A great topic: the experience of war through a literary lens. The journey back to Vietnam of Marine veteran and writer Wayne Karlin is an ideal frame for speaking with writers on both sides of the Pacific. The six writers all have very different styles and points of view so there is a lot to think about. Interviews are interspersed with readings from their work.

However, with so many writers, voice-overs, readings and two narrators, I sometimes had trouble keeping track of who was speaking. It would've helped if Karlin was the sole guide. Nothing against engaging host Marc Steiner - but one person's journey is enough for the listener in this case. I also think the program might have been stronger if somewhat restructured. All the Vietnamese writers, speaking with voice-overs, coming one after the other in the second half gave the program an uneven feel - it got more difficult to follow.

My personal critque aside, this is an intelligent hour on an important subject. It would provide a different perspective for Veterans Day programming. I particularly liked hearing from Bao Ninh, whose haunting novel "The Sorrow of War" should be required reading in schools everywhere.

Maggy Barankitse is an inspiring figure and the reporter earnestly tells her story. The piece begins with the sound of children playing football - a stark contrast to the tragedy some have experienced. But the narration-driven style of the piece diminishes the power of the brutality and horror which is described.

Maggy has an incredible story to tell, but has been reduced to sound-bites. Instead of listing her numerous human rights awards, why not hear her human contact with the children she helps. The reporter has clearly gathered heaps of sound but it's used in a simply illustrative way. The material clearly has potential for a much stronger piece than the news-style treatment allows. That said, for programs wishing to put a personal face on conflicts in distant lands, this story might fit the bill.

One way or another, anyone can relate to stories about family. We've all got one. But when and how do we choose to record those stories for the collective public ear? These issues are raised in this well-crafted hour from Transom.

The opening coversation with David Isay about his Storycorp project sets the scene. But something intrigued me which was not followed up. Isay says that though he has recorded his own parents, he has not made pieces about his own family for broadcast. I wondered, Why? Especially since he provides a brief bit of information which certainly has story potential.

And as I listened to the two intimate portraits which followed - both dealing with an interview with a parent - I came to realize they revealed more about the child/producer than the parent/subject. Compare the somewhat formal questions posed in the two Storycorps excerpts at the beginning, with the carefully scripted narration of the two longer explorations. And then the hesitant quality of both interviewer and interviewee on tape - so much more honest and touching.

This program gave me a lot to think about - but then, I've often thought of recording my own family (never gotten further than ten minutes with Mom in the raspberry patch which I found most unsettling.) I'm sure the average radio listener would hear this work in a very different light. But it would provide them no less to think about - since when we're thinking about family, we're thinking about ourselves.

A minor critique - with the premise set out at the start, it might've been stronger to provide more examples instead of just two long complete stories (excellent as they are.) Or maybe that's just what I wanted to hear. Hmmm... still thinking about myself!

Anna Netrebko sings... gloriously! But she also speaks... charmingly! Her musical laughter brings life to this artistic rags to riches story: from young theatre cleaner to acclaimed diva. But with whom is she having such a nice time speaking? Surely not the ClassicFM style host who recites the biographical details and endless credits as if reading from the CD sleeve. There seems to be no connection between them at all. Otherwise, this polished hour of fantastic opera from a delightful leading lady should appeal to any culture programming.

I should first say I've admired David Gilmore's work on the series Outright Radio for some time. Each program tackles a different theme from various points of views, with interviews, personal stories and his own insightful commentary. The use of music within and between segments is always just right, and the production values extremely polished.

I listened to "Bashing Back" because last year, a few days after the first International Day Against Homophobia, the local Amsterdam LGBT program I co-host had as a guest the editor of Washington D.C. LGBT newspaper who was viciously attacked three weeks earlier on the streets of this city I now call home - once famed for tolerance and openness. I was hoping for some different perspectives about violence against LGBT men and women. I wasn't disappointed.

The show is framed by two sensitively written first-person stories looking back at experiences of homophobia and harrassment, and how the writers overcame their fears and "bashed back" - not physically, but psychologically. Between them, Gilmore talks with (as opposed to "interviews" - his technique is great!): a transgender IT expert who won a job discrimination settlement against a Christian high tech company; and, in the strongest and most surprising piece, a young man who turned protests by a religious right organization into a means to support high school Gay-Staight Alliance clubs and literally laughs in the face of homophobia. It's not easy to find humor in such a serious topic, but that's what makes this item very special.

