A deeper dive into stories and topics we think you'll find interesting. Longer Listen is part of the Illinois Public Media newsroom.
Conventional wisdom says there’s never been a better time to be a woman. For the first time in U.S. History, women make up half of the educated labor force and are earning the majority of advanced degrees. Not so fast. Caryl Rivers says if you look more closely, women now must fight what she dubs the “New Soft War on Women.” That’s the title of a new book she wrote with Rosalind Barnett, just out in paperback.
Music critic Jessica Hopper recently started a social media conversation about how women and other marginalized groups have been discouraged in their pursuits in the music industry. Hopper will be in Champaign-Urbana for this weekend's Pygmalion Festival. She spoke with Illinois Public Media's Brian Moline about how that conversation started, and where she hopes it could lead.
Author David Quammen is speaking on the University of Illinois campus. Quammen is the author of the award-winning book “Spillover” about the spread of viruses such as H-I-V and Ebola from animals to humans.
The Punch Brothers are an acoustic band with a sound that defies most descriptors. They're playing this weekend as part of the Ellnora Guitar Festival, and two members of the group, Chris Thile and Noam Pikelny, spoke with Illinois Public Media about how they describe their sound, solo projects, taking over for Garrison Keillor (in Thile's case) and, in Pikelny’s case, coming back to play after graduating from the University of Illinois.
A recent paper from Don Fullerton with the University of Illinois IGPA argues that increasing wind energy is the best way for Illinois to lower its carbon emissions as required by the EPA by the year 2030. Fullerton talked about his conclusions with Illinois Public Media's Brian Moline.
Sharon Isbin is one of the foremost classical guitar musicians in the world. The multi-Grammy winner is in town now to play during the Ellnora Guitar Festival. She stopped by our studio to talk about the future of classical guitar and about women in the music business. Isbin told Illinois Public Media that she started playing classical guitar a bit by accident.
Tim Donaldson, Dody Cosmedy, and Tim Frazier came to Illinois Public Media's Studio F to play some music and talk with Brian Moline about Local Heroes Night at Krannert Center.
Anastacia Marx de Salcedo talks about her new book Combat Ready Kitchen. The book looks at how military research has made its way into the commercial food industry and nearly everything you find in the grocery store.
The 22 families who lived on Hero Street in Silvis, Ill. sent 57 of their children to fight in World War II. Some combination of those 22 fought in every theater, in every major battle, and through them, author Carlos Harrison shares a vivid portrait of the war. We dive into some of the stories and realities he uncovered, as well as talk with some of those from Silvis and the surrounding area who went to fight and who were here during the war.
Sara Paretsky knows mystery writing. She's the author of the long-running, New York Times-bestselling V.I. Warshawski series. As the latest book hits shelves, she talked with us about Chicago's influence on her life and work and how the mystery genre has changed over the past 30 years.
