Joe Donahue

On the 50th Anniversary of the American Track and Field icon Steve Prefontaine’s tragic death comes the new book “The Front Runner: The Life of Steve Prefontaine.” A reappraisal of his life and legacy of powerful work of narrative history exploring the forces and the psychology that made him great and separating the man from the myths. On the anniversary of his untimely death author Brendan O’ Meara, host of "The Creative Nonfiction Podcast," offers a definitive retelling of Prefontaine’s life revisiting one of the most enigmatic figures in American sports with a 21st century lens.

For ps21 in Chatham - August is a month of programming that includes the return of the Paul Taylor Dance Company for their 4th consecutive year of performances, the US Premier of Samantha Shay's Chekhov-inspired dance-theatre piece, “Life in this House is Over,” which reflects on the social awkwardness of grief, followed by Adam Tendler's “Inheritances,” which weaves together a number of composers into one intimate program to tell a universal story of lineage, loss and place.Their summer concludes with the inaugural COMMONGROUND Festival, which brings together two renowned international performance companies - Basinga (France) and Kaleider (UK) over a weekend of experiments in physics and materiality.

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, Former Vice President for Editorial Development at the New York Press Association Judy Patrick, and Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute Robert Pondiscio.

As Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill takes her final bow as Producing Artistic Director at Capital Repertory Theatre, we’re marking the end of an extraordinary era in Albany’s arts scene, and we are thrilled to have her on the Roundtable this morning.Maggie’s final production as Producing Artistic Director closes with “Once” on Sunday, Aug. 10. She’s joins us to discuss her journey, her impact, what’s next, and what she hopes theREP and the Capital Region’s arts scene will continue to grow into.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are Dean of the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity at the University at Albany Robert Griffin, Diplomat in residence at Bard College Ambassador Frederic Hof, and Albany Law School Professor and Director of the Justice Center Sarah Rogerson.

Jess Walter, the New York Times bestselling author of “Beautiful Ruins” and “The Cold Millions,” returns with “So Far Gone.” The novel centers on Rhys Kinnick, a reclusive journalist forced back into the world to rescue his kidnapped grandchildren and find his missing daughter.

This week's Book Picks comes from Connie Brooks and Heather Boyne from Battenkill Books in Cambridge, NY and Cheryl McKeon from The Book House in Albany and Marketblock Books in Troy, NY.

"Mayo Buckner (a life interrupted)" will be performed at the Seagle Festival in Schroon Lake, NY on August 6 – 9.Seagle Festival is proud to present the second ever production of this exemplary new opera by one of the most performed contemporary opera composers alive today.The opera is based on the tragically true story of a young boy (Mayo) committed to the Iowa Home for the Feeble Minded in 1898. Despite Mayo’s repeated requests to be released, it was not until 1957 at age 67 he was properly tested and found to have an above average IQ.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are Chief of Staff and Vice President for Strategy and Policy at Bard College Malia DuMont, Tetherless World Professor of Computer, Web and Cognitive Sciences at RPI Jim Hendler, and Semi-retired, Editor at large/columnist/editorial writer, Times Union Jay Jochnowitz.

Robert Kaplan for three decades reported on foreign affairs for “The Atlantic,” he was a member of the Pentagon’s Defense Policy Board, and the Chief of Naval Operations Executive panel. "Foreign Policy" twice named him ‘one of the world’s top 100 global thinkers.’ He is the author of 23 books. The latest is “Wasteland: A World in Permanent Crisis.”