Episodes

Oct. 17, 2023

The American Ant King who transformed our understanding of animal beh…

EPISODE 1796: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Richard Rhodes, author of SCIENTIST, about E.O. Wilson and the great biologist's life in nature Richard Rhodes is the author or editor of 22 books, including The Twilight of...

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Oct. 16, 2023

Being less anxious about today's epidemic of anxiety: David Rosmarin …

EPISODE 1795: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to David H. Rosmarin, PhD, author of THRIVING WITH ANXIETY, about why anxiety is healthy and how to thrive with it David H. Rosmarin, PhD, is an associate professor at Harvard...

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Oct. 16, 2023

The Big Fail or A Big Success? Bethany McLean on what the Covid pande…

EPISODE 1794: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to the co-author of THE BIG FAIL, Bethany McLean, about what the Covid pandemic reveals about American healthcare, innovation and capitalism Bethany McLean is a writer for Vani...

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Oct. 16, 2023

It's a Horrible Situation..... I Wish I Could Sound More Cheerful: Fo…

EPISODE 1793: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Alexander Hall Hall, the co-host of the Global Disorder podcast, about Israel, Gaza, the Ukraine, Brexit and her long career as a British diplomat Ambassador Alexandra Hall ...

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Oct. 15, 2023

The Care Economy as the Highest Stage of Capitalism: Premilla Nadasen…

EPISODE 1792: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Premilla Nadasen, author of CARE: THE HIGHEST STAGE OF CAPITALISM, about why we need to bring care back to what she calls the "care" economy of healthcare and teaching Premi...

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Oct. 15, 2023

How to get to a regenerative future before we blow ourselves up: Tron…

EPISODE 1791: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Trond Undheim, author of ECO TECH, about how to avert the end of the world before 2075 Trond Undheim is a futurist, scholar, podcaster, venture partner, nonresident Fellow a...

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Oct. 15, 2023

An obscure 1722 naval battle off the coast of West Africa which had a…

EPISODE 1790: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Angela C. Sutton, author of PIRATES OF THE SLAVE TRADE, about the battle of Cape Lopez in 1722 and the birth of chattel slavery as an American institution ANGELA SUTTON is a...

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Oct. 14, 2023

Placing African-Americans at the center of their own story: Dylan Pen…

EPISODE 1789: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Dylan C. Penningroth, author of BEFORE THE MOVEMENT, about the hidden histories of Black civil rights in 19th and 20th century America Dylan C. Penningroth is a professor of...

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Oct. 14, 2023

Why cheap food isn't really cheap: Will Harris on the repellant natur…

EPISODE 1788: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Will Harris, author of A BOLD RETURN TO GIVING A DAMN, about the repellant nature of industrial farming and why the future of food should be local Will Harris is the owner o...

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Oct. 13, 2023

What makes writing, speaking and computer programming similarly human…

EPISODE 1787: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Michael L. Littman, author of CODE TO JOY, about why - in our age of AI - everyone should learn a little computer programming Michael L. Littman, Ph.D. is a University Prof...

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Oct. 13, 2023

How to Take Liberties with History: Abby Smith Rumsey on what we shou…

EPISODE 1786: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Abby Smith Rumsey, author of MEMORY, EDITED, about what we should remember and what we should forget about history Abby Smith Rumsey is an intellectual and cultural historia...

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Oct. 13, 2023

How to be Abe Lincoln: Jonathan Shapiro offers seven steps to finding…

EPISODE 1785: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Jonathan Shapiro, author of HOW TO BE ABLE LINCOLN, about the seven steps to finding a moral compass and living a worthy life Since 2000, Jonathan Shapiro has written and pr...

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Oct. 13, 2023

Why OpenAI could be worth $5 trillion by 2028: Keith Teare explains h…

EPISODE 1784: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Keith Teare, THAT WAS THE WEEK newsletter author, about why, he suspects, OpenAI will be worth $5 trillion by 2028. Keith Teare is the founder and CEO of SignalRank Corpor...

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Oct. 13, 2023

The Man Who Could See Around Corners: Peter Slen on Frederick Douglas…

EPISODE 1783: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Peter Slen, host of the CSPAN show BOOKS THAT SHAPED AMERICA, about Frederick Douglass and his 1845 autobiography about life as an American slave Peter Slen is the senior ex...

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Oct. 12, 2023

America in the Dillon era: Richard Aldous on Douglas Dillon and mains…

EPISODE 1782: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Douglas Dillon, author of THE DILLION ERA, about Douglas Dillon and mainstream Republicanism in the Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson administrations Richard Aldous is Eugene ...

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Oct. 12, 2023

An American Gun for the age of Sandy Hook and Uvalde: Cameron McWhirt…

EPISODE 1781: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Cameron McWhirter and Zusha Elinson, co-authors of AMERICAN GUN, about the history of the AR-15, an assault weapon that captures America's contemporary love affair with tech...

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Oct. 12, 2023

How to transform yourself from a good girl into a bad b***h: Lisa Car…

EPISODE I780: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Lisa Carmen Wang, author of BAD B***H BUSINESS BIBLE, about how to seize control of your body, boundaries and bank account Lisa Carmen Wang is the Founder of BAD B***H EMPIR...

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Oct. 11, 2023

Why Food Stamps Work: Christopher Bosso's political history - and def…

EPISODE 1779: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Christopher Bosso, author of WHY SNAP WORKS, about a history, and defense, of the US Food Stamp program Christopher Bosso is Professor of Public Policy and Politics in the S...

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Oct. 11, 2023

Saving Bill Clinton's life and other tales from the operating theater…

EPISODE 1778: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Craig R. Smith M.D., author of NOBILITY IN SMALL THINGS, about his life as one of America's most celebrated heart surgeons As a surgeon at Columbia University and the New Yo...

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Oct. 11, 2023

A New Deal to Save the Earth: John J. Berger outlines the three dimen…

EPISODE 1777: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to John J. Berger, author of SOLVING THE CLIMATE CRISIS, about the three essential dimensions to saving the earth JOHN J. BERGER Ph.D. is an environmental science and policy sp...

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Oct. 11, 2023

The Emotional Life of Populism in Israel: Eva Illouz on Netanyahu, Ha…

EPISODE 1776: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Eva Illouz, author of THE EMOTIONAL LIFE OF POPULISM, about the fear, disgust, resentment and love determining politics in Israel and around the world Eva Illouz is professo...

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Oct. 10, 2023

The October weekend that changed the Middle East forever: Uri Kaufman…

EPISODE 1775: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Uri Kaufman, author of EIGHTEEN DAYS IN OCTOBER, about the 2023 October weekend that changed the Middle East forever A grad­u­ate of New York Uni­ver­si­ty School of Law, U...

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Oct. 10, 2023

Tripping into our brave new psychedelic world: Andy Mitchell on his o…

EPISODE 1774: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Andy Mitchell, author of TEN TRIPS, about his odyssey into the new reality of psychedelics Andy Mitchell is a neuropsychologist and therapist. He has specialised in treating...

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Oct. 10, 2023

The Blood Years, then and now: Elana K. Arnold on book banning, book …

EPISODE 1773: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Elana K. Arnold, author of THE BLOOD YEARS, about book banning, book burning and what we can learn from Second World War books about good and evil ELANA K. ARNOLD is the aut...

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