Podcast appearances and mentions of scott tong

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Best podcasts about scott tong

Latest podcast episodes about scott tong

NPR's Book of the Day
A new biography of Rafael Nadal focuses on the tennis star's domination on clay

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2025 10:40


Tennis legend Rafael Nadal retired last year after a record-breaking career, one that included winning every major championship. In a new biography, Christopher Clarey – former tennis correspondent for The New York Times – considers the player's life and career, with particular focus on Nadal's domination on clay courts. In today's episode, Clarey joins Here & Now's Scott Tong for a conversation about the emotional side of Nadal's game, including the player's rituals and tics, his rivalries with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, and his early mentor in the sport.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR's Book of the Day
With 'Rabbit Moon,' Jennifer Haigh chooses Shanghai as the backdrop to family tragedy

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2025 10:24


Jennifer Haigh's latest novel Rabbit Moon opens with a hit and run accident in pre-dawn Shanghai. The victim is a 22-year-old American woman named Lindsey. Her parents immediately fly into Shanghai while Lindsey's sister awaits news from a New England summer camp – and the accident scars an already-fractured family. In today's episode, Haigh speaks with Here & Now's Scott Tong about their impressions of Shanghai, her interest in turning the idea of studying abroad on its head, and how she approached the topic of international adoption.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR's Book of the Day
Two new novels explore a world where technology has even greater access to our minds

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2025 19:25


Two new novels explore technology's increasing access to our most intimate thoughts. First, the protagonist in The Mechanics of Memory can't remember her last year. Hope has found herself in a too-perfect mental health facility where she participates in questionable treatment, some involving virtual reality. Audrey Lee's novel follows Hope as she slowly starts to recall pieces of her life and questions what to believe. In today's episode, Lee joins Here & Now's Scott Tong for a conversation about memory and identity – and the extent to which our memories are malleable. Then, a new book by Laila Lalami imagines a world in which dreams are surveilled through special implants designed to aid sleep. The Dream Hotel is about a woman who's pulled aside when her dreams indicate she's on the verge of committing a crime. In today's episode, Lalami speaks with NPR's Emily Kwong about coming face to face with the surveillance state and the author's efforts to untether herself from certain technology.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR's Book of the Day
'The Interpreter' is a story about children who act as translators for their parents

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2025 12:00


Cecilia, the main character in Olivia Abtahi's The Interpreter, wears an oversized green suit and tie. She's a kid, but she also works as a translator and interpreter for her immigrant parents. Whether at the DMV, the doctor's office or the mechanic, she's there to help out with cultural translation. The story, illustrated by Monica Arnaldo, is based on Abtahi's own experience growing up with an Iranian father and an Argentine mother who both spoke English, but sometimes needed support with cultural nuance. In today's episode, Abtahi speaks with Here & Now's Scott Tong about how translation is a full-time, adult job that can place a lot of pressure on young children. They also discuss the filial duty that first-generation kids sometimes feel and the importance of depicting the parents in the book with dignity.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR's Book of the Day
'A Kwanzaa Keepsake and Cookbook' is an updated exploration of Kwanzaa's traditions

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2025 10:39


A Kwanzaa Keepsake and Cookbook was first published in 1995, a few decades after the seven-day festival was created in 1966. Written by culinary historian and author Jessica B. Harris, the book explores the holiday's history, traditions, rituals, and food–and in 2024, Harris released an updated version of her original guide. In today's episode, she joins Here & Now's Scott Tong for a conversation about the meaning of the seven symbols and principles of Kwanzaa. They also discuss the way the cookbook's recipes reflect Harris' daily cooking style, the origins of techniques like deep frying, and the centrality of improvisation to African American culture.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Trump's Trials
Matt Gaetz, Trump's pick for attorney general, withdraws

Trump's Trials

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2024 7:06


Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms. Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration. This episode: despite what he called "excellent meetings with Senators," former congressman Matt Gaetz said Thursday he is withdrawing from consideration to lead the Department of Justice. NPR's Susan Davis speaks to Here & Now host Scott Tong.Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up at plus.npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR's Book of the Day
Newbery Medalist Meg Medina and NBA star Jayson Tatum are out with children's books

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2024 18:09


Newbery Medalist Meg Medina remembers her childhood babysitter perfectly. Medina called her Señora Mimí–and now, the author is celebrating caregivers of all kinds in her new children's book. No More Señora Mimí, illustrated by Brittany Cicchese, tells the story of a little girl whose relationship with her babysitter changes after the girl's grandmother moves in. Then, NBA champion Jayson Tatum is also out with a new kids' book. Baby Dunks-a-Lot, co-authored by Sam Apple and illustrated by Parker-Nia Gordon, is about a baby basketball star. In today's episode, NPR's Ayesha Rascoe introduces a conversation between Medina and Cicchese about illustrating culturally specific references, like Cuban crackers, and representing subtle changes in a children's story. Then, Here & Now's Scott Tong chats with Tatum about the NBA player's relationship with his son and the upcoming Celtics season.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Here & Now
The fight for Michigan's open Senate seat

Here & Now

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2024 25:02


Israel's attack on a school shelter in Gaza Wednesday killed 18 people, including six United Nations aid workers. We get the latest from the West Bank and Gaza from the Guardian's Julian Borger. Then, in our look at how eastern Kentucky went from blue to MAGA red, host Scott Tong traveled around the region with Republican activist Roger Ford. And, Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin and Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers are facing off to fill an open Senate seat, being vacated by Democrat Debbie Stabenow. Zoe Clark of Michigan Public joins us.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR's Book of the Day
'The 15-Minute City' and 'Rethinking Rescue' reimagine existing systems

