Category

Non Fiction

Adventure, Biography, History, Journalism, Non Fiction, Writers on Writing

May 27: Triumph, Tragedy, and History’s Greatest Arctic Rescue with Buddy Levy

May 27, 2026

“Gripping account of a fatal polar adventure.” ~ Kirkus Reviews

Realm of Ice and Sky with author Buddy Levy

National Outdoor Book Award winner Buddy Levy returns to Conversations Live with Vicki St. Clair, and takes us somewhere few people have survived to describe.

Realm of Ice and Sky: Triumph, Tragedy, History’s Greatest Arctic Rescue isn’t just a polar adventure. As Buddy explains, this is the history of an idea. The audacious, dangerous dream of reaching the North Pole by airship. If it worked, it would mark a seismic shift in exploration – out with dog sleds and frostbitten toes, and in with airborne travel.

Spoiler alert: The Arctic had other plans.

We explore a nearly forgotten chapter of history: A dramatic 19th-century rescue mission that pushed three extraordinary explorers to the edge of human endurance. We follow their journeys, hubris, heartbreak, and barely-believable heroism. And Buddy shares how he stitched these lost stories together into narrative that reads like a thriller.

P.S. Hear our previous conversation on Buddy’s earlier book, Empire of Ice and Stone here.

Meet Buddy Levy

Buddy Levy is the author of nine books. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, NPR, and USA Today. TV audiences may know him from 25 episodes of HISTORY Channel’s Brad Meltzer’s DECODED, or as an on-camera expert in The Frontiersmen: The Men Who Built America, the four-part HISTORY series executive produced by Leonardo DiCaprio.

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Environment, History, Journalism, Non Fiction, Science

May 20: How Millions of Americans Were Duped by a Strategic Anti-Science Campaign

May 20, 2026

This is not a doom & gloom story. It’s a detective story. With heroes, villains, & a cast of very memorable characters.

The Parrot and the Igloo: Climate and the Science of Denial with NYT Bestselling author David Lipsky

In The Parrot and the Igloo: Climate and the Science of Denial, author David Lipsky reveals one of the greatest deceptions in American history – the deliberate, funded, and strategically cast campaign to make millions of people doubt what scientists already knew.

It was planned. Programmed. And paid for.

The story begins with three inventors named Edison, Westinghouse, and Tesla, who built our technological world without knowing what they’d set into motion. From there, Lipsky follows scientists who identified the danger and sounded the alarm of what was to come, including the moment everything changed.

We discuss who won the talent audition to become America’s 1st Celebrity Doubter. How the playbook developed to cast doubt on products such as aspirin and cigarettes was repurposed to target climate science. How a nation that once celebrated scientific discoveries became a country split between believers, and a well-organized army of disinformation hucksters and propagandists.

Meet Bestselling Author David Lipsky

David Lipsky’s work has appeared in The New Yorker, Harper’s, NPR’s All Things Considered, and The New York Times. He is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Absolutely American and Although Of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself, the basis for the movie The End of the Tour. The Parrot And The Igloo is possibly David Lipsky’s most important work to date: It’s a New York Times Editors’ Choice, a New Yorker and Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2023, and a USA Today Must Read.

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Creativity, Journalism, Non Fiction, Personal Development, Science, Writers on Writing

May 13: Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times Journalist Unpacks the Myths & Mysteries of Creativity

May 13, 2026

Author Matt Richtel says most of us are creative … even if you think you’re not!

Inspired: Understanding Creativity – A Journey Through Art, Science and the Soul with Matt Richtel

Creativity sparks innovation in art, science, technology, business, sports, and life in general. But the origins of inspiration have long remained a mystery. Until now.

A talented narrative storyteller, Matt Richtel explores elements that ignite creativity in his book Inspired: Understanding Creativity – A Journey Through Art, Science, and the Soul.

Matt shares the authentic nature of creativity, its biological and evolutionary origins, its deep connection to spirituality, and the way it bubbles in each of us waiting to be released.

