The Roundtable

The 43rd season of the NYS Writers Institute kicks off Wednesday with a conversation with singer/songwriter Natalie Merchant. The 9thannual Albany Book Festival is Sept. 26 and a great lineup with dozens of literary events, films, etc.We get a preview now with Paul Grondahl, the Opalka Endowed Director at the NYS Writers Institute.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are:Theresa Bourgeois - Public policy and communications expert.Libby Post - Political Consultant and lobbyist. Kathy Sheehan - Former Mayor of the City of Albany.Mike Spain - Former Times Union Associate Editor.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond.

Téa Obreht has built a career on novels where history, myth and the uncanny have a way of colliding. Her debut, 'The Tiger's Wife,' won the Orange Prize for Fiction and was a finalist for the National Book Award.Her new novel, 'Sunrise,' takes us to a mysterious Wyoming ghost town across three different moments in time. A plane crash in 2024, a historical reenactment in 2003, and the return of a legendary gunslinger in 1902 gradually become part of the same story.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond.

Bestselling author Richard Russo will be our guest on this week's book show. Russo knows something about small towns and about the people who leave them, the people who stay, and the trouble that follows when someone comes home. Russo is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Empire Falls and the author of Bridge of Size, Straight Man, Nobody's Fool, and many others. His latest novel is 'Under the Falls.'

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond.

Award-winning sports journalist Matthew Futterman has spent decades covering the biggest stories in athletics for 'The New York Times,' 'The Athletic,' 'The Wall Street Journal,' and other major publications.His latest book, 'The Cruelest Game: Chasing Greatness in Professional Tennis,' takes readers behind the scenes of one of the world's most demanding sports, exploring the extraordinary mental and physical pressures faced by today's stars.

In the mid-1980s, Paul Simon was looking for a way forward. What he found, beginning with a cassette of South African Township Jive, would become ‘Graceland,' an enormously successful album, a political landmark, and the center of a fierce argument about art, politics, and apartheid. In his new book, ‘Days of Miracle and Wonder: Paul Simon and the Trials and Triumphs of Graceland.'

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are:Theresa Bourgeois - Public policy and communications expert.March Gallagher - The Ulster County Comptroller and the former president and CEO of the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley.Allison Kavey - a full professor in the History Department at John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY).Warren Whitlock - a former federal senior executive having served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Diversity & Leadership, and, Associate Administrator for Civil Rights at the Federal Highway Administration.

California Congressman Jared Huffman has spent more than a decade in Washington representing a district that stretches from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border. A lawyer, former environmental advocate and co-founder of the Congressional Free Thought Caucus, Huffman is also one of Congress's most outspoken secular humanists. His new book, ‘No Profits: The Fight to Save Democracy from Christian Nationalism' examines what Huffman sees as the growing influence of Christian nationalism in American government and politics.

Claire Stapleton spent twelve years at Google, helping shape the voice and culture of a company that once promised to change the world. But over time, she began to question the widening gap between Google's ideals and its reality.In 2018, Stapleton helped organize the landmark Google Walkout, when 20,000 employees protested the company's handling of sexual harassment.Now a writer, communications consultant, and tech labor activist, Stapleton tells that story in 'Don't Be Evil: Bad Bosses, Fake Promises, and My Escape from Big Tech.' It is a memoir about corporate power, workplace identity, disillusionment, and what happens when a true believer decides to walk away.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are:Bill Hammond - Senior Fellow for Health Policy at The Empire Center for Public Policy.Robert Pondiscio - Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.Nic Rangel - Executive Director of The Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York.

The Thomas Cole National Historic Site announced today the exhibition 'Circles of Influence: Thomas Cole and the American Landscape Movement.' The exhibition will explore the rapid influence that Thomas Cole (1801- 1848) and his work had on other 19th century artists, and the role that they collectively played in extending the concept of 'America the Beautiful,' still vibrant today.

Berkshire Opera Festival is about to present one of the most celebrated works in the operatic canon, Donizetti's 'Lucia di Lammermoor.' Conducted and directed by co-founders Brian Garman and Jonathon Loy, three performances take place August 22-28 at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington. We'll get a preview.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are:Jackie Berry - Lecturer of Cognitive Sciences at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and former Fulbright US Scholar to Egypt.Terry Gipson - Preceptor in Public Speaking for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University.Anna Markowitz - Executive Director of Communities for Local Power and former White House Advance Lead.Mike Spain - Former Times Union Associate Editor.

This week's Book Picks comes from Kira Wizner from Merritt Bookstore in Millbrook, NY and Lily Bartels from Open Door Bookstore in Schenectady, NY for our selections this week.