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2024 18:02


Today's episode features two books that advocate for new approaches to big problems: urban planning, poverty, and dog rescue. First, Here & Now's Scott Tong speaks with Carlos Moreno about The 15-Minute City, his proposal for interconnected communities where schools, grocery stores and offices are all a short walk or bike ride away from each other. Then, Here & Now's Peter O'Dowd speaks with Carol Mithers about Rethinking Rescue, which profiles Lori Weise, aka the Dog Lady, and examines her belief that animal welfare and efforts to help people going through economic instability should go hand in hand.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR's Book of the Day
In 'On the Edge,' Nate Silver analyzes professional risk-takers

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2024 10:49


What do hedge fund managers, poker players and the scientist behind the mRNA vaccine have in common? In his new book, On the Edge: The Art of Risking Everything, Nate Silver argues that they all exist in what he calls "the River" – a community of like-minded power brokers taking quantitative risks. In today's episode, Silver speaks with Here & Now's Scott Tong about what differentiates "the River" from what he calls "the Village" – think journalists and professors – and how cancel culture plays a role in this societal structure. To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Here & Now
Red, white and purple: 40 years of Prince's 'Purple Rain'

Here & Now

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 4, 2024 32:43


Author Boyce Upholt's new book "The Great River" tells the story of the river, the Indigenous people who lived alongside the Mississippi and the white settlers who came along to claim it. Then, Here & Now's Scott Tong takes a trip to a Delaware Beach to see horseshoe crabs mating. The undignified process takes on a new resonance amid considerable concern about a decline in population, as the crabs are harvested for their blood and as bait. And, Minneapolis music writer Andrea Swensson talks about her book commemorating the 40th anniversary of Prince's "Purple Rain" album, which regularly ranks as one of the greatest albums of all time.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Here & Now
How drought put the Panama Canal in troubled water

Here & Now

Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2024 32:56


A lack of rain in the Panama Canal has snarled cargo ships traveling through the crucial global shipping route and set off water concerns in Panama. Here & Now's Scott Tong reports. And, AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, is the most prominent pro-Israel lobbying group in U.S. politics. Politico's Nicholas Wu explains where the group is spending its money this election season. Then, anthropologist Jason De León spent seven years embedded with a group of smugglers moving migrants across Mexico. He joins us to talk about his new book "Soldiers and Kings," which tells their stories.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR's Book of the Day
'Wuhan' analyzes China's management and response to the COVID-19 pandemic

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2024 10:23


It's been four years since the world went into lockdown mode as COVID-19 rapidly spread across the globe. But a new book by political scientist Dali Yang dives into the information about, and mitigation of, the disease in its earliest days in China. In today's episode, Yang speaks with Here & Now's Scott Tong about the research that went into Wuhan, the way local governments and medical officials abstained from disclosing crucial intelligence in the early days, and the strict lockdown that followed. To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR's Book of the Day
'Climate Capitalism' projects an optimistic future for environmental policy

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2024 10:27


Early in today's episode, Here & Now's Scott Tong poses what a lot of activists and listeners might think — that the two words titling Akshat Rathi's new book, Climate Capitalism, are at odds with one another. But Rathi says governments can play a role in shifting economic policy to prioritize both profit and environmental protections. In his book and in this interview, he explains how business leaders, students and politicians are already implementing ideas that connect the dots between the climate crisis and global markets. To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Here & Now
Earth is moving faster, and clocks may need to keep up

Here & Now

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2024 28:23


Barak Ravid from Axios and Yasmeen Abutaleb from the Washington Post join us to talk about U.S.-Israel relations and an impending delegation visit. And, Here & Now's Scott Tong reports on the future of Washington D.C.'s beloved cherry blossom tree, Stumpy. Then, Duncan Agnew joins us to talk about a recent study he authored that found we might have to subtract a second from our clocks to account for a faster-spinning earth.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR's Book of the Day
'Feeding Ghosts' is a graphic memoir grappling with generational trauma

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2024 10:35


Tessa Hulls' grandmother, Sun Yi, was a dissident journalist in Shanghai who faced intense political persecution during the Chinese Communist Revolution; she suffered severe mental distress after fleeing to Hong Kong. In today's episode, Hulls tells Here & Now's Scott Tong that her grandmother's trauma often cast a shadow over their family – one she had been running away from for years, and one she decided to finally face in her new graphic memoir, Feeding Ghosts. It's a reexamining of Hulls' matriarchal lineage, of Chinese history and of generational love and healing. To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR's Book of the Day
'The Last Ships from Hamburg' recalls the plight of Jewish refugees before WWI

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2024 10:14


Before World War I, approximately 2 million Jewish people fled Russia and Eastern Europe for the United States. The Last Ships from Hamburg, a new book by Steven Ujifusa, recounts this time in history with a special focus on three businessmen who facilitated mass emigration: Jacob Schiff, Albert Ballin and J.P. Morgan. In today's episode, Ujifusa speaks with Here & Now's Scott Tong about how anti-immigrant rhetoric in the U.S. looks very similar today to how it did then, and why beyond historical record, this is a deeply personal story for him to write. To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR's Book of the Day
'The Rise and Fall of the EAST' chronicles China's economic history

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2024 10:34


Yasheng Huang, a professor of global economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, names four major contributors to China's economy in his new book, The Rise and Fall of the EAST: exams, autocracy, stability and technology. Huang writes that those have been the driving factors of Chinese development dating back to the Sui dynasty, and particularly during the economic boom of the past half-century. But he tells Here & Now's Scott Tong that a declining property sector, a lack of investment in people and today's political leadership is ringing alarms for the country's future. To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR's Book of the Day
'Private Equity' analyzes the ethical and personal costs of a career in finance

