From 2017- Finn Murphy, author of "The Long Haul: A Trucker's Tales of Life on the Road."

From 2016- Debbie Clarke Moderow, author of "Fast into the Night: A Woman, Her Dogs, and their Journey North on the Iditarod Trail."

Long-time Sports Illustrated writer S. L. Price talks about his book "Heart of the Game: Life, Death and Mercy in Minor League America." (from 2009) This is probably my single favorite book about baseball.

Dr. Art Cyr joins us to talk about the 80th anniversary of D-Day, recent local elections in Britain (in which the conservative party suffered massive losses), U.S. Speaker Michael Johnson's decision to support U.S. aid to Ukraine, and JFK's narrow victory in the 1960 presidential primary in Wisconsin (the topic of Tuesday's Morning Show.) Dr. Cyr i…

Edson Melendez talks about Brew City Opera's production of Mozart's COSI FAN TUTTE which opens Thursday evening and runs this weekend only.

Dr. Arturo Casadevall discusses his fascinating book "What if Fungi Win?" Dr. Casadevall has been studying fungi for more than forty years. They are extraordinary organisms - remarkably diverse - and absolutely essential for human life. They also pose a grave threat to us with fungal diseases that affect both human beings as well as our food supply…

B.J. Hollars discusses his book "Wisconsin for Kennedy: The Primary that Launched a President and Changed the Course of History." The book gives a careful account of the JFK's campaign in the 1960 Wisconsin presidential primary in which he eventually secured a narrow victory over Hubert Humphrey. The book includes portraits of some of the people wh…

For Memorial Day: Patrick K. O'Donnell talks about his remarkable book "The Unknowns: The Untold Story of America's Unknown Soldier and World War One's Most Decorated Heroes Who Brought Him Home." (We replay this interview on every Memorial Day.)

From 2010 - Thomas Childers, author of "Soldier from the War Returning: The Greatest Generation's Troubled Homecoming from World War Two." (in anticipation of the Memorial Day holiday.) This haunting and illuminating book examines the largely untold story of all of the soldiers from World War Two who returned home with physical, mental and physical…

From 2014 - Ayelet Waldman talks about her riveting novel "Love and Treasure" - partly set in the immediate aftermath of World War Two - and also set seventy years later. It touches on the painful legacy of plundered treasures.

We speak with Matthew Matysik, Kaylee Annable, Betty Peterson and Dan Venne about the Racine Theater Guild's production of the Kander/Ebb musical CABARET. We play excerpts from a number of the songs that are part of the score.

Ann E. Burg talks about "Force of Nature: a novel of Rachel Carson." Carson was one of the most important environmentalists of the 20th century.

Part 1 - Christine Saxman, co-author of "Being White Today: A Road Map for a Positive Anti-Racist Life." Part 2 - (from 2005) Ellis Cose, author of "Bone to Pick: of Forgiveness, Reconciliation, Reparation, and Revenge."

Part one: Dr. Andrea Sankar, co-author of "Dying at Home: a Family Guide for Caregiving." Part two: (from the archives) Diane Rehm, author of "When my time comes: Conversations about whether those who are dying should have the right to determine when life ends." The book focuses primarily on the practice known as MAID- Medical Aid in Dying.…

We speak with John Tate II, director of the department of community safety for the city of Racine. We talk about efforts that are underway to reduce violence and violent crime in Racine. Tate is a former president of the Racine Common Council and former chair of the Wisconsin Parole Board.

Dave Cole, general manger of WGTD, discusses the format and schedule changes for WGTD and Wisconsin Public Radio that go into effect today.

Best-selling author Tom Clavin talks about his newest book, "Throne of Grace: A Mountain Man, an Epic Adventure, and the Bloody Conquest of the American West." The book explores the beaver trade of the early 19th century as the American West was being explored- and it focuses in particular on a largely forgotten explorer by the name of Jedidiah Smi…

From 2014 - Margo Howard (writer and daughter of Ann Landers) talks about her entertaining memoir "Eat, Drink and Remarry."

From the summer of 2021, Carthage College's Adam Koening talks about what went behind the creation of a brand new way to do Commencement .... necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the impossibility of safely gathering for a conventional Commencement with thousands of people crowded together. Adam drew upon some of his professional experience be…

On Monday, May 20th, Wisconsin Public Radio is enacting a dramatic realignment of its two networks- and WGTD is going to be part of the network devoted almost exclusively to news and information. Consequently, classical music will no longer be heard over WGTD- which also means that I will no longer be hosting the Music Potpourri on occasional weekd…

Tim Wendel talks about his newest historical novel, "Rebel Falls," which is set during the Civil War. Its central protagonist is a woman anxious to be part of the Union war effort - and ends up volunteering to be part of the Union's special forces looking to thwart a Confederate plot to prolong the war and avoid outright defeat.…

When I was hired at WGTD in 1986, it was primarily to organize and host our classical music programming- which back then was considerable. My musical duties here at the station- which have gradually given way to other responsibilities over the years (chief among them being the Morning Show) - are about to end because of a format change that goes in…

Kendall Victorine talks about the Four Seasons Garden Club - and their annual plant sale, which is coming up this Saturday at Harbor Market.

Law professor Joshua Douglas discusses his book "The Court versus The Voters: The Troubling Story of hos the Supreme Court has Undermined Voting Rights." Professor Douglas examines 9 U.S. Supreme Court rulings over the past half century that he believes have undermined voting rights to an alarming extent.…

In honor of International Water Safety Day, we speak with Seth Weidman - associate athletic director at Carthage and an associate coach for the swimming and diving teams - and David Benjamin, director of The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, an advocacy organization in the Great Lakes region that tackles the issue of water safety in many different w…

From 2017- Richard Kurin, co-author of "Hope Diamond: The Legendary History of a Cursed Gem."

