What It Takes

When the NBA playoffs come around each year, it's always worth revisiting the story of Bill Russell.  Russell was the force behind the most astonishing winning streak in the history of sports. His team, the Boston Celtics, won eleven NBA championships between 1957 and 1969, eight of those in a row. Russell changed the game of basketball, with his incredible speed, and his ability to block shots as no player had done before. When he took over as coach of the Celtics (while still playing on the team), he became the first African-American coach in the NBA. In this episode, Russell talks about his life in basketball, and he describes how the racism he confronted on and off the court, shaped him as a player, and led him to become a civil rights activist. This episode was originally published in April of 2017. 

A stunning assemblage of filmmakers who shaped cinema in the late 20th century: Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, Robert DeNiro and Robert Zemeckis. Their personal journeys are inspiring, unlikely, and at times - painful. They tell the stories here of how they fell in love with the movies as children, and how they single-mindedly pursued transforming that love into a career, often at the expense of their personal lives. 

Willie Mays was featured in one of our very first episodes. We're taking a second listen today, to celebrate the legendary center fielder's 90th birthday (on May 4th).Baseball fans may argue to this day about which was the best of Willie Mays’ many spectacular catches, but nearly all agree — he was one of the most versatile, virtuosic players of all time. In this episode, featuring an intimate interview with Mays recorded in 1996, the Hall-of-Famer talks about growing up in segregated Alabama, and winning over racist baseball fans soon after he became the first African-American player on his team. He recalls the day he got the call to move up to the majors, and describes in delightful terms how he never had to actually work at being a great athlete. He also talks about the catch he swears was better than “The Catch.” Hearing his voice, you’re reminded why Willie Mays was one of America’s most beloved baseball players, as well as one of its greatest.Theme Music: "Hope Shines Through" by Kara Square (www.thinkr

There are only a handful of people who've won four Pulitzer Prizes. One of them is photo-journalist Carol Guzy. She has spent most of her life using her compassionate and creative eye to document the stories of people affected by violence, war and disaster in places such as Haiti, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Syria and Iraq.  But she's paid a steep personal price for doing her work. In this revealing episode, she talks candidly about the PTSD, depression and lung damage that she struggles with. She describes why it's all been worth it, and tells the stories behind some of her most iconic images. 

Khan Academy may be the most revolutionary tool created for learning since the advent of pencil and paper. It is a critical educational equalizer - providing  1,000's of free online lessons in math, science, reading, economics and more, accessible to anyone, anywhere. During the pandemic school closures, it has become even more of a lifeline for millions of kids and teachers across the globe. Sal Khan, the founder of Khan Academy, talks here about growing up in Louisiana as a first-generation American and the son of a struggling single mom. He tells the inspiring story of how he sought out academic excellence for himself, and eventually for the world.  And he describes how the idea for Khan Academy was unlocked when he began tutoring his younger cousins in math, long distance, but eventually landed him in a meeting with Bill Gates.   

One of these tycoons changed the way businesses collect and use data.  The other transformed television and created the 24 hour news cycle. One was born the son of a successful businessman.  The other was born the son of a single teen mother, who gave him up for adoption.  One became a liberal activist and philanthropist. The other became a backer of conservative political candidates. One made billions. One made tens of billions.  But what connects Larry Ellison, founder of Oracle, and Ted Turner, founder of CNN, share, is a competitive drive and an ability to see opportunity, where others see only pitfalls.  Both men talk here about their journeys to mega-success in business, and in sailboat racing too!  

Much of what we know about the universe, we've learned in the past 25 years. These three astrophysicists, all Nobel laureates, were key to unlocking some of its greatest mysteries, including that the universe is expanding at an ever-faster rate. (For decades, scientists were certain it was slowing down.)  Now they are poised to help us learn a whole lot more... starting this year, with the launch of the James Webb telescope.  John Mather, Adam Reiss and Saul Perlmutter talk here about what drew them to study the cosmos, and explain in ways we can all understand, what the universe has to teach us. 