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2024 10:28


There's a moment in Carrie Sun's memoir, Private Equity, when she remembers trying to answer a text for her high-pressure hedge fund job while running on the treadmill. It ended poorly — and Sun says, looking back, it was a good metaphor for the toll her career was taking on her life. In today's episode, Sun speaks with Here & Now's Scott Tong about the moral, mental and physical sacrifices we normalize for work, and why maybe that's not such a good thing. To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR's Book of the Day
In 'The World Central Kitchen Cookbook,' José Andrés collects recipes with impact

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2023 8:08


After wars, natural disasters and all kinds of emergencies, the World Central Kitchen — the organization founded by chef José Andrés — flies in to help feed people. A new cookbook now brings forth some of the recipes the nonprofit relies on to comfort and nourish those affected. In today's episode, Andrés speaks with Here & Now's Scott Tong about the importance of working in community with local restaurants and chefs when serving an area, prioritizing the familiar flavors and cuisine, and making delicious food an essential part of humanitarian aid.

NPR's Book of the Day
Mark Kurlansky's new book 'The Core of an Onion' dives deep into culinary history

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 27, 2023 10:19


Mark Kurlansky's new book The Core of an Onion is part cookbook, part culinary history. Kurlansky gives readers dozens of facts about this rich vegetable that is able to grow in nearly every climate. In today's episode, Kurlansky gives Here and Now's Scott Tong a few onion fun facts and context about the onion's rich history.

Face in Hat
6.3 Revelate!

Face in Hat

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2023 62:07


Did you know that we as members of the Church believe in the Book of Revelation?  Let's have some fun and open some seals! Link to our Face in Hat discord server! https://discord.gg/MnSMvKHvwh New YouTube channel!  Thanks Eric! https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat Look, playlists! https://www.youtube.com/@FaceinHat/playlists Dialogue Podcast Network https://www.dialoguejournal.com/podcasts/ This is the link for the Seven Seals wiki! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_seals The Hofmann Wobble, by Ben Lerner https://harpers.org/archive/2023/12/the-hofmann-wobble-wikipedia-and-the-problem-of-historical-memory  Eric's commentary on The Hatred of Poetry by Ben Lerner https://thmazing.blogspot.com/2022/05/books-extralong-edition.html#047  Wikipedia and the danger of trusting its facts, with Scott Tong and Ben Lerner https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2023/12/18/wikipedia-facts-danger Book of Revelation: Canonical History https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Revelation#Canonical_history Ussher chronology https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ussher_chronology D&C 77 https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/77 Historical Context and Background of D&C 77, Brief Synopsis by Steven C. Harper https://doctrineandcovenantscentral.org/historical-context/dc-77/ Steven C. Harper https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_C._Harper Interpretations of the Book of Revelations (wiki!) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Revelation#Interpretations Found one bit to answer Eric's question on Jehova's Witnesses: “ The visions apply to “the Lord's day,” which began when God's Kingdom was set up in 1914 and Jesus began ruling as King. (Revelation 1:​10) We can therefore expect the main fulfillment of Revelation to be in our time.” https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/the-book-of-revelation/ Cleon Skousen.  Note the description: “American conservative author with the John Birch Society and a faith-based conspiracy theorist.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Cleon_Skousen Face in Hat: 3.4 David O. McKay and the confrontation with communism https://faceinhat.podbean.com/e/34-david-o-mckay-and-the-confrontation-with-communism/ This is the movie I saw as a kid: Visit Israel with Dr. W. Cleon Skousen: Prophecy https://www.amazon.com/Visit-Israel-Dr-Cleon-Skousen/dp/B000EHIL7I Source for LDS 1st seal quote in wiki: McConkie, Bruce R. (1981). Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, Vol. III. Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft Publishers. pp. 476–497. Seminary lesson referenced: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/new-testament-seminary-teacher-manual-2023/revelation-6-7?lang=eng New Testament Student Manual: Chapter 54: Revelation 4–11: Revelation 6. The First Six Seals https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/new-testament-student-manual/revelation/chapter-54-revelation-4-11?lang=eng¶=title17-figure5_35#title17 Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch https://www.amazon.com/Good-Omens-Accurate-Prophecies-Nutter/dp/0060853980 World Happiness Report https://worldhappiness.report/ Face in Hat: 2.1 Millennial musings https://faceinhat.podbean.com/e/21-millennial-musings/ 12 billionth person citation: Overpopulation – The Human Explosion Explained, by Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsBT5EQt348 Mormon Transfigurism https://www.transfigurism.org/ https://www.transfigurism.org/library/primers/1-what-is-mormon-transhumanism The Immortality Upgrade, by Dawn Chan https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/mormon-transhumanism-and-the-immortality-upgrade Face in Hat: 1.10 Translation and the Book of Abraham https://faceinhat.podbean.com/e/episode-10-translation-and-the-book-of-abraham/

NPR's Book of the Day
'Demon Copperhead' tackles opioids, poverty and resilience in Appalachia

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2023 9:51


Novelist Barbara Kingsolver loves living in the Appalachian hills of southwestern Virginia. But she says she feels that the region is often misconstrued by mainstream media. Her new book, Demon Copperhead, follows a young boy grappling with the consequences of loss, addiction and poverty – but also finding ways to survive through creativity and imagination. In this episode, Kingsolver speaks with Here & Now's Scott Tong about the Dickensian influences in the novel, the divide between urban and rural, and the idea that "the middle of nowhere is relative."

NPR's Book of the Day
'The Big Myth' breaks down pro-market, anti-government propaganda in the U.S.

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2023 11:56


The Big Myth, a new book co-written by Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway, details the rise of free market capitalism in the 19th century and its long-lasting impact on American democracy. In today's episode, Oreskes speaks with Here & Now's Scott Tong about how Little House on the Prairie, union busting, and Ronald Reagan all played a role in diminishing government regulation – and how the effects of that policy and pop culture campaign can still be seen in today's housing crisis and COVID-19 response.

