March 16-20 Programs

Jean’s Pick of the Week: Aroma-therapy: I never thought I would ever get to repeat on the radio what Napoleon allegedly said to Josephine: "I’m coming home in two weeks – don’t bathe." But, sure enough, the occasion presented itself in Wednesday’s program about the psychology and biology of smell with Brown University professor Rachel Herz, author of The Scent of Desire. Phew! What a hoot! I only regret we didn’t invite Diane Ackerman, who wrote A Natural History of the Senses.

Monday: Aereality: William Fox has climbed mountains, ridden in hot air balloons and flown airplanes, all with one purpose: to see the world from above. Nature Magazine says, “Fox gives us an enthralling guided tour of the human mind’s attempt to make space into place, and land into landscape.”

Tuesday: Michael Henderson hasn’t just written one book about forgiveness, he’s written nine of them! As a member of an Anglo-Irish Protestant family involved in reconciliation efforts with Irish Catholics, I guess he has a lot to forgive. His latest, No Enemy to Conquer, deals with the geopolitics of mercy and is chock full of examples of the best that people are capable of under the worst circumstances.

Wednesday: Philosopher Peter Singer, the animal rights advocate, has written a new book about charitable giving and makes his case for why you should give even in hard times in The Life You Can Save.

Thursday: Molly Peacock and I have decided to feature the poetry of Wisconsin poet Lorine Niedecker for this very last Here on Earth Spring Equinox Poetry Circle of the Air. Lorine spent most of her pared-down life writing extraordinarily spare poems while living in the flood plain on Black Hawk Island. Check our website for "My Life by Water," and other Niedecker poems and come join the circle with some soggy spring poems of your own choosing.

Friday: Hard Cider: Gary Nabhan, the founder of RAFT (Renewing America’s Food Traditions), is heading into Madison to lead a public workshop on heirloom fruits and heritage apple orchard restoration. And if you’re wondering, with all the emphasis on seasonal eating, why apples, his answer is “The old timers used to drink their apples at this time of year!” *If you would like more information about RAFT visit http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/programs/details/raft/

On a personal note, today is my son Dominick’s birthday. He was born on Friday the 13th at 13 minutes before midnight, just two and a half hours after I was plucked from Master Control during my evening shift at WGUC in Cincinnatti.

Thanks for listening!

Jean