Nearly 50 years after 'Star Wars' first transported moviegoers to a galaxy far, far away, the film - and its music - remain unmistakable. On Friday, August 21st at 7:30, 'Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert' comes to the Saratoga Performing Arts Center.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are:Chris Gibson is a writer and analyst. He recently retired from the presidency of Siena College and was a former NY Congressman. His new book is “The Spirit of Philadelphia.”· Larissa Phillips is the founder and director of the Volunteer Literacy Project. She is also a columnist for The Free Press and a Greene County resident.· Catherine Tan is an Associate Professor in the department of sociology at Vassar College. Her research is on health, wellness, and medical knowledge.

Louise Nealon made a remarkable debut with ‘Snowflake,' the award-winning novel that introduced readers to her sharp, funny, and deeply compassionate portrait of contemporary rural Ireland. The County Kildare writer returns with their second novel, ‘Everything That Is Beautiful,' a story that explores the complicated bonds of family, friendship, memory, and forgiveness.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are:·The Reverend Peter Cook - Principal, Faith in the Public Square and Co-Principal of The Religious Nationalisms Project.·Stephen Haff - is an educator who teaches drama and humanities at Poughkeepsie Day School in Poughkeepsie·Judy Patrick - Former Vice President for Editorial Development at the New York Press Association and a longtime editor of the Daily Gazette·Mark Wittman - Investment Banker on Wall St.

Virginia Eubanks is an investigative journalist, author, and professor at the University at Albany, whose is author of acclaimed book Automating Inequality Acclaimed How Technology Can Deepen Poverty and Injustice. Her new book, 'A Guide to Open Water Life Saving Lessons on Love, Care and Survival' turns the lens on her own life. After her partner was brutally attacked near their Troy, New York home, Eubanks became his caregiver as they navigated trauma.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are Stuart Rice Honorary Chair at the University of Massachusetts Amherst's College of Information and Computer Sciences (CICS) and Faculty Associate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University Fran Berman, a senior fellow and faculty member in the Center for the Advancement of Public Action at Bennington College. She is the President of Beyond Plastics and former EPA Regional Administrator. Judith is co-author of the book 'The Problem with Plastic' Judith Enck, a full professor in the History Department at John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY) Allison Kavey, and Diplomat in Residence at Bard College. She retired from the U.S. Foreign Service in 2025 after over 30 years in public service. Her last post was ambassador to the SE Asian country, Timor-Leste Donna Welton.

Music journalist and author Tony Fletcher has spent decades chronicling rock and roll and the culture surrounding it. His new book 'POW, When UK Went Pop, 1980 to 1984,' turns the lens on his own youth, a coming-of-age story, set against a wildly creative moment in British music. Fletcher recalls life as a teenage journalist and aspiring musician navigating the record business, love.Sex and the hard lessons of growing up while trying to land his own band a record deal. This Sunday at 2PM, Fletcher brings 'Pow' to the Orpheum Theater in Saugerties, NY for reading, conversation, and videos from the era. It is a great pleasure to welcome Tony Fletcher to the round table this morning.

Sitarist Partha Bose brings the sounds of Indian classical music to Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs this Sunday. Bose began playing music as a child in Calcutta and has since built an international career, performing across five continents and introducing audiences around the world to the beauty and improvisation of Indian music.His concerts combine centuries old musical traditions with the spontaneity and energy of a live conversation between musicians and audiences. Sunday show is part of Caffe Lena's Global Voices series, which brings music and traditions from around the world to Saratoga and does so this Sunday, August 16th at 7 p.m.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are Senior Fellow for Health Policy at The Empire Center for Public Policy Bill Hammond, an Associate Professor in the department of sociology at Vassar College. Her research is on health, wellness, and medical knowledge Catherine Tan, and Investment Banker on Wall St. Mark Wittman.

Jay McInerney has spent more than four decades chronicling ambition, desire, excess, and reinvention in New York City. Since the publication of his breakout novel, 'Bright Lights Big City,' in 1984, he's become one of the defining literary voices. He has become one of the defining literary voices of his generation, blending sharp social observation with an insider's eye for the worlds of publishing, wealth, and culture.His new novel, 'See You on the Other Side,' brings a long-running story to a close. The book is the fourth and final installment of McInerney's Callaway saga.

The number-one 'New York Times' bestselling author Lisa Gardner is known for intricately plotted psychological thrillers and unforgettable characters, including Detective D.D. Warren and missing-persons specialist Frankie Elkin.Now Gardner returns with 'You'll Be Sorry,' a new thriller that once again explores the secrets people keep—and the dangerous consequences when those secrets surface.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are public policy and communications expert - Theresa Bourgeois, an educator who teaches drama and humanities at Poughkeepsie Day School in Poughkeepsie Stephen Haff, Semi-retired, Editor at large/columnist/editorial writer, Times Union Jay Jochnowitz, and Former Vice President for Editorial Development at the New York Press Association and a longtime editor of the Daily Gazette, Judy Patrick.

