Tag Archives: Artful periscope podcast

Episode 80 – How Many Threads Pull On Our Own Identity and Existence? – Author K.T. Nguyen and Military Intelligence Officer Delbert A Roll

July 18, 2024UncategorizedArtful Periscope, Artful periscope podcast, Brian Hope, Delbert A. Roll, First Generation Vietnamese, K. T. Nguyen, Michael P Murphy, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, OCD, Ohio, Pat Tillman, Patty Collins, Robbie Miller, Service in Afghanistan, Transition to civilian life, US Intelligence Officer, US Military Operator, Vietnamese, You Know What You Didartfulperiscope

How many threads pull on our own identity and existence? On this week’s episode of The Artful Periscope, Larry sits down with author K.T. Nguyen to discuss her debut novel You Know What You Did. Nguyen details her childhood growing up in a small Ohio town as a first-generation child to Vietnamese refugees, her Ivy league education and her eventual move to New York City to become a magazine editor. Her life experiences inspired the protagonist of her novel, Annie, who is also Vietnamese and struggles with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, a condition which Nguyen had developed as a teen. Larry and Nguyen explore how OCD and the word “obsessive” is often overused, Annie’s complicated relationship with her mother and friend Danielle, and the flashback sequences in Saigon.

After the break, Larry welcomes retired US Army soldier and former intelligence officer Delbert A Roll to the show. Delbert shares stories of brave men and women who served in the U.S. military, including Robbie Miller, Pat Tillman, Michael P. Murphy, Patty Collins and his best friend Brian Hope. Larry and Delbert also discuss the transition into civilian life, Delbert’s novel-in-progress and the welcoming nature of the writing community.

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Episode 79 – How Many Threads are Connected with Some of Our Former Guests – Authors John Copenhaver and James Hibbard

July 4, 2024UncategorizedArt of Cycling, Artful Periscope, Artful periscope podcast, beautiful race, Colin O'Brien, corneal transplants, flying scotsman, hall of mirrors, higher calling, house of mystery radio, James Hibbard, John Copenhaver, keratonconus, Lambda literary award, Larry Davidson, Larry Davidson productions, Max Leonard, racial identity, return guests, Savage Kind, sexualityartfulperiscope

How many threads are connected with some of our former guests? On this week’s episode of The Artful Periscope, Larry catches up with previous guests of the podcast. The first returning guest is John Copenhaver, co-host of The House of Mystery Radio, 2021 Lambda Literary Award Winner and author of The Savage Kind and it’s sequel Hall of Mirrors. Larry and John discuss his multifaceted characters, including the complexity of villains, references to real historical figures and the exploration of gender, sexuality and racial identity in 1950s America. Throughout the conversation, John also discusses the role of grief in his writing process and how processing loss has a transformative effect of the development of plot and character.

After the break, Larry welcomes James Hibbard back onto the show to discuss his previous book The Art of Cycling: Philosophy, Meaning, and a Life on Two Wheels and his upcoming project. Hibbard,, a longtime cyclist, delves into effect the sport has on athlete’s physical and mental health. He also spotlights a few titles that explore the art of cycling such as The Flying Scotsman by Graeme Obree, The Beautiful Race by Colin O’Brien, and Higher Calling by Max Leonard. James also discusses his struggles with keratoconus and his periodic corneal transplants, and how he has adapted his fitness routine to balance healing with his passion for movement and exercise.

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Episode 76 – How Many Threads Connect Us to the Past and the Present? Authors Kevin Baker & J. M. Adams

May 23, 2024UncategorizedArtful periscope podcast, authoritarianism, Babe Ruth, Brooklyn Dodgers, Cautionary tale, Cora Walker, foundations of democracy, J. M. Adams, January 6th insurrection, Kevin Baker, Larry Davidson, Mets, Mickey Mantle, New York Giants, New York Mutuals, Sachem Public Library, Second Term, The Booth at The Sachem Public Library, The New York Game, Wall Street, Willie Mays, Yankeesartfulperiscope

How many threads connect us to the past and the present? On this week’s episode of The Artful Periscope, Larry is joined by his old friend and returning guest Kevin Baker, author of The New York Game: Baseball and the Rise of a New City. Larry and Kevin discuss Kevin’s childhood memories of Yankee Stadium and seeing legendary players like Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays in-person. Then the discussion then shifts to the history of baseball in New York, tracing its influence back to the early 1900’s and one of the earliest New York professional teams, The New York Mutuals. Then Kevin delves into the fierce rivalry between the New York Yankees, the New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers, and the division between Manhattan and Brooklyn. After the departure of the Dodgers and the Giants from New York, the discussion turns to the remaining team, the Yankees, and their most famous player Babe Ruth.

After the break, Larry welcomes J.M.Adams, a journalist with experience reporting for CBS and NBC news affiliates and the author of the thriller novel Second Term. Larry and Adams discuss his love of language and the dedication in his book to the police officers that defended The Capitol during the January 6th insurrection. Then they discuss the protagonist, Cora Walker, and how her ability to survive a male-dominated profession is informed by the experience of his wife, working as a Wall Street executive. Returning to the events of January 6th, Adams frames his novel as a cautionary tale regarding the dangers of authoritarianism in government as the story presents a terrifying future in which politics continues to become extreme and the foundations of democracy are threatened. Finally, they explore strong characters and how they can shape narratives in unexpected way.

