Episodes

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by David Gessner the author of "Quiet Desperation Savage Delight: Sheltering with Thoreau in the Age of Crisis", to talk about the life and lifestyle of Henry David Thoreau, as well as to discuss how his original practices could help save us as we see out the pandemic and face the greater crisis of climate. David Gessner is the author of Quiet Desperation, Savage Delight: Sheltering with Thoreau in the Age of Crisis and Leave It As It Is: A Journey...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Leidy Klotz, the author of "Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less", to discuss why we overlook subtraction, and how we can access its true potential. Leidy Klotz studies how we transform things from how they are to how we want them to be. His research on the science of design has appeared in both Nature and Science, and he has written for The Washington Post, Fast Company, LitHub, The Globe and Mail, and The Behavioral Scientist. Leidy’s work ...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Simon Clark, the author of "The Key Man: The True Story of How the Global Elite Was Duped by a Capitalist Fairy Tale", to discuss what’s really going on in the finance industry and the efforts in place to clean up global capital flows. Simon Clark is a reporter at The Wall Street Journal in London. He has been a journalist since 2000, reporting on a wide range of financial, economic and political subjects that led him as far as the poppy fields ...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Mary Gauthier, the author of "Saved by a Song: The Art and Healing Power of Songwriting", to break down the act of songwriting itself, as well as to showcase the redemptive power of song and how it can inspire and bring seemingly different kinds of people together. Mary Gauthier is a Grammy-nominated American folk singer-songwriter and author, whose songs have been covered by performers including Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, Kathy Mattea, and Jimm...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by John Hagel, the author of "The Journey Beyond Fear: Leverage the Three Pillars of Positivity to Build Your Success, to discuss transcending fear and the power of positivity. John has spent over 40 years in Silicon Valley and has experience as a management consultant, entrepreneur, speaker and author. He is driven by a desire to help individuals and institutions around the world to increase their impact in a rapidly changing world. He currently ...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Peter Sterling, the author of "What is Health?: Allostasis and the Evolution of Human Design", to discuss his definition of health as optimal responsiveness which is often best treated at the system level. Peter Sterling is an American anatomist, physiologist and neuroscientist and Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Together with Joseph Eyer, Peter Sterling coined the term allostasis for "stability th...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by David Potter, the author of "Disruption: Why Things Change", to show how ideologies that develop in opposition or reaction to those supporting the status quo are employed to effect profound changes in political structures that will in turn alter the way that social relations are constructed. David Potter is the Francis W. Kelsey Collegiate Professor of Greek and Roman History and the Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, Professor of Greek and Latin in A...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Susan Paterno, the author of "Game On", to discuss who gets in to specific colleges and why, as well as how to look for the right financial fit before considering anything else, including geography, reputation, and, especially, ranking. Susan Paterno has a longstanding commitment to accountability journalism. Her work has consistently revealed how public and private systems break down and fail the people they claim to serve. Her analysis of how ...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Adam Serwer, the author of "The Cruelty is the Point; The Past, Present, and Future of Trump's America", to discuss the ripple effect of cruelty cast out upon America by the Trump administration. Adam Serwer is an American journalist and author. He is a staff writer at The Atlantic where his work focuses on politics, race, and justice. Serwer has received awards from the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), The Root, and the Society...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Mick LaSalle, the author of "Dream State: California in the Movies", to discuss the imprint that movies have left on the mythology of California. Mick LaSalle is the film critic for the San Francisco Chronicle, where he has worked since 1985. He is the author of two books on pre-censorship Hollywood, "Complicated Women: Sex and Power in Pre-Code Hollywood" and "Dangerous Men: Pre-Code Hollywood and the Birth of the Modern Man." Both were books o...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Elisa Gabbert, the author of "The Unreality of Memory - and other Essays", to discuss what it means to exist in a time of eternal apocalypse. Elisa Gabbert is the author of five collections of poetry, essays, and criticism: The Unreality of Memory & Other Essays, out now from FSG Originals and Atlantic UK; The Word Pretty (Black Ocean, 2018); L’Heure Bleue, or the Judy Poems (Black Ocean, 2016); The Self Unstable (Black Ocean, 2013); and The Fre...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Kishore Mahbubani, the author of "Has China Won?: The Chinese Challenge to American Primacy", to appraise the strengths and weaknesses of the US and China, as well as to discuss the risk of any confrontation between the superpowers. Kishore Mahbubani is a Distinguished Fellow at the Asia Research Institute (ARI), National University of Singapore (NUS). Mr Mahbubani has been privileged to enjoy two distinct careers, in diplomacy (1971 to 2004) a...