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Episode 59 – How Many Threads Connect the Reader to the Crime Fiction Writers They Follow – Reed Farrel Coleman and Ben Crane



How many threads connect the reader to the crime fiction writers that they follow.

Larry was fortunate to have well known crime fiction writer Reed Farrel Coleman to talk about his latest work Sleepless City.  Larry asks Reed how he defines Noir fiction to which he responds “french for black” which brings a chuckle.  Some have called Reed the “crime fiction writers crime fiction writer” and the response is very telling.  Larry posits the question “how important is the cover of a new book to attract a new reader” and folds that question into how an author challenges himself with a character’s development.  The two also discuss Elmore Leonard and how the protagonist in a work is not always the enemy.

After the break, Larry is joined by author Ben Crane, author of the book Man of Lies.  Larry first poses that the feeling he got from the book is a combination of Ozark, The Sting, and Fargo, and the chill he felt when he read the line from the book “nothing I say is the truth, nothing I say is a lie”.  There is a discussion of how the character’s fascination at a young age with illusionists shapes his world, and how the setting of a story is also a character. Larry also explores what the true definition of an “anti hero” can be.


Episode 58 – How Many Threads Connect Us to What is Below the Surface Authors Peter Spiegelman and T. J. English



How many threads connect us to what is below the surface?  In this installment, Larry has a discussion with Peter Speigelman about his latest book A Secret About a Secret.  Larry and Peter explore the story out side of the cover of the book, how the title draws the reader, and whether this book is a cautionary tale.  Larry draws a comparison of Peter’s work with the television show Dark Shadows, and The Man in the High Castle.  Larry posits how important it is for the author to trust the read to understand the implications and be drawn into the plot and narrative.

After a short break Larry welcomes T. J. English about his latest work Dangerous Rhythms.  Larry asks about growing up in upper Manhattan, whether Jazz is a completely American art form, and how it reordered the music universe.  There is a great discussion of how BillieHoliday’s song Strange Fruit is a seminal work of art along with talking about Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra and the connection of music to the mafia.  Larry brings up Meyer Lansky and how there was a “Jazz drain” to Europe.


Episode 57 – How Many Threads Contribute to a Cascading Series of Events? – Authors Paul Moses and Julia Boyd



How many threads contribute to a cascading series of events? On this week’s episode of The Artful Periscope, Larry sits down with author Paul Moses to discuss his latest book The Italian Squad. As a New York City historian, Paul sheds light on the forgotten work of Italian police officers of the NYPD who battled the Mafia while also striving to protect immigrant Italian families in a society that didn’t welcome them. Larry and Moses discuss his career as a journalist, the legendary police officer Giuseppe Petrosino and the friction between the police and the Italian community.

After the break, Larry invites author Julia Boyd to discuss her book A Village in the Third Reich, which shares the stories of ordinary folks living under the Nazi regime. Julia’s book draws disturbing parallels to modern times, providing a cautionary tale of how world events can push everyday people into extraordinary and terrifying circumstances.  


Episode 56 – How Many Threads Take us Through the Ages? – Authors Bill Morris and Stacie Murphy



How many threads take us through the ages? On this installment of The Artful Periscope, Larry sits down with author Bill Morris to discuss his latest work, The Age of Astonishment. The book chronicles the long life of his grandfather, John Morris, and the historical events he lived through. Larry and Bill discuss the horrors of slavery in the pre-civil war south, his grandfather’s lifespan ranging from The Civil War to the Cold War and his discovery of his grandfather’s long lost German English dictionary manuscript.

After the break, Larry interviews Stacie Murphy, a debut author, about her first novel The Unquiet Dead. Stacie delves into the challenges of writing a novel, the joy of adding historical details into her fictional story and the potential for a series. 


Episode 55 – How Many Threads Connect the Good Actors with the Bad Actors, Even if Some of the Good Have Done Some Bad Things? – True Crime & Organized Crime Writer Michael Benson



How many threads connect the good actors with the bad actors, even if some of the good have done some bad things? In this episode of The Artful Periscope, Larry is joined by true crime and organized crime writer Michael Benson to discuss his latest work Gangsters vs. Nazis. Michael begins by recounting his childhood interest in true crime, chasing after his babysitter’s killer and eventually returning as an adult to uncover new evidence in his book The Devil at Genesee Junction. Then Larry and Michael shift gears to the subject of Gangsters vs. Nazis, which sheds light on the fight between Jewish mobsters and German-American Nazis. To defend their communities and to push back against antisemitic sentiments, Jewish mobsters used their gang and boxing connections to break up Nazi meetings and rallies. Michael also highlights the disturbing history of Nazi organizations on Long Island, including Camp Siegfried in Yaphank, which attempted to recruit American children into the Nazi movement. In an America that is facing the rise of Nazi groups again, Michael’s writing is a reminder of how communities need to band together to stand against hate. 


