The Marketplace of Ideas

Mathematical journalist Brian Hayes

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 18:34:00 GMT

A conversation about econophysics, generating genuine randomness and the rise of blogs with mathematical journalist and blogger Brian Hayes, author of Group Theory in the Bedroom. [download show] [MOI home] [MOI archive]

Reading the OED with Ammon Shea

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:53:00 GMT

A conversation about the dictionary-reader's ultimate challenge, all 21,730 pages of the Oxford English Dictionary, with Ammon Shea, author of Reading the OED. [download show] [MOI home] [MOI archive]

Novelist and former CBC film critic David Gilmour

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:56:00 GMT

A conversation about one man, one son, and one D.I.Y. film school with novelist and former CBC film critic David Gilmour, author of The Film Club: A Memoir. [download show] [MOI home] [MOI archive]

Novelist Tom McCarthy on Tintin

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 22:17:00 GMT

A conversation about art, criticism, literature, philosophy, and a certain Belgian boy reporter with novelist Tom McCarthy, author of Remainder and Tintin and the Secret of Literature. [download show] [MOI home] [MOI archive]

Artscience impresario David Edwards

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 04:09:00 GMT

A conversation about science, aesthetics and the crossing of disciplinary boundaries with David Edwards, Gordon McKay Professor of the Practice of Biomedical Engineering at Harvard, author of Artscience: Creativity in the Post-Google Generation, and founder of Le Laboratoire. [download show] [MOI home] [MOI archive]

War Nerd Gary Brecher

Tue, 1 Jul 2008 14:06:00 GMT

A conversation about asymmetrical warfare, Red Dawn and the Hmong in Fresno with Gary Brecher, âWar Nerdâ columnist from The eXile. [download show] [MOI home] [MOI archive]

Literary blogger Maud Newton

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 04:31:00 GMT

A conversation about the rise of cultural blogs, using oneâs own life as novel source material and the genius of Rupert Thomson with literary blogger Maud Newton, founder of MaudNewton.com. [download] [MOI home] [MOI archive]

Novelist, essayist and poet Alexander Theroux

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT

A conversation about the encyclopedic novel, female creativity and Rush Limbaugh with novelist, essayist and poet Alexander Theroux, author of Laura Warholic; or, The Sexual Intellectual. [download] [MOI home] [MOI archive]

Kevin Smokler and Dave Weich

Mon, 9 Jun 2008 01:33:00 GMT

Part two of our special series on the future of books and reading: conversations with writer, thinker, entrepreneur and maker of mischief Kevin Smokler [site] and Dave Weich, director of marketing and development at Portland, Oregon's Powell's Books.

Graphic designer and novelist Chip Kidd

Fri, 30 May 2008 05:59:00 GMT

A conversation about art school, the Milgram Experient and Andres Serrano photos as bible covers with graphic designer and novelist Chip Kidd, the man responsible for countless bestselling (and some not-quite-bestselling) book jackets. His new novel is The Learners: The Book After The Cheese Monkeys.

Daniel Menaker and Odile Isralson, Titlepage

Fri, 23 May 2008 07:42:00 GMT

Part one of a special Marketplace of Ideas series on the future of books and reading: conversations with Daniel Menaker and Odile Isralson, host and executive producer of Titlepage, the first book-themed internet TV show.

Arts & Letters Daily's Dennis Dutton

Sat, 3 May 2008 05:23:00 GMT

A conversation about the climate change debate, the evolutionary psychology of art and bad academic writing with Denis Dutton [site], founder of Arts & Letters Daily and editor of Philosophy and Literature.

NPR's Peter Sagal

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 03:02:00 GMT

A conversation about swinging, eating, strip clubs, lying, gambling, consumption and pornography with Peter Sagal, host of NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me and author of The Book of Vice: Very Naughty Things (and How to Do Them).

Urban theorist Richard Florida

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 05:04:00 GMT

A conversation about personality, innovation and openness in cities and "mega-regions" with urban theorist Richard Florida, author of The Rise of the Creative Class and Who's Your City?

