Reader's Corner

The descriptive phrase, “The Wild West,” brings to mind images of gunslingers, dusty miners and pioneering families eager to forge a fresh start in an inhospitable place. But in a new book, journalist Blaire Briody takes us on a tour of America’s contemporary Wild West: the badlands of North Dakota, under which reside an estimated 4.3 billion gallons of recoverable oil, making it the largest oil r...

This encore program originally was broadcast in March, 2018.

This interview was originally broadcast in January, 2018.

Russia is certainly in the headlines these days – but for the next 30 minutes, we’re setting aside talk of election meddling and diplomats to discuss a work of fiction. The novel, and it’s a bestseller, is A Gentleman in Moscow, and it’s written by today’s guest, Amor Towles.

This interview was originally broadcast in January, 2018.

This encore Reader's Corner interview was originally broadcast in September, 2017.

Our country was founded on the very idea that a free people should not be ruled by kings and queens. That said, there is an undeniable and lasting allure associated with monarchies. And that’s particularly true when it comes to Great Britain.

This is an encore program, originally broadcast in July, 2017.

From the moment we first laid eyes on them, Americans have been captivated by mustangs — with their strength, their determination and their wild nature. They have been featured in countless Western paperbacks, movies and songs through the years, and we’ve named war planes and muscle cars after them.

Sheriff Walt Longmire, his sidekick Henry Standing Bear and the wide open spaces of Absaroka County are the fictional creations of author Craig Johnson – but they also have found their way into popular culture. In addition to the bestselling series of novels, there is a real-life Longmire Days festival that each summer draws thousands of fans to Buffalo, Wyoming; a website where you can purchase L...

During the final days of World War II, a group of American soldiers encountered a German spy carrying nothing but photos of beautiful white horses. The story behind those photos was even more surprising. Nearby, on a farm behind enemy lines, the Nazis had stockpiled some of the world’s most valuable horses as part of an ambitious breeding program to develop the perfect war horse. But with the Russ...

This encore program was originally aired in December of 2017.

The turn of the 20th century was a momentous time in U.S. history. After defeating imperial Spain in a brief but consequential war, America had expanded its global reach, with a footprint that stretched from Cuba and Guam to the Philippines. The country was developing and harnessing new technology like no other nation, its economic and diplomatic power was soaring, and it had nudged Europe and Jap...

This program was first broadcast in November, 2017

This episode of Reader's Corner was originally broadcast in June of 2017.

This encore program was originally broadcast in September, 2017.

This is an encore of the program which was originally broadcast in August of 2017.

This interview was originally broadcast in June, 2017.

In 1961, the world watched as tensions flared and the Berlin Wall went up, trapping East Germans inside a Communist regime. What was less well known was what was happening under that wall. Away from the glare of television cameras and public demonstrations, defectors and West Germans engaged in clandestine efforts to build tunnels and help East Germans escape.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the release of Casablanca, perhaps the most beloved of all Hollywood films. Somehow, this love story set in war time seems as relevant today as when it first lit up the silver screen back in 1942. People who’ve never even seen the movie still recognize its famous lines, and references to Casablanca abound in novels, plays, musicals, and other productions.

The war that became known as World War I began over 100 years ago and ushered in a new type of warfare – one built underground, in trenches, instead of above ground, on horses. In his book, To End All Wars, Adam Hochschild brings the war to life in a stark and dramatic new way.

This interview was originally broadcast in May, 2017.

Fifty years after he was assassinated at age 39, Malcolm X remains a controversial and somewhat mysterious figure. During his short but eventful life, he was a minister with the Nation of Islam who went on to found his own mosque, a fiery militant who advocated “any means necessary” to attain racial justice, and a brilliant, charismatic speaker whose legacy is still being determined.

This episode originally was broadcast in March, 2017.

Today we’re featuring a special edition of our show as we remember and honor the remarkable life and legacy of Cecil D. Andrus, who died last week, just one day before his 86th birthday. Governor Andrus was the only Idahoan elected four times as the state’s governor, and he also served as Secretary of the Interior under President Jimmy Carter. He was a lifelong Democrat, but he knew how to work wi...