With family gatherings upcoming over the holidays and emergence of AI everywhere we look, here’s my 2011 episode with Sherry Turkle, Professor of the Social Studies of Science and Technology at MIT, about her book ALONE TOGETHER Why We Expect More from Technology, Less from Each Other. At that point, Sherry had already been studying the relationships between people and technology for decades, and ALONE TOGETHER signaled a bit of a departure for her. She even called it “a book of repentance.” It was one of the first books to warn about what was being threatened or lost in our headlong rush to 24/7 engagement with screens. 

I’m not an environmentalist, but rather someone who works to move society toward a healthy relationship with the rest of nature. The notion that we are separate makes no sense to me. So I was drawn to this week’s guest, MELANIE CHALLENGER, who writes on the relationship of humans to the living world. She does field research – including in the Arctic and Antarctica, is an award-winning poet, has written librettos for classical choral pieces, has an opera in the works, and is Vice-President of UK’s RSPCA. Her books include HOW TO BE ANIMAL: What It Means to Be Human. You can learn more at melaniechallenger.com

DEBORAH TANNEN, best known for YOU JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND: Women and Men in Conversation, 4 years on the NYTimes bestseller list, 8 months at #1. This conversation is about 2 later books: First, I ONLY SAY THIS BECAUSE I LOVE YOU on why we have so much trouble communicating within families – could be helpful with Thanksgiving coming up. The second, THE ARGUMENT CULTURE focuses on public discourse. Way back in 2002, she made the point that our society had become overwhelmingly adversarial, with consequences not only in our ability to solve problems but also in our personal relationships. We have all been the victims of how that has played out in the two decades since. 

The stock market keeps rising, driven almost entirely by the “magnificent seven” tech giants. No one tries to deny we’re fueling AI and crypto bubbles. Great time to talk with author, producer, and New York Times journalist, ANDREW ROSS SORKIN, about his new best-seller, 1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History. This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at LiveTalsLA. Sorkin’s last words recently on 60 Minutes: “We will have a crash. I just can’t tell you when, and I can’t tell you how deep.” You can learn more at andrewrosssorkin.com.

Sorkin-10-16-2025-Transcript

 

Following the largest single day of protest in American history, here’s first, my 2004 conversation with THOMAS FRANK about his ground-breaking classic, WHAT’ S THE MATTER WITH KANSAS? Frank examines the GOP’s success building  unnatural alliances between Midwest and Wall Street, workers and bosses, populists and right-wingers. In the second half, you’ll hear my 2010 conversation with PAUL LOEB about his book SOUL OF A CITIZEN: Living with Conviction in a Challenging Time, full of moving stories of ordinary Americans finding unexpected fulfillment in social and political involvement.