Experimental philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah

Sat, 5 Apr 2008 06:25:00 GMT

A conversation about experimental philosophy with Kwame Anthony Appiah, Laurance S. Rockefeller Professor of Philosophy at Princeton University and author of Experiments in Ethics.

Japan expert John Nathan (part two)

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 02:32:00 GMT

The second part of a conversation about life in film and literature in Japan and America with translator, filmmaker and Japan expert John Nathan, author of Living Carelessly in Tokyo and Elsewhere.

Japan expert John Nathan (part one)

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 02:12:00 GMT

The first part of a conversation about life in film and literature in Japan and America with translator, filmmaker and Japan expert John Nathan, author of Living Carelessly in Tokyo and Elsewhere.

Apple Computer co-founder Steve Wozniak

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 19:55:00 GMT

A conversation about the art of engineering, the value of jokes and the nuisance of spam with Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Computer and author of iWoz: How I Invented the Personal Computer, Co-Founded Apple, and Had Fun Doing It.

The Marketplace of Ideas live in Los Angeles

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 19:24:00 GMT

It's The Marketplace of Ideas live in Los Angeles! Come bid farewell to Dutton's Brentwood Books and watch a live taping of The Marketplace of Ideas, featuring a conversation with Mark Sarvas, noted Elegant Variation blogger and author of the upcoming novel Harry, Revised. This all happens on Saturday March 29th at 12:00 noon. Dutton's is located at 11975 San Vicente Boulevard in Los Angeles, CA.

Undercover economist Tim Harford

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 20:42:00 GMT

A conversation about speed-dating, the advantages of city life and the fun economists are having with "Undercover Economist" Tim Harford, author of The Logic of Life: The Rational Economics of an Irrational World.

Comic artist Peter Bagge

Fri, 7 Mar 2008 03:14:00 GMT

A conversation about Generation X, penciling techniques and libertarianism with Peter Bagge, creator of Hate and Apocalypse Nerd.

On globalization with Pietra Rivoli

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 06:43:00 GMT

A conversation about Texan cotton-growing, Chinese manufacturing and African entrepreneurship with Pietra Rivoli, Georgetown business professor and author of The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy.

Essayist, film writer, novelist and poet Phillip Lopate

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 05:25:00 GMT

A conversation about education, urbanism and Abbas Kiarostami with essayist, novelist, poet and film writer Phillip Lopate.

On book reviewing with Gail Pool

Sat, 16 Feb 2008 02:57:00 GMT

A conversation with Gail Pool, author of Faint Praise: The Plight of Book Reviewing in America.

Skeptic Michael Shermer

Fri, 8 Feb 2008 00:33:00 GMT

A conversation about economics, evolutionary biology and Ayn Rand with Michael Shermer, publisher of Skeptic magazine and author of The Mind of the Market: Compassionate Apes, Competitive Humans and Other Tales from Evolutionary Economics.

On early modern science and poetry with Angus Fletcher

Sat, 2 Feb 2008 23:22:00 GMT

A conversation about the interplay between early modern science and poetry with Angus Fletcher, Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the City University of New York Graduate School and author of Time, Space and Motion in the Age of Shakespeare.

Podcast Alley feed

Sun, 27 Jan 2008 19:39:00 GMT

My Podcast Alley feed! {pca-3988fdead9282638a2900727ba873378}

Deep historian Daniel Lord Smail

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 08:27:00 GMT

A conversation about bridging the gap between history and prehistory with Daniel Lord Smail, professor of history at Harvard University and author of On Deep History and the Brain.

Economist and blogger Tyler Cowen

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 07:50:00 GMT

A conversation about using incentives, eating ethnic food and becoming a cultural billionaire with Tyler Cowen, professor of economics at George Mason University and blogger at Marginal Revolution.

Los Angeles Times Book Review editor David L. Ulin

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 06:05:00 GMT

A conversation about publishing, book criticism and LA literary culture with David L. Ulin, editor of the Los Angeles Times Book Review.

Science journalist Jonah Lehrer

Thu, 3 Jan 2008 22:05:00 GMT

A conversation about literature, the human brain and umami with Jonah Lehrer, editor-at-large at Seed magazine and author of Proust Was a Neuroscientist.

