Nordonia Hills Branch Library's Podcast

We discuss the twin narratives of a man traveling by unicycle between North Carolina and Arizona, and the same man in his pursuit of a simple life with nature - in an American old-growth forest.

We discuss a clever series of chance encounters between disparate historical figures and celebrities. HELLO GOODBYE HELLO by Craig Brown THE KNOWLEDGE WEB (one of many titles) by James Burke

This month we review a book that explores the many factors involved with our triumphs, failures, and the results of competition in our lives. TOP DOG by Po Bronson & Ashley Merryman.

We discuss the story of the periodic table, and the many fascinating tales behind the various elements contained within. THE DISAPPEARING SOPOON, by Sam Kean

We discuss the explorations of David Sax, who finds many successful and diverse analog ventures in the midst of our digital world. THE REVENGE OF ANALOG by David Sax.

We present edited excerpts of our annual book talk, describing various titles from the previous year. (Original program date: 1/16/18). The complete book list is available at the Nordonia Hills Branch Library.

This month, we discuss people who decided to move even farther north to live - in Alaska or the Arctic. THE ALASKAN RETREATER'S HANDBOOK by Ray Ordorica CALL OF THE AMERICAN WILD, by Guy Grieve IN THE EMPIRE OF ICE, by Gretel Ehrlich AMONG GRIZZLIES, by Timothy Treadwell

We explore three different ways to arrange your movie-watching year. A YEAR OF MOVIES by Ivan Walters PETER BOGDANOVICH'S MOVIE OF THE WEEK by Peter Bogdanovich A YEAR AT THE MOVIES by Kevin Murphy

During this season of get-togethers, we discuss a unique type of party: the tasting party. TASTING CLUB, by Dina Cheney PETITE EATS, by Timothy Lawrence THE COCKTAIL CLUB, by Maureen Petrosky TASTING WINE & CHEESE, by Adam Centimore

With autumn settling in, we discuss indoor pursuits, such as playing board games. IT'S ALL A GAME, by Tristan Donovan FAMILY GAMES: THE 100 BEST, edited by James Lowder THINGS WE THINK ABOUT GAMES, by Will Hindmarch & Jeff Tidball

We discuss books aimed at making your life easier, with clever solutions to tricky problems. THE USEFUL BOOK, by Sharon & David Bowers WORLD'S BEST LIFE HACKS, by Sarah Devos THE LITTLE BOOK OF LIFE HACKS, by Yumi Sakugawa THE BIG BOOK OF UNCOMMON KNOWLEDGE, edited by Jeff Csatari EXTRAORDINARY USES FOR ORDINARY THINGS, Reader's Digest

We look at the relaxing tradition of summer sports you can play in your yard, plus some leisure pursuits that are more unique. BALLS ON THE LAWN by Brooks Butler Hays WEIRD SPORTS & WACKY GAMES AROUND THE WORLD by Victoria Williams SPORTS FROM HELL by Rick Reilly TAG, TOSS, & RUN by Paul Tukey & Victoria Rowell

We discuss the diverse dialects, accents, and word choices found in our great country, as well as a specific look at the way we talk here in the Midwest/Great Lakes region. SPEAKING AMERICAN by Josh Katz HOW TO SPEAK MIDWESTERN by Edward McClelland

We review Mark Dawidziak's latest book, EVERYTHING I NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN THE TWILIGHT ZONE.

We discuss the most famous home movie ever filmed in history, and also the story of the man behind the camera. TWENTY-SIX SECONDS by Alexandra Zapruder

A discussion of the latest title from one of the podcast's favorite authors, William Poundstone. HEAD IN THE CLOUD by William Poundstone

We discuss the extraordinary career of legendary baseball broadcaster Vin Scully, who retires this year after 67 seasons of work. PULL UP A CHAIR: THE VIN SCULLY STORY by Curt Smith VOICES OF SUMMER by Curt Smith THE VOICES OF BASEBALL by Kirk McKnight

We discuss some of the 10 essays (chapters) that comprise Simon Winchester's book PACIFIC.

