Best National Library Of Ireland Podcasts (2025)

1
Inside the Reagan White House. A front row seat to Presidential Leadership with lessons for today. Talking with author Frank Lavin, Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution. 48:42

5d ago48:42

48:42

A memoir which melds Frank's professional development and progress in the White House with personal impressions and anecdotes about President Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan from 1981 to 1989.

1
Russia and US relations: the role of a Citizen Diplomat. Talking with Bill Boerum former Chairman Sister Cities International. 21:01

6d ago21:01

21:01

While US and Russian diplomatic relations remain frozen citizen diplomats continue to talk to each other despite limited official contacts.

1
Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House. Talking with co-author Amie Parnes 52:36

7d ago52:36

52:36

The 2024 presidential campaign was especially momentous with an incumbent President leaving the race after a disastrous debate performance and the challenger being attacked by assassins two times. Unparalleled in modern times.

1
The Stahl House - a Case Study House. Talking with Shaun Chang of the Hill Place Movie and TV Blog. 40:34

10d ago40:34

40:34

In January 1945 Art and Architecture magazine commissioned 8 nationally known architects to design contemporary, single family homes with a specific budget to meet the expected homebuilding boom in the post war era. 33 Case Study homes were built as models from 1945 to 1966. The Stahl House in Los Angeles is Case Study House #22 and is open to visi…

1
Sailing Around the World with Parkinson's Disease. Talking with Ethan Henderson of The Michael J Fox Fdn and Amy Bridge of the Neptune Project. 33:39

12d ago33:39

33:39

Bertrand Delhom was the first person with Parkinson's to sail around the world in the competitive Ocean Global Race (OGR). Building on that experience to raise public awareness of Parkinson's a fundraising regatta will be held on the SF Bay in April 2026 and the MJF Fdn will be involved with sponsoring the Neptune in the 2027 OGR.…

1
Spark SF Public Schools. Talking with President Ginny Fang. 26:58

18d ago26:58

26:58

Spark SF Public Schools is the official non profit partner of The San Francisco Unified School District. They mobilize philanthropic and community support for San Francisco's public school students ranging from mental health programs to reading at grade level literacy.

1
US Coercive Diplomacy and the Global Order. Talking with author Dr. Rich Outzen 41:49

19d ago41:49

41:49

The United States has often used pressure tactics like sanctions, military threats and diplomatic isolation - Coercive Diplomacy - to achieve foreign policy goals. But from 1990 to 2020 the results of such actions has been mixed. Why ? Is Coercive Diplomacy still a statecraft tool for the US to use so frequently ?…

1
TCM Classic Film Festival 2025. Talking with Shaun Chang of The Hill Place TV and Movie Blog. 41:42

21d ago41:42

41:42

Turner Classic Movies hosts a classic movie festival every year in Los Angeles. The theme this year was " Grand Illusions: Fantastic Worlds on Film ". Shaun Chang attended this year and shares his impressions.

1
Canada's Historic Election. Talking with Marci Surkes. 37:41

24d ago37:41

37:41

Canada goes to the polls on Monday April 28, 2025 to choose a new government. Incumbent Prime Minister Mark Carney and Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre are the two main candidates for the top job. The election will be the first held against the backdrop of the Trump tariffs which have dominated the election campaign. The incumbent Liberal…

1
The Return of the Strong Gods. Nationalism, Populism and the Future of the West. Talking with author Rusty Reno. 54:23

27d ago54:23

54:23

The Post War Consensus, based on the Open Society was crafted to dampen and eliminate passions that fueled nationalism, militarism, anti-semitism in WWI and WWII. The de-emphasis of traditional beliefs in family, flag, faith in favor of individualism, secularity and internationalism served to cool emotions and for 80 years in the Western Democracie…

1
The Sisterhood of Ravensbruck. How an Intrepid Band of Frenchwomen Resisted the Nazis in Hitler's all Female Concentration Camp. Talking with author Lynne Olson. 1:00:06

1M ago1:00:06

1:00:06

The Ravensbruck concentration camp was a labor camp housing political dissidents from across the German occupied continent of Europe. The book tells the story of four French women who had a major impact for the good on the inmates, and their fellow countrymen. "Something must be done."

1
The Telepathy Tapes: A British Perspective. Talking with Michael Marshall. 36:53

1M ago36:53

36:53

Joe Rogan interviewed the Telepathy Tapes producer Ky Dickens. Michael Marshall is the co-host of The Know Rogan Experience and critically analyses the claims made about telepathy in the interview. He is also editor of The Skeptic Magazine.