Novelist Joshua Henkin

Sat, 29 Dec 2007 06:01:00 GMT

A conversation about college towns, the importance of story and MFA programs with novelist Joshua Henkin, author of Matrimony.

The Smart Set editor Jason Wilson

Sat, 22 Dec 2007 06:58:00 GMT

A conversation about online journalism, travel writing and H.L. Mencken with Jason Wilson, editor of The Smart Set from Drexel University and The Best American Travel Writing series.

Evolutionary biologist David P. Barash

Sat, 15 Dec 2007 06:35:00 GMT

A conversation about consciousness, free will and toilet training with David P. Barash, professor of psychology at the University of Washington and author of Natural Selections: Selfish Altruists, Honest Liars and Other Realities of Evolution.

Law professor and economist Ian Ayres

Fri, 7 Dec 2007 22:40:00 GMT

A conversation about the revolution in decisionmaking brought about by large-scale quantitative analysis with Yale law professor and economist Ian Ayres, author of Super Crunchers: Why Thinking by Numbers is the New Way to Be Smart.

On political division with David Starkey

Fri, 7 Dec 2007 22:30:00 GMT

A conversation about voting one way and living in a place that votes another with David Starkey, poet, playwright, professor of English at Santa Barbara City College and editor of Living Blue in the Red States.

On 20 years of The Closing of the American Mind with Roger Kimball

Sun, 2 Dec 2007 01:22:00 GMT

A conversation about Allan Bloom's The Closing of the American Mind on the 20th anniversary of its publication with Roger Kimball, editor of The New Criterion.

On Barry Goldwater with CC Goldwater

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 18:39:00 GMT

A conversation about Barry Goldwater with CC Goldwater, the 1964 presidential candidate's granddaughter and producer of the new film Mr. Conservative: Goldwater on Goldwater.

Something Awful editor Zack Parsons

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 20:38:00 GMT

A conversation about ridiculous military hardware and highly un-epic science fiction with Zack Parsons, editor at the popular humor site Something Awful and author of My Tank is Fight!: Deranged Inventions of World War II.

1960s radical Cathy Wilkerson

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 20:25:00 GMT

A conversation about the 1960s with Cathy Wilkerson, former member of Students for a Democratic Society and Weatherman, whose new book is Flying Close to the Sun: My Life and Times as a Weatherman.

On human rights with Lynn Hunt

Fri, 9 Nov 2007 21:45:00 GMT

A conversation about the very definition of a powerful idea with Lynn Hunt, Eugen Weber Professor of Modern European History at UCLA and former president of the American Historical Association. Her latest book is Inventing Human Rights: A History.

Bookslut founder Jessa Crispin

Fri, 2 Nov 2007 18:08:00 GMT

A conversation about food writing, Lost Girls and the disappointing DVD of David Lynch's Lost Highway with Jessa Crispin, founder and editor of Chicago-based literary webzine and blog Bookslut.

Wine journalist George M. Taber

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 19:33:00 GMT

A conversation about that most revered of all beverages and the devices that close our bottles of it with George M. Taber, wine journalist and former business editor of Time magazine. His new book is To Cork or Not to Cork: The Billion-Dollar Battle for the Bottle.

Entrepreneur and blogger Ben Casnocha

Sat, 20 Oct 2007 04:40:00 GMT

A conversation about optimism, eternal studenthood and funny conservatives with entrepreneur and author Ben Casnocha. His most recent book is My Start-Up Life.

Spy-fi novelist Josh Conviser

Sat, 13 Oct 2007 17:01:00 GMT

A conversation about hybridizing genres, using future technology and reading Dwell magazine with Josh Conviser, author of Echelon and Empyre.

Litblogger and novelist Mark Sarvas

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 06:39:00 GMT

A conversation about book criticism, the Los Angeles Literary scene and Michiko Kakutani with Mark Sarvas, author of popular weblog The Elegant Variation. Harry, Revised, his first novel, hits shelves in May 2008.