A look at how the nature of nostalgia has changed in the consumer culture of the recent decades, focusing much more on a return to childhood, rather than a wistfulness for a lost era or place. CONSUMED NOSTALGIA by Gary Cross THE CLASSIC TELEVISION REFERENCE by Hank Moore TOYS OF THE 50'S, 60'S AND 70's by Kate Roberts & Adam Scher TIME PASSING by Sylviane Agacinski THE WAY WE NEVER WERE by Stephanie Coontz

We discuss the fond memories conjured by the decorations and memorabilia of Christmas. KITSCHMASLAND by Travis Smith CHRISTMAS WISHES by Tim Hollis MERRY KITSCHMAS by Michael D. Conway HAVE YOURSELF A VERY VINTAGE CHRISTMAS by Susan Waggoner

Just in time for Halloween, we explore titles that celebrate the history, making, and enjoyment of candy. CANDYFREAK by Steve Almond CHOCOLATE WARS by Deborah Cadbury THE EMPERORS OF CHOCOLATE by Joel Glenn Brenner SWEETS by Tim Richardson CANDY: THE SWEET HISTORY by Beth Kimmerle

We share a sneak preview of our autumn program "Inside the Sound of Music." Discover the real Von Trapp family, the stage production, the iconic film, and more. THE SOUND OF MUSIC STORY by Tom Santopietro THE SOUND OF MUSIC FAQ by Barry Monush FOREVER LIESL by Charmian Carr MEMORIES BEFORE AND AFTER THE SOUND OF MUSIC by Agathe Von Trapp

A look at David McCullough's book expanding on his thoughts originally spoken at a 2012 high school graduation, which went viral after their posting online. Words of wisdom for graduates, indeed. YOU ARE NOT SPECIAL, AND OTHER ENCOURAGEMENTS, by David McCullough, Jr. HOW TO ACT LIKE A GROWN-UP, by Mark DuPre.

Marking the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII in Europe, we discuss the story of the town of Trochenbrod. THE HEAVENS ARE EMPTY by Avrom Bendavid-Val BEYOND TROCHENBROD: THE BETTY GOLD STORY by Betty Gold EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED by Jonathan Safran Foer

We start the new year with a question about travel - following the footsteps of Charles Kuralt: 12 destinations in 12 months. Where would YOU go? CHARLES KURALT'S AMERICA by Charles Kuralt

We mark the end of harvest time with all the myriad varieties of apples to enjoy, and three books that guide the way. APPLES OF UNCOMMON CHARACTER by Rowan Jacobsen APPLES OF NORTH AMERICA by Tom Burford AN APPLE HARVEST by Frank Browning & Sharon Silva

We take a look at the life and legacy of a singular American visionary. This podcast is based on over a dozen books, including THE VAULT OF WALT by Jim Korkis

In 1953, former President Truman did something no president had done before, and no president has done since: he took a road trip with his wife - just the two of them. Here is the story.

We explore the sobering economics of the gift-giving season, featuring one theory that is eye-opening. SCROOGENOMICS by Joel Waldfogel BARGAIN FEVER by Mark Ellwood A CHRISTMAS STORY: BEHIND THE SCENES by Caseen Gaines A CHRISTMAS STORY TREASURY by Tyle Schwartz

We return to the topic of Halloween with a look at the cultural history and myraid facets of this popular holiday. DEATH MAKES A HOLIDAY by David J. Skal HALLOWEEN: FROM PAGAN RITUAL TO PARTY NIGHT by Nicholas Rogers THE HALLOWEEN ENCYCLOPEDIA by Lisa Morton HALLOWEEN IN AMERICA by Stuart Schneider

We look at the legendary group of musicians that formed the backbone of hundreds of hits songs during 1960's and 70's - rock & roll's Wrecking Crew. THE WRECKING CREW by Kent Hartman HAL BLAINE & THE WRECKING CREW by Hal Blaine & Mr. Banzai

Discover what your surroundings are saying about you and your friends, via the art and science of "snooping." SNOOP by Dr. Sam Gosling

We mark the passing of author and film critic Roger Ebert.

We take a look at the holiday collection, plus two titles - one that illustrates the celebration of Halloween across the country, and a guide to famous and historical spooky sites in the U.S., London, and Paris.

Musings on nonfiction compared to biography plus We look at The Admirals by Walter Borneman and Enterprise: America's Fightingest Ship by Barrett Tillman