from North Korea smuggling themselves through various illegal and expensive transport channels into South Korea.  For many North Koreans, assimilation into South Korea is difficult, and they often find themselves fighting prejudice from their new compatriots.  This segment is guest hosted by Jenna Flanagan. 

Deborah Willis, the newly appointed director of the Institute of African-American Affairs at NYU discusses the program's fall 2018 programming, The Black Portraiture conference, and the growth of black representation in the media.  Deborah Willis' exhibition, 'In Pursuit of Beauty: Imaging Closets in Newark and Beyond' at Rutgers University runs through December 21, 2018.  This segment is guest hosted by Jenna Flanagan. 

Michael Riley discusses his article for Bloomberg Businessweek, “A Global Guide to State Sponsored Trolling.” Governments around the world are using misinformation, technology, and digital and social media to suppress opposition to the government and promote government propaganda at a greater scale than ever before.  This segment is guest hosted by Jenna Flanagan.   

Professor Michael Greenberger's recent paper, "Too Big to Fail Banks' Regulatory Alchemy," highlights the loophole in Dodd-Frank that allows for the same high-risk trading that led to the financial crash of 2008. Greenberger offers strategies on how to avoid another major fiscal bust.  This segment is guest hosted by Jenna Flanagan.     

In a recent article in The Nation titled "Our Foster-Care System Shouldn’t Separate Families Either," writer Rachel Blustain sheds light on the national increase of children in foster care and the foster care system's practice of removing children from the home without offering prior sufficient interventions. Featured in the article and joining us, is attorney Joanna Woolman, the director of the Child Protection Program at the Mitchell Hamline School of Law and Suzanne Sellers, the executive director of Families Organizing for Child Welfare Justice discuss the policies and protocols that have lead to a national rise in child-welfare placements.  This segment is guest hosted by Jenna Flanagan.

Joel Richard Paul discusses his book Without Precedent: Chief Justice John Marshall and His Times. It's the story of how Chief Justice John Marshall, a rough-cut frontiersman with little formal education, became one of the nation's preeminent lawyers and politicians and would go on to reinvent the Constitution and forge a stronger nation.  On August 15 at 7:00 pm Joel Richard Paul will be at The Bryant Park Reading Room in partnership with the New York Historical Society. This segment is guest hosted Jenna Flanagan.

Reporter Ryan Devereaux's new article for The Intercept is titled "ICE Has Conducted Hundreds of Raids in New York Since Trump Came to Power. Here's What Those Operations Look Like." He discusses the increase in ICE raids and the aggressive and coercive nature of the tactics ICE agents are using to arrest and detain undocumented immigrants since Trump came to office.  This segment is guest hosted Jenna Flanagan. 

Jane Garmey and David Scalza discuss some of New York City's beautiful yet under-visited and under-appreciated gardens in their book City Green: Public Gardens of New York.  This segment is guest hosted Jenna Flanagan.

Assistant editor of the Wall Street Journal editorial page James Freeman discusses the book he co-authored with Vern McKinley, Borrowed Time: Two Centuries of Booms, Busts, and Bailouts at Citi. The book reveals how Citi’s bailout from the 2008 financial crisis was hardly unprecedented. Rather, Citi has a disturbing history of instability and government support and has long been tied to the federal government in a mutually beneficial relationship. From its earliest years, Citi’s well-connected leadership took massive risks that led to the crisis. This segment is guest hosted by Matt Katz.

Former Paris Review editor Jeanne McCulloch discusses her first book, All Happy Families: A Memoir. She uses a surprising event at her own wedding day to begin an exploration of her colorful parents and the other family she married into--it's The Nest meets The Glass Castle.  On August 14 at 7:30 pm Jeanne McCulloch will be at Books Are Magic with Meg Wolitzer. This segment is guest hosted by Matt Katz. 

Airline pilot Patrick Smith discusses his book, Cockpit Confidential: Everything You Need to Know About Air Travel.  Smith breaks down common fears, corrects misconceptions, and shares his appreciation for the wonders of flying. This segment is guest hosted by Matt Katz.

Alexia Arthurs discusses her new book How to Love a Jamaican: Stories. In her debut collection about Jamaican immigrants and their families back home, Arthurs’ eleven stories offer a wide range of viewpoints from close-knit island communities to the streets of New York City and midwestern university towns. This segment is guest hosted by Matt Katz.

Emmy Award-winning director Jon Alpert and filmmakers Jonathan Novick, Benjamin Rosloff, and Donna Cappella discuss the U.S. theatrical premiere of All For One: Media Enabled Musketeers. The film centers on American and Russian filmmakers with disabilities as they make original films to tell their stories. It premieres at Maysles Documentary Center on August 10, where it will be screening every evening Monday through Thursday at 7:30pm. Mention "WNYC sent me" for a discount. This segment is guest hosted by Matt Katz.

New York Times correspondent Thomas Erdbrink discusses his new PBS FRONTLINE documentary, Our Man in Tehran, which is a two-night special that takes an intimate look at life inside Iran. Erdbrink offers a rare perspective on how private life in Iran can often be at odds with its conservative clerics and leaders. Our Man in Tehran airs August 13 & 14 on PBS.  This segment is guest hosted by Matt Katz. 

Travel writer Porter Fox discusses his new book Northland: A 4,000-Mile Journey Along America's Forgotten Border. America’s northern border is the world’s longest international boundary, yet it remains obscure even to Americans. Fox spent three years exploring 4,000 miles of the border between Maine and Washington, traveling by canoe, freighter, car, and foot. His book blends a deeply reported story of the region’s history with accounts of his travels. This segment is guest hosted by Matt Katz.