NPR's Book of the Day
Two books examine the lives of Afghans in the aftermath of American withdrawal

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2023 22:43


Today's episode is all about the lives of women in Afghanistan, before and after the U.S. armed forces occupied the country. First, Here & Now's Scott Tong speaks with journalist Mitchell Zuckoff about his new book, The Secret Gate, chronicling how activist Homeira Qaderi engineered her escape out of Kabul at the very last minute. Then, Here & Now's Deepa Fernandes asks Sola Mahfouz and Malaina Kapoor about Defiant Dreams, which tells of Mahfouz's upbringing under Taliban rule.

Here & Now
End-of-summer book recommendations; Who was Wallace Stegner?

Here & Now

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2023 35:58


Even though summer is winding down, there's still enough time to bang out some reading. Creator of "The Stacks" podcast Traci Thomas and hosts Scott Tong and Robin Young offer some of their favorite books they read this summer. And, author Khashayar J. Khabushani joins us to talk about his debut novel "I Will Greet the Sun Again," which follows K., an Iranian-American boy living in Los Angeles. Then, depending on who you ask, Wallace Stegner was either the greatest writer in the American West or a name they've never heard. Melody Graulich is an emeritus professor of English and America Studies at Utah State University and has studied the life of Stegner and his works. She joins us.

NPR's Book of the Day
'This is Wildfire' offers an in-depth guide for managing today's more-frequent fires

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2023 9:02


In the face of record temperatures and dry conditions, wildfires are becoming more and more common. This is Wildfire, a new book by Nick Mott and Justin Angle, provides a historical analysis of the role flames have played in both human and natural ecosystems – and seeks to inform readers how to best protect themselves, their homes, and their communities. As the authors tell Here & Now's Scott Tong, solutions are as far-ranging as keeping gutters clean of debris and actually encouraging more controlled burns.

NPR's Book of the Day
Kenny Smith's memoir 'Talk of Champions' looks back at a career shaped by the NBA

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2023 9:51


Kenny "The Jet" Smith's life has largely revolved around basketball in one way or another. The basketball commentator, Inside the NBA host and two-time NBA champion is now opening up about the people and relationships behind that career in his new memoir, Talk of Champions. In today's episode, he speaks to Here & Now's Scott Tong about how social justice, his high school coach, and friendships with people like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant inspired him to write his life story.

Crazy Town
How to Become the Winningest Winner Who Wins: The Twisted Logic of the World's Greatest CEO

Crazy Town

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2023 62:58 Transcription Available


Meet Jack Welch, celebrated wrecker of real jobs and leading light of Wall Street wankers. Please share this episode with your friends and start a conversation.For an entertaining deep dive into the theme of season five (Phalse Prophets), read the definitive peer-reviewed taxonomic analysis from our very own Jason Bradford, PhD. Sources/Links/Notes:David Gelles, The Man Who Broke Capitalism: How Jack Welch Gutted the Heartland and Crushed the Soul of America—and How to Undo His Legacy (2022).David Gelles, "How Jack Welch's Reign at G.E. Gave Us Elon Musk's Twitter Feed," New York Times (2022).Malcolm Gladwell, "Was Jack Welch the Greatest C.E.O. of His Day--Or the Worst?," The New Yorker (2022).Geoff Colvin, "The Ultimate Manager," Fortune (1999).Matthew J. Belvedere, "Jack Welch says Obama's ‘wacky' climate-change agenda hurts the US economy," CNBC (2016)."Jack Welch Fast Facts," CNN (2020).Scott Tong, "This is how shareholders got to be first in line for profits," Business Insider (2016).James B. Stewart, "Did the Jack Welch Model Sow Seeds of G.E.'s Decline?," New York Times (2017). Jack & Suzy Welch Winning (2005).Geoff Gloeckler, "Jack Welch Launches Online MBA," Bloomberg Businessweek (2009).Della Bradshaw, "Jack Welch on the executive MBA he created in his own image," Financial Times (2014).Jack Welch Management Institute .Oxfam "Top 1% grab twice as much new wealth as everyone else combined".Economic Policy Institute “CEO pay has skyrocketed".  Support the show

NPR's Book of the Day
'Demon Copperhead' tackles opioids, poverty and resilience in Appalachia

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2023 9:45


Novelist Barbara Kingsolver loves living in the Appalachian hills of southwestern Virginia. But she says she feels that the region is often misconstrued by mainstream media. Her new book, Demon Copperhead, follows a young boy grappling with the consequences of loss, addiction and poverty – but also finding ways to survive through creativity and imagination. In this episode, Kingsolver speaks with Here & Now's Scott Tong about the Dickensian influences in the novel, the divide between urban and rural, and the idea that "the middle of nowhere is relative."

NPR's Book of the Day
'The Ransomware Hunting Team' tracks the rise of cybercrime and the fight to solve it

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2023 11:51


Here & Now's Scott Tong describes ransomware as "a high-tech version of kidnapping." It's when a computer or tech system is hacked and money is demanded in order to get it back. In their new book, The Ransomware Hunting Team, ProPublica journalists Renee Dudley and Daniel Golden chronicle how ransomware has grown from individual attacks to large-scale operations against major corporations, universities and hospitals. But as they vividly explain to Tong, there's also a band of coding vigilantes who are helping ransomware victims regain access ... without paying up.

