Part 1 of today's Morning Show is a newly recorded interview with Hope Larson in which she talks about "Very Bad at Math- a Very Graphic Novel." Her main character is an otherwise successful high school student who struggles terribly with math. It turns out that she - like the author- suffers from a condition called Dyscalculia (similar to Dyslexia…

We preview the Kenosha Unified School District's pilot production of the musical "The Prince of Egypt" with Kristen Singer, who is both the stage director and the costume designer for this production. The performances are this weekend.

We preview this weekend's performances of "Terminal Exhale," the latest iteration of Carthage's Verbatim Theater Project. This particular production shares stories from frontline healthcare workers and what it is like for them to interact with victims of gun violence. (There is also an event happening at Carthage Saturday afternoon called "Healing …

From 2013 - Maggie Stuckey talks about her book "Soup Night: Recipes for Creating Community Around a Pot of Soup."

We preview the next installment in the PBS documentary series AMERICAN EXPERIENCE: "Change, not Charity- the Americans with Disabilities Act." Our guest, Chana Gazit, is the writer and producer of the film, which airs tonight (Tuesday the 25th of March) on PBS stations across the country, including channel 10 in Milwaukee.…

For Women's History Month- from 2012, we talk with Virginia Scharff, Professor of History at the University of New Mexico, who was one of the participants in an American Experience documentary about Annie Oakley, one of the most remarkable American women of the 19th century and one of the most famous figures out of the Old West.…

Jeffrey Toobin, author of "The Pardon: The Politics of Presidential Mercy." Toobin explores why the founding fathers gave the U.S. president such sweeping powers to extend pardons - and how this authority has been used over the years.

This interview is undated but was recorded more than fifteen years ago. It features two noteworthy women from Kenosha .... acclaimed children's author Florence Parry Heide and renowned artist Nan Pollard.

From 2008 - Diane Ackerman talks about her book "The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story" - an amazing but true resistance story from World War II.

From 2016- Susan Quinn discusses her bestselling book "Eleanor and Hick: The Love Affair that Shaped a First Lady." The book is an illuminating examination of the close and intimate friendship between Eleanor Roosevelt and journalist Lorena Hickok. (for Women's History Month.)

For Kailyn Palomares's March visit to the Morning Show, we speak with Brandon Gross, president of the Root River Chapter of Wild Ones, a national organization that encourages the creation of native habitats and the growing of native plants. The local chapter's Native Plant Sale is currently underway (the deadline for placing orders is April 1st.)…

We remember sportswriter John Feinstein, who passed away last week at the age of 69. A long-time sports commentator for NPR, Feinstein also authored 44 books. It was my pleasure to speak with Mr. Feinstein on eight different occasions over the course of more than 20 years. Here are two of those interviews. Part One: "The Ancient Eight: College Foot…

My guest is Wayne Gustave Johnson, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, talking about his memoir "The Iowa That Was: Memories of an Iowa Boy Turned Philosopher." Johnson grew up in rural Iowa in the 1930s in a farmhouse without electricity or running water. The book is an illuminating look at a bygone era.…

We spend most of the program with State Representative Tip McGuire, who represents the 64th assembly district. We finish out the hour with Tom Segev (2007) talking about his book "1967: Israel, the War, and the Year that Transformed the Middle East."

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, we replay this 2003 interview with Irish writer Malachi McCourt (brother of Frank McCourt.)

We talk with Andrea Chamblee about "The Capital of Basketball: A History of DC Area High School Hoops" - a book begun by her husband, John McNamara- who tragically was killed in an incident at a newspaper in Baltimore in which five journalists were shot. Chamblee finished her husband's book.

We preview the Belle City Brassworks concert this Sunday afternoon at 3:00 with conductor Doug Johnson and board president Katie Humphrey. The concert will feature Irish music in honor of Saint Patrick's Day.

Wayne Scott discusses his poignant and deeplypersonal memoir "The Maps They Gave Us: One Marriage Re-Imagined."

We speak with screenwriter and playwright Kevin Wade, who has just published his first novel, "Johnny Careless." His credits include the screenplays for "Working Girl," "True Colors," and "Meet Joe Black."

We preview next week's Jazz Week at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside with Russ Johnson, who is a member of the music faculty at UW-Parkside and someone with an impressive resume as a jazz trumpeter. This year's event is the 13th Jazz Week. The program includes recorded examples of the various guests who will be performing for the festival.…

Tanisia Moore talks about her newest children's book, "Wash Day Love."

Lisa Franklin, Assistant Professor of Management and Marketing at Carthage College, discusses the concept of Product Management. (Carthage has professional certification and master's degree programs in Product Management.) What is Product Management and why does it matter?

From early 2024- Simon Schuster discusses his book "The Showman: Inside the Invasion that Shook the World and Made a Leader." Schuster has covered Zelensky since 2019 and was granted unprecedented access to him even during the chaotic days following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

From 2010- we speak with William Kuhn about his book "Reading Jackie: Her Autobiography in Books." The book closely examines a chapter of Jackie Kennedy Onassis's life that is often glossed over in biographies of her- the years she spent as a book editor. We're replaying this in honor of Women's History Month.…

From 2018- Stephen Davis, author of "Gold Dust Woman: The Biography of Stevie Nicks."

Dr. Ross White, author of "The Tree That Bends: How a Flexible Mind Can Help You Thrive." The author celebrates the concept of Flexibility and defends it as a sign of strength rather than weakness.