From the time she was nine years old, she knew she wanted to be on Broadway, but Audra McDonald has succeeded beyond her wildest dreams. She has earned six Tony Awards, more than any other actor. She stars in movies and television shows and operas. She tours as a singer, and has a recording career.  She may be the most versatile performer of her generation. But McDonald has had her struggles. She talks here about her incredible career, and about she's always carved a path forward by choosing the projects that scare her the most. 

In the past few weeks, the U.S. Postal Service issued a stamp honoring playwright August Wilson, and Netflix released a film version of Wilson's celebrated play, "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom."  It stars Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman, in his final role.  That is why we were inspired to revisit this episode, which originally posted in 2017. It tells the story of two giants of American theater: Wilson, and his longtime collaborator, director Lloyd Richards. Together they brought many award-winning plays to Broadway - not only "Ma Rainey," but also "Fences," "The Piano Lesson" and others.  Wilson started out as a poet, but he turned to writing plays to bring stories of African-American life to the stage.  It was Lloyd Richards who recognized his talent and helped him shape it. Richards was already an icon in the theater world, for directing "A Raisin in the Sun." In this episode you'll hear him tell the story behind that ground-breaking production, and  you'll  hear both these theater legends describe how they ca

No one could shmooze quite like Larry King. He turned it into an art, and turned himself into a legendary broadcaster.  He often didn't prepare for his interviews (more than 50,000 over the course of his career), instead engaging in curious, casual conversation that got his guests telling stories. But here you get to hear his stories... hilarious stories about growing up in Brooklyn, and about his earliest days breaking into radio and television.  

Babe Ruth's home run record held for almost four decades.  But then Hank Aaron came along and smashed it.  On the way to making baseball history, Aaron persevered through poverty, segregation, racism, and threats on his life.  He talks here about joining the Negro Leagues, about playing through a period of transformation in America, and about helping to change the world by doing what he did best - swinging that bat. Mr. Aaron died on Friday, at the age of 86. This episode was originally posted in July of 2019. We are replaying it in his honor.  

These two brave reporters risked their lives and their reputations during the war in Vietnam, to reveal the truth to the American people about what was happening there. Both describe here - how and when they realized the United States government was lying about the causes and the scope of the war.  And both eloquently explain their views on the role of the journalist as a witness and an adversary of government.  Neil Sheehan, who died earlier this month, also talks about his role in exposing the Pentagon Papers in the pages of the New York Times. And he details why he was driven to spend over 13 years writing a definitive history of the war, called "A Bright Shining Lie," which won the Pulitzer Prize.  Mr. Halberstam, who won the Pulitzer during the war, went on to write one of the other most important accounts of U.S. involvement in Vietnam: "The Best and the Brightest."

Most Americans simply could not believe their eyes this week, when a violent mob staged an insurrection in the US Capitol. It was the kind of thing that happens in other countries - where the transfer of power isn't peaceful, and where democracy does not hold. Well that reminded us of one of our first episodes, featuring Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan.  Bhutto descended from a political dynasty. Her father was ousted as prime minister, and killed in a coup - in 1977. She survived a coup attempt years later, when she became prime minister. In the end, she paid the ultimate price for her belief in democracy and human rights. Seven years after this interview, she was assassinated, as she campaigned for her third term as prime minister.   We certainly don’t mean to overstate comparisons between the United States and Pakistan, or any other country.  But we are re-posting this episode from 2015, as a reminder of what we have, and what we have to lose.  

He's one of the greatest all-time directors of Shakespeare, and has directed every one of the Bard's plays. But he's also directed 34  shows on Broadway, including "Cats" and "Les Miserables", and more yet on London's West End.  Trevor Nunn has been the Artistic Director of both the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and the National Theatre. And at 80, this British cultural icon of the theater is still going strong.  He talks here about his mysterious infatuation with theater at a very early age, in a working class family where there were no books. He pays tribute to a teacher who changed his life. And he waxes oh-so-passionately about Shakespeare and the power of theater. Oh, and he also talks about how it is he came to write the lyrics of "Memory", one of the most famous songs ever from a musical! 