NPR's Book of the Day
A new biography of Janet Yellen offers a personal look at the trailblazing economist

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2023 11:40 Very Popular


Janet Yellen's career has shattered several glass ceilings; she was the first female head of the Federal Reserve, and she's now the first woman serving as Secretary of Treasury. In this episode, author and journalist Jon Hilsenrath discusses his new biography of her, Yellen, and how her upbringing and marriage reveal a lot about her professional path. Hilsenrath explains to Here & Now's Scott Tong that the love story of Yellen and her husband actually offers insight into the delicate line between democracy and capitalism, and how in a time of economic upheaval, policymakers are bound to make mistakes.

NPR's Book of the Day
'Demon Copperhead' tackles opioids, poverty and resilience in Appalachia

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 27, 2022 9:51 Very Popular


Novelist Barbara Kingsolver loves living in the Appalachian hills of southwestern Virginia. But she says she feels that the region is often misconstrued by mainstream media. Her new book, Demon Copperhead, follows a young boy grappling with the consequences of loss, addiction and poverty – but also finding ways to survive through creativity and imagination. In this episode, Kingsolver speaks with Here & Now's Scott Tong about the Dickensian influences in the novel, the divide between urban and rural, and the idea that "the middle of nowhere is relative."

Here & Now
Top science stories of 2022; Sen. Angus King reflects on Electoral Count Act

Here & Now

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2022 23:19


Maine Sen. Angus King talks about changes to the vote certification process tucked in a massive spending bill that the Senate is expected to pass this evening, the same evening Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky makes a joint statement to Congress. And, Laura Helmuth, the editor-in-chief of Scientific American, talks about the science stories that stand out to her this year, including the stunning photographs of space from the James Webb Space Telescope. Then, Here & Now listener Laia Vicens Fuste tells host Scott Tong about the Catalan holiday tradition of Tió de Nadal.

NPR's Book of the Day
Constance Wu writes about her trauma and ensuing judgment in memoir 'Making a Scene'

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2022 12:14 Very Popular


In her memoir Making a Scene, actress Constance Wu writes about the sexual harassment and abuse she faced on her breakout show Fresh off the Boat, and why she hesitated to speak out at first. She tells WBUR's Scott Tong that "trauma and feelings don't go away simply because you will them to." And when she finally spoke up about that trauma on social media, she received a wave of online hate. A warning that this episode – and the book – includes descriptions of assault and a suicide attempt.

Lifestyles with Lillian Vasquez
August 25: Lifestyles with Lillian Vasquez

Lifestyles with Lillian Vasquez

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2022 22:01


Lillian revisits interviews with public radio hosts Mina Kim, Scott Tong, Manoush Zomorodi, and Meghna Chakrabarti.

NPR's Book of the Day
'Covered in Night' compares colonial and Indigenous approaches to justice

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2022 10:13 Very Popular


In this episode, we're going back in time to 1722 to examine the different approaches to justice between Native Americans and Pennsylvania colonists in the Pulitzer Prize-winning book Covered with Night: A Story of Murder and Indigenous Justice in Early America by historian Nicole Eustace. In an interview with Here & Now's Scott Tong, Eustace discusses how reparative justice has deep roots in American history.

NPR's Book of the Day
Nicole A. Taylor's cookbook puts a spin on traditional African American food

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2022 10:42 Very Popular


Junteenth was celebrated across the country this weekend and is observed nationally Monday. In a new, Juneteenth-inspired cookbook, Nicole A. Taylor puts a summery spin on traditional African American food: making cocktails with sweet potatoes, fresh salads with collard greens and tons of ice cream. Although many people argue against commemorating the holiday with barbecues and other celebrations, Taylor spoke to Here and Now's Scott Tong about the juxtaposition of sorrow and sadness and how Black Americans have always had to make space for both.

NPR's Book of the Day
Understanding China's brutal treatment of Uyghur Muslims through two nonfiction books

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2022 19:47 Very Popular


It's estimated that more than 1 million Uyghur Muslims have been detained in camps in China, where they may be subjected to forced labor, sexual violence, torture, and religious restrictions. Today, we explore two nonfiction books that help understand the crisis. First, Geoffrey Cain speaks to Scott Tong on Here and Now about his book The Perfect Police State, an overview of the surveillance technology China is employing to monitor Uyghurs. Then, Nury Turkel speaks to Ayesha Roscoe on Weekend Edition Sunday about his book No Escape, an investigation into these torture camps and the life of Uyghur refugees.

NPR's Book of the Day
'All That She Carried' weaves together generations of Black women

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2021 11:02


All That She Carried is the history of a single bag. Historian and author Tiya Miles used what few historical records she could find to tell the stories of three generations of Black women with ties to that sack dating back to 1850. Miles' journey started because of a simple message embroidered on the bag by one of its owners, Ruth Middleton. She told Here & Now's Scott Tong that people have emotional reactions to seeing the sack, because it means the families survived to pass it down to future generations.

NPR's Book of the Day
'Black Food' is more than just recipes, it's the stories behind them

NPR's Book of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2021 12:15


Cookbook author and chef Bryant Terry edited and curated the new book, Black Food: Stories, Art, and Recipes From Across The African Diaspora. His goal was to preserve Black American recipes and their complex stories, but he uses more than just food to tell those stories. The book is also full of essays, art and music. Terry told Here And Now's Scott Tong that the cookbook is a "communal shrine to the shared culinary histories of the African Diaspora."

Third Squad
Third Squad on Here & Now

Third Squad

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2021 12:02


Elliott Woods discusses the making of Third Squad with Scott Tong on WBUR's Here & Now. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

squad wbur scott tong
Here & Now
Chinese American authors dig up buried family stories; Traditional Turkmen cookbook

Here & Now

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2021 42:47


Here & Now's Scott Tong sat down with author Kat Chow to dive into the family histories and personal reflections that characterized their respective books, "A Village with My Name" and "Seeing Ghosts." And, chef and author Gyulshat Esenova describes how the desert climate of her native Turkmenistan shaped traditional Turkmen food, such as lamb cutlet. Here & Now's Lynn Menegon has the story.

