Episodes

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Joshua Yaffa, the author of "Between Two Fires: Truth, Ambition, and Compromise in Putin's Russia", to discuss modern Russia and the inner struggles of the people who sustain Vladimir Putin’s rule. Joshua Yaffa is a correspondent for The New Yorker, based primarily in Moscow, Russia. He is also the author of Between Two Fires: Truth, Ambition, and Compromise in Putin’s Russia, published in January 2020 by Tim Duggan Books. He has also written f...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Stephen M. Fleming, the author of "Know Thyself: The Science of Self-Awareness" to discuss the vast potential of metacognition, why it is that we still so often get it wrong and how it can help us become smarter, make better decisions and lead more effectively. Steve is a Sir Henry Dale Wellcome Trust/Royal Society Fellow at the Department of Experimental Psychology, Prinicipal Investigator at the Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, and Grou...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Tim Madigan and Hilary Beard, the authors of "The Burning: Black Wall Street and the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921", to tell a long-forgotten story of Black prosperity and resilience decimated by racist violence, as well as to discuss the connection between the historical significance of the massacre and the ongoing struggle for racial justice in America. In a journalism career spanning more than three decades, Tim Madigan has written for the Wash...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Sumbul Ali-Karamali, the author of "Demystifying Shari'ah: What It Is, How It Works, and Why It's Not Taking Over Our Country", to discuss shariah’s origins, central texts, methodologies, and schools of thought. Sumbul Ali-Karamali an author and speaker. Sumbul's books, articles, blogs, and speaking events are her way of promoting intercultural understanding in the world. Since she is a Muslim American with an expertise is in Islamic law, that's...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Paula Stone Williams, the author of "As A Woman: What I Learned About Power, Sex, and the Patriarchy After I Transitioned", to discuss the philosophy that the call toward authenticity is sacred, holy, and for the greater good, as well as to examine the complicated dynamic that exists between religion and sexuality. Paula Stone Williams is an internationally-known speaker on issues of gender equity, LGBTQ advocacy, and religious tolerance. She ha...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Lauren Aguirre, the author of "The Memory Thief and the Secrets Behind How We Remember: A Medical Mystery", to discuss the surprising connection between pain relieving drugs and memory. Lauren Aguirre is an award-winning science journalist who has produced documentaries, podcasts, short-form video series, interactive games, and blogs for the PBS series NOVA, where she worked after graduating from MIT. Aguirre’s reporting on memory has appeared i...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Kathy Wang, the author of "Imposter Syndrome: A Novel", to discuss women in the workplace, the power of Big Tech, and the looming threat of foreign espionage. Kathy Wang grew up in Northern California and holds degrees from UC Berkeley and Harvard Business School. She lives in the Bay Area with her husband and two children. Kathy’s debut novel Family Trust was a Costco Pennie’s Pick, Barnes & Noble Discover Pick, and the inaugural selection of t...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Daniel Levin, the author of "Proof of Life: Twenty Days on the Hunt for a Missing Person in the Middle East", to discuss a shadowy world in which nothing comes for free and where everything is for sale, including arms, drugs, and even people. Daniel Levin spent his early years as the son of a diplomat in the Middle East and in Africa, which exposed him to many cultures, languages, and religions. Following his law studies and an initial academic ...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by J.B. MacKinnon, the author of "The Day the World Stops Shopping: How Ending Consumerism Saves the Environment and Ourselves", to discuss what would really happen to the environment if we simply stopped shopping. J. B. MacKinnon is an award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in the New Yorker, National Geographic, and the Atlantic, as well as the Best American Science and Nature Writing anthologies. He is also the author of four books of ...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Robert McKee, the author of "Character: The Art of Role and Cast Design for Page, Stage, and Screen", to discuss the creation of compelling characters and the design of their casts. Robert McKee began his show business career at age nine playing the title role in a community theatre production of MARTIN THE SHOEMAKER. He continued acting as a teenager in theatre productions in his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Upon receiving the Evans Scholarsh...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Tim Jackson, the author of "Post Growth: Life After Capitalism", to discuss a world beyond capitalism, where community and purpose are valued above profits and power. Tim Jackson is an ecological economist and writer. Since 2016 he has been Director of the Centre for the Understanding of Sustainable Prosperity (CUSP). CUSP is a multidisciplinary research centre which aims to understand the economic, social and political dimensions of sustainable...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Brad Stone, the author of "Amazon Unbound: Jeff Bezos and the Invention of a Global Empire", to discuss how a retail upstart became one of the most powerful and feared entities in the global economy. Brad Stone is the author of four books, including Amazon Unbound: Jeff Bezos and the Invention of a Global Empire, published by Simon & Schuster in May 2021. It traces the transformation of Amazon into one of the largest and most feared companies of...