This week's Book Picks comes from Joan Grenier – owner of the Odyssey Bookshop in South Hadley, MA and we also welcome Matt Tannenbaum from The Bookstore in Lenox, MA.

The Palace Theatre in Albany, NY will be holding their Community Block Party on Saturday. Taking place under the marquee from Noon to 4PM at the intersection of Clinton Avenue and Pearl St – they will celebrate the end of summer with live music, vendors, family friendly activities, community organizations, free food and more. This event is free and open to the public.There will be live music by The Ky McClinton Band & the Albany Rock Pit Showcase Band! Pony Rides & a Petting Zoo! The UAlbany Kids Zone with Face Painting, Balloon Twisters, a Bounce House, Games & Activities! Educational Activities with Ten Broeck Mansion! Create Interactive Art with Albany Center Gallery!

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are an author, lawyer, consultant, public speaker, and entrepreneur. Her most recent book is: 'Race Rules: What Your Black Friend Won't Tell You' Fatimah Gilliam, Executive Director of Communities for Local Power and former White House Advance Lead Anna Markowitz, The Empire Report's JP Miller, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute Robert Pondiscio.

For years, Dale Dickey has been one of Hollywood's most reliable scene stealers, bringing unforgettable grit, humor, and humanity to acclaimed films and television series, including 'Winter's Bone,' 'Breaking Bad,' 'Justified,' 'True Blood,' 'Unbelievable', and 'A League of Their Own.' Her career has now reached a new milestone with her first Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.Recognizing her performance as the hilariously deadpan town gossip Rosemary and Apple TV plus's breakout comedy horror sensation 'Widow's Bay.' The series has emerged as one of TV's biggest hits, earning 19 Emmy nominations, while Dickie's dry wit and impeccable timing have made Rosemary an audience favorite.This morning we get to talk to Dale Dickey about a career built on unforgettable character roles, including this one.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are Professor of History and International Relations on the Shirley Ecker Boskey Chair at Vassar College He is a specialist on the history of US foreign policy Robert Brigham, the Arthur Zankel Chair in Management for Liberal Arts at Skidmore College where she teaches International Affairs and Business Management Pushi Prasad, Former Mayor of the City of Albany Kathy Sheehan, and Former Times Union Associate Editor Mike Spain.

James Scott has become one of America's leading historians of World War II, bringing meticulous research and compelling storytelling to pivotal moments in modern history. A Pulitzer Prize finalist and 'New York Times' bestselling author, Scott now turns to one of the war's most consequential and controversial decisions in 'Empire of Ashes: Truman, Hirohito, and the Descent into Total War.'Drawing on newly uncovered Japanese sources and survivor accounts, the book examines the final months of the Pacific War, the debates surrounding the atomic bomb, and the devastating human cost of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. James Scott joins us to discuss 'Empire of Ashes.'

Josh Groban has built one of the most versatile careers in music, moving effortlessly between pop, Broadway, film, television, and the concert stage. The multi-platinum singer, songwriter, and actor is known for his soaring voice, best-selling albums, memorable performances in productions including 'Sweeney Todd,' and a deep appreciation for the orchestral tradition.On Friday, August 14, he'll bring that signature blend of genres to the Saratoga Performing Arts Center for 'Josh Groban: Stage, Screen & Symphony,' performing with The Philadelphia Orchestra. The show will bring to life selections from Josh's new album 'Cinematic.'

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are Professor of Political Science at Hartwick College in Oneonta, who studies gender in politics, women political candidates, women voters and women in elected office Laurel Elder is a senior fellow and faculty member in the Center for the Advancement of Public Action at Bennington College. She is the President of Beyond Plastics and former EPA Regional Administrator. Judith is co-author of the book 'The Problem with Plastic' Judith Enck, and Siena University Professor of Economics Aaron Pacitti.

Brian Stokes Mitchell has enjoyed a career that spans more than four decades in Broadway, television, film, recordings, and concert appearances with premiere conductors and orchestras.Brain Stokes Mitchell will be at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center tomorrow night with the Philadelphia Orchestra for ‘American Dreams with Brian Stokes Mitchell' at 7:30 pm.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are Lecturer of Cognitive Sciences at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and former Fulbright US Scholar to Egypt Jackie Berry, Joseph Palamountain Jr. Chair in Government at Skidmore College Beau Breslin, and Former Mayor of the City of Albany Kathy Sheehan.