1
Jim: The Life and Afterlives of Huckleberry Finn's Comrade. Talking with author, Professor Shelley Fisher Fishkin. 57:38

1M ago57:38

57:38

Mark Twain's novel features an enslaved man Jim who teams up with young Huck rafting down the Mississippi to freedom. But Jim has become one of the more controversial characters in American Literature. This book sheds new light on one of Mark Twain's most endearing albeit misunderstood characters.

1
Portal: San Francisco's Ferry Building and the Reinvention of American Cities. Talking with John King, The San Francisco Chronicle's former urban design critic. 52:39

1M ago52:39

52:39

San Francisco's venerable Ferry Building opened in 1898 but by 1938 with the opening of the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges, the need for commuter ferries vanished overnight. And with that, the grand transit hub fell on uncertain times. But through luck and civic activism the iconic former transportation hub has reinvented itself yet again, and is the …

1
The Lost and The Found. A True Story of Homelessness, Found Family and Second Chances. Speaking with author Kevin Fagan., 51:35

2M ago51:35

51:35

Veteran San Francisco Chronicle journalist Kevin Fagan wrote a 5 part series on homelessness in 2003 called "Shame of the City". Some of the characters profiled in that series became lifelong friends and were profiled in The Lost and The Found. Kevin had a 32 year career at The Chronicle.

1
Canada: A defining moment for our neighbor to the North. Talking to Marci Surkes, former advisor to Justin Trudeau, the outgoing Prime Minister. 54:47

2M ago54:47

54:47

Canada has a new Prime Minister, Mark Carney, and faces a General Election on April 28, 2025. The key - some would say existential - issues facing Canadian voters are the Economy and managing the US relationship with the Trump Administration. Marci Surkes served as advisor to Justin Trudeau, the former Prime Minister and witnessed historic policy d…

1
The Revolt of the Public and the Crisis of Authority in the new Millennium. Talking with author Martin Gurri. 43:27

2M ago43:27

43:27

Technology has reversed the information balance of power between the public and the elites .

1
The Open Society as an Enemy: How Free Societies turned against themselves. Talking with Professor J. McKenzie Alexander 51:59

2M ago51:59

51:59

Populist agendas of the Left and Right threaten to undermine fundamental principles that underpin liberal democracies. What can we do to reverse the trend ? Is it too late ?

1
Safe and Sound: a proven program that reduces childhood abuse, neglect and trauma. Talking with Pegah Faed, CEO of Safe and Sound. 26:29

2M ago26:29

26:29

San Francisco has over 4500 reports of child abuse annually. Safe and Sound for over 50 years has been working with at risk families to deal with the problem and prevent recurrences.

1
The Zodiac Killings: Still Unsolved. Talking with Shaun Chang of the Hill Place Movie and TV Blog. 39:33

2M ago39:33

39:33

As an example of American True Crime stories, the Zodiac killings in the San Francisco Bay Area during the late 1960s and 1970s, continue to fascinate. In today's episode, we discuss the 2007 movie, Zodiac and the 2024 Netflix docuseries, This is the Zodiac speaking.

1
The Science of Weird Shit: Why our minds conjure the Paranormal. Talking with Professor Chris French. 48:20

2M ago48:20

48:20

Paranormal phenomena are all around us: UFOs, Telepathy, alien abductions. But what is the psychology behind such beliefs ? Anomalistic Psychology seeks to explain the psychological bases of these beliefs.

1
In conversation with Dr. Deepak Srivastava, President of the Gladstone Institute. 37:20

3M ago37:20

37:20

The Gladstone Institutes in San Francisco is an independent biomedical research institution that empowers world class scientists to find new pathways to cure disease.

1
A Man's Guide to Healthy Aging. Talking with co-author Ed Thompson. 36:14

3M ago36:14

36:14

Men have a different relationship with their health and doctors than women have. And it continues to evolve for the better as men are more likely to seek care earlier than they would have done 30 plus years ago. But there is still a cultural bias against appearing to be weak: more change is warranted.…

1
Extreme Wealth is the leading social problem of our time. Author Sarah Kerr discusses her new book, Let's Talk Wealtherty. 37:21

3M ago37:21

37:21

New tech has created many billionaires and with that, extreme wealth. With AI and other advanced technologies on the horizon, the prospect of even greater wealth creation is highly likely. But how is social policy evolving to address the social ills that accompany new technology and new wealth ?