Today, we discuss: Matt’s challenges with the great muse, and how he managed them. Traits of successful creators. Conditions where creativity thrives. How we can get out of our own way, and move past creative blocks. And more.

Meet Matt Richtel

Matt Richtel is a Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times journalist, bestselling author, and novelist based in San Francisco, known for exploring the impact of technology on human behavior and health. He won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting for a series on distracted driving. Richtel combines technical expertise and science reporting, with narrative storytelling in both his non-fiction and thriller novels.

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Business, Career, Non Fiction, Professional Development, Writers on Writing

Apr 15: What Stands Between You & Your Desires with Gavin McMahon

April 15, 2026

Why Stories Rule the World

Story Business – Why Stories Rule the World and How They Can Reinvent Your Business with Gavin McMahon

“The single biggest thing standing between you and what you want is the story you are telling…” ~ Gavin McMahon.

Despite his impressive military background, and degrees in engineering, somewhere along the way today’s guest became consumed with the power of story.

We discuss Gavin McMahon‘s new book, Story Business: Why Stories Rule the World and How They Can Reinvent Your Business – principles that also apply to your personal brand, regardless of your job title.

Gavin shares thoughts on what makes a good story, why packaging is often more important than the idea, and why emotion matters. We also explore a couple of Gavin’s favorite stories, including how CEO Satya Nadella quickly transformed the culture of Microsoft.

Meet Gavin McMahon

Gavin Mcmahon began his career as a mechanical engineer building submarines, sports cars, and steel plants. He trained as a British Army officer at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, worked across defense, automotive, and technology industries. And eventually became a Sainsbury Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering before earning an MBA in Innovation, Strategy and Information Technology in France. McMahon has spent the last 30 years helping some of the world’s biggest companies from Microsoft to SpaceX get desired results by unlocking the power of stories.

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Non Fiction, Psychology, Social Issues

Mar 25: The Culting of America with Daniella Mestyanek Young

March 25, 2026

What Makes a Cult & Why We Love Them

The Culting of America: What Makes a Cult and Why We Love Them with Daniella Mestyanek Young

“You’re probably in a cult. You just don’t know it yet.”

Last time we spoke with Daniella Mestyanek Young it was about Uncultured and Daniella’s escape from the insidious Children of God cult. But not all cult-like situations are the same (think corporations, groups, organizations, clubs) and recognizing you’re in a high-control situation is half the battle.

Today we discuss Daniella’s new book, The Culting of America: What Makes A Cult & Why We Love Them. We share what makes cults dangerous, how to recognize the signs of high-control before it’s too late, and why we get sucked into them.

We explore the difference between cults, groups, and fan clubs. And look at a couple of well-known organizations fitting the “10 criteria framework” of all cults. Daniella’s driving force in her work: Why do we give ourselves over to groups — and how do we get our power back?

Meet Daniella Mestyanek Young

Daniella Mestyanek Young is a cult survivor, U.S. Army veteran, Harvard-trained organizational psychologist, and the author of two books about high-control groups—her critically- acclaimed memoir Uncultured. And her latest, The Culting of America. Born into the Children of God—the infamous sex cult known for weaponizing religion, sexuality, and isolation—Daniella escaped at fifteen, only to join another high-control institution: the United States Army. She became one of the first women to serve on an integrated ground combat team in Army history, while working as an intelligence officer who studied terrorists for a living. Her work sits at the intersection of leadership, identity, group psychology, and coercive control.

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History, Nature, Non Fiction, Science

Mar 18: Metamorphosis with Professor Oren Harman

March 18, 2026

From butterflies to art & the meditation of a father-to-be, how metamorphosis informs us about ourselves, change, & interconnectedness

Metamorphosis: A Natural and Human History with Professor Oren Harman

Professor Oren Harman‘s latest book, Metamorphosis: A Natural and Human History, tackles one of biology’s oldest and most wondrous riddles: Why do three-quarters of all animal species on earth undergo some form of metamorphosis?

