books

Why The Color Pink Calms Prison Inmates With Adam Alter

Rachel Solomon — Thu, 23 May 2013 17:05:25 +0000

Coming up on Speakers Forum, May 23 at 8:00 p.m.

Pepto-Bismol pink is a color sometimes used in prisons to calm inmates. People with names that start with K are more likely to donate to victims of Hurricane Katrina than Hurricane Rita. Professional cyclists pedal faster when people are watching.

A variety of external factors influence our thoughts, feelings, and decisions, says Adam Alter, a professor of psychology at NYU and the author of “Drunk Tank Pink: And Other Unexpected Forces that Shape How We Think, Feel, and Behave.”

He spoke about the degree to which our environment shapes who we are at Seattle’s Town Hall on April 2, 2013.

Nancy Pearl Recommendation And Home Repair With Roger Faris

Weekday — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Coming up on Weekday, May 23 at 9:00 a.m.

Nancy Pearl Recommends Summer Books
What should you be reading on airplanes, road trips, while lounging on the beach or unwinding during those long summer evenings? Nancy Pearl has a few recommendations to keep your mind and spirit entertained during the summer months.

Home Repair Advice With Roger Faris
How’s your home holding up? Maybe you have some projects you have been meaning to get to. Get help this morning from home repair expert Roger Faris who will be on hand to take your calls at 206.543.5869 around 9:30 a.m. You can also email your questions right now to weekday@kuow.org.

"If It's Not One Thing, It's Your Mother," By Julia Sweeney

the conversation with ross reynolds — Wed, 22 May 2013 18:53:07 +0000

Julia Sweeney is a comedian, actress and author. She performed four seasons on Saturday Night Live, including portraying the infamous Pat character. Sweeney talks with Ross Reynolds about her new book of essays, "If It’s Not One Thing, It’s Your Mother."

Immigration Bill, Planning Meals And Nathaniel Philbrick On "Bunker Hill"

Weekday — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Senate Immigration Bill Moves Forward
University of Washington professor Matt Barreto joins us to discuss the immigration bill that is moving through the Senate. The amended bill cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee with a bipartisan 13-5 vote and now moves to the Senate floor for a vote.

Planning Meals Vs. Takeout
American families throw away a lot of food; about $2,275 worth every year according to a study by the Natural Resource Defense Council. Using shopping lists and planning a week’s worth of meals in advance can cut down on waste, but that requires a new way of thinking. Melissa Lanz joins us with ideas on how to shift our thinking and eating patterns.

Author Nathaniel Philbrick On "Bunker Hill"
Nathaniel Philbrick’s award-winning books reveal forgotten moments and characters in American history. His latest effort “Bunker Hill: A City, A Siege, A Revolution” looks at the tension-filled city of Boston in the months leading up to the American Revolution. Philbrick’s portrait of the city reveals deep divisions over the issue of independence from Britain. He recounts the little-known story of Dr. Joseph Warren, a young physician whose passion for independence fueled the Patriot cause and led to Warren’s much-lamented death in the Battle of Bunker Hill. KUOW’s Dave Beck speaks with Nathaniel Philbrick.

Walter Mosley And A Music Recommendation

Weekday — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000

City Considers More Permanent Home for Nickelsville
For two years, the temporary homeless camp that goes by Nickelsville has been parked in a vacant Southwest Seattle lot among the warehouses and shipping yards off West Marginal Way. This week city officials are taking up legislation that would allow Nickelsville to have a more permanent home. We talk with City Councilmember Nick Licata.

Worth Listening To: A Music Recommendation
Are you stuck in a music listening rut? We are surrounded by new music and innovative artists. Branch out! New music recommendations every Tuesday at 9:20 a.m. This time Seattle Weekly classical music writer Gavin Borchert recommends pianist Simone Dinnerstein and roots vocalist Tift Merritt.

Walter Mosley's "Little Green"
It’s been more than 20 years since Walter Mosley introduced readers to L.A. detective Ezekiel “Easy” Rawlins in his 1990 mystery “Devil in a Blue Dress.” In "Little Green" the iconic private eye Easy Rawlins returns to investigate L.A.'s Sunset Strip circa 1960. A writer of stories of redemption, Mosley describes this latest work as his "one and only novel of resurrection."

The Weather and Hike of the Week
What happened to our sunshine? Michael Fagin will give us a forecast and a hike to match it.

The Promise And Perils Of Interfaith Marriage

Rachel Solomon — Fri, 17 May 2013 03:00:00 +0000

She wanted their daughter to get a nice Catholic education. He wanted to send her to learn about Scientology on a cruise ship. Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise are a very public example of interfaith marriage, but they represent some trends Naomi Schaefer Riley discusses in her new book, “’Til Faith Do Us Part: How Interfaith Marriage is Transforming America.”

Most notably, 45 percent of marriages in the United States are between people of different religions — and these unions can often lead to unhappiness. By conducting interviews with married (and divorced) couples, Riley explores why interfaith couples tend to be less happy than others and why certain combinations are more likely to lead to failed marriages. She spoke at Seattle’s Town Hall on April 10, 2013.

Monica Wesolowska Discusses "Holding Silvan"

the conversation with ross reynolds — Thu, 16 May 2013 18:43:26 +0000

When Monica Wesolowska’s newborn child wouldn’t stop crying, he was taken in for observation. Soon Wesolowska and her husband had to make a tough decision about their son’s life. She shares her experiences and insight with David Hyde.

Liberia: America's Original Self-Deportation Scheme

Producer — Wed, 15 May 2013 20:29:13 +0000

In the decades leading up to the civil war, white Americans uncomfortable with the rising numbers of free blacks came up with a plan. Get rid of them. Specifically, convince them to resettle in Liberia. It was America's original "self-deportation" scheme. But things didn't go exactly according to plan.

List of stories from KUOW Presents, May 15:

The Elements Of Cooking With Michael Pollan

The Conversation with Ross Reynolds — Mon, 13 May 2013 18:18:38 +0000

Fire, air, water and earth; or as author Michael Pollan experienced it: barbeque, bread, braise and beer. In his latest book, “Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation,” Pollan challenges himself to master the basic technologies that have allowed people to turn raw into cooked.

The impetus of his journey was to highlight the possibility and importance of mastering the preparation of personal meals. His book explores the cultural shift of food responsibility from the home to corporation via packaged or prepared foods, and how this directly correlates with the rise in American obesity issues.

Stephen Apkon On Navigating "The Age Of The Image"

The Conversation With Ross Reynolds — Tue, 07 May 2013 18:08:40 +0000

Stephen Apkon says we live in a world of images but do not have the visual literacy to understand them. His new book is "The Age of the Image: Redefining Literacy in a World of Screens." KUOW's Ross Reynolds chats with Stephen Apkon.