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Lucy Foulkes, the author of "Losing Our Minds: What Mental Illness Really is and What it isn't", to discuss how we distinguish between severe suffering and actual illness. Lucy Foulkes is an academic psychologist with expertise in mental health and social development, particularly in adolescence. She completed an MRC-funded PhD in psychology at UCL (2011-2015) and a postdoc at UCL's Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience (2015-2017). She then worke...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Mia Bloom and Sophia Moskalenko, the co-authors of "Pastels and Pedophiles", to discuss how the conspiracy theory ensnared countless Americans, and show us a way back to sanity. Mia Bloom is a Professor of Communication and Middle East Studies. She conducts ethnographic field research in Europe, the Middle East and South Asia and speaks eight languages. Author of Dying to Kill: The Allure of Suicide Terror (2005), Living Together After Ethnic Ki...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Sabrina Horn, the author of "Make it Don't Fake it: Leading with Authenticity for Real Business Success", to discuss gaining the clarity of thought necessary to make sound business decisions. Sabrina Horn is an award-winning CEO, author, tech communications expert, and advisor/board member. Her career is highlighted by her 25 years as Founder, CEO and President of Horn Group, the iconic U.S. tech communications agency she founded in Silicon Val...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Jonathan Rauch, the author of "The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth", to discuss what Rauch calls the “Constitution of Knowledge”—our social system for turning disagreement into truth. Jonathan Rauch is a senior fellow in the Governance Studies program and the author of eight books and many articles on public policy, culture, and government. He is a contributing writer of The Atlantic and recipient of the 2005 National Magazine Awar...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Amit Katwala, the author of "Quantum Computing: How it Works and Why it Could Change the World", to discuss how close we are to seeing quantum computers become a widespread reality. Amit Katwala is an award-winning sports journalist, and Senior Writer at Sport magazine. He has written in-depth interview pieces with some of the biggest names in sport, including David Beckham, Lewis Hamilton, Ronnie O’Sullivan, Stuart Broad and Jessica Ennis-Hill....

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by George Packer, the author of "Last Best Hope: America in Crisis and Renewal", to explore the four narratives that now dominate American life: Free America, Smart America, Real America and Just America. George Packer, a staff writer at The New Yorker from 2003 to 2018, has covered the Iraq War for The New Yorker and has also written about the atrocities committed in Sierra Leone, civil unrest in the Ivory Coast, the megacity of Lagos, and the glo...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Nichola Raihani, the author of "The Social Instinct: How Cooperation Shaped the World", to discuss what makes us human and how our societies work. Nichola Raihani believes that although individuals are expected to benefit from selfish behaviour; cooperation is not only commonplace in nature, but is of profound evolutionary and social significance, being responsible for most of the major evolutionary transitions. Nichola aims to elucidate the mec...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by George Zarkadakis, the author of "Cyber Republic: Reinventing Democracy in the Age of Intelligent Machines", to discuss his plan for using technology to make liberal democracies more inclusive and the digital economy more equitable. George Zarkadakis is a writer of fiction and non-fiction, a science communicator, an Artificial Intelligence engineer, a futurist, and a digital innovation professional. He writes fiction and non-fiction books, and h...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Robert Pearl, the author of "Uncaring", to discuss the state of the American healthcare system -- and how we can save it. Dr. Robert Pearl is the former CEO of The Permanente Medical Group (1999-2017), the nation’s largest medical group, and former president of The Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group (2009-2017). In these roles he led 10,000 physicians, 38,000 staff and was responsible for the nationally recognized medical care of 5 million Ka...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Ron Friedman, the author of "Decoding Greatness: How the Best in the World Reverse Engineer Success", to discuss a game-changing approach to mastery that will transform the way you learn new skills, generate creative ideas, and think about success. Ron Friedman, Ph.D., is an award-winning social psychologist who specializes in human motivation. His new book, The Best Place to Work: The Art and Science of Creating an Extraordinary Workplace, has ...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Asako Serizawa, the author of "Inheritors", to tell the story of a Japanese family fragmented by the Pacific side of World War II. The pair also explore the complex ways in which we live, interpret, and pass on our tangled histories. Asako Serizawa was born in Japan and grew up in Singapore, Jakarta, and Tokyo. A graduate of Tufts University, Brown University, and Emerson College, she has received two O. Henry Prizes, a Pushcart Prize, a Rona Ja...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Bryan Burrough, co-author of "Forget the Alamo: The Rise and Fall of an American Myth", to tell the true story of the Battle of the Alamo against the backdrop of Texas's struggle for independence. Bryan Burrough is a special correspondent at Vanity Fair magazine and the author of six books, including the No. 1 New York Times Best-Seller Barbarians at the Gate and his latest, Days of Rage. He is also a three-time winner of the prestigious Gerald ...