Social Issues | CONVERSATIONS LIVE with VICKI ST. CLAIR

Fiction, Social Issues, Women's Issues, Writers on Writing

NOV 06: Eileen Pollack’s The Professor of Immortality

November 6, 2019

Inspired by the true story of the Unabomber, Eileen Pollack’s fictional Technobomber is an incel archetype. His anger at the ways in which technology is destroying the environment and ruining the quality of human existence couples with a deep loneliness and inner rage at being unable to find love, driving him over the edge. The Professor of Immortality raises concerns about the people designing future technology and how it will affect our everyday lives.

Eileen is a writer whose novel Breaking and Entering, about the deep divisions between blue and red America, was named a 2012 New York Times Editor’s Choice selection. She also is the author of five novels, two collections of short stories. Her work has appeared in Best American Short Stories, Pushcart Prizes, and Best American Essays.

Non Fiction, Social Issues

OCT 30: Alexandra Horowitz’s Our Dogs, Ourselves

October 30, 2019

“Who we are with dogs is who we are as people,” says Alexandra Horowitz, head of the Dog Cognition Lab at Barnard College and author of Our Dogs Ourselves: The Story of a Singular Bond. Alexandra returns to Conversations Live to discuss how the relationship between us and our dogs affects both species. Find out why breeding can cause a myriad of problems, and why you might want to think twice about spaying/neutering.

Alexandra is the author of three previous books, Being a Dog, On Looking; and Inside of a Dog.. She is a professor at Barnard College, Columbia University, where she teaches seminars in canine cognition, creative nonfiction writing, and audio storytelling. Enjoy her previous appearance on Conversations Live here.

Health & Wellness, Non Fiction, Personal Development, Social Issues

OCT 23: Clive Wynne’s Dog is Love

October 23, 2019

Does your dog love you or see you as a supplier of food? Is he/she even capable of love? A long-standing debate between science and dog lovers has centered around these questions, and now we have an answer from a scientist … in favor of dog lovers. Drawing on cutting edge studies from labs around the world, canine behaviorist Clive Wynne uses genetic codes, meticulously studied brain states, and a lifetime of behavioral observation to conclude that a dogs capacity for love … not their submissiveness or intelligence … lies at the heart of our relationships with our furry friends.

Today you’ll learn how to help your dog lead a more satisfying and fulfilling life through bridging affection, whether it’s with a new puppy or an older dog coming into your life for it’s twilight years. Clive’s book is Dog is Love: Why and How Your Dog Loves You.

Clive Wynne, Ph.D. is the founding director of the Canine Science Collaboratory at Arizona State University. He is widely published and has appeared on National Geographic Explorer, PBS, and the BBC.

Conservation, Environment, Social Issues

OCT 16: National Geographic’s Vanishing with Joel Sartore

October 16, 2019

15 years ago, Joel Sartore began his quest to photograph all of Earth’s animal species under human care. The resulting National Geographic’s The Photo Ark project has since inspired thousands of people to protect the world’s most vulnerable animals. Vanishing is the third installment in the series, examining animals that are on the brink of extinction, or in some cases, already extinct in the wild but kept alive in captivity thanks to the work of heroic conservationists.

Joel will discuss how everyone can make a difference, looking at our technology, and the real cost of the cup of coffee you buy everyday. We’ll also take a deep dive into the IUCN red list, which is a critical indicator of the health of our world’s biodiversity.

Joel is a photographer, author, and 30-year contributor to National Geographic magazine, named 2018 National Geographic Explorer of the Year. Through his National Geographic Photo Ark project, he plans to photograph every species of animal under human care, an estimated 12,000. (As of Nov 2018, he has photographed nearly 9,000.

Inspirational, Memoir, Non Fiction, Social Issues, Women's Issues

SEP 16: Laurie Halse Anderson’s SHOUT & Meredith May’s The Honey Bus

September 13, 2019

Today, we pollinate your mind with a buzzworthy guest … literally. Meredith May learned some of life’s most pivotal lessons about community, loyalty and survival from one of nature’s most fragile and important creatures. Raised by her fourth generation beekeeper grandfather while her mother’s mental state slowly deteriorated, Meredith found everything she needed to know about family was buzzing right there in the hive. Her new memoir is The Honey Bus: A Memoir of Courage and a Girl Saved by Bees.

Meredith spent sixteen years at the San Francisco Chronicle, where her narrative reporting won the PEN USA Literary Award for Journalism and was shortlisted for the Pulitzer Prize. She is a fifth generation beekeeper.

Later, frustrated by how little has changed in the 20 years since first writing about sexual assault in her groundbreaking, award-winning novel Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson reveals her personal history as a survivor of sexual assault and her journey to healing in her new book SHOUT. Today, she’ll discuss solutions to this ongoing problem, sharing key insights from among the thousands of women she has interviewed over the last two decades.

Laurie is a New York Times bestseller whose writing spans young readers, teens, and new adults. In addition to combatting censorship, she regularly speaks about the need for diversity in publishing and is a member of RAINN’s National Leadership Council.

