Prime Time Radio - AARP

Part A: Theodore Roosevelt once spoke of the possibility of failing while daring greatly in a speech given in Paris. When we face any new situation in life, we are vulnerable to uncertainty, failure, and pain. Dr. Brené Brown argues the idea that vulnerability is weakness, explaining that it is the basis of both courage and fulfillment in life. In her book, “Daring Greatly,” Brown challenges everyone to risk being vulnerable and change the way we live, love, lead, and parent. Part B: It seems that even making simple habits stick can sometimes be a Herculean task even after 30 days of trying and trying again. People spend endless hours and much effort trying to change their behavior patterns. Psychologist Jeremy Dean, founder of Psyblog, argues that most human behavior happens unconsciously and merely changing a small activity can have a profound effect on a stubborn habit. Dean explains many other ways it is possible to forge new habits, improving health, productivity, and creativity

Part A: Hedrick Smith, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist on national affairs examines recent national events to find and the result is, “Who Stole the American Dream?” The book looks at the past four decades tracing the events that have increasingly divided the rich and poor and caused. Smith discusses the political decisions that have drastically changed our country and undermined the American Dream. Part B: Maz Rauber and Amy Reingold have each raised two children in the Washington DC metro area. So when the former reporter and former textile artist decided to reinvent themselves as novelists, they had plenty of experience to inspire their teen fiction series, “Capital Girls.

Part A: There are many seemingly healthy, harmless and common objects, which are actually perilously hazardous to our health. The list of objects and activities that potentially pose life-threatening dangers is long and ranges from flip-flops and hand washing to leafy greens and drinking straws. However, Christopher Cerf and Henry Beard have taken great pains to compile this list into one comprehensive volume called, “Encyclopedia Paranoiaca.” Christopher Cerf joins Prime time Radio discuss these many perils of everyday life. Part B: The culinary industry can bring to mind images of intense chefs toiling long hours in steamy kitchens in glamorous restaurants or painstakingly created pastries. Most of the time when we imagine these things, we envision the chefs as men chopping away with razor sharp knives or balancing sizzling pans. Charlotte Druckman gives a different perspective of the industry in her book, “Skirt Steak,” telling what it is like for the female chef in the cutthroat and male dominated world of the restaurant business

Part A: Many happy, active and sharp older folks are thriving as social butterflies in their communities and families. They are strong and healthy, with many hobbies or interests that keep their lives rich and meaningful. The secret to this kind of fulfilling life is staying mobile, social, creative, and thinking. Peter Spiers, author of “Master Class” reveals how to build an enriching lifestyle based on your favorite activities. Part B: Afghanistan is known as a country torn by wars, tribal violence, poverty, and an uncertain future. It seems as if four decades of foreign military invasions, political corruption, and domestic selfishness have stripped Afghan culture of its dignity. But Atta Arghandiwal, now a successful banker in California, paints a different picture of his homeland in his memoir, Lost Decency. He chronicles the regal beauty of the Afghan culture he knew as a child with passionate pride

Part A: Growing up dirt poor in the hills of Tennessee, Dolly Parton relied on her dreams to sustain her. "It was a dream that dressed me up when I was ragged, it was a dream that filled me up when I was hungry, and it was a dream that took me out of the Smoky Mountains and put me on top of the world," she says. So it's fitting that the legendary country singer and composer of more than 3,000 songs has titled her latest book Dream More: Celebrate the Dreamer in You. The 66-year-old Parton talks to host Mike Cuthbert about her long and successful career in music, TV and movies, and about the way her dreams continue to push her forward. Part B: Then, more and more singles are going online to find romance, especially in the 50+ age group.  Nancy Davidoff Kelton and Ken Solin, two new dating experts for AARP, have plenty of advice for people looking for new relationships and find someone that is compatible. They suggest that once you find someone interesting online, get offline fast and start the dating process. Kelton and Solin also offer tips on writing the better profiles, great places for first dates, and dating mistakes to avoid

To celebrate the resilient spirit and hope of the holiday season, click on the radio player to hear an hour-long special featuring the beautiful bells of the cathedral's carillon. Host Mike Cuthbert ascended the bell tower and sat in the "wheelhouse" with distinguished carillonneur Edward Nassor, who melodiously played the bells exclusively for Prime Time Radio. Mike and he also had a fascinating conversation about the history and workings of the bells.

Part A: Best-selling crime novelist, John Connolly discusses the favorite mystery thrillers of the top crime writers. Connolly, along with Declan Burke edited Books to Die For, an ambitious anthology featuring the personal essays of more than a hundred authors giving tribute to their favorite mystery novels. Learn the must-read crime fiction books from the top mystery genre writers. Part B: Journalist Kati Marton tells the story of why she loves Paris and how she fell in love in the City of Lights in her memoir, Paris: A Love Story. She candidly discusses her marriage to Peter Jennings and creates an intimate portrait of love lost when her second husband, Richard Holbrooke, died. She has courageously moved on with life after loss and her memoir is inspiring for anyone who has ever had life turned upside down by catastrophe.

