The Roundtable

Eugene Mirabelli is the author of eight novels, plus short stories, poems, many journalistic pieces and numerous book reviews. We speak with him about his book, Renato, the Painter: An Account of His Youth & His 70th Year in His Own Words
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A People’s Guide to the Federal Budget covers what every American should know about how our government raises and spends our tax dollars. From coverage of the current conflict in Washington to simple explanations of budget terminology, A People’s Guide to the Federal Budget has it all. Written by the Northampton-based National Priorities Project, this book is essential for understanding and getting involved in the debate over our nation’s future.

We speak with Enrico Moretti about The New Geography of Jobs.

Jack Hitt is a contributing editor to the New York Times Magazine, Harper’s, and public radio’s This American Life. He also writes for Rolling Stone, GQ, Wired, and, Garden & Gun. We speak with him about his new book,Bunch of Amateurs: A Search for the American Character
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We speak with Oscar-winning documentarian, Charles H. Ferguson (Inside Job), about Predator Nation: Corporate Criminals, Political Corruption, and the Hijacking of America.

Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral’s novel Chopsticks is an inventive interactive novel that will have readers flipping through the pages as they try to make sense of a young piano prodigy’s mental melt down. In this unique and compelling piece, they the immerse readers in Glory’s life, and beautifully weave words with photographs and paintings.

Music:  Los Gatos Salvajes - La Respuesta

Johnny Irion stops by to tell us about his show at The Guthrie Center this Friday, a new record he's working on with his wife, Sarah Lee Guthrie (being produced by Jeff Tweedy and Pat Sansone of Wilco) and to play Riverside Rocker live in studio.

We speak with Taras Grescoe about his book, Straphanger: Saving Our Cities and Ourselves from the Automobile.

Mitt Romney and President Obama get most of the attention, but it’s a full ballot this fall. In today’s Congressional Corner, New York representative Paul Tonko tells WAMC’s Alan Chartock that the GOP threatens the future of Social Security and Medicare.

Jenny Brown tells us about the new Bed and Breakfast at the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary and their upcoming Veg-Curious? event on June 2nd. The speakers at the event will be Jenny, Kris Carr, Sharon Gannon, and Will Tuttle.