Conservation, Environment, Journalism, Social Issues

SEP 02: Multi-time Award-winning Filmmaker John de Graaf

September 11, 2019

“John de Graaf is one of the good guys in our world, always right there with the next important, life-affirming idea,” says The Giraffe Project’s Ann Medlock. The late 70’s gave birth to John’s award-winning documentary film career that continues to this day.

Today, we’ll explore John’s career as a filmmaker and activist, and find out why he does what he does. We’ll hear about his latest film, REDEFINING PROSPERTIY, and some of the activism he’s engaged in. We’ll discover how John chooses projects, and how he navigated his own prolific creative path while still making a difference in people’s lives.

“I’m an author, filmmaker, speaker, and activist with a mission to help create a happy, healthy, and sustainable quality of life for America,” reads John’s mission statement.

With over 40 documentaries and countless short films to his credit, he has received over 100 regional, national, and international awards for filmmaking. 15 of his films have been broadcast nationally in primetime on PBS, and he has taught filmmaking at the University of Washington, Evergreen State College, and Boston University’s Center for Digital Imaging Arts.

Personal Development, Self-help, Social Issues

AUG 12: 1] Reversing Harmful Moods 2] You Cheated on Your Spouse, Now What?

August 11, 2019

It’s easy to succumb to a bad mood, but it can be just as easy to snap out of it if you know how. Joseph Cardillo, PhD, returns to tell us how to control of our energy and reverse harmful moods before they take hold.

Dr. Cardillo is an inspirational speaker and expert on energy teachings. His latest book is Body Intelligence: Harness Your Body’s Energies for Your Best Life, and he’s written numerous other bestselling books on health, mind-body-spirit, and psychology. He’s also co-written several books for Harvard Health Publications.

Robert Weiss LCSW, CSAT-S, specializes in infidelity and addictions in relationships and how to navigate intimacy in the digital and social media age. His latest book, Out of the Doghouse: A Step-by-Step Relationship-Saving Guide for Men Caught Cheating, is a “Learn it or lose her!” primer for men caught cheating.

Consider it, says Weiss, a “roadmap for rebuilding trust, restoring intimacy, and salvaging a damaged relationship.” Today he’ll addresses how men think about sex, cheating, and relationship intimacy. And we’ll share healing techniques for the partner who was cheated on.

Inspirational, Memoir, Social Issues, Women's Issues

JUL 29: Keele Burgin’s Wholly Unraveled

July 23, 2019

“This is my story of growing up in and escaping a cult, only to find myself chasing adrenaline and drugs in hopes of finding a shred of self-worth before finally landing in a remote community where I lived in silence, quieted my demons, and found the courage to love myself.” Wholly Unraveled is activist Keele Burgin’s memoir on survival and self-discovery.

Keele is an entrepreneur, activist, mother of three, author, and filmmaker. She has served in leadership roles on the boards of multiple non-profit organizations that empower women.

To end our show, we invite you to join us in celebrating 12 years of Conversations Live with Vicki St. Clair! Vicki’s brought you more than 1,000 guests over the years, on topics ranging from psychology and self-help, to creativity and designing the life you choose, memoir, fiction, adventure, and the latest in health and science.

Health & Wellness, Non Fiction, Personal Development, Social Issues

JUL 08: Facing Midlife with Dr. Joseph Cardillo & Summer Reading Recommendations

July 5, 2019

If life is knocking at your door, demanding more satisfaction while maintaining inner authenticity, a dose of wisdom from some of our great literary icons can bring clarity to aging gracefully. Dr. Joseph Cardillo returns to Conversations Live to help you dive into midlife with peace of mind rather than a crisis.

Dr. Cardillo is the author of Body Intelligence, a book designed to help you swing your moods into constant positive energy, as he discussed last time he joined us. He is an inspirational speaker and has written several national bestsellers in the fields of health, mind-body spirit, and psychology.

Later, we’ll help you while away those warm evenings over the next couple months with Vicki and Eric’s summer reading recommendations!

Conservation, Journalism, Non Fiction, Social Issues, Spirituality

JUL 01: James Hoggan’s I’m Right and You’re an Idiot & Aliza Kelly’s Starring You

June 25, 2019

If you’ve ever wanted firsthand access to some of the extraordianary thinkers of our time, look no further than I’m Right and You’re an Idiot: The Toxic State of Public Discourse and How to Clean it Up. Author and communications expert James Hoggan shares their insights on how our will is manipulated through tribalism and misinformation, and how open-mindedness, empathy, and dialogue are crucial to our strength and unity.

Over the past two decades, James has earned a reputation as a tireless advocate for ethics and integrity in public relations, a field in which he is regarded as one of Canada’s leading professionals. He is president of the PR firm Hoggan & Associates and chair of the David Suzuki Foundation board.

Later, does astrology really work? That is the question that our second guest, astrologer and author Aliza Kelly, refuses to prove. Find out why, along with the connection between empathy and astrology as Aliza discusses her new book, Starring You.

Aliza is a New York City based astrologer, host and author, and is the resident astrologer for Cosmopolitan magazine. She also hosts and podcast, writes horoscopes for Sanctuary, and has contributed to numerous publications including Allure, Bustle, Buzzfeed, and more.

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