Part A: Author Stephen Marche explains how Shakespeare’s work has profoundly shaped our modern life including our views on marriage and the teen years. Marche believes that Shakespeare’s influence permeates our daily lives more than most realize, from the invention of now common words and phrases to opportunities for seminal moments in history. Esquire columnist, Stephen Marche, in his book, How Shakespeare Changed Everything provides compelling examples of how the bard changed modern life, including coining nearly two thousand words, names, and countless common phrases. Part B: Acclaimed novelist Paul Auster provides a candid peek of his 63rd winter and the toll the passage of time has taken on his body and mind in his new memoir, “Winter Journal”. He also explores many facets of his relationships with his mother: her impact on his life, memories of her strengths and weaknesses, and how they spent time together over the past sixty-three years before her death.  Auster gives a highly personal interview on his journey through life

Part A: Neurosurgeon Michael Turner explains the effects of the disease Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus. Symptoms of the disease, also known as NPH, include progressive mental impairment or dementia, problems with walking, and a decrease in bladder control. Because these symptoms are similar to those of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and others, the disease is often misdiagnosed and subsequently mistreated. Two of Dr. Turner’s patients and their spouses/caregivers join him to give their personal accounts of fighting NPH Part B: In the face of economic crisis and depleting energy resources, Sharon Astyk tells how to live better with less in her book, “Making Home.” Astyk gives an intriguing account of how she and her family are now living a more fulfilling life using less. After making some challenging and fundamental life changes, her home now uses eighty percent less energy than the average home. She also shares many more lessons on how to save money on heating, cooling, laundry, sanitation, food, and everything else

Part A: The current domestic economy, combined with people living much longer, is causing a general need for people to work much later than the traditional retirement age. Some are simply choosing to retire later in life, while others feel they cannot retire at all, according to a recent report from the Society of Actuaries. Carol Bogosian explains how the statistics reveal that as much as one-third of people nearing retirement age believe they are financially unable to retire. Part B: In an election year, Americans are vetting the issues carefully and watching the political debates closely so they can make informed decisions. We also research the cars we will buy in depth, with much scrutiny. However, we’re not as calculated with our research when it comes to selecting our healthcare provider. Dr. Archelle Georgiou explains new studies that show shocking facts and how this data can help people make better decisions when selecting doctors and hospitals, especially for emergency situations

Part A: Richard Cohen does not like his wife Meredith Vieira's dog, Jasper — and he's pretty sure Jasper's not a fan of him either. Don't take the title of his new book I Want to Kill the Dog too seriously, though: Cohen tells us he's not actually going to facilitate Jasper's demise. His tempestuous relationship with Jasper the Aussiepoo is the basis for a funny look at modern family life and the strong kinship dog owners develop with their four-legged companions. Part B: Author Jon Katz talks with host Mike Cuthbert about Dancing Dogs, his new collection of short stories that revolve around the complicated, often comic bonds between canines and owners. Katz lives in upstate New York on his farm, called Bedlam, with dozens of animals, including donkeys, hens, cats and, of course, the dogs that have inspired many of his books. In this episode of Prime Time Radio, he chats about his life on the farm, his love of animals and the importance of man's (and woman's) best friend

Part A: Tony Award-winning actor, Ben Vereen, joins forces with “Taking Control of Your Diabetes,” the leading education organization, to call on Americans to S.T.A.N.D. and “Start Taking Action Now for Diabetes”. By using the power of social marketing and many speaking programs across the country, Mr. Vereen is starting a movement among patients and their friends to take astand and work to take control of their blood sugar levels. Part B: Alf Clausen has composed music for The Simpsons since the second season in 1990, and has been nominated for 23 Emmy Awards for his work on the animated series, winning twice.  His music has appeared in dozens of other television shows and countless movies, including Moonlighting and Half Baked. He has released three compilation albums of his Simpsons compositions: Songs in the Key of Springfield, Go Simpsonic With The Simpsons and The Simpsons: Testify. He talks about his work on the long-running sitcom, and his long career in Hollywood

Part A: In his book, The Big Squeeze, Dr. Handel Reynolds, a practicing radiologist, helps to evaluate the ongoing public health controversies surrounding mammography and explain the history of the procedure since its introduction in the early 1970s. Part B: Andrea Stillman gives an in depth study that explores Ansel Adams life as an artist. Her book, Looking at Ansel Adams, is a close look at the life and work of the countries most revered landscape photographer and environmental advocate.

Part A: As the election approaches and the presidential race heats up, the economy has once again emerged as a crucial issue. Terms such as fiscal policy, interest rate, and leveraged buyoutare regularly tossed around in coverage of the state of our economy and election debates. But in following this coverage, many Americans find themselves wondering what exactly a subprime mortgage is, and how does it relate to the housing crisis? Part B: Writing with access to thousands of recently released official documents, fresh interviews, and the perspective that can come only from a decade of research and reflection, Anthony Summers and Robbyn Swan deliver the first panoramic, authoritative look back at 9/11.

Part A: From his harrowing childhood filled with physical and emotional abuse, to a lifetime of alcoholism and self-mutilation, psychiatric hospitalizations and misdiagnoses, to the peak of fame and success as the longest-tenured cast member of Saturday Night Live, Darrell Hammond delves into the darkest corners of his life, both in front of and behind the camera, with brutal honesty and fierce comic wit. Part B: Joan Walsh argues that America’s fundamental divide is not about political parties or ideology or even race, but about how each side believes we got here. In the book, Walsh looks back over the last several decades of American politics and culture, showing how the white working class—the class into which she herself was born and raised—has seen opportunities stagnate and decline, and the stability of the middle class disintegrat