WGTD's The Morning Show with Greg Berg

Jimmie James talks about his memoir "Playing from the Rough: A Personal Journey through America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses." James, an executive at Exxon who retired at the age of 58, undertook the challenge of playing the 100 greatest American golf courses as ranked by Golf Digest ... and to do so within one calendar year. The book is about much more than the golf courses; it's about the people he met as he came to reacquaint himself with America itself; it was also the experience of coming to terms with his own childhood, which was marked by severe poverty.

Boyce Upholt talks about his new book "The Great River: The Making and Unmaking of the Mississippi."

From 2014- Douglas Whynott, author of "The Sugar Season: A year in the life of Maple Syrup and one family's quest for the sweetest harvest."

From 2020 - An interview with three highly regarded high school choir directors in southeastern Wisconsin ... Elizabeth Steege from Case H.S. in Racine, Polly Amborn from Tremper H.S. in Kenosha, and Derek Machan from Waterford H.S. ...... talking about how each of them confronted the considerable challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic within the protocols and practices of their respective school districts. I am re-sharing this interesting interview because two of these three choral directors - Elizabeth Steege and Polly Amborn - are retiring.

Two interviews about dogs. Part 1- Jennifer Holland, author of "Dog Smart: Life-Changing Lessons in Canine Intelligence." Part 2- from 2004, the author of "How Dogs Think."

Dr. Art Cyr, a monthly visitor to the Morning Show, offers a commentary on D-Day on the 80th anniversary to the day of that momentous event.

We catch up with Barbara Brattin, who has been the director of the Kenosha Public Library for the past ten years. She is retiring on August 2nd. We talk about the ways in which libraries have changed over recent years - specific innovations that have come about at the KPL over the past decade - and the challenges that public libraries face. We also talk about the new children's library in Kenosha- which has its grand opening on July 13th.

From 2004: Mario Cuomo, author of "Why Lincoln Matters"

Andrea Balis and Elizabeth Levy, co-authors of "Witch Hunt: The Cold War, Joe McCarthy, and the Red Scare." The book is actually designed for young readers but is likely to be interesting and illuminating for readers of any age.

We get an update about the Kenosha Community Foundation from executive director Amy Greil - with a special focus on the partnership between the KCF and ANVK, which is the philanthropic arm of the Kenosha Visiting Nurses Association. Joining Amy in the conversation is Linda Scott, CEO of ANVK, and Alex Berce, a border member of ANVK. (Berce oversees the operations of Good Value Pharmacy, a locally-owned pharmacy which has several locations in the Kenosha and Racine areas.)

We speak with best-selling author Greg Iles about his latest novel, "Southern Man." The book, set in the present day, presents a premise in which a tragic police shooting leads to a wave of violence across the country- which is exploited by an ambitious politician. The novelist draws extensively upon his own personal background in writing the book and in shaping the persona of the main character.

From 2017- Finn Murphy, author of "The Long Haul: A Trucker's Tales of Life on the Road."

From 2016- Debbie Clarke Moderow, author of "Fast into the Night: A Woman, Her Dogs, and their Journey North on the Iditarod Trail."

Long-time Sports Illustrated writer S. L. Price talks about his book "Heart of the Game: Life, Death and Mercy in Minor League America." (from 2009) This is probably my single favorite book about baseball.

Dr. Art Cyr joins us to talk about the 80th anniversary of D-Day, recent local elections in Britain (in which the conservative party suffered massive losses), U.S. Speaker Michael Johnson's decision to support U.S. aid to Ukraine, and JFK's narrow victory in the 1960 presidential primary in Wisconsin (the topic of Tuesday's Morning Show.) Dr. Cyr is a member of the faculty at Carthage College and a columnist whose work appears in newspapers across the country. He has been a monthly visitor to the Morning Show for more than twenty years.

Edson Melendez talks about Brew City Opera's production of Mozart's COSI FAN TUTTE which opens Thursday evening and runs this weekend only.

Dr. Arturo Casadevall discusses his fascinating book "What if Fungi Win?" Dr. Casadevall has been studying fungi for more than forty years. They are extraordinary organisms - remarkably diverse - and absolutely essential for human life. They also pose a grave threat to us with fungal diseases that affect both human beings as well as our food supply. Dr. Casadevall also talks about all that we still do not understand about fungi and the ways in which research has fallen short. "I want to help change the way we practice science," he says at one point.