Doug Instenes, managing and artistic director of the Racine Theater Guild, talks about the RTG's production of CABARET, which opens this weekend.

From 2009- Dr. Mark Sloan, author of "Birth Day: A Pediatrician Explores the Science, the History, and the Wonder of Childbirth."

From 2006 - for Mother's Day - Deborah Tannen, author of "You're wearing that? - Understanding Mothers and Daughters in Conversation."

Jeff Pearlman, author orf "Gunslinger: The Remarkable, Improably, Iconic Life of Brett Favre." (from 2017)

Dr. William Kuhn (a former English professor at Carthage College) talks about his latest book, "Swimming with Lord Byron," which examines the life and career of this celebrated writer with particular focus on Lord Byron's colorful personal life and complicated sexual identity. (Lord Byron was something of a gay icon even during his lifetime- and ve…

For Kailyn Palomares's May visit to the Morning Show, she secured the participation of Alyssa Firkus, director of education for Lake County Forest Preserves, to talk about one of the most amazing creatures on earth - the cicada. 2024 is an extraordinary year for cicadas because of a very rare occurrence: the emergence of 17-year cicadas and 13-year…

Patrick K. O'Donnell discusses his latest book, "The Unvanquished: The Untold Story of Lincoln's Special Forces, the Manhunt for Mosby's Rangers, and the Shadow War that Forged America's Special Operations."

We hear about the Carthage theater department's latest verbatim theater project - "Terminal Exhale" - from faculty member Martin McClendon .... as well as from Michael Cotey, founder of the organization "Enough: Plays to end gun violence," which encourages young people to write their own plays addressing the issue of gun violence. "Terminal Exhale"…

David Lockwood and Lawrence Kirby talk about new efforts underway to create a "walking school bus" in Kenosha for students at Brass Elementary. A walking school bus involves volunteers who help walk elementary students from their homes to school; it is known to be one of the most effective means to deal with school truancy.…

Dr. Jame Ripley, director of instrumental activities at Carthage College, talks about Saturday night's concert that finishes out this special 150th anniversary year of bands at Carthage. The concert includes the world premiere of "Scene One: Fortitude," a piece commissioned for the occasion.

I'm happy to say that I won a first place award from the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association this past weekend - Best Interview for a middle market music station - for this interview which I recorded with William Shatner.

ERika Lee, Christina Soontornvat, coauthors of "Made in Asian America: A History for Young People."

For Holocaust Remembrance Day- from 2002 ..... Alexandra Zapruder, author/editor of "Salvaged Pages," an extraordinary collection of young person's diaries from the Holocaust.

For Holocaust Remembrance Day- from 2016- Wendy Holden, author of a truly amazing book titled "Born Survivors" about three women imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp who manage to conceal their pregnancies from their captors, preserving the lives of their as yet-unborn children. An extraordinary story.…

From 2003 - Todd Gitlin, author of "Letters to a young activist." (from a series of books called The Art of Mentoring.)

Jim Schatzman, founder and artistic director of the Choral Arts Society, talks about Carl Orff's dramatic cantata CARMINA BURANA, one of the most extraordinary and unique masterworks of 20th century choral music. The group will be performing the work on May 18th and 19th at UW-Parkside in collaboration with The Studio of Classical Dance Arts. The p…

We preview Saturday night's concert by the Kenosha Symphony, "May the Fourth be with you." (Saturday is May 4th.) The program features a sampling of great movie music from films such as Star Wars, Batman, Amadeus, and Schindler's List. We have three interviews: with KSO board president Pete Rodriguez (who is also a member of the orchestra's french …

Dr. Art Cyr offers his commentary on recent events in Africa, the Middle East, Turkey - offers thoughts on the Baltimore bridge collapse and the importance of infrastructure - and reflects on the complicated legacy of Richard Nixon. (This year marks the 50th anniversary of his resignation from office.)…

(From 2020) - Howard Burman, author of "Mutt's Dream: Making the Mick," which tells the story of the incredibly close relationship between baseball superstar Mickey Mantle and his father, Elven "Mutt" Mantle, who did all he could do to secure for his son what he himself never had- a chance to play professional baseball and enjoy a far better life t…

On the last day of Organ Donation Awareness Month, Wanda Brister, Professor of Voice at Florida State University, tells the story her health difficulties that ultimately led her to becoming a double lung recipient earlier this year. She also talks about the specific malady - Sarcoidosis - that attacked her lungs and necessitated the lung transplant…

Dr. Tracey Holloway is a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who also happens to be a mother. She is part of a new group called Science Moms, which is comprised of climatologists who are also mothers who want to spread the word about climate change.

Wisconsin leads the nation in falls that result in serious injury. We speak with two representatives of the Kenosha County Aging and Disability Resource Center: Paula Clark and Haleigh Couch, about their fall prevention program.

From 2018- Mark Ribowsky discusses his book "In the Name of the Father: Family, Football and the Manning Dynasty," in which he explores the legacy of Archie Manning and his sons Peyton and Eli; all three of them were celebrated NFL quarterbacks.

In memory of journalist Robert MacNeil, who passed away on April 12th at the age of 93, here is a 2003 Morning Show interview in which he talks about his fascinating and moving memoir "Looking for my Country: Finding myself in America."