1
The United States, Russia and Ukraine: Peace Talks begin. Talking with noted global strategist Alp Sevimlisoy, Defense Policy expert and CEO of his Defense Representation Company. 37:31

3M ago37:31

37:31

President Trump has convened a meeting with Russia in Riyadh to discuss Peace in Ukraine. President Macron also convened a meeting of European leaders while President Zelensky of Ukraine is meeting with Turkish President Erdogan in Ankara. First steps to end the three year conflict.

1
Presidents' Day: What do we celebrate ? Talking with Professor Jack Pitney. 28:44

3M ago28:44

28:44

The third Monday of February is a federal holiday established to honor our first President George Washington. But since 1970 when it was created, the holiday has evolved to acknowledge all of the 45 men who have served as President.

1
Thanks to Life : A biography of Violeta Parra, the Chilean folksinger. Talking with Ericka Verba. 35:45

3M ago35:45

35:45

Violeta Parra was a renowned folksinger whose Chilean folk songs have been popularized around the world. She also ventured into painting and ceramics and was well received in Europe. Though the Chilean public was less excited about her art in the 1960s.

1
Tusk: Building a new search engine. Talking with founder and CEO, Jeff Bermant 32:11

3M ago32:11

32:11

Google dominates the search market with an 89.6% share. With most Americans getting their news from the Internet, Google News is a major delivery system. Yet 63% of its stories lean Left, per All Sides Media, 16% Center and 6% Right. Tusk is working to level the playing field and to address that ideological skew.…

1
The Telepathy Tapes: Autism and Telepathy - A scientific perspective. Talking with Stuart Vyse. 34:50

3M ago34:50

34:50

The wildly popular podcast series Telepathy Tapes now in its' second season, argues that some non verbal autistic children can communicate via telepathy. But traditional psychologists are skeptical, arguing that the subjects in the series and communication methods used are not subject to rigorous scientific testing and scrutiny.…

1
Awake Forever in a Sweet Unrest. Talking with author Chuck Rosenthal 30:54

4M ago30:54

30:54

A library worker in Venice, California is transported back in time to the era of the Romantic Poets - Keats, Percy, Mary Shelly, Lord Byron - and shares their lives and intimacies. Can she change the course of their lives and history ?

1
Deep Seek Artificial Intelligence. Did China leapfrog the US in the AI race ? Talking with Dr. Charles Martin 28:29

4M ago28:29

28:29

Deep Seek, a Chinese AI model, shook up the stock market with its' launch on the Apple Store this week. The developers claim it only cost $5.6 million and 6 months to build. Meanwhile Sam Altman's Open AI is trying to raise $40 billion from investors. Will we see more of these low cost AI models proliferate at the expense of OpenAI, Anthropic etc ?…

1
Infantilised: How our Culture killed Adulthood. Talking with author Keith Hayward 50:18

4M ago50:18

50:18

Adulthood used to be an aspirational destination as adolescents progressed through life. But increasingly, the markers of adulthood, marriage, career, home purchase, are being delayed if not eschewed. We are raising Kidults rather than adults and popular culture seemingly encourages it. What happened to adult agency ?…

1
Telepathy and Autism: Is there a link ? Talking with Dr. Diane Hennacy Powell. 42:37

4M ago42:37

42:37

The Telepathy Tapes is a Spotify podcast which explores the profound abilities of non-speakers with Autism.

1
The Israel Hamas War Ceasefire: Will it last ? Talking with Michael Pregent 48:36

4M ago48:36

48:36

The Ceasefire came into effect on January 19th, 2025. Mediated by the US, Egypt and Qatar, it is a temporary and fragile peace which shows signs of fraying at the edges. The Trump Administration will be scrutinizing the terms with a view to re-negotiating an agreement more favorable to Israel and the US.…

1
The Trump Inauguration and Transition. Talking with Brian Sobel. 33:54

4M ago33:54

33:54

Donald Trump's second inaugural address hewed closely to his campaign pledges. In that sense, it was more like a State of the Union Speech: This is what we have done, what we will do and how and when it will be accomplished. Almost 200 Executive Orders are due to be signed today.

