It’s a return visit from one of my favorite guests, movie aficionado and author John DiLeo. He’s written several entertaining books about film and his latest is terrific fun for any level movie fan. It’s entitled, “Not Even Nominated: 40 Overlooked Costars of Oscar-Winning Performances.” Join us as we stir up many fond movie memories and shower you with rare Hollywood inside stories!

George Regan has been a leader in the public relations field for over four decades.   He was one of the youngest Boston Globe reporters in the paper’s history, covering hard news starting  in his late teens. George later became a Boston fixture as a top aide to Mayor Kevin H. White. He is a well-respected figure in the Boston business community and has represented some of the area’s most iconic brands including the Boston Celtics, Boston Red Sox, and New England Patriots. He has also worked tirelessly over the years for dozens of charities and philanthropic programs. There’s no better story-teller than our guest, so you’re in for a treat!

Meet first-time novelist Dee Mallon. Her creative time is split between writing, quilting, and paper and digital collage. She also leads writing workshops. After learning about a historical character named Eliza Lucas Pinckney in a book about eco-dyeing, Dee set out on a writing mission of her own, authoring a book that captures the essence of slavery in South Carolina in the 1740’s.  And it does so in a most innovative way. After more than a dozen years of research she completed her captivating novel, “The Weight of Cloth.” She joins us today to talk about it!

Welcome to episode 450. My thanks to so many of you for subscribing and supporting the podcast. In celebration of this milestone, I present a champion athlete who never shies away from challenge. Meet Todd Vogt, champion rower, who has dedicated himself to the sport of rowing for decades. Six years ago, when Todd turned 44, he was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s Disease. As devastating as the news was, it didn’t take Todd long to get back on the water and focus on winning. He recently participated in the 2024 Para Olympics in Paris and continues to train and mentor young rowers. Todd is a reminder to us all that in life, the most important way to row is forward!

Longtime journalist Rachel Zimmerman suffered an immeasurable loss when her husband, an MIT professor and proud father of two, committed suicide by jumping from the Tobin Bridge in Boston. Her grieving is obviously intense, but she took it upon herself to probe just how something like this could happen to her family and countless and others. The result is her critically acclaimed book entitled, “Us, After: A Memoir of Love and Suicide.” While uncertainty remains, there is much to learn as Rachel explores the many aspects of suicide and things we can do to recognize the warning signs and hopefully prevent it.

When it comes to pop culture, Gary Sohmers is one of my “go-to” guys! He is not only a collector of just about everything, but Gary knows the intrinsic value of comics, records, toys and more. You name it, he knows it. He has made dozens of appearances as an official appraiser on the popular PBS TV “Antiques Road Show,” has produced hundreds of concerts and theatrical shows and has worked with countless celebrities. You’re about to meet a guy who is pretty serious about life’s fun stuff!

Meet the best-selling author Dava Sobel who writes stories about science and the people who have unlocked the world’s greatest mysteries.   From her international hit “Longitude” to the Pulitzer Prize finalist “Galileo’s Daughter” she has woven compelling tales about people, many of them women, who have changed our world for the better.  Today it’s a conversation about her newest project, “The Elements of Marie Curie: How the Glow of Radium Lit a Path for Women in Science.”   Dava is a master storyteller as you’re about to discover!

Today, a discussion about the ever evolving Middle East crises.  Noted historian Daniel Pipes, the author of “Israel Victory: How Zionists Win Acceptance and Palestinians Get Liberated,” joins us to offer a new approach to the problems. Dr. Pipes believes it is time for a radical change in the way both Israel and the Palestinians approach their security and self-determination. The Palestinians must finally stop their rejectionism of Israel while the Jewish state can no longer afford to offer  conciliations that consistently backfire. We explore the definition of victory, both on and off the battlefield, that could lead to peace.

As promised, here is a second conversation with journalist, film producer, teacher and author Dale Pollock. On this episode, from a Galaxy Far Far Away, I speak with Dale about his biography, “Skywalking: The Life and Films of George Lucas.”  It is an in-depth look at the man who immeasurably impacted the film industry. I was honored to record the audio book version released this summer. May the Force be with you!

Joining us today in the first of two interviews is author Dale Pollock.  Dale is a seasoned  journalist, movie producer and film professor. On this podcast, we talk about his book “Chopped: A Novel,” a vintage crime novel about the infamous Webster-Parkman trial in 1850 Boston, involving a heinous murder case that captivated the nation.