B.J. Hollars discusses his book "Wisconsin for Kennedy: The Primary that Launched a President and Changed the Course of History." The book gives a careful account of the JFK's campaign in the 1960 Wisconsin presidential primary in which he eventually secured a narrow victory over Hubert Humphrey. The book includes portraits of some of the people who played very important roles in the campaign, including Jerry Bruno, a forklift operator from Kenosha (with a 9th grade education) who became one of the coordinators of the candidate's travel arrangements- and went on to serve a similar function in President Kennedy's administration. The book also examines the crucial role that Jackie Kennedy played in her husband's campaign.

For Memorial Day: Patrick K. O'Donnell talks about his remarkable book "The Unknowns: The Untold Story of America's Unknown Soldier and World War One's Most Decorated Heroes Who Brought Him Home." (We replay this interview on every Memorial Day.)

From 2010 - Thomas Childers, author of "Soldier from the War Returning: The Greatest Generation's Troubled Homecoming from World War Two." (in anticipation of the Memorial Day holiday.) This haunting and illuminating book examines the largely untold story of all of the soldiers from World War Two who returned home with physical, mental and physical trauma, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder- something not fully understood or appreciated at the time. Childers focuses in particular on the stories of three families - one of which was his own.

From 2014 - Ayelet Waldman talks about her riveting novel "Love and Treasure" - partly set in the immediate aftermath of World War Two - and also set seventy years later. It touches on the painful legacy of plundered treasures.

We speak with Matthew Matysik, Kaylee Annable, Betty Peterson and Dan Venne about the Racine Theater Guild's production of the Kander/Ebb musical CABARET. We play excerpts from a number of the songs that are part of the score.

Ann E. Burg talks about "Force of Nature: a novel of Rachel Carson." Carson was one of the most important environmentalists of the 20th century.

Part 1 - Christine Saxman, co-author of "Being White Today: A Road Map for a Positive Anti-Racist Life." Part 2 - (from 2005) Ellis Cose, author of "Bone to Pick: of Forgiveness, Reconciliation, Reparation, and Revenge."

Part one: Dr. Andrea Sankar, co-author of "Dying at Home: a Family Guide for Caregiving." Part two: (from the archives) Diane Rehm, author of "When my time comes: Conversations about whether those who are dying should have the right to determine when life ends." The book focuses primarily on the practice known as MAID- Medical Aid in Dying.

We speak with John Tate II, director of the department of community safety for the city of Racine. We talk about efforts that are underway to reduce violence and violent crime in Racine. Tate is a former president of the Racine Common Council and former chair of the Wisconsin Parole Board.

Dave Cole, general manger of WGTD, discusses the format and schedule changes for WGTD and Wisconsin Public Radio that go into effect today.

Best-selling author Tom Clavin talks about his newest book, "Throne of Grace: A Mountain Man, an Epic Adventure, and the Bloody Conquest of the American West." The book explores the beaver trade of the early 19th century as the American West was being explored- and it focuses in particular on a largely forgotten explorer by the name of Jedidiah Smith.

From 2014 - Margo Howard (writer and daughter of Ann Landers) talks about her entertaining memoir "Eat, Drink and Remarry."

From the summer of 2021, Carthage College's Adam Koening talks about what went behind the creation of a brand new way to do Commencement .... necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the impossibility of safely gathering for a conventional Commencement with thousands of people crowded together. Adam drew upon some of his professional experience before Carthage to conceive, design and execute a sort of individual procession for each graduate. Because this experience was so deeply enjoyed and appreciated, it has been retained even though a more conventional commencement gathering is now possible. (Carthage actually does both- a large gathering as well as the individual processional.) We're replaying this interview today to coincide with the first of two days of individual commencement processionals.\ at Carthage.

On Monday, May 20th, Wisconsin Public Radio is enacting a dramatic realignment of its two networks- and WGTD is going to be part of the network devoted almost exclusively to news and information. Consequently, classical music will no longer be heard over WGTD- which also means that I will no longer be hosting the Music Potpourri on occasional weekday mornings at 9. These changes are necessary and sensible, and I fully support them - but I also find myself grieving more than I expected I would. Consequently, I made a point of making the last two Music Potpourri programs especially meaningful, comprised entirely of special pieces of music that have meant a lot to me over the years - and I am sharing them in the podcast in part so that they might be archived. (NOTE: this change in format does not in any way alter The Morning Show. It will continue to be broadcast five days a week, and the podcast version of the program will be shared seven days a week.)