Part science history, part memoir, part philosophy, and part meditation of a father-to-be, the stories in Metamorphosis take us from Aristotle to Darwin, and the cutting edge of molecular biology and humanity.

We explore how metamorphosis has inspired centuries of philosophers, artists, writers, and culture. We also discuss why a caterpillar must dissolve and rewire it’s brain to become a butterfly. Freud’s obsession with eel testicles (yes, you read that right!) Why ‘Benjamin Button’ jellyfish grow younger in the ocean’s depths.

And, what metamorphosis teaches us about the human self, connection, and change.

Meet Professor Oren Harman

Professor Oren Harman has written numerous acclaimed books including: The Man Who Invented the Chromosome; Rebels, Mavericks and Heretics in Biology; and The Price of Altruism, which won the 2010 Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Best Book of the Year in Science and Technology. It was also a New York Times Notable Book of the Year and was nominated for the Pulitzer prize. Professor Harman is Senior Research Fellow at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute, and teaches at the Graduate Program in Science Technology and Society at Bar Ilan University. Trained in history and biology at the Hebrew University, Oxford, and Harvard, Harman is a historian of science and has written widely for popular and professional audiences on genetics, evolution, history and philosophy of science, altruism, biography, and science and mythology. Today we discuss Professor Harman’s latest work Metamorphosis: A Natural and Human History.

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Conservation, Environment, Nature, Non Fiction

Mar 11: Less Work, More Nature. Rewild Your Garden & Ditch Your Lawnmower for Good with Danae Wolfe

March 11, 2026

What if the most impactful conservation effort you can make begins with your own backyard?

Grass Isn’t Greener: The Everyday Conservationist’s Guide to Bringing Nature to Your Yard with author Danae Wolfe

In Grass Isn’t Greener: The Everyday Conservationist’s Guide to Bringing Nature to Your Yard, photographer and conservationist Danae Wolfe shares how you can make your garden less work and more enjoyable.

Among the things we discuss today: The real benefits of ditching your lawnmower, and how to simplify your outdoor space, while making it more beautiful by inviting butterflies, birds. bees, and wildlife to visit

Danae shares how to create a simple butterfly puddle-station. Why invasive plants are more problematic than you think. And, we discuss some of the small changes that can save you time and energy, while reaping big conservation rewards.

Meet Danae Wolfe

Danae Wolfe is a macro photographer and conservation educator. Wolfe’s new book – full of color photos and quick, easy ways to support nature and rewilding – is Grass Isn’t Greener: The Everyday Conservationist’s Guide to Bringing Nature to Your Yard. In 2015 she founded Chasing Bugs and teaches others about the beauty, diversity, and importance of insects and spiders through photography, public speaking, and writing. Danae’s work has been featured in various outlets including CNN, The American Gardener magazine, and Nature Conservancy magazine. In 2022 Danae received the Garden Communicators International Emergent Communicator award.

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Conservation, Humor, Memoir, Nature, Non Fiction, Wildlife

Feb 11: Return of the Osprey with NYT Bestselling Author David Gessner

February 11, 2026

“Where is home? And how do we get there?“

Return of the Osprey with David Gessner

Celebrating the 25th Anniversary Edition of Return of the Osprey: A Season of Flight and Wonder.

David Gessner writes with passion, humor, and a reverence for the natural world that spills into our conversation about Return of the Osprey: A Season of Flight and Wonder.

We discuss David’s personal journey as he immersed himself for an entire nesting season in the lives of Cape Cod’s ospreys. Why did they almost become extinct? How did conservation efforts revive them? And what currently threatens their existence?

We learn what did David Gessner discovered about these beautiful creatures – and himself. And how, with so much research and studying, he approached writing Return of the Osprey: A Season of Flight and Wonder.

