Oct 29 - Nov 2 Programs

Dear Friends,

Here’s what’s coming up for the week of Oct. 29 on Here on Earth:

Monday: I’m betting that you’re going to love this program about the Monks of Taize, an ecumenical community of over a hundred brothers living in Burgundy, France, both Catholics and Protestants, from 25 nations. We’ll talk with Brother John, an American, and find out what gives Taize its youth appeal.

Tuesday: An update on the American debate on torture with Michael Ratner, the president of the Center for Constitutional Rights.

Wednesday: Frankenstein! Frankenstein! Frankenstein!

Thursday: We’ll talk to Matt Frei, the anchor of the all-new BBC World News America – which, in this case, means North and South!

Food Friday: A very groovy program with the author of a most unusual memoir about food. It’s called Eating As I Go: Scenes From America and Abroad by world traveler and scholar Doris Friedensohn.

Much to chew on!

Jean

On Launching a Book

Friday, Oct. 23, 2007

Reaping the whirlwind: I Hear Voices became officially available on Sept. 24; the launch was Oct. 4; ever since it's been non-stop radio interviews, newspaper interviews, readings, postings, emails, and travel - this weekend to Door County, next weekend to Denver for the American Italian Historical Association's conference meeting; after that it's San Diego, then the McMillan Library in Wisconsin Rapids, and then the 57th St. Borders in New York City on December11! No wonder I lost my voice in mid-sentence this week. A wild roller-coaster ride - exhilaration one minute; disappointment the next.

The readings have been great - energizing and gratifying. The radio interviews vary - sometimes they miss the name of my program - one guy called it "On Earth" - other times they don't even get the name of the book straight. My favorite interview was with Joy Cardin on the first day of our Pledge Drive - she hit all the hot spots and best of all, let me read lots of passages from the book. Much as I appreciate the wonderful reception the book has been getting here at home, my great hope for it is that it will go national. (Just like my great hope for Here on Earth, come to think of it). I guess I have an "I coulda been a contendah" complex - remember what Marlon Brando mumbled to his brother in On the Waterfront just before Charlie ended up on a meat hook - "Charlie, I coulda been a contendah.."

Attza me!

I'll post some responses next week.

Oct 22-26 Programs

Hi Guys,

We have some old friends coming up this week:

Monday: Those of you who remember Conversations with Jean Feraca, my mid-morning talk show, will doubtless recall Dawna Markova, psychologist and educator, author of How Your Child Is Smart, who used to cast her radio spell quite regularly on our airwaves. She's coming to Madison to give a workshop on Secrets of My Russian Grandmother next weekend and we'll get a preview this coming Monday.

Tuesday: Every once in a while a new voice emerges with the power to change the world. Women for Women International Founder and President Zainab Salbi is such a voice. She joins us on the eve of United Nations Day to share her personal experience as a survivor of war and her dedication to rebuilding communities ravished by war, one woman at a time.

Wednesday: Everybody's worried about Iran. Is war with Iraq's neighbor inevitable? Who better to ask than Gary Sick, principal White House aide during the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the U.S. hostage crisis. He'll be giving his talk, "Is a U.S. Strike on Iran Inevitable?" on Thursday, October 25, at 8 p.m. in Grainger Hall's Morgridge Auditorium, 975 University Ave. The event is free and open to the public.

Thursday: Languages are disappearing from the earth as rapidly as animal species. Who cares? What difference does it make?

Friday: Patrick O'Halloran, (better known as O-all-orino), the Irish chef at Lombardino's in Madison who is doing his utmost to make up for his Irish culinary deficiencies, has just returned from yet another tour of Italy -- this time all by himself to little known villages where he ate regional delicacies you and I would probably never touch.

Thanks for hanging in there with us during pledge drive and for all your support now and throughout the year.

Jean

Oct 15-19 Programs

Dear Here-on-Earthians.

As you know, we are now well-launched into our October pledge drive and I have to say, so far, it’s been a lot of fun. I hope you were listening to Joy Cardin’s 8:00am program when yours truly was the guest, and my new book, I Hear Voices, was the topic. We raised almost $13,000 in one hour, thanks to all of you who called in! And John Nichols did a spectacular job on my program this afternoon, culling 60 pledges, almost half of which were from new members. How wonderful! Almost as heartening as watching the Pete Seeger documentary.

Well, we try hard extra hard to keep you entertained, informed, and amused during these pledge drives because we know all too well how easy it is to tune out. So here’s what’s coming up:

Monday: The Impact of Podcasting: Join me with New York Times multimedia producer Amy O’Leary to find out how podcasting is changing the broadcasting industry. You’ll also meet some Here on Earth podcasters and get a chance to win an eight gigabyte iPod Nano. (whatever that is – for me , this is a steep learning curve).

Tuesday: We found a way to revisit one of our favorite programs from my old talk show: Every Thanksgiving financial counselor Connie Kilmark used to join us to host a program on The Best Gift You Ever Gave, or Received. This year we’re re-introducing it with a Here on Earth twist, Connie and all.


Wednesday: Terry Gross! Terry Gross! Terry Gross! This is your chance to interact with one of NPR’s stars, the veteran host of Fresh Air, and cast your pledge to win a ticket to her presentation at UW Whitewater on Oct. 30.



Thursday: Every once in a while I fall in love with a book. My latest affair is with Sustenance & Desire, a perfectly beautiful book that features all the things I love best in this world: poetry, food, art, all deliciously packaged in a book you’ll want to take to bed. Trust me, you’ll love it too when you meet its creator, an artist who goes by the intriguing name of Bascove. One word.

Friday: Patricia Wells graduated from the University of Wisconsin before taking off for Paris where she has now become a well-known food aficionado. She joins us from Paris with stories, tips and recipes from her latest cookbook.

You see how hard we’ve worked to please you? Won’t you help us to make this pledge drive not only successful, but fun – a real celebration of a invisible community – a great and magical karrass, to paraphrase Kurt Vonnegut, "with a Chinese doctor, and a British queen," and You!

Jean