We speak with three members of the Kenosha Police Department .... detectives Chad Buchanan and Ryan Pfeiffer and Crime Prevention Officer John Wenberg ... talking about the prevalence of scams and frauds that are perpetrated over the internet - and what people need to do to keep themselves from becoming victims.…

We celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Racine Literacy Council with three guests: Laura Sumner Coon, executive director of the RLC, Ann Zogg, who is a volunteer tutor, and Victor Mexia, whose wife and daughter have participated with him in the RLC's Family Literacy Program.

Dr. Art Cyr pays his first visit to the Morning Show in 2025 with today's conversation in which, among other things, we talk about the first six weeks of President Trump's second term-- including the dramatic scene in the Oval Office that Professor Cyr called "a brutal verbal assault" in his most recent column.…

Today's Morning Show is the first to air during Women's History Month 2025. Part One: Laura Semmer, illustrator of "The ABC's of Women's History," a lovely children's book written by Rio Cortez. Part Two: from the Morning Show archives .... Bryant Johnson, who was the personal trainer of former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, talks …

March 2nd is the date that Theodore Geissel ... aka Dr. Seuss .... was born in 1904. From the archives comes this 2004 interview with Charles D. Cohen, talking about his book "The Seuss, the Whole Seuss, and Nothing but the Seuss." Cohen is perhaps the world's foremost expert on all matters related to Dr. Seuss. This book was published to mark the …

In the wake of the news of the death of award-winning actor Gene Hackman, we are replaying a 2004 interview with Hackman and his longtime friend Daniel Lenihan ... talking about "Justice for None," the second of three historical novels which they co-authored.

This is a bonus for Morning Show listeners- a brief conversation with Michael Gelman, executive producer of "Live with Kelly and Mark" (Kelly Ripa and Mark Conseulos.) They will be co-hosting a special program on Monday that will celebrate some of the most noteworthy Oscar winners from the night before. Gelman discusses some of the challenges invol…

We speak with Richard Rothstein about the book he co-authored with his daughter Leah Rothstein .... "Just Action: How to Challenge Segregation Enacted Under the Color of Law." The book examines the phenomenon of residential segregation - in which Blacks and Whites in America tend to live apart from one another despite all of the breakthroughs made …

From 2004 - Ellis Cose discusses his intriguing book "Bone to Pick: of Forgiveness, Reconciliation, Reparation and Revenge." This was part two of today's program. I chose to replay this interview because the theme of 'forgiveness' is central to the plot of Pedro Calderon de la Barca's "Life is a Dream," a Spanish masterwork from the 17th century th…

We talk about an exciting partnership between the United Way of Kenosha County and the Community-Based Learning Program at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside that resulted in the creation of an interactive online map house on the United Way's website that allows people to find resources and services in the community. Our guests: Carolynn Friesch,…

We speak with State Representative Robert Wittke, who represents the 63rd assembly district (which includes most of Caledonia and most of Franklin.) Our conversation includes his reflection on Governor Evers's proposed biennial budget.

Part One- Jeffrey Boutwell, author of "Boutwell: Radical Republican and Champion of Democracy." The author's distant ancestor George Boutwell was an important force for racial equality in the 19th century. He helped secure the Republican presidential nomination for Abraham Lincoln- assisted in the crafting of the 13th and 15th amendments- was a fie…

From 2009- John Lucas, author of "Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat: The Dire Warning- Churchill's First Speech as Prime Minister."

From 2008, Mary Roach discusses her book "Bonk! - The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex."

This interview was recorded this morning for broadcast next week - but because it concerns a theatrical production that is opening tonight, I want to share the interview as a supplement to today's podcast episode. The play is "Life is a Dream" by Pedro Calderon de la Barca, one of history's most notable theatrical masterworks. My guests: Neil Schar…

This is the complete interview with Paul Beston talking about his book "The American Kings," which tells the story of seven American heavyweight boxing champions: John L. Sullivan, Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Muhammad Ali, and Mike Tyson. (An excerpt played on today's program.)…

We preview the Racine Theater Guild's newest production, "And in this corner: Cassius Clay," which runs this weekend and the next. Shawn Holmes, director of the production, joins us - along with Aquil Ocacio, who is one of two actors portraying the title character. For part two, we replay an excerpt from an interview with Paul Beston in which he ta…

From 2005- Award-winning teacher Ron Clark talks about his book "The Excellent Eleven: An Award-Winning Teacher's Guide to Raising Children Who Love to Learn."

We speak with Jennifer Charpentier, Executive Director of the Gateway Technical College Foundation.

We discuss the acute affordable housing shortage in our area with Ron Cronovich, Professor of Economics at Carthage College. He is the moderator for an event at Carthage on February 27th titled "Equity and Housing Development" that is sponsored by the Carthage Business and Professional Coalition.

Former FBI agent Mike German discusses his new book "Policing White Supremacy- The Enemy Within."

From 2003- Jeffrey Makoff, co-author of "Get Off the Fence: 10+1 Steps to Help You Make that Big Decision."

Kathleen DeLaski discusses her book "Who Needs College Anymore? - Imagining a Future Where Degrees Won't Matter." She contends that colleges and universities need to reinvent themselves for the 21st century and think beyond the standard model of granting degrees.

From 2002 - Rachel Simon discusses her memoir "Riding the Bus with my Sister: A True Life Journey." In this moving book, the author talks about her developmentally disabled sister who loved riding the city buses of their hometown of Reading, Pennsylvania. Rachel Simon took it upon herself to ride the buses with Beth in order to get to know her bett…