Cast
Episodes
Episode 1
Jonathan Alter
Longtime Newsweek columnist Jonathan Alter joins us to discuss the latest in politics, the midterm elections and The Promise: President Obama, Year One, his new book about the beginning of Obama's presidency.
Oct 21, 2010
Episode 2
P.J. O'Rourke
P. J. O'Rourke was a political satirist when Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert were still in short pants - and he was angry at the establishment when Sarah Palin was still reading sports scores on the local news.
Oct 28, 2010
Episode 3
Amanda Hesser
Star food writer Amanda Hesser is a prolific food writer for The NY Times, former food editor of The NY Times Magazine, co-creator of the recipe lover's blog food52 and the author of the new, 1000-recipe The Essential NY Times Cookbook.
Nov 4, 2010
Episode 4
Jim Leach
Jim Leach became head of the National Endowment for the Humanities in 2009, after 30 years in Congress. A Republican, Leach often strayed from the party line and advocates civility - attitudes he has vowed to bring to his NEH job.
Nov 11, 2010
Episode 5
Howard Dean
The midterms are behind us and a new political landscape is taking shape. Howard Dean, former Vermont governor, 2004 contender for the Democratic presidential nomination and former DNC chair, joins us to discuss what's ahead.
Nov 18, 2010
Episode 6
Sam Tanenhaus
Sam Tanenhaus is editor of The New York Times Book Review, and his biography of Whittaker Chambers was a finalist for both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. His latest book is The Death Conservatism.
Dec 2, 2010
Episode 7
Ian Frazier
Frazier's varied mix of humorous essays, meticulously reported books of non-fiction, and wide-ranging magazine articles, tackle the history of the Great Plains, a humorous look at the life of Don Johnson and a trip through Siberia.
Dec 9, 2010
Episode 8
Bill Bradley
Billy Bradley has been a three-term US Senator, a candidate for the 2000 Democratic nomination, an NBA hall of famer, a Rhodes Scholar, the author of six books, the host of a radio show and a partner in a New York investment bank.
Dec 16, 2010
Episode 9
Michael Pollan
Author and activist Michael Pollan's work mixes journalism, environmentalism, animal rights, anthropology, and foodiness. He's become an educator, agitator, guide for the not-so-simple act of buying and consuming food.
Dec 23, 2010
Episode 10
Ed Rendell
PA Governor Ed Rendell leaves public life this month after 8 years as Governor, a stint as the DNC's head and many years in public office before that. He talks about wussiness in America, infrastructure problems and learning to drive again.
Jan 13, 2011
Episode 11
Douglas Brinkley
Douglas Brinkley's books explore U.S. history from old times to new, from one end of the country to the other, through profiles of events and people and institutions. His latest book is The Quiet World: Saving Alaska's Wilderness Kingdom.
Jan 20, 2011
Episode 12
Lawrence Wright
Lawrence Wright's most recent book, The Looming Tower, won a Pulitzer and set the highest possible bar for reporting on our complicated post-9/11 world. His next big project - for The New Yorker and a book - examines Scientology.
Jan 27, 2011
Episode 13
Chely Wright
Singer-songwriter Chely Wright has been named Best New Female Vocalist and one of People's 50 Most Beautiful People. She's also author of a memoir, the first openly gay country music star and founder of The LIKE ME Organization.
Feb 3, 2011
Episode 14
Matthew Dowd
Matthew Dowd has worked at the heart of American politics for more than 25 years, shaping strategies and campaigns for both Democrats and Republicans. It's widely reported that his latest advice is for President Barack Obama.
Feb 17, 2011
Episode 15
John Mackey
John Mackey is co-founder & CEO of Whole Foods Market, the largest U.S. natural foods grocer and a growing global presence, with more than 300 stores in North America and the U.K. Whole Foods marks it's 30th anniversary this year.
Feb 24, 2011
Episode 16
Lawrence Lessig
Lawrence Lessig is a celebrated academic, an acclaimed author, and an energetic activist whose great cause is rights and freedoms in the digital sphere. He's also increasingly an advocate for accountability in institutions.
Mar 10, 2011
Episode 17
Bill Paxton
Bill Paxton is a gifted actor whose credits include One False Move, Weird Science and Apollo 13, but legions of wannabe sister wives know him as polygamist Bill Henrickson on HBO's Big Love, soon ending a marvelous five-year run.
Mar 17, 2011
Episode 18
Garrison Keillor
Garrison Keillor is an author, humorist, storyteller and icon of public broadcasting whose weekly radio show, A Prairie Home Companion, has been a part of our lives, in one form or another, since 1974.
Mar 24, 2011
Episode 19
Wyatt Cenac
Wyatt Cenac's reports for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart have introduced his work to a wide audience. But his work reaches far beyond his role as a fake news writer and correspondent.
Apr 7, 2011
Episode 20
Diane Wood
Diane Wood is a Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals judge respected across the political spectrum as an intellectual heavyweight. Twice, she's made Obama's short list for the Supreme Court. Maybe the third time will be the charm.
Apr 14, 2011
Episode 21
Calvin Trillin
Calvin Trillin has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 1963, and over those many years he's written enough pieces about Texas food and politics and life in general to fill an anthology. Trillin on Texas is in bookstores now.
Apr 21, 2011