Terry Gross

Mark Kramer is the author of the book "Three Farms: Making Milk, Meat And Money from the American Soil." Kramer joins the show to discuss the American agricultural and livestock industries and their effects on the environment and small farms.

Gambian folk musician Bai Konte discusses how he both learned and now teaches the kora, a West African 21-string lute. He performs along with his son Dembo Konte and anthropologists and musicians Marc and Susan Pevar. Filmmaker Oliver Franklin, who made a movie Bai Konte, also joins the conversation.

Writer Todd Gitlin explains how media portrayed and often misrepresented the political activities of Students for a Democratic Society and other activist groups associated with the 1960s' New Left.

Author John Rechy has made a career writing novels and nonfiction about gay men, particularly their sexual behavior. While critical of sadomasochism, he views promiscuity as a revolutionary act which signals a radical break from mainstream heterosexual behavior.

Author Elizabeth Janeway explores how power structures create social divisions between the men and women both in U.S. and abroad. She considers what cultural and legal changes can be made to elevate the status of women from all backgrounds.

Journalist Sidney Blumenthal argues that political strategists have replaced party bosses during election seasons. The former's job of creating a coherent and appealing media narrative for a candidate continues even after an election comes to an end.

Morgan and Johanna Sibbett discuss the moral, ethical and legal implications of rational suicide. As a married couple, they have decided such an option would be best if either of them faced terminal illness.

Landscape architect Ian McHarg tells Terry Gross about the intersection of design and environmental concerns.

Edmund White traveled the United States to learn about the conditions of gay communities across the country. He talks about masculinity and sexual practices amongst gay men, as well as the rise of sadomasochistic culture.

President Richard Nixon's White House Counsel John Dean served time for his role in the Watergate affair. He reflects on his new life as a writer, his reputation and how he has since distanced himself from Washington politics. WUHY reporter Ralph Flood later joins the conversation.