Lifestyles with Lillian Vasquez
November 11: Lifestyles with Lillian Vasquez

Lifestyles with Lillian Vasquez

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2021 28:00


Lillian speaks with Scott Tong, one of the co-hosts of NPR's Here & Now.

Ozarks at Large
Ozarks at Large for Tuesday, August 31, 2021

Ozarks at Large

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2021 53:59


On today's show, the challenges of hosting a daily, national news show. We talk with Scott Tong, a co-host of NPR's Here and Now. Plus, EPA and U.S. Army Corp of Engineers are revising the definition of U.S. waters subject environmental protection, and much more.

Ozarks at Large
The Challenges of the 24-Hour News Cycle

Ozarks at Large

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2021 15:00


Scott Tong became a co-host of Here and Now (form NPR and WBUR Boston) in July. We ask him what it is like to work on a daily news show when the news seems to change every minute.

challenges npr news cycle wbur boston scott tong
Sinica Podcast
China's population conundrum, with UNC demographer Yong Cai

Sinica Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2021 52:24


This week on Sinica, Kaiser chats with Yong Cai, an associate professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This episode — the first in-person interview since February 2020 — looks at the results of China's 2020 census, the announcement of the much-maligned “three-child policy” that the Chinese government proclaimed shortly after the results of the census were released, and other measures the Chinese leadership is considering to avoid the demographic crisis it now faces. 6:55: China's top-heavy demographic structure20:38: Techno-optimism and its impact on the declining workforce30:18: Implications for women in family planning38:53: An alternative approach to inclusive population studiesRecommendations:Yong Cai: A Village With My Name: A Family History of China's Opening to the World, by Scott Tong. Kaiser: The Kominsky Method, available on Netflix, and All the Light We Cannot See: A Novel, by Anthony Doerr.Privacy Policy and California Privacy Notice.

Marketplace All-in-One
The weirdest trade secrets

Marketplace All-in-One

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2021 24:38


Guest host Scott Tong brought a truly wild story to this grab-bag Friday episode. Coca-Cola is accusing a former employee of stealing trade secrets — not the formula for what goes in the can, but the can itself. We’ll talk about it, some other weird trade secrets and, oh yeah, a 3,000-year-old lost city in Egypt. Plus, another round of our favorite game, “Half Full/Half Empty.” Here’s everything we talked about on the show today: “Coca-Cola trade secret theft underscores importance of insider threat early detection” from CSO “Former Coke Scientist Accused of Stealing Trade Secrets for Chinese Venture” from The Wall Street Journal Plus more trade secrets involving Oreos, popcorn and Hooters. “A 3,000-year-old ‘lost golden city’ has been unearthed in Egypt” from The Washington Post Plus, some bonus dollar store content “Can businesses deny you entry if you don’t have a vaccine passport?” from “Marketplace” “COVID vaccines at Dollar General would boost access for low-income populations, study says” from “Marketplace Morning Report” “What if gig workers could train the algorithms that determine their pay?” from “Marketplace Tech” “Why it’s so hard to strike a deal on a global corporate tax” from “Marketplace” “Kim Kardashian West Is Officially A Billionaire” from Forbes Thanks to everyone who joined us live on YouTube for happy hour today! We’re live each Friday at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time/6:30 p.m. Eastern! Subscribe to our channel and sign up for notifications so you don’t miss it.

Make Me Smart
The weirdest trade secrets

Make Me Smart

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2021 24:38


Guest host Scott Tong brought a truly wild story to this grab-bag Friday episode. Coca-Cola is accusing a former employee of stealing trade secrets — not the formula for what goes in the can, but the can itself. We’ll talk about it, some other weird trade secrets and, oh yeah, a 3,000-year-old lost city in Egypt. Plus, another round of our favorite game, “Half Full/Half Empty.” Here’s everything we talked about on the show today: “Coca-Cola trade secret theft underscores importance of insider threat early detection” from CSO “Former Coke Scientist Accused of Stealing Trade Secrets for Chinese Venture” from The Wall Street Journal Plus more trade secrets involving Oreos, popcorn and Hooters. “A 3,000-year-old ‘lost golden city’ has been unearthed in Egypt” from The Washington Post Plus, some bonus dollar store content “Can businesses deny you entry if you don’t have a vaccine passport?” from “Marketplace” “COVID vaccines at Dollar General would boost access for low-income populations, study says” from “Marketplace Morning Report” “What if gig workers could train the algorithms that determine their pay?” from “Marketplace Tech” “Why it’s so hard to strike a deal on a global corporate tax” from “Marketplace” “Kim Kardashian West Is Officially A Billionaire” from Forbes Thanks to everyone who joined us live on YouTube for happy hour today! We’re live each Friday at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time/6:30 p.m. Eastern! Subscribe to our channel and sign up for notifications so you don’t miss it.

Marketplace Tech
There’s not enough internet for remote learning to go around

Marketplace Tech

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2020 6:15


This fall, we’ve been talking every Monday about education and technology during this pandemic, including how access to high-speed internet and devices is just not cutting it across the country. There’s new data on this in our latest Marketplace-Edison Research Poll. Thirty percent of parents or guardians with kids learning online and making less than $50,000 say their internet access is inadequate for online school. Marketplace’s Scott Tong reports from rural Virginia on the broadband gap.

Marketplace Tech
There’s not enough internet for remote learning to go around

Marketplace Tech

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2020 6:15


This fall, we’ve been talking every Monday about education and technology during this pandemic, including how access to high-speed internet and devices is just not cutting it across the country. There’s new data on this in our latest Marketplace-Edison Research Poll. Thirty percent of parents or guardians with kids learning online and making less than $50,000 say their internet access is inadequate for online school. Marketplace’s Scott Tong reports from rural Virginia on the broadband gap.