There's no mistaking Judy Collins' voice. She sang us through the 1960's and '70's, and hasn't stopped since. Today at 81, her voice is still strong and gorgeous. It reveals no signs of the struggles she has survived: depression, alcoholism, polio, tuberculosis, threatening injuries to her vocal chords and hands, and the suicide of her son. In this interview she talks frankly about how she carried on through these tragedies, and she eloquently describes how she knows when a song is right for her.  

Three remarkable novelists, from very different backgrounds, peel back the curtain on how they write, why they write, and what they write.  Arthur Golden is the author of Memoirs of a Geisha, the only book he's written, and a longtime bestseller. He describes why he rewrote the book three times before he got it right, and explains how he successfully gave voice to a character so unlike himself.  Carol Shields is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Stone Diaries, and many other novels and plays. She talks about why she chose to write almost exclusively about the domestic lives of ordinary women, illuminating their struggles and triumphs.  And Shelby Foote is the noted author of novels about the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement, including Shiloh.  He became best-known for his three volume history of the Civil War, and his appearance throughout Ken Burns' documentary on the same subject, but he always considered himself a novelist first and foremost. He talks here about his tumultuous life in the Mis

In celebration of painter Wayne Thiebaud's 100th birthday, we feature a conversation with the artist and with one of his most renowned students, Fritz Scholder. Thiebaud's paintings of pies, cupcakes, donuts, pinball machines and bowties - are some of the most vivid and well-known in American art.  His San Francisco cityscapes are also rich in color and enchanting.  Scholder is best known for his unconventional portraits of Native Americans, which represented them in their full humanity, and led to the "New American Indian Art Movement."   

No one could work a room like Willie Brown. He was the consummate politician and public servant, and a true American original. He started life in a small, segregated Texas town, worked as a shoeshine boy and a janitor, but went on to dominate California politics for more than 40 years -- as Speaker of the State Assembly and as two-term mayor of San Francisco (the city's first black mayor). He was a wheeler and dealer, and incredibly effective at getting things done, often with the support of Republican colleagues across the aisle. He analyzes the current state of affairs as he sees them, in California and in the nation.  He describes how he ended up dating Kamala Harris years ago, and how he ended up with a small role in The Godfather: Part III. Finally, he admits to an addiction to the finest Italian suits.

The best-known biographies of Presidents Lincoln, Adams, Eisenhower, Truman, Nixon were written by the three great historians featured here. They talk about their subjects as if they had gone back in time and arrived back, breathless, with stories to share about the people they met.  Each one explains the how he discovered that history would be his life's work. For David Herbert Donald and Stephen Ambrose, the spark came from a college professor. For David McCullough, it was the desire to learn about an episode in American history he could find no book about.  It's great listening, as we head into the homestretch of what's predicted to be an historic U.S. presidential election! 

Louise Glück, winner of the 2020 Nobel Prize for Literature, uses simple, unsentimental language in her poems to evoke overwhelming emotions. That rare combination is what has distinguished her as one of America's greatest living poets for over half a century. In addition to the Nobel Prize, she has also been awarded the Pulitzer Prize, and is former Poet Laureate of the United States. In this episode, Glück (pronounced glick) digs into the torment and uncertainty that has hounded her throughout her writing life. She talks about how teaching poetry, which she feared would diminish her art, instead allowed it to flourish. And she describes her obsessive desire to hear music in her ears, and language in her head. This episode originally aired in July, 2017. *The excerpt of Don Giovanni is from a Warner Classics recording, conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini, with Eberhard Wachter and Joan Sutherland.