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Thomas Dyja, the author of "New York, New York, New York: Four Decades of Success, Excess and Transformation", to discuss New York City’s transformation, and the lessons it offers for the city’s future. Thomas Dyja worked in publishing for more than a decade before becoming a writer. Along with editing four anthologies, he’s written three novels, a biography of civil rights pioneer Walter White and The Third Coast: When Chicago Built the America...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Barton Gellman, the author of "Dark Mirror: Edward Snowden and the American Surveillance State", to discuss the top secret establishment of the surveillance state. Barton Gellman, a staff writer at The Atlantic, is the author most recently of Dark Mirror: Edward Snowden and the American Surveillance State and the bestselling Angler: The Cheney Vice Presidency. He has held positions as senior fellow at The Century Foundation, Lecturer at Princeto...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Zachary Karabell, the author of "Inside Money: Brown Brothers Harriman and the American Way of Power", to discuss the role that legendary private investment firm Brown Brothers Harriman played in the story of American wealth and its rise to global power. Zachary Karabell is an author and columnist, the founder of the Progress Network at New America, and president of River Twice Research and River Twice Capital. Previously, he was Head of Global ...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by John Judis, the author of "The Politics of Our Time: Populism, Nationalism, Socialism", to discuss the rise during the second decade of the twenty-first century of new and unexpected political movements in the United States and Europe that arose in the wake of the Great Recession, the conflict with al-Qaeda and ISIS, and encroaching climate change. John B. Judis is Editor-At-Large at Talking Points Memo and author of eight books, including The P...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Barrett Swanson, the author of "Lost in Summerland: Essays", to discuss the personal quest he took across the United States in order to uncover what it truly means to be an American in our 'post-truth' climate. Barrett Swanson is a contributing editor at Harper’s Magazine. He was the recipient of a 2015 Pushcart Prize, and his short fiction and essays have been distinguished as notable in Best American Short Stories (2019), Best American Nonrequ...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Andy Norman, the author of "Mental Immunity: Infectious Ideas, Mind-Parasites, and the Search for a Better Way to Think", to discuss inoculating our minds against the worst forms of ideological contagion. Andy Norman teaches philosophy at Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Mellon University. He works on the conceptual and historical foundations of humanism and is a skilled facilitator of collaborative inquiry. He has published widely on the nature of reason ...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Jon Levy, the author of "You're Invited: The art and Science of cultivating Influence", to discuss how to create meaningful connections with those who can impact you, your life, and the things you care about. Jon Levy is a behavioral scientist best known for his work in influence, human connection, and decision making. Jon specializes in applying the latest research to transform the ways companies approach marketing, sales, consumer engagement, ...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the author of "Prey: Immigration, Islam and the Erosion of Women’s Rights", to discuss the sexual assault and harassment crisis in Europe, in the wake of mass migration, that is turning the clock back on women’s rights. Ayaan Hirsi Ali is a Somali-born Dutch American activist, writer, and politician best known for her contention that Islam is fundamentally incompatible with Western democratic values, especially those upholding t...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Nathan Bomey, the author of "Bridge Builders: Bringing People Together in a Polarized Age", to tell the stories of the countercultural leaders who combat polarization by pursuing reconciliation, rejecting misinformation, and rethinking the principle of compromise. Nathan Bomey is a business reporter for USA TODAY, an author and documentary scriptwriter. Nathan is also currently serving as principal scriptwriter on a full-length documentary film ...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Natasha Lennard, the author of "Being Numerous: Essays on Non-Fascist Life", to discuss fighting fascism in the real world and breaking free from the self-imprisonment of the human mind. Natasha Lennard is a Contributing Writer for the Intercept, and her work has appeared regularly in the New York Times, Nation, Esquire, Vice, Salon, and the New Inquiry, among others. She teaches Critical Journalism at the New School for Social Research and coau...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Josh Linkner, the author of "Big Little Breakthroughs", to discuss the relationship between unlocking creativity and creating a better life. Josh Linkner is: - A dad and husband (4 kids; hopelessly in love with my wife). - An innovation expert (studying human creativity for 30+ years). - A tech startup leader (started, built, and sold five companies. Had plenty of failures, too). - An author (three books on innovation, creativity and reinven...

In this episode of "Keen On", Andrew is joined by Kenneth Cukier and Francis de Vericourt, co-authors of "Framers: Human Advantage in an Age of Technology and Turmoil", to discuss the particular mindset necessary that will allow humanity to overcome the unprecedented challenges that threaten our very existence. Kenneth Cukier is an award-winning journalist, book author and keynote speaker. He is a Senior Editor at The Economist and he’s a fellow at Oxford’s Said Business School researching AI. ...