Marketplace Tech
There’s not enough internet for remote learning to go around

Marketplace Tech

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2020 6:15


This fall, we’ve been talking every Monday about education and technology during this pandemic, including how access to high-speed internet and devices is just not cutting it across the country. There’s new data on this in our latest Marketplace-Edison Research Poll. Thirty percent of parents or guardians with kids learning online and making less than $50,000 say their internet access is inadequate for online school. Marketplace’s Scott Tong reports from rural Virginia on the broadband gap.

Marketplace All-in-One
There’s not enough internet for remote learning to go around

Marketplace All-in-One

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2020 6:15


This fall, we’ve been talking every Monday about education and technology during this pandemic, including how access to high-speed internet and devices is just not cutting it across the country. There’s new data on this in our latest Marketplace-Edison Research Poll. Thirty percent of parents or guardians with kids learning online and making less than $50,000 say their internet access is inadequate for online school. Marketplace’s Scott Tong reports from rural Virginia on the broadband gap.

Marketplace All-in-One
Ransomware attacks against hospitals are on the rise

Marketplace All-in-One

Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2020 5:35


Host Molly Wood speaks with Marketplace correspondent Scott Tong about the increase in ransomware attacks against hospitals and other health-care facilities. Tong says places that are working on coronavirus testing and vaccines appear to be especially popular targets. And because these institutions are anxious to restore access to potentially lost patient information, they may ignore authorities’ advice and pay the ransoms.

Marketplace Tech
Ransomware attacks against hospitals are on the rise

Marketplace Tech

Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2020 5:35


Host Molly Wood speaks with Marketplace correspondent Scott Tong about the increase in ransomware attacks against hospitals and other health-care facilities. Tong says places that are working on coronavirus testing and vaccines appear to be especially popular targets. And because these institutions are anxious to restore access to potentially lost patient information, they may ignore authorities’ advice and pay the ransoms.

Marketplace Tech
Ransomware attacks against hospitals are on the rise

Marketplace Tech

Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2020 5:35


Host Molly Wood speaks with Marketplace correspondent Scott Tong about the increase in ransomware attacks against hospitals and other health-care facilities. Tong says places that are working on coronavirus testing and vaccines appear to be especially popular targets. And because these institutions are anxious to restore access to potentially lost patient information, they may ignore authorities’ advice and pay the ransoms.

This is Design School
Scott Tong on Design Entrepreneurialism

This is Design School

Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2020 36:33


One in a Billion
Season 4 Episode #10: This Chinese American Life- Tracing My Roots

One in a Billion

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2019 18:54


Have you ever been tempted to trace your roots? What might pique your curiosity if your mother refused to talk about her parents?  For Scott Tong, he decided to find his home village precisely because no one seemed to remember his grandparents. What happened to them?  Why did they stay in China when his mother fled to America?  Check out my conversation with American Public Media’s “Marketplace” correspondent - Scott Tong - in this episode “This Chinese American Life: Tracing My Roots”  Music used: One in a Billion Theme Song by Brad McCarthy Upbeat Party by Scott Holmes Storybook by Scott Holmes Banish by Slinte Trophy Endorphins by Andy G. Cohen Vienna Beat by Blue Dot SessionsRecall by Blue Dot Sessions Love Wins by Lee Rosevere We want to include you in this conversation. To send us your comments or stories, just go to our Facebook page or our website at OneinABillionVoices.org under “Pitch a Story.” Share your thoughts? Pitch me a story? “One in a Billion” is listening to #China, one person at a time. Subscribe to “One in a Billion” below: PRx | iTunes | SoundCloud  

ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCAST

Journalist Scott Tong shares about his book “A Village with My Name: A Family History of China’s Opening to the World”. Scott discusses the remarkable stories of his ancestors, the baby-selling scandal that may have involved Scott’s adopted daughter, and “islands of modernity” in China’s past. (Intro: Resolved)

Marketplace Weekend
Trade Off Revisited: Stories of tariffs, trade and globalization

Marketplace Weekend

Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2018 48:08


Globalization has been touted as this inevitable, unstoppable force. But as the U.S., China and other major economies flex their muscles over trade, is this assumption all wrong? America has a long history of global trade and a varied one. Our economy has swung widely from protecting our very first industries with subsidies and imports to brokering global deals that open borders and lift trade barriers. It’s not pure economics that dictates our trade relationships; it’s politics and social context, too. Who’s gained from open borders and who’s lost? Who are tariffs designed to protect, and have they worked? Trade Off offers stories of work, reward and American attitudes toward the rest of the world. Scott Tong and Sarah Gardner explore the topic across time and geography, from America’s first industrial park in New Jersey — envisioned by Alexander Hamilton — to a growing community of tech workers from India in Kansas City.

Zócalo Public Square
What Can the Ancient World Teach Us About Living Sustainably?

Zócalo Public Square

Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2018 63:28


Ancient peoples and thinkers had sophisticated ideas about living in harmony with nature. From Greek city-states to Maya civilization, people thought that what humans did—how they planted, how they worshipped, how they conducted themselves—could influence both the Earth’s behavior and their own fate. When droughts or volcanic eruptions threatened crops, rulers had to manage panicked citizens while explaining the cosmic reasons for nature’s revolt. Many ancient societies adopted ecological practices emphasizing individual civic responsibility for the benefit of all, and some ancient thinkers developed such ideas as well. What can the ancients teach us about how collective moral values and social habits can connect citizens to the world around us? What were the blind spots in ancient orders that sometimes led to ecological catastrophe? How can understanding ancient mythologies and philosophies about nature help us rethink our own? Princeton political scientist Melissa Lane, author of "Eco-Republic: What the Ancients Can Teach Us About Ethics, Virtue, and Sustainable Living," archaeologist and director of the UC Santa Barbara Mesoamerican Research Center Anabel Ford, Yale historian of Ptolemaic Egypt Joseph Manning, and moderator Scott Tong, Sustainability Correspondent for Marketplace, took part in a Zócalo/Getty Villa Event panel discussion at The Getty Villa to explore what ancient civilizations can teach us about how to live with nature today.

