Radio Curious

The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs

“The Other End of the Leash—Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs”, is a recent book by Patricia McConnell, a certified applied animal behaviorist affiliated with the University of Wisconsin. In her book, she discusses how to think from a dog’s perspective, how to get your dog to come when called by acting less like a primate and more like a dog, and how dogs and humans share personality types.

Patricia McConnell recommends “The Ape and Shusi Master,” by Franz DeWaal.

Originally Broadcast: September 17, 2002

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Parents in Charge, Setting Healthy, Loving Boundaries for You and Your Child

Children are too often seen and treated as small adults, too often dressed as adults, and too often have their lives planned out for them to be as busy as adults. Treating children as people older than they are overlooks the child’s cognitive abilities, and can lead to unsatisfying and sometimes traumatic relationships. “Parents in Charge, Setting Healthy, Loving Boundaries for You and Your Child” is a book by Dr. Dana Chidekel, a child psychologist near Los Angeles. She asserts that the developing brain of toddlers does not give them the capacity to respond to being placed on equal ground with their parents, and encourages parents to assume their rightful role of authority.

Dr. Dana Chidekel recommends “Seabiscuit,” by Laura Hillenbrand.

Originally Broadcast: March 12, 2002

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The End of the Twins, a Memoir of Losing a Brother

Ever wondered what it would be like to have an identical twin—how alike would you be to that person? How much of an individual would you be? Saul Diskin and his identical twin brother Marty grew up together in New York City where Saul and Marty were inseparable. As adults, they began to live separate lives, Saul in Phoenix and Marty near Boston. In 1991, Marty, who had suffered from leukemia for 20 years, needed a bone marrow transplant, which he received from Saul. In his extraordinarily intimate book, “The End of the Twins, a Memoir of Losing a Brother,” Saul Diskin chronicles the rich relationship beginning with their early childhood and ending well past Marty’s death in 1997, shortly before their 63rd birthday.

Saul Diskin recommends “Entwined Lives,” by Nancy Segal and “Cosmology and Creation: The Spiritual Significance of Contemporary Cosmology” by Paul Brockelman.

Originally Broadcast: September 22, 2001

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Endangered Minds & Failure to Connect

It used to be that children would play with objects, be told or read stories, or perhaps listen to the radio during a significant portion of their early years. With the advent of television, videos and computers, that tactile and oral world is often left behind. Children who are frequently exposed to television, videos and computer games in the first seven years of life have been found to develop pathways in the brain that later are significantly deficient in reading, studying and socialization skills. Dr. Jane M Healy is an educational psychologist with expertise in developmental psychology, and specialist in the brain development of young children. Her recent books, “Endangered Minds,” and “Failure to Connect,” discuss how television, videos and computers affect the minds of children.

Dr. Jane M. Healy recommends “The Goddess in Older Women,” by Jean Bolden.

Originally Broadcast: May 9, 2001

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How to Make People Like You in 90 Seconds or Less

Making people like you is a skill that anybody can learn. By reading body language and synchronizing behavior, it is possible to make meaningful connections with almost anybody in almost any circumstance. We appreciate and like people similar to ourselves, people we understand and people who are open. “How to Make People Like You in 90 Seconds or Less” is the title of a book by Nicholas Bothman, a neurolinguistic practitioner who lives in Toronto, Canada.

Nicolas Bothman recommends “Love in the Town of Cholera,” & “One Hundred Years of Solitude,” both by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Originally Broadcast: January 2, 2001

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Metaphysical Touch

When someone dies, we have that person’s papers and things to look at and use to understand and create memories about the life that has left us. Sometimes, however, the person stays and the papers and tokens are lost, as in a fire. Then we have only memories without material objects to help enhance them. This juxtaposition is one of the themes in a novel entitled the “Metaphysical Touch,” by Syvia Brownrigg, an American author with roots in Mendocino County, a long experience in London, and currently living near San Francisco.

Sylvia Brownrigg recommends “Out of Sheer Rage,” by Jeff Dyer.

Originally Broadcast: January 12, 2000

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To Begin Again, the Journey Toward Comfort Strength and Faith in Difficult Times

What is prayer, how is it done, and what good does it do? The ability to mourn and grieve is one of the many things that distinguish humans from other animals, as is the ability to pray, or consciously not pray. When life is good, people often pray less than when times are tough and tough times occasionally visit all of us, with or without prayer. Rabbi Naomi Levy is the author of “To Begin Again, the Journey Toward Comfort Strength and Faith in Difficult Times.”

Rabbi Naomi Levy recommends “The God of Smal Things,” by Arandati Roy.

Originally Broadcast: December 7, 1999

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The Wonder of Boys & A Fine Young Man

Boys do not have an easy time growing up and maturing in our complex world these days. The same standard of behavior is frequently expected of boys and girls, often without recognizing the special and different needs of boys. Testosterone is a prime mover in the shaping of boys’ behavior resulting in their special and different needs. This is a two-part program from the archives of Radio Curious with Michael Gurian, the author of a 1997 book entitled, “The Wonder of Boys: What Parents, Mentors and Educators Can Do To Shape Boys Into Exceptional Men.” I spoke with Michael Gurian in January of 1998 from his home in Spokane, Washington.

Michael Gurian recommends “Sex on the Brain,” by Deborah Blum & “Beyond the Birds and the Bees,” Beverly Engle.

Originally Broadcast: January 23, 1998 & January 30, 1998

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This program is a two-part series with Dr. Richard Gardiner, a practicing psychiatrist in Ukiah, California.We discuss what do psychiatrist do, and what don’t psychiatrist do?What is the psyche?What is crazy? What are the causes of mental dysfunction?What medicines were available to assist people with mental health problems, and other resources that were available in 1997 when this program was recorded.

Richard Gardiner recommends “How Good People Make Tough Choices,” by Rushworth M. Kidder and “The Cider House Rules,” by John Irving.

Originally Broadcast: September 30, 1997 October 3, 1997

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