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Episode 71 – How Many Threads are Brought Together in Criminal Justice Reform – Colleen P. Eren

March 15, 2024UncategorizedArtful Periscope, Artful periscope podcast, Colleen Eren, Criminal Justice Reform, First Step Act, institutional racism, Jim Crow Laws, Larry Davidson, mass incarceration, Reform Nation, The Studio at the Sachem Public Library, William Paterson Universityartfulperiscope

How many threads are brought together in criminal justice reform? On this week’s episode of The Artful Periscope,,Larry sits down with Colleen P. Eren, Associate Professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice at William Paterson University and author of Reform Nation which discusses the First Step Act– a surprising piece of legislation signed off by Donald Trump on the verge of a government shutdown and it’s effect on prison reform in The United States. Colleen traces her interest in reformation to her experience at her catholic high school, where she heard a talk from Sister Helen Prejean, author of Dead Man Walking. She became involved with the anti-death penalty movement while pursuing a degree in sociology at Hofstra University. Larry and Colleen discuss the history of mass incarceration and its boom during the Nixon Era, which increased the prison population from 250,000 to 1.2 million. Colleen explains the connection between mass incarceration and institutionalized racism, and the rise of mass incarceration after the end of The Jim Crow Laws. She also addresses the increasing tension between police and the public following the BLM movement. In a country fiercely divided by right and left, Colleen advocates for cooperation across the aisle to support prison reform initiatives and program funding.

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Episode 70 – How Many Threads Takes Us Behind the Scenes of the Basketball World – Rich Cohen & Michelle J. Manno

March 1, 2024Uncategorized1987, Artful periscope podcast, Basketball, Bob Hope, Denied: Women, female Basketball players, Isaiah Thomas, Larry Bird, Larry Davidson, Magic Johnson, mental health sexual orientation, Michelle Manno, NBA, provost Northwestern University, Rich Cohen, sexuality, Sports and the Contradiction of Identity, The Booth at The Sachem Public Library, When the Game was Warartfulperiscope

How many threads take us behind the scenes of the basketball world? In this week’s episode of The Artful Periscope,Larry sits down with author Rich Cohen to discuss his latest book, When the Game was War: The NBA’s Greatest Season. The book chronicles the NBA season of 1987 and the basketball stars that dominated the game. Rich discusses his childhood growing up with his basketball coach father and his gradual interest in high school basketball. Then Rich and Larry recall the hidden personal stories of basketball greats such as, Isaiah Thomas’s talented older brother who passed away after a drug overdose, Bob Hope’s unheard of $1,000,000 offer to Larry Bird, and the tragic rivalry between Isaiah Thomas and his former best friend Magic Johnson.

After the break, Larry welcomes Michelle J. Manno to the show to discuss her most recent book Denied: Women, Sports, and the Contradictions of Identity. Michelle, a sociologist and Assistant Provost for Diversity and Inclusion at Northwestern University, highlights the journey of female athletes through a male dominated industry. By interviewing anonymous female basketball players at the college level, Michelle discusses the fine line female players must walk between masculinity and femininity, how the playful filming of a music video during a winter break led the girls to face uncomfortable truths about how the industry weaponizes sexuality, the struggle of maintaining good mental health in the face of physical exhaustion and the importance of intersectionality between race, sexual orientation, and feminism.

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

June 30, 2023UncategorizedArtful periscope podcast, Chess, Guillermo Martinez, Larry Davidson, Larry Davidson productions, Math, murder mystery, Mystery books, Sachem Public Library's The Booth, Simon and Schuster, The Oxford Brotherhoodartfulperiscope

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.

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Episode 44 – How Many Threads Are Hidden in the World of Intelligence – Alma Katsu Red London

March 25, 2023UncategorizedAlma Katsu, Artful periscope podcast, CIA, Intelligence Analyst, Larry Davidson, Larry Davidson productions, Red London, Sachem Library, The Booth at The Sachem Public Library, United States Intelligenceartfulperiscope

How many threads are hidden in the world of intelligence. In this installment of the podcast, Larry has an insightful conversation with the author of Red London, Alma Katsu. Larry inquires about Alma’s past employment working in the shadow world of United States intelligence gathering, how the war in Ukraine effected her creative process mid stream and the challenge of “self isolation” when writing. Larry ponders whether there will be further works entitled “Red Moscow” or “Red Square” and if the character Lindsey Duncan could be an interesting character in a movie or television adaptation. Taking the topic of the book and speculating about current events, Alma and Larry discuss oligarchs and who really controls modern Russa and what role is China attempting to play in the mix. Larry explores the world of NDAs and how Alma’s role in her previous profession effects the publishing of her fictional works.

Alma Kastu on Twitter

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Episode 41: How Many Threads Connect a Community to their Own Paramedics? Author Kevin Hazzard and Paramedic John Moon

February 11, 2023UncategorizedArtful periscope podcast, Birth of modern EMS, CPR, Emergency medical service, Freedom House, John Moon, Kevin Hazzard, Larry Davidson, Larry Davidson productions, Orphanages, Peter Safar, Sachem Library, The Booth at The Sachem Public Libraryartfulperiscope

How many threads connect a doctor to the development of CPR and how many threads connect a community to their own paramedics? Larry is joined by author Kevin Hazzard and paramedic John Moon to discuss American Sirens: The Incredible Story of the Black Men Who Became America’s First Paramedics to delve into this incredible story of an African American community in Pittsburgh, and the connection to doctor Peter Safar who pioneered CPR and how John’s path led to the birth of modern emergency medical service. Larry has John expand on his experiences growing up during segregation, his childhood living in an orphanage and his journey to Pittsburgh in the 1960’s, and Freedom House and its importance toward the founding of emergency medical service as we know it today. Larry also ponders what would have happened if CPR was not developed and what the medical profession would look like today.

Kevin Hazzard on Twitter

John Moon on LinkedIn

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