1
Is Greenland in Play ? Talking with Professor Zhiqun Zhu. 27:32

4M ago27:32

27:32

Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark with a population of 57,000. Greenlanders depend on Denmark to the tune of an annual subsidy of $500million. But Greenland is rich in strategic minerals like rare earths, oil and natural gas. President -elect Trump has floated the idea of the US acquiring the dependency from Denmark.…

1
The Los Angeles Wildfires: What we know so far. Talking with Shaun Chang of the Movie and TV Blog, Hill Place. 48:27

4M ago48:27

48:27

As we enter the second week of the devastating fires in Los Angeles, containment is modest and the dry, easterly Santa Ana winds continue to menace the City. The political repercussions for the Mayor of LA and the Governor of California are growing. Recall petitions are circulating to vote them out of office because of their inept response to the c…

1
The Holy Land at War. A journey through Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. Speaking with author Mark Patinkin. 46:17

4M ago46:17

46:17

Veteran syndicated journalist for The Providence Journal, Mark Patinkin, stepped forward to cover the Gaza War first hand, on the ground. Sending daily dispatches back to Rhode Island, he was a traditional war correspondent, drawing on his own resources like Ernest Hemingway in the Spanish Civil War.…

1
Freeman's Challenge: The murder that shook America's original prison for profit. Talking with Professor Robin Bernstein. 54:54

4M ago54:54

54:54

The prison for profit system was developed in the North, at Auburn, NY in 1816. Its' successor Auburn Correctional Facility exists to this day and manufactures all of the license plates for the state of New York.

1
Gobsmacked: The British Invasion of American English. Talking with author, Professor Ben Yagoda. 42:03

5M ago42:03

42:03

George Bernard Shaw said that England and America are two countries separated by a common language. Over time Americanisms have infiltrated popular British culture. But increasingly, Britishisms are gaining traction in the US, in part with the rise of social media and instant communication.

1
The Troublemaker: How Jimmy Lai became a billionaire, Hong Kong's greatest dissident, and China's most feared critic. Talking with author Mark L. Clifford. 46:23

5M ago46:23

46:23

Jimmy Lai, 77, successful newspaper publisher and entrepreneur, ran afoul of the CCP and has been imprisoned in Hong Kong on political charges for four years. President - elect Trump has said he will work to free him when he takes office.

1
The Latino Century: How Americas' largest minority is transforming Democracy. Talking with author Mike Madrid. h 53:38

6M ago53:38

53:38

Upwards of 45% of Latino males voted for Donald Trump for President, primarily based on economic issues like the cost of living, inflation and interest rates. Democrat cultural issues had little resonance for Latino voters.

1
Fatal Inheritance: How a family misfortune revealed a deadly medical mystery. Talking with author Larry Ingrassia. 46:46

6M ago46:46

46:46

Hereditary Cancer is a relatively recent discovery in the annals of medical science. The Li-Fraumeni Syndrome relating to a genetic mutation of the P-53 gene afflicts family members with multiple cancers for those who carry the gene. The Ingrassia family is one such case.

1
New Zealand charts its' own course. Talking to Dr. Patricia O'Brien 24:39

6M ago24:39

24:39

New Zealand has followed an independent foreign policy path since the mid 1980s. But as the globalization of trade faces headwinds, tariffs and protectionism, NZ is reassessing its' place in the world and stepping up its' security strategy.

1
San Francisco elects a new Mayor, Daniel Lurie. Talking with Brian Sobel. 29:28

6M ago29:28

29:28

San Francisco voters have elected Daniel Lurie Mayor, 56% to 44% defeating incumbent Mayor London Breed. She conceded the election November 7th.

1
Donald Trump wins in a Landslide. Talking with Professor David McCuan, Chair of Political Science, Sonoma State University. 43:20

6M ago43:20

43:20

David McCuan analyzes the 2024 Presidential Campaign and the November 5th election - historic in many respects.

1
The Power of Liberal Nationalism. Talking with Professor Steven Fish. 52:36

7M ago52:36

52:36

The Left and Center Left needs to embrace love of country and patriotism when advocating legal or regular immigration. Up to this point they have ceded Nationalism and its' symbols to the Right on immigration.

1
The historic 2024 presidential campaign is winding to a close. Talking with Professor Jack Pitney. 32:59

7M ago32:59

32:59

Since 1945 there have been 20 Presidential Campaigns but none have been as historic and consequential as this one.

1
Climate Change Twin Cities: San Francisco's weather could become like Los Angeles' . Talking with Professor Matt Fitzpatrick 35:44

7M ago35:44

35:44

Global warming will see America's climate transformed with San Francisco trading its cool, foggy Summers for Southern California heat and sunshine.

1
Mongol Zurag: A new tradition in Mongolian Art. Talking with Professor Orna Tsultem. 33:29

7M ago33:29

33:29

An exhibit of contemporary Mongolian art is on exhibit at the Venice Biennale through the end of November 2024. It features the work of four prominent Mongolian painters and is curated by Professor Urna Tsultem of the University of Indiana.

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National Library Of Ireland Podcasts

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