'The Legend of Georgia McBride' is currently running at the Berkshire Theatre Festival's Colonial Theatre through August 16th. The show is a glittering, laugh-out-loud celebration of chosen family, drag performance and music, packed with outrageous comedy, electrifying performances and unforgettable theatrical flair.Broadway's Michael Wartella takes on the role of Casey, a down-on-his-luck Elvis impersonator whose life is turned upside down when he unexpectedly finds himself stepping into the fabulous world of drag performance. What begins as a last-ditch paycheck quickly becomes a heartfelt and hilarious journey into confidence, self-expression and the transformative power of stepping fully into the spotlight.

In George Pelecanos' new novel, 'The Blue Flame,' Pelecanos brings back beloved private investigator Derek Strange for his first new case in more than a decade. Hired to verify an alibi in a murder investigation, Strange finds himself navigating a city where violence, corruption, and moral ambiguity collide.It's a sharp mystery about justice, redemption, and the instincts that refuse to fade. George Pelecanos joins us to talk about 'The Blue Flame.'

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are Dean of the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity at the University at Albany Robert Griffin, an educator who teaches drama and humanities at Poughkeepsie Day School in Poughkeepsie Stephen Haff, and Executive Director of The Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York Nic Rangel.

This week's Book Picks comes from Connie Brooks and Suzanne Kulick from Battenkill Books in Cambridge, NY and Mindy Kay Bricker from Kinderhook Books in Kinderhook, NY.

Physician and acclaimed novelist Daniel Mason has a gift for finding the extraordinary in everyday life. His new novel, 'Country People,' follows a young family whose move to rural Vermont becomes an unexpected journey into folklore, community, and imagination.Daniel Mason is our guest on this week's Book Show – this afternoon at 3, Thursday night at 8 and online at wamc.org. In this preview of the program, we talk with Daniel Mason about the book and reactions from early readers – including the question for the author, “do you listen to WAMC?”

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are Joseph Palamountain Jr. Chair in Government at Skidmore College Beau Breslin, an Associate Professor in the department of sociology at Vassar College. Her research is on health, wellness, and medical knowledge Catherine Tan, and Investment Banker on Wall St. Mark Wittman.

Michael Roth, the President of Wesleyan University, will speak at the Monterey Meeting House in Monterey, MA on Sunday, August 9th. His talk is titled: 'From Neutrality to Democracy; How Higher Ed Can Defend Democracy.' Michael will join us later this morning.Michael Roth has been president of Wesleyan University since 2007. His most recent books are 'The Student: A Brief History and Safe Enough Spaces: A Pragmatist's Guide to Free Speech, Affirmative Action, and Political Correctness on College Campuses,'and 'Beyond the University: Why Liberal Education Matters.'He is currently focused on building a network of schools, Democracy 250, whose students defend democracy by participating in it. We welcome Michael Roth to the RT.

Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) welcomes back The Philadelphia Orchestra for a three-week summer residency from August 5–22 as part of its celebratory 60th anniversary season.Led by Music and Artistic Director Yannick Nezet-Seguin,the season pairs classical masterworks with SPAC premieres and performances by world-renowned artists, including Tony, Emmy, and five-time Grammy Award–nominated singer Josh Groban, Grammy Award–nominated indie-folk singer Gregory Alan Isakov, and two-time Tony Award–winning Broadway star Brian Stokes Mitchell.Christopher Shiley is President of Saratoga Performing Arts Center.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are Joseph Palamountain Jr. Chair in Government at Skidmore College Beau Breslin, Associate Professor of Music at Vassar College. He studies music in American politics; sound studies; East Asian art music; and music in the African diaspora Justin Patch, and Diplomat in Residence at Bard College. She retired from the U.S. Foreign Service in 2025 after over 30 years in public service. Her last post was ambassador to the SE Asian country, Timor-Leste Donna Welton.

Long before Joe Goldberg became one of fiction's most unsettling antiheroes, he was simply a lonely teenager looking for love. In 'You First: A Joe Goldberg Prequel,' Caroline Kepnes takes readers back to seventeen-year-old Joe, working in Mr. Mooney's Manhattan bookstore and chasing the promise of romance, only to reveal how obsession and deception first took root. Kepnes, the 'New York Times' bestselling author whose 'You' novels inspired the hit Netflix series, once again blends dark humor, psychological suspense, and razor-sharp social observation. This origin story offers longtime fans—and newcomers alike—a chilling look at how monsters are made.

Jan Carson has become one of the most imaginative voices in contemporary Irish fiction, blending folklore, magical realism, and the emotional complexities of everyday life. The Belfast-based writer is the award-winning author of 'The Fire Starters,' winner of the European Union Prize for Literature, as well as 'The Raptures' and several acclaimed short story collections. Her new novel, 'Few and Far Between,' imagines an alternate Northern Ireland where the draining of Lough Neagh creates a mysterious archipelago that becomes a refuge from the Troubles. As environmental disaster threatens this isolated community decades later, Carson explores memory, family, belonging, and the enduring scars of history with wit, compassion, and startling originality.