Boston Public Radio Podcast

Today:Josh Paul and Tariq Habash both resigned from the Biden administration over the president's handling of Israel's war in Gaza following Hamas' Oct. 7 attack in 2023. They have since co-founded “A New Policy”  – a group that aims to reform U.S. policy  – and join to discuss what a true "American first" policy in the Middle East would look like.

Amherst College’s Ilan Stavans shares his latest book "Conversations on Dictionaries: The Universe in a Book" on the power of dictionaries in shaping culture. Plus we get his take on polling that shows Latinos in America might be turning away from Trump.Vulture podcast and TV critic Nick Quah shares the best podcasts he's heard this year. Josh Paul and Tariq Habash are co-founders of “A New Policy,” which aims to reform U.S. policy toward the Middle East. They join to discuss what they think multiple U.S. administrations have gotten wrong.The Reverends Irene Monroe & Emmett G. Price III join for “All Rev’d Up" on the pastors showing up at No Kings rallies, and a new survey that finds more U.S. adults are embracing organized religion – buying more bibles post-Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

Today:Presidential historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Doris Kearns Goodwin joins Jim and Margery at the Boston Public Library to reflect on lessons in leadership from her book Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, released 20 years ago this week.

Presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin celebrates 20 years since Team of Rivals was published, the one book Barack Obama said he’d want on a desert island. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu joins for “Ask the Mayor.”  We talk to her about Mass & Cass, whether she’ll insert herself into the Markey/Moulton Senate race, new pushback from Boston’s business community, and Trump’s suggestion this month about pulling the World Cup from Foxboro. Rasa Quartet performs for Live Music Friday. They’re on tour across New England with a Halloween-themed show called Soundtrack to a Nightmare.

BPR Full Show 10/23: AITA For Tearing Down White House?

Today:  Jeremy Ben-Ami, founder and president of J-Street, discusses the cautious hope many are feeling in the days after a ceasefire took hold in Gaza, and how American Jews are responding to this political moment.

Today:We hear from listeners about the sticking issue of the government shutdown: healthcare costs.

The Culture Show's Jared Bowen discusses the Louvre heist, and ballroom demolition at the White House and an Indigenous art at the ICA.NBC Sports Boston's Trenni Casey on the Shakespearean trajectory of Bill Belichicks career, Shohei Ohtani's run for GOAT of baseball, and a women's pro baseball league coming to Boston.Harvard national security expert Juliette Kayyem on the latest Trump effort to send national guard troops to Portland, Oregon. Plus, Virginia Giuffre's memoir.Naturalist and author Sy Montgomery zooms in to discuss how poison in dolphin brains near Miami might be a warning for Alzheimer's in humans. And, she'll reflect on the loss of one of her own idols through life, Jane Goodall.

CNN's John King on national politicsFrontline's Michael Kirk discusses his new RFK Jr documentary airing tonightChris Kimball of Milk Street is on to promote his latest cookbook "Milk Street Shorts"Animal Rescue League CEO Edward Schettino and VP of animal welfare Cheryl Traversi discuss the rise in vet costs and the increase in pets being surrendered. They discussed the resources they have to help

Congressman Seth Moulton discusses his bid to unseat Senator Ed Markey and the Democrats' response to the Trump administration.NPR critic-at-large Eric Deggans discusses how to find trustworthy news sources in today's slop-fest of an information ecosystem. Plus, he reviews "The Diplomat" on Netflix and "The Paper" on Peacock.Former education secretary Paul Reville discusses rising illiteracy in America and the future of state end-of-year exams.Academic Khalil Gibran Muhammad on the universities that have declined the Trump administration's 'compact' to get funding preference, and the impacts of federal worker firings.

Today:Congressman Seth Moulton discusses his bid to unseat Senator Ed Markey; and the Democrat response to the Trump administration more generally.Plus, former Washington Post (and Boston Globe) editor Marty Baron says Trump is laying the groundwork to prosecute members of the press, and calls on leadership in the industry to stand with their reporters.

