The Roundtable

Historian Michael Auslin joins us to discuss his new book, 'National Treasure: How the Declaration of Independence Made America.' Rather than viewing the Declaration as a relic of the past, Auslin argues that it remains the nation's defining document—one whose ideals have inspired generations of Americans while continuing to spark debate about the country's promise and purpose.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are Semi-retired, Editor at large/columnist/editorial writer, Times Union Jay Jochnowitz, 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, Former Times Union Associate Editor Mike...

H.W. Brands new book, 'American Patriarch,' turns to the nation's first president, George Washington. Rather than treating Washington as an untouchable icon, Brands explores the ambition, discipline, and restraint that shaped both the man and the new republic. Award-winning historian Rick Atkinson has spent decades bringing pivotal moments in American history to life through richly researched, com...

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, a former U.S. Army officer and State Department Diplomat who taught at Bard College for six years and is now a Senior Fellow at Bard's Center for Civic Engagement Ambassador Fred Hof, Diplomat in Residence at Bard Colleg...

For more than half a century, Gail Godwin has earned acclaim for novels that blend emotional depth with intellectual curiosity, receiving three National Book Award nominations along the way. In 'The Art of Becoming a Citizen: A Memoir,' she shifts from fiction to reflection, tracing the experiences that shaped her understanding of democracy, belonging, and public life. Part personal history, part...

Hudson Valley Shakespeare’s summer season is underway in its first permanent home, the Samuel H. Scripps Theater Center. Designed to immerse audiences and actors in the rich landscape of the Hudson Valley, its unique indoor-outdoor setting for the company’s open-air productions offers an unparalleled theater experience. The 2026 Season includes Shakespeare’s 'As you Like It' and 'King Lear' this m...

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are 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, The Ulster County Comptroller and the...

Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho forever changed movie history with one shocking scene, but novelist Leah Rowan asks a tantalizing question: what if Marion Crane had survived? In her debut thriller, 'Marion,' Rowan reimagines one of cinema's most famous victims as a woman who fights back, setting off a suspenseful story of survival, revenge, and reinvention. A modern, feminist twist on a classic, the nov...

Few families have inspired as much fascination as the Kennedys and Britain's royal family. Journalist Caroline Hallemann has spent years covering both as Digital Director of 'Town & Country,' and in her first book, 'The Kennedys and the Windsors: The Story of Two Dynasties, One Born, One Made,' she brings their histories together in a fresh and revealing way. Drawing on extensive archival research...

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, Principal, Faith in the Public Square and Co-Principal of The Religious Nationalisms Project The Reverend Peter Cook, an author, lawyer, consultant, public speaker, and entrepreneur; her most recent book is: 'Race Rules: What Your Black Fr...

For decades, Cory Doctorow has been one of the sharpest critics of the digital world—a bestselling science-fiction writer, journalist, co-editor of Boing Boing, and longtime advocate for digital rights and an open internet. His latest nonfiction book, 'The Reverse Centaur's Guide to Life After AI,' takes aim at the hype, fear, and confusion surrounding artificial intelligence.

Brad Gooch has spent much of his career telling the stories of larger-than-life figures. The poet, novelist, and acclaimed biographer is known for celebrated books on Keith Haring, Frank O’Hara, Flannery O’Connor, and the 13th-century mystic Rumi. A Guggenheim Fellow and recipient of a National Endowment for the Humanities fellowship, Gooch has built a reputation for combining literary insight wit...

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, an educator who teaches drama and humanities at Poughkeepsie Day School in Poughkeepsie Stephen Haff, a former U.S. Army officer and State Department Diplomat who taught at Bar...

This week's Book Picks comes from Lily Bartels from the Open-Door Bookstore in Schenectady, NY.

Ancram Center for the Arts announced its 2026 season with five ambitious works that explore the themes of our times: polarization but yearning for de-escalation, finding love in an age of anxiety, art’s capacity to hold grief and remembrance, the human ethics of scientific advancement, and the psychic damage of war, even when soldiers return without a scratch. Co-Director Paul Ricciardi says “The...

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, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute Robert Pondiscio, Political Consultant & Lobbyist Libby Post, and Former Times Union Ass...

The Dog’s Gaze: A Visual History' is a unique visual history that examines the social bond between two species, shedding new light on the human condition through the eyes of our canine companions. Art and Cultural Historian Thomas Laqueur will tell us more about his book.

Bard SummerScape is an annual multi-arts summer festival offering programs in dance, theater, opera, music, and more. Highlights include the Bard Music Festival, SummerScape Opera, major premieres through Fisher Center LAB, and the Spiegeltent. Bard SummerScape is a must-visit destination for breathtaking, thought-provoking performances and gatherings in an idyllic Hudson River Valley setting. The...

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are Professor of History and International Relations at Vassar College. He is a specialist on the history of US foreign policy Robert Brigham, Senior Fellow, Bard Center for Civic Engagement Jim Ketterer, and Former Vice President for Editorial Development at the New York Press Association and a longt...

Stéphane Wrembel stands as one of the world’s most celebrated guitarists in the world. Originally from Fontainebleau, France, Wrembel is known for his masterful blend of jazz, gypsy swing, and world music captivating audiences across the globe with his unique sound. ‘Rolling Stone’ as called him ‘a revelation.’Wrembel is also a respected composer with original compositions in acclaimed films; ‘Mid...

We’ll preview the 49th Saratoga Jazz Festival happening next weekend! 2 days, 2 stages, and 22 electrifying artists from jazz to roots, funk, blues, soul, rock, indie, and beyond. This year’s headliners are R&B legend and “Godmother of Soul” Patti LaBelle and the New Orleans rock collective known for their triple-platinum hit “Wish I Knew You,” The Revivalists. The Annual summer event is filled wi...

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, 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' Chris Gibson, Political Consultant & Lobbyist Libby Post, and D...

For more than four decades, Anthony Mason has been one of the most trusted voices in American journalism, bringing curiosity, intelligence, and a steady presence to his reporting for CBS News. As a correspondent and former co-host of CBS This Morning, he's interviewed presidents, cultural icons, and some of the world's most influential artists. Now, Mason is launching a project that feels especial...

The world of Buddhist scholarship has lost one of its most influential voices. Robert Thurman, the pioneering scholar, author, father of actor Uma Thurman, and advocate for Tibetan Buddhism, died yesterday in Woodstock, New York. He was 84.Thurman spent decades introducing Western audiences to Tibetan Buddhist philosophy and culture, serving for 30 years as Columbia University’s Professor of Indo-...

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are educator who teaches drama and humanities at Poughkeepsie Day School in Poughkeepsie Stephen Haff, Professor of Government at Dutchess Community College and since 2023, she has been President of the World Affairs Council of the Mid-Hudson Valley Dr. Karin Riedl, and Investment Banker on Wall St. M...