Episode 54 – How Many Threads Can Reveal a Transformation from a Couch Potato to Endurance Athlete? – Author and Athlete Hilary Topper



How many threads can reveal a transformation from a couch potato to endurance athlete? In this  episode, Larry is live in studio with Hilary Topper to discuss her latest book From Couch to Endurance Athlete. As a mother, business owner and adjunct professor with very little time to herself, Hilary decided to take charge of health and go “from zero to one hundred”.  Larry and Hilary examine her non-athletic upbring, early experiences in the gym and the walk run training method. As an avid runner himself, Larry and Hillary have a lively conversation about running legend Jeff Galloway and the joys of running. Afterward, Hilary recounts her triathlon training, her first attempts at learning how to swim and how her son inspires her to keep moving forward. 

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Episode 53 – How Many Threads Bring Strangers Together? – Authors James Grady and Jerry Stahl



How many threads bring strangers together? In this installment of The Artful Periscope, Larry is joined by James Grady, author of This Train. They discuss his debut book Six Days of the Condor and the experience of having it adapted into a Robert Redford movie, as well as methods for keeping thriller plots interesting and the beauty of train ride landscapes.

After the break, Jerry Stahl joins Larry to discuss his latest work Nein, Nein, Nein!, which recounts Jerry’s two-week bus tour of Holocaust sites. Jerry recounts the ethics of touring the locations of tragedies, his friendship with Anthony Bourdain and the origin of the book’s title.


Episode 52 – How Many Threads Need to Align/Connect to Bring Us to a Journey to Freedom – Author David Goodrich and Rory Vecsey



How many threads need to align to take us on a journey to freedom? In this installment of The Artful Periscope, Larry sits down with David Goodrich to discuss his latest book On Freedom Row. Tracing the remaining landmarks of The Underground Railroad, David embarked on a 3,000 mile bike ride to uncover the hidden heroes and stories of abolition. Larry and David discuss the challenges of embarking on such a long journey as well as the history behind some of his most memorable stops- including the route of Harriet Tubman, the unsung hero John Parker’s frequent trips across the Ohio River and the museum dedicated to legendary blues artist Mississippi John Hurt.

After the break, Rory Vecsey hosts another episode of Rory’s Island in which she discusses the New York Times obituary of the Boston Marathon’s official race dog Spencer and the beautiful relationship between humans and animals.  




Episode 51 – How Many Threads Connect Us to the Past and Present? Author Bronwen McShea and Robert Hofler



How many threats connect the past and present? In this week’s episode of The Artful Periscope, Larry sits down with Dr. Bronwen McShea to discuss her latest biography La Duchesse, which chronicles the forgotten life of Marie de Vignerot—Cardinal Richelieu’s niece and heiress. After years of research, Bronwen hopes to bring attention to Marie’s legacy and the enormous political influence she held in 17th century France. Larry and Bronwen discuss Marie’s relationship with Cardinal Richelieu, her inheritance of Richelieu’s web of contacts and wealth, and the extensive search to uncover her history.

After the break, Larry sits down with Robert Hofler to discuss his book The Way They Were, which chronicles the making of the 1973 film The Way We Were starring Barbara Streisand and Robert Redford. Coinciding with the movie’s 50th anniversary, the book recounts the era of McCarthyism, interpersonal issues on set and the mysterious hour of footage cut from the beginning of the film. 


Episode 50 – How Many Threads Lead Us to Discovery Author Guillermo Martinez and Rory Vecsey



How many threads lead us to discovery? In this edition of the Artful Periscope, Larry virtually visits Argentina to have a chat with Guillermo Martinez, the author of The Oxford Brotherhood. This gripping mystery follows the story of a mathematics student who gets caught up in a scandal involving the life of Alice in Wonderland author Lewis Carroll, a secret society and a series of terrifying murders. While discussing the book, Larry and Guillermo recount Guillermo’s early school experiences with mathematics and chess, the challenges of writing crime fiction and his research into the life of Lewis Carroll.

After the break, Rory Vessey returns with another episode of Rory’s Island. Rory reminiscences about her childhood reading experiences, the struggle to find uninterrupted reading time in today’s electronic world and the importance of keeping the art of the written word alive.