Former Washington Post and Boston Globe editor Marty Baron joins for Press Play. He talks about news outlets refusing to sign the new Pentagon press rules, the future of NPR, and what to expect from the Trump administration in response to No Kings protests this weekend.  NBC10 Boston's Sue O’Connell on Trump’s threats to Boston, Marjorie Taylor Greene calling GOP men weak, and a judge’s order to pause shutdown layoffs.GBH CEO Susan Goldberg talks about the “Fund the Future” campaign and her vision for GBH post-CPB funding.Boston Lyric Opera joins for a Studio 3 edition of Live Music Friday, to talk about "Daughter of the Regiment," an adaptation of a classic French opera that shifts focus to real-life feminist revolutionary Deborah Sampson.  Phillip Eng, MBTA general manager and interim secretary of transportation, joins for “Ask the GM." He takes questions from us and listeners. 

Today:Brookline-born comedian Alex Edelman joins ahead of a show in Boston this Saturday.And, former assistant US Attorney, now CNN legal analyst Elie Honig discusses his new book, "When You Come at the King."

BPR Full Show 10/16: How Much Help Is Too Much?

Today:Massachusetts is witnessing its highest spike ever in religious exemptions for vaccines. We’ll talk with GBH’s Connecting the Commonwealth editor Jennifer Moore, plus NEPM’s Karen Brown & CAI’s Gilda Geist about what’s going on, and what it means for the health and safety of us all.To read more about the "Unraveling Immunity" series, go to GBHNews.org.

The Culture Show’s Jared Bowen remembers Diane Keaton and previews a Florida Highwaymen painting exhibit at the Addison Gallery of American Art.Harvard national security expert Juliette Kayyem discusses this weekend's No Kings protests, ICE detaining a 13-year-old from Everett and Trump's latest comments about World Cup games at Gillette stadium.GBH's Jennifer Moore, CAI's Gilda Geist and NEPM's Karen Brown talk about the Connecting the Commonwealth series “Unraveling Immunity,” on vaccine exemptions and related trends in Massachusetts.Boston Globe Love Letter’s columnist Meredith Goldstein on the moving professionals who are there to help when a relationship ends. Then we open the phone and text lines to get your pillow preferences.

Today:CNN chief national correspondent John King discusses the government shutdown and the ceasefire in Gaza. And we open the lines to get listener thoughts about peace in the Middle East.

NBC Sports Boston's Trenni Casey discusses the fall of Bill Belichick.Food policy analyst Corby Kummer discusses the closure of the Urban Grape amid financial strugglesBoston Globe business columnist Shirley Leung discusses the battle on Beacon Hill over a proposal to raise taxes on offshore corporate income; and the local impacts of the government shutdown and Trump's tariffsCNN's John King discusses Trump's statements on the insurrection act, as cities prep for another round of No Kings rallies this weekend.

Today: Boston Baroque joins for Live Music Friday.Their season opens this weekend with two shows at NEC’s Jordan Hall tomorrow and Sunday. Led by a man The Guardian once called “The Bad Boy of Baroque,” all the way from the UK – Christian Curnyn. Also here: Boston Baroque Executive Director Sarah Radcliffe-Mars and Concertmaster and associate artistic director, a familiar face to this show, Christina Day-Martinson. 

GBH's Adam Reilly and The Bay State Banner's Ron Mitchell join for Press Play media analysis. They talk about Pete Hegseth’s effort to muzzle press Pentagon access, Trump’s claim that flag burning no longer falls under first amendment-protected speech, Bari Weiss at CBS News, and other media headlines.NBC Boston's Sue O’Connell on the O’Keefe family’s wrongful death lawsuit against Karen Read, plans for a refresh of the Kowloon, and Amazon's Melania Trump documentary coming to theaters in January.Boston Medical Center's Dr. Katherine Gergen Barnett reacts to a Washington Post op-ed by six former U.S. surgeons general arguing RFK Jr. is putting American’s health at risk.Boston Baroque performs for Live Music Friday. We talk with Sarah Radcliffe Marrs and Christina Day-Martinson, plus guest conductor Christian Curnyn (who The Guardian has called “The Bad Boy of Baroque").