Tag Archives: Artful Periscope

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 73 – How Many Threads Intersect and Impact the World of Sports and the History of a Country? Authors Ethan Scheiner and Jon Langmead

April 12, 2024Uncategorized1969 world hockey championship, Alexander Dubcek, Artful Periscope, Ballyhoo!, Con Artists and wild men who invented professional wrestling, Ethan Scheiner, Freedom to Win, hockey, Jaroslav Holik, Jiri Holik, John Langmead, Larry Davidson, Larry Davidson productions, protest Soviet union oppression, Rough Housers, Sachem Public Library, Sport, wrestling, WWEartfulperiscope

How many threads intersect and impact the world of sports and the history of a country? On this episode, Larry invites author Ethan Scheiner to the show to discuss hisnewest bookThe Freedom to Win: A Cold War Story of the Courageous Hockey Team That Fought the Soviets for the Soul of Its People—And Olympic Gold. Freedom to Win follows the story of the 1969 Czechoslovakian World Ice Hockey Championship team who used The Olympics to protest Soviet Russia’s oppression. Larry and Ethan discuss the brothers at the heart of this story, Jiří and Jaroslav Holík, whose father had trained them to become world class athletes to escape the increasing influence of the Communist party. They also talk about the larger political situation in Czechoslovakia at the time, including Alexander Dubcek’s relaxing of political censorship and the Soviet Union’s military response. Ethan also explains the significance of the replica hockey jersey he’s wearing, which is based on the jerseys the Czechoslovakian hockey team altered to protest the Soviet occupation.

After the break, Larry sits down with Jon Langmead, author of Ballyhoo!: The Rough housers, Con Artists, and Wild men Who Invented Professional Wrestling. Larry and John discuss the history of wrestling styles, the development of over-the-top choreography moves, the public’s changing perception of wrestling stars from athletes to entertainers and the physical impact of wrestling on the long-term health of famous wrestlers.

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

September 16, 2023UncategorizedA Secret About a Secret, Artful Periscope, Billie Holiday, bing crosby, Dangerous Rhythms, Dark Shadows, film noir, frank sinatra, Horror, Larry Davidson, Louis Armstrong, Mafia, Meyer Lansky Jazz, Mob, Peter Speigelman, readers, Sachem Public Library, Strange Fruit, T. J. Engilsh, The Booth at The Sachem Public Library, titlesartfulperiscope

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.

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

August 31, 2023UncategorizedAge of Astonishment, Artful Periscope, Bill Morris, civil war, Cold War, German English Dictionary Manuscript, Historical Fiction, John Morris, Larry Davidson, Larry Davidson productions, Sachem Public Library, slavery, Stacie Murphy, The Booth at The Sachem Public Library, The Unquiet deadartfulperiscope

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.

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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

August 24, 2023UncategorizedAmerican Nazis, Artful Periscope, Author Michael Benson, Camp Siegfried, Gansters vs Nazis, Larry Davidson, Mafia, The Booth at The Sachem Public Library, The Devil at Genesee Junction, Yaphank New Yorkartfulperiscope

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.

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

August 11, 2023UncategorizedAnthony Bourdain, Artful Periscope, James Grady, Jerry Stahl, Larry Davidson, Larry Davidson productions, Nein Nein Nein, RobertRedford, Six Days of the Condor, The Booth at The Sachem Public Library, This trainartfulperiscope

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.

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Episode 40: How Many Threads are at the Intersection of Comedy that Binds Us Michael Seth Starr & The Biography of Don Rickles

February 1, 2023Uncategorized@biowriter61, Artful Periscope, Don Rickles, Don Rickles: The Merchant of Venom, Larry Davidson, Larry Davidson productions, Merchant of Venom, Michael Seth Starr, Michael Starr, Mr Warmth, Sachem Public Library, The Booth at The Sachem Public Libraryartfulperiscope

How many threads are at the intersection of comedy that binds us? Larry is joined by Michael Seth Starr, the author of Don Rickles: Merchant of Venom. Michael and Larry explore the life of Don, from his humble beginnings growing up in Queens, New York, his service in the Navy during World War II and his subsequent rise to stardom. Michael delves into the connection to Frank Sinatra, Don’s studies as a serious actor and the various influences on Rickles’ career. Larry also talks about the thread between Don and Groucho Marx. As a writer for the New York Post, there is a spirited discussion on the state of broadcast television vs streaming and how the quality of both have evolved.

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Episode 38 How Many Threads Connect Us to a Voyage of Exploration and Discovery: Author Thomas Chaffin and Singer Songwriter Nico Padden

December 23, 2022Uncategorizedand the Voyage that Changed the World, Artful Periscope, Burning Rome to the Ground, Darwin, Larry Davidson, Larry Davidson productions, Larrydavidsonproductions.com, Nico Padden, Odyssey: Young Charles Darwin, Origin of species, Sachem Library, Sachem Public Library, singer, songwriter, The Beagle, The Booth at The Sachem Public Library, Tom Chaffinartfulperiscope

How many threads connect us to a voyage of exploration and discovery? In this installment, Larry chats with author Tom Chaffin to discuss his latest biography Odyssey: Young Charles Darwin, The Beagle, and the Voyage that Changed the World. They discuss the strange path Charles Darwin walked from dropping out of medical school to becoming the father of evolution and publishing the groundbreaking Origin of Species. While pursuing Darwin’s story, Tom also recounts his research, travel, and growing connection to the characters.

Joining Larry for a musical interlude is singer/songwriter Nico Padden, who shares several of her songs and the real-life influences behind them. Weaving together stories featuring difficult issues such as domestic abuse, sexual harassment and systemic racism into her music, Nico discusses the power of songwriting and the stories that fuel creativity.

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