#97 - The Remarkable 18th-Century Tale of Clara the Celebrity Rhino
Release Date: 11/26/2024
#115 - Life’s Final Horizon
Books & Looks
At age six, Pavel Baldea was dragged from his bed at 2AM by Communist police who imprisoned his parents and abandoned their children on the streets. Decades later, after a daring escape across borders to America, this Romanian refugee with a scientific mind has distilled 20 years of biblical study into "The Last Day on Earth," a book that deliberately strips away theological complexity to explore humanity's ultimate questions. Join us for this special Good Friday conversation where Baldea reveals why his "Bible in a capsule" intentionally omits chapter-verse citations most religious texts...
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#114 - Revolution's Midnight Messenger
Books & Looks
"Had Revere failed that night, America's revolution might have died before it began." Author Kostya Kennedy reveals how history pivoted on a silversmith's midnight journey and the astonishing betrayal by the British general's American-born wife who may have leaked crucial military plans. On the 250th anniversary of Paul Revere's ride, "The Ride" uncovers what history books missed: how Revere demanded his own court-martial years later, the massive warship whose timbers still rest in Cape Cod sand, and why a Massachusetts police officer couldn't bring himself to ticket Paul Revere's descendant...
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#113 - Stolen Heartbeats: When Hackers Rewrite the Transplant Code
Books & Looks
When perfectly executed suicides deliver pristine donor hearts, cardiologist-turned-novelist Cristina LePort reveals the terrifying intersection of heart transplantation and organized crime in her medical thriller "Change of Heart." Host Blaine DeSantis explores how a mafia don's cybercrime operation manipulates organ donation networks while FBI probationary agent Charlotte Bloom races to stop the conspiracy - all while hiding that her own heart is failing. Drawing from her medical expertise, LePort crafts a world where the 12-hour "heart box" technology meant to save lives becomes a sinister...
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#112 - Beyond the Final Homestand: Small Towns, Bleacher Dreams, and America's Soul
Books & Looks
When a corporate spreadsheet erased 42 minor league baseball teams from America's map, it didn't just kill baseball in places like Batavia, New York - it threatened to dismantle the last institution where a Vietnam veteran finds peace, political adversaries share beers as friends, and a young man with cerebral palsy washes uniforms by hand until 2 AM. In "Homestand," author Will Bardenwerper, a former Army Ranger, reveals what happens when profit-driven efficiency collides with our deepest need for belonging. As citizens rally to save their century-old Muckdogs, their story exposes a choice...
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#111 - Beautiful Invaders: How 200 Birds Became America's Billion-Dollar Problem
Books & Looks
They transform American skies into living art, yet these same iridescent birds represent one of history's most spectacular ecological disasters—all because one Victorian gentleman released 200 starlings in Central Park in 1890. When Eugene Schieffelin's well-intentioned birds exploded to 200 million strong, they unleashed agricultural havoc costing billions while pushing native species toward extinction. Author Mike Stark unravels this remarkable saga of unintended consequences, debunking the persistent Shakespeare myth while uncovering forgotten footnotes—from Mozart's musical pet...
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#110 - When Cultures Collide: The Shocking True Story of Jeddah Bride
Books & Looks
In this gripping episode, author Patricia Bonis shares her harrowing true story documented in "Jeddah Bride." Bonis recounts falling in love with a Saudi man in 1970s Boston, her shocking cultural adjustment in Saudi Arabia, and the devastating 14-year separation from her children after their father kidnapped them. Host Blaine DeSantis guides this eye-opening conversation exploring cross-cultural marriage, religious conversion, and the stark legal differences that left an American mother powerless when international custody laws failed her family. Links: "Jeddah Bride" Book: Patricia...
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#109 - Revolutionary War Mystery Meets Modern Cyber Warfare
Books & Looks
A mysterious Revolutionary War coin, modern cyber terrorism, and a shadowy organization known as the Liberty Unit converge in this groundbreaking techno-thriller that bridges America's past and present. Join Books and Looks for an in-depth review of "Going Dark" by George K. Mehok, a stunning debut novel that weaves together historical intrigue and contemporary cyber warfare. When NSA analyst Paul Knox inherits a mysterious coin from the Revolutionary War, he becomes entangled in a centuries-old fight to protect America from those who would destroy it from within. Written by a former...
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#108 - The Forgotten Women Who Made Mountain Climbing History
Books & Looks
In 1970, six women defied societal expectations and brutal conditions to become the first all-female team to summit North America's highest peak. This is their remarkable story.Author Cassidy Randall uncovers the incredible journey of the "Denali Damsels" who faced -30° temperatures, deadly storms, and a skeptical climbing community to make mountaineering history. Through intimate journals and long-buried accounts, discover how these trailblazing women proved that the "fairer sex" could conquer one of the world's most challenging peaks. Join us for this fascinating interview about "30 Below,"...
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#107 - The Arctic: It’s More than a Sea
Books & Looks
Explore the surprising history of U.S. interest in Greenland and the Arctic's rising geopolitical importance. Why has America tried to buy Greenland multiple times? Join us as we dive deep into the Arctic's past and present with Mary Thompson-Jones, author of 'America in the Arctic.' Discover how climate change and global powers are reshaping this crucial region. We'll explore historical attempts to acquire Greenland, the strategic implications of a melting Arctic, and what it means for international relations. This episode reveals the hidden battles for the Arctic and why it matters more than...
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#106 - Science vs Religion: The Trial That Changed America
Books & Looks
Can a single trial change the course of a nation? In 1925, the answer was yes. The Scopes Monkey Trial pitted evolution against creation, science against religion, and two of America's greatest orators against each other. Author Debbie Levy takes us beyond the courtroom drama to explore the deeper cultural battle that still rages today. Is teaching evolution a dangerous idea? And what happens when a small town becomes the center of a national firestorm? The answers may surprise you. Links: "A Dangerous Idea" Book: Debbie Levy Website: Watch on YouTube: _ Produced by Podcast Studio X. Find...
info_outlineEver wondered what it would be like to tour Europe with a pet rhino? In this episode, author Jillian Forsberg shares the unbelievable true story behind her novel The Rhino Keeper. Discover the joys, challenges, and surprising insights Forsberg gleaned while researching and writing this tale of interspecies friendship that will make you see rhinos in a whole new light.
Links:
- "The Rhino Keeper" Book: https://amzn.to/419BG5b
- Jillian Forsberg Website: https://www.jillianforsberg.com/
- Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/QzeimIw9gLQ
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Produced by Podcast Studio X.
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