Summary: Part A:Over the course of our nation’s history, men and women have served in the military bravely confronting the many dangers that face our country to continually protect our freedoms and lives. Brian Castner is one those brave people, he served three tours of duty in the Middle East, two of them as the commander of an Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit, he and his unit dismantled IEDs wherever the threatened civilians or military personnel. It is one of the most dangerous and important jobs in the military. It is also one of the most emotionally and mentally demanding.When Castner returned to his wife and family after he finished his tours of duty, he began fighting another equally emotional and mental battle to readjust to a different life on the home front. The emotions that he struggles against and faces on a daily, which for lack of a better term, he dubs the “Crazy,” haunt him daily. In this interview with Mike Cuthbert, Castner reveals his story of heartbreak, sacrifice, and camaraderie of war, as well as, the unending support from family and the lonely struggle with survivor guilt, which many veterans carry with them always. Castner’s new memoir, “The Long Walk,” also details these and many other stories of war and the life that follows.Part B:Since the beginning of the last century, vampires have been a continual hit in pop culture. And there is one count from Transylvania in particular that has always stood out from the rest. Although every generation reinvents the character in countless books and movies, they also claim to know not only who the count really was but where he lived and died.One thing is for certain, however, Bram Stoker’s ruthless and bloodthirsty character of Dracula was an ingenious work of complete fiction. Historian Jim Steinmeyer explains to Mike Cuthbert of Prime Time Radio many different sources that Stoker used to create the infamous character, from Oscar Wilde to Jack the Ripper and Stoker’s one time boss, actor Henry Irving. Steinmeyer’s book, “Who was Dracula?” explores Stokers development as a novelist and playwright, his involvement in London’s theatrical scene, to the real life inspirations for Count Dracula.