NCUSCR Events
Scott Tong: A Village With My Name

NCUSCR Events

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2018 69:32


China’s rapid economic growth that has accompanied its “Reform and Opening” over the last four decades is the subject of millions of pages of discussion and analysis. Yet it is rarely contextualized within the long arc of China’s quest for modernity stretching back at least to the mid-19th century. Long before Deng Xiaoping’s reforms, enterprising Chinese engaged the outside world through trade, education, and other mediums, laying the foundation for China’s modernization. From this perspective, the Mao era appears as an interlude rather than a new beginning. In his book, A Village with My Name: A Family History of China’s Opening to the World, journalist Scott Tong explores continuities in China’s development through an investigation of his own family history. Beginning at the end of his stay in Shanghai for the radio program “Marketplace,” and over the next few years, Mr. Tong travelled around China to uncover his family’s past and reconnect with family members who stayed behind when some of his grandparents and his parents fled the mainland. The result is a long form journalistic account of his family’s story, China’s tumultuous modern history, and the roots of the country’s present ascendancy. Mr. Tong joined the National Committee on December 18, 2017 in New York for a discussion of his book as well as his three and a half year journey to discover China’s past along with his own. The conversation was moderated by Professor James Carter, Director of Asian Studies at Saint Joseph’s University.  Scott Tong has reported from more than a dozen countries as a correspondent for Marketplace, from refugee camps in east Africa to shoe factories in eastern China. Currently he serves on Marketplace’s sustainability desk, focusing on energy, the environment, natural resources and the global economy. Mr. Tong joined Marketplace in 2004, and opened its first bureau in Shanghai, as bureau chief, in 2006. Before joining Marketplace, he worked as a producer and off-air reporter for the PBS NewsHour, where he produced a series of mini-documentaries from Iraq following the U.S. invasion in 2003. The National Committee on U.S.-China Relations is the leading nonprofit nonpartisan organization that encourages understanding of China and the United States among citizens of both countries.

NCUSCR Interviews
Scott Tong: A Village With My Name

NCUSCR Interviews

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2018 16:42


China’s rapid economic growth that has accompanied its “Reform and Opening” over the last four decades is the subject of millions of pages of discussion and analysis. Yet it is rarely contextualized within the long arc of China’s quest for modernity stretching back at least to the mid-19th century. Long before Deng Xiaoping’s reforms, enterprising Chinese engaged the outside world through trade, education, and other mediums, laying the foundation for China’s modernization. From this perspective, the Mao era appears as an interlude rather than a new beginning. In his book, A Village with My Name: A Family History of China’s Opening to the World, journalist Scott Tong explores continuities in China’s development through an investigation of his own family history. Beginning at the end of his stay in Shanghai for the radio program “Marketplace,” and over the next few years, Mr. Tong travelled around China to uncover his family’s past and reconnect with family members who stayed behind when some of his grandparents and his parents fled the mainland. The result is a long form journalistic account of his family’s story, China’s tumultuous modern history, and the roots of the country’s present ascendancy. Mr. Tong joined the National Committee on December 18, 2017 in New York for a discussion of his book as well as his three and a half year journey to discover China’s past along with his own. The conversation was moderated by Professor James Carter, Director of Asian Studies at Saint Joseph’s University.  Scott Tong has reported from more than a dozen countries as a correspondent for Marketplace, from refugee camps in east Africa to shoe factories in eastern China. Currently he serves on Marketplace’s sustainability desk, focusing on energy, the environment, natural resources and the global economy. Mr. Tong joined Marketplace in 2004, and opened its first bureau in Shanghai, as bureau chief, in 2006. Before joining Marketplace, he worked as a producer and off-air reporter for the PBS NewsHour, where he produced a series of mini-documentaries from Iraq following the U.S. invasion in 2003. The National Committee on U.S.-China Relations is the leading nonprofit nonpartisan organization that encourages understanding of China and the United States among citizens of both countries.

Sinica Podcast
Scott Tong on his surprising family history

Sinica Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 7, 2017 65:53


NOTE: If you haven’t read the book and are allergic to spoilers, please be aware that the interesting surprises of Scott’s story are discussed in this podcast.   Scott Tong is a reporter for American Public Media’s Marketplace, and from 2006 to 2010, he helped found and run the radio program’s Shanghai bureau. During that time, he also experienced a lot of culture shock — his Chinese-American upbringing in the U.S., Hong Kong, and Taiwan didn’t prepare him for mainland China as much as he had expected, and while in Shanghai, he uncovered some surprising truths about his family, which has roots in nearby Jiangsu Province. A Village With My Name: A Family History of China's Opening to the World is Scott’s deeply personal reporting and reflection on what he learned about his family, and China’s history, by visiting distant relatives in a forlorn part of Jiangsu Province. It is a highly engaging, eye-opening story that sheds light on how Chinese people engage with their past — and their present. Recommendations: Jeremy: McKay Books, a huge used books store in Nashville, Tennessee. And Congo Cables: The Cold War in Africa—From Eisenhower to Kennedy, by Madeleine Kalb. Scott: Resigned Activism: Living With Pollution in Rural China, by Anna Lora-Wainwright. And Rough Translation, an NPR podcast about how foreigners see America. Kaiser: Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire: A 500-Year History, by Kurt Andersen.