Meet David Gessner

David Gessner is a professor at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, and the founder and Editor-in-Chief of the literary magazine, Ecotone. His writing has been featured in the New York Times Magazine, Outside, Sierra, Audubon, Orion, and many other publications. Awards include a Pushcart Prize and the John Burroughs Award for Best Nature Essay for his essay Learning to Surf. He’s also won the Association for Study of Literature and the Environment’s award for best book of creative writing, and the Reed Award for Best Book on the Southern Environment. In 2017 he hosted the National Geographic Explorer show, The Call of the Wild. He’s the author of 14 books that blend a love of nature, humor, memoir, and environmentalism, including the New York Times bestselling, All the Wild That Remains, Return of the Osprey, Sick of Nature and Leave It As It Is.

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Historical, Journalism, Memoir, Non Fiction, Writers on Writing

Feb 04: Money, Ambition, Succession, Power, & Dark Family Secrets

February 4, 2026

John Seabrook reveals the true story behind The Spinach King

The Spinach King – The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty with author John Seabrook

You might wonder why John Seabrook, a successful author and New Yorker staff writer “felt an obligation” to turn his investigative reporting skills towards his own family and its American legacy.

But when you hear the true story – with the fiction-like twists and betrayals behind the legacy facade – the question then becomes, how did John Seabrook manage to stay objective while writing THE SPINACH KING: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty.

We dive into that question with John, as we expose some of the greed, corruption, and dark family secrets behind The Spinach King. To John he was just Grandfather. To Japanese Americans who worked at Seabrook Farms, following internment, he was God-sent. But to most, he was Charles Franklin Seabrook, a man you did not cross. A man so powerful, he was named the Henry Ford of Agriculture.

Meet John Seabrook

John Seabrook is a prominent American journalist. He’s written for The New Yorker for more than three decades and is known for exploring the intersection of pop culture, technology, and commerce. John Seabrook has also authored several notable books, including The Song Machine (2015) and Nobrow. And has contributed to publications such as Vanity Fair, Harper’s, and The Village Voice. Today, John Seabrook joins us to discuss his 2025 family memoir, The Spinach King: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty.

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Health & Wellness, Non Fiction, Personal Development, Self-help

Jan 21: Miracle Morning After 50 with Longevity Expert Dwayne J. Clark

January 21, 2026

A Proven Path to Joy, Vitality, and Purpose for Aging Adults

The Miracle Morning After 50 with Dwayne J. Clark

Aging isn’t about slowing down. It’s about optimizing, accomplishing, and celebrating life’s next chapter. It’s about finding renewed energy to spark a life you can get excited about.

Dwayne Clark says our perspectives on aging are broken. His mission is to overhaul the standard way of thinking of aging, and to empower people and prove that your best days are to come. And you don’t have to completely overhaul your life … just a few small changes every morning will make a significant difference. It’s not about intensity. It’s about consistency.

Dwayne Clark partnered with Hal Elrod to create a simple, easy to follow, blueprint in The Miracle Morning After 50: A Proven Path to Joy, Vitality, and Purpose for Aging Adults. And that’s what we discuss today!

Meet Dwayne J. Clark & Coauthor Hal Elrod

Dwayne J. Clark is the chairman, CEO, and founder of Aegis Living. With nearly 40 years of senior living experience, Dwayne is nationally known for redefining the industry. ​​With his wife Terese, Dwayen has traveled to over 84 countries exploring different healing modalities—from working with doctors and alternative health specialists to engaging in mind, body, and spirit practices. These discoveries inspired his Amazon bestselling book 30 Summers More, which provides longevity and health tips. He’s a writer, speaker, coach, playwright, and documentary producer.

Dwayne coauthored The Miracle Morning After 50 with Hal Elrod, the bestselling author of the original Miracle Morning movement. Hal Elrod is the bestselling author of 12 books, including The Miracle Morning, the revolutionary book that has transformed the lives of millions of people worldwide. An internationally renowned keynote speaker, he helps organizations and teams fulfill their collective potential.

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