Tag Archives: The Booth at The Sachem Public Library

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

July 27, 2023UncategorizedBottom Marathon Race Dog, David Goodrich, Harriet Tubman, John Hurt, John Parker, Larry Davidson, Larry Davidson productions, On Freedom Row, Rory Vecsey, Rory's Island, Sachem Library, The Booth at The Sachem Public Library, Underground railroadartfulperiscope

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.

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Episode 47 – How Many Threads are Woven to Create and Execute a Play: “Eleanor and Alice”

April 25, 2023UncategorizedAlice Roosevelt, Eleanor and Alice, Eleanor Roosevelt, Ellen Abrams, Frances Hill, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Larry Davidson, Larry Davidson productions, Mary Bacon, Sachem Public Library, Teddy Roosevelt, The Booth at The Sachem Public Library, Trepan Beverly, Urban Stagesartfulperiscope

How many threads are woven to created and execute a Play. After attending the play Eleanor and Alice, Larry is joined by the playwright Ellen Abrams, Director Frances Hill, Actress Trezana Beverly (who plays Eleanor Roosevelt), and Mary Bacon (who plays Alice Roosevelt). The play is in 8 acts and follows these two iconic wives through the 20th century.

Larry discusses what it is like to see a person’s written word come to life on the stage, the thought process of the actors, whether there is a rhythm to both writing and acting and why this play is rather unique (which is based in fact but is written in the spirit of history).

If you are interested in attending this amazing play by visiting https://urbanstages.org/eleanorandalice/.

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Episode 46 – How Many Threads Connect Puffs of Smoke? Author and Federal Prosecutor Lis Wiehl

April 22, 2023UncategorizedA Spy in Plain Sight, FBI, Federal Proscutor, Larry Davidson, Larry Davidson productions, Lis Wiehl, Robert Hanssen, spying for the Russians, The Booth at The Sachem Public Libraryartfulperiscope

How many threads connect puffs of smoke? In this week’s episode of The Artful Periscope, Larry interviews legal analyst and federal prosecutor Lis Wiehl, who sheds light on the shadowy life of FBI spy Robert Hanssen while discussing her new book A Spy in Plain Sight. Wiehl discusses the experience of growing up as the daughter of an FBI agent and how her career as a lawyer influenced her style as an author.

Then the conversation shifts to Robert Hanssen, who is often referred to as “The Unabomber of the FBI” due to the twenty-year hunt to find him. Wiehl analyzes Hanssen’s convincing cover as a devout Catholic, his relationship with his wife Bonnie, his ability to effectively compartmentalize different facets of his duplicitous life, his narcissistic pursuit for accolades that drove him to sell information to Russia and the ultimate reveal of his spy activity.

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Episode 45 – How does the writer weave the threads to tell their story? Authors Peter Blauner and Vona Groarke

April 8, 2023UncategorizedHereafter: The Telling Life of Ellen O'Hara, Larry Davidson, Larry Davidson productions, Peter Blauner, Picture in the Sand, Sachem Public Library, The Booth at The Sachem Public Library, Vona groarkeartfulperiscope

How does the writer weave the threads to tell their story? In this installment of the podcast, Larry sits down with author and friend of the podcast, Peter Blauner. Peter and Larry discusses his latest book Picture in the Sand. Blauner discusses his research into the political situation of 1950s Egypt (and the surprising connection to the filming of The Ten Commandments), his interview with the remaining relatives of legendary director Cecil B. DeMille and his decision to frame the narrative as a grandfather telling his recollections of his immigration to America to dissuade his grandson from joining an anti-American group.

After the break, Larry conducts a virtual interview with Irish author Vona Groarke about her book Hereafter: The Telling Life of Ellen O’Hara , a fictionalized biography of her great grandmother. Groarke goes into detail about the disappointing lack of information about her grandmother and the process of reconstructing her story based on the breadcrumbs of data she did find as well as her research into lives of Irish immigrants in 1880s New York.

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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

Facebook

Instagram

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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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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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