Tim Wendel talks about his newest historical novel, "Rebel Falls," which is set during the Civil War. Its central protagonist is a woman anxious to be part of the Union war effort - and ends up volunteering to be part of the Union's special forces looking to thwart a Confederate plot to prolong the war and avoid outright defeat.

When I was hired at WGTD in 1986, it was primarily to organize and host our classical music programming- which back then was considerable. My musical duties here at the station- which have gradually given way to other responsibilities over the years (chief among them being the Morning Show) - are about to end because of a format change that goes into effect on Monday, May 20th. (It reflects a necessary and logical format change at Wisconsin Public Radio, with which we are an affiliate.) Under the new format, we will be part of the WPR network that is devoted almost entirely to news/information/talk ..... and classical music will move to the other network. It's a change which I fully understand and embrace, but it still marks for me the end of an era - so I want to archive my last two Music Potpourri programs here on the podcast. (NOTE: The Morning Show remains unchanged in the new format.)

Kendall Victorine talks about the Four Seasons Garden Club - and their annual plant sale, which is coming up this Saturday at Harbor Market.

Law professor Joshua Douglas discusses his book "The Court versus The Voters: The Troubling Story of hos the Supreme Court has Undermined Voting Rights." Professor Douglas examines 9 U.S. Supreme Court rulings over the past half century that he believes have undermined voting rights to an alarming extent.

In honor of International Water Safety Day, we speak with Seth Weidman - associate athletic director at Carthage and an associate coach for the swimming and diving teams - and David Benjamin, director of The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, an advocacy organization in the Great Lakes region that tackles the issue of water safety in many different ways.

From 2017- Richard Kurin, co-author of "Hope Diamond: The Legendary History of a Cursed Gem."

Doug Instenes, managing and artistic director of the Racine Theater Guild, talks about the RTG's production of CABARET, which opens this weekend.

From 2009- Dr. Mark Sloan, author of "Birth Day: A Pediatrician Explores the Science, the History, and the Wonder of Childbirth."

From 2006 - for Mother's Day - Deborah Tannen, author of "You're wearing that? - Understanding Mothers and Daughters in Conversation."

Jeff Pearlman, author orf "Gunslinger: The Remarkable, Improably, Iconic Life of Brett Favre." (from 2017)

Dr. William Kuhn (a former English professor at Carthage College) talks about his latest book, "Swimming with Lord Byron," which examines the life and career of this celebrated writer with particular focus on Lord Byron's colorful personal life and complicated sexual identity. (Lord Byron was something of a gay icon even during his lifetime- and very much since.)

For Kailyn Palomares's May visit to the Morning Show, she secured the participation of Alyssa Firkus, director of education for Lake County Forest Preserves, to talk about one of the most amazing creatures on earth - the cicada. 2024 is an extraordinary year for cicadas because of a very rare occurrence: the emergence of 17-year cicadas and 13-year cicadas in the same year- something that has not happened in more than 200 years.

Patrick K. O'Donnell discusses his latest book, "The Unvanquished: The Untold Story of Lincoln's Special Forces, the Manhunt for Mosby's Rangers, and the Shadow War that Forged America's Special Operations."

We hear about the Carthage theater department's latest verbatim theater project - "Terminal Exhale" - from faculty member Martin McClendon .... as well as from Michael Cotey, founder of the organization "Enough: Plays to end gun violence," which encourages young people to write their own plays addressing the issue of gun violence. "Terminal Exhale" is comprised of the actual testimony of various front line health care workers who have had to deal with gunshot victims and have witnessed the carnage on an ongoing basis. The play tells the story of what they have seen and experienced. There is a public reading of the play coming up at Carthage this Saturday, May 11th.

David Lockwood and Lawrence Kirby talk about new efforts underway to create a "walking school bus" in Kenosha for students at Brass Elementary. A walking school bus involves volunteers who help walk elementary students from their homes to school; it is known to be one of the most effective means to deal with school truancy.

Dr. Jame Ripley, director of instrumental activities at Carthage College, talks about Saturday night's concert that finishes out this special 150th anniversary year of bands at Carthage. The concert includes the world premiere of "Scene One: Fortitude," a piece commissioned for the occasion.

I'm happy to say that I won a first place award from the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association this past weekend - Best Interview for a middle market music station - for this interview which I recorded with William Shatner.

ERika Lee, Christina Soontornvat, coauthors of "Made in Asian America: A History for Young People."

For Holocaust Remembrance Day- from 2002 ..... Alexandra Zapruder, author/editor of "Salvaged Pages," an extraordinary collection of young person's diaries from the Holocaust.