Any station with an hour to spare should broadcast this during June for Gay Pride month. Or any time for that matter - unfortunately, homophobic attacks and harrassment of gay youth in schools are year-round phenomena. As Chris Cain, the D.C. journalist who was attacked in Amsterdam, wrote in an editorial, "A more vigorous approach to openness would make a case for a society where each group is entitled to its own values, but not to impose them on others- whether through laws or through fists in the streets."

This series consistantly produces high quality features about important issues and this episode is particularly good. It combines the currently hot topic of illegal immigration with the seemingly under-reported follow-up to hurricane Katrina. Effective use of sound takes the listener on location and elevates the program above merely reporting facts. Experts are brought in at just the right points with relevant information but are not overused.

However what makes the two segments both work so well are the engaging main speakers. The young Mexican worker, helping to rebuild a city and trying to support his family, maintains a simple dignity despite abuses by employers, police harrassment and being percieved as a criminal. The old Cajun guide in the Bayou faces environmental disaster which could destroy his home with equal doses of sadness, frustration and even humor. A delightful scene where he feeds an alligator is followed by an ominous prediction - the swamps could disappear within fifty years if serious action is not taken.

The whole program is well paced, nicely written and warmly narrated. Important issues presented from a personal perspective, it should have broad listener appeal.

An interesting topic, comprehensively researched by reporter/presenter Charles Lane, which makes obvious sense for Sunday programming. However, I'm not convinced the 59 minute version I listened to would hold the interest of the unconverted, so to speak. There was a wide range of issues discussed by a large cast of interesting voices... traditional theology versus American culture, missionary versus economic incentives, language & the us versus them mentality.

However the first half of the program is heavily driven by the narration which is often repetitive and sometimes intrusive. The second half allows some of the speakers more time, but by then it feels as if they are being stretched a bit to fill the hour. I would've liked to hear more from the foreign priests, instead of others relating their difficulties or feelings for them. Also, the use of sound was not so well-balanced throughout the hour - short, merely illustrative use in the beginning and longer, but not more interesting stretches toward the end. And he must have collected more music than the one hymn which seemed to be used over and over.

I particularly like the sequences about the "Aculturation School" foreign priests attend and the power of the holy dollar (my view) to attract priests from developing countries. I like long-form work, but for some reason I think this subject might better be served in segments for a broader listening public. For stations with religious programming, the whole hour would probably interest listeners. Personally, I think a great half-hour documentary is hidden in there somewhere.

Daniel Dennett is one of the great thinkers of our time. Unafraid to confront controversial issues, this self-professed "bright" asks difficult but important questions. His latest book "Breaking the Spell" takes on the tricky topic of organized religions. How much responsibility must moderates take for the extremist factions in their faiths? Do so-called believers really believe what they say? Why should religion be part of all school curriculums? Is there no connection between spirituality and morality? Whether surprized, angered or intrigued by his views, I don't think anyone will be bored by this down-to-earth philosopher.

Perhaps I should add that I had the honor about 20 years ago of not only meeting Dennett, but playing him in a Dutch doco-drama based on part of his 1978 book Brainstorms. The mental state of the world may have deteriorated since then, but Dennett's probing mind is still razor sharp.

The second half of the program featured finance-guru Jane Bryant Quinn, a lively and engaging speaker. But having no interest in that topic, and my head still full of Dennett's ideas, I can't really comment on the content. But in both segments, interviewer Mike Cuthbert seems to ask all the right questions for this interview-format type of program.

A fascinating commentary on a quirky subject. It's well written, but the delivery is a bit fast-paced for so much thought-provoking information. And the music bed, while giving the piece an appropriately edgy quality, is somewhat overpowering - the voice can get lost in all that sound. That said, it did leave an unsettling feeling (not in a bad way) and a desire to find out more about DMT, hallucinations and alien encounters. And the notion of a drug which might cause you to "die of astonishment" - what a way to go!

This fascinating cross-cultural journey made me wish I'd been there for the whole trip! It's easy to imagine Yo Yo Ma on the Silk Road, but American cowboys in Mongolia? And yet Hal Cannon recreates his unique experience in such beautifully aural fashion, not only is it easy to imagine - I felt like I was sitting there with him. The recordings are fantastic, the narration thoughtful and the mixing just right. Be sure not to fade out the music at the end too early and miss the Mongolian throat singer joining in with the American musicians. Cowboys seem to be enjoying a cultural renaissance at the moment - so treat your listeners to this warm-hearted and unusual story. It's still making me smile right now just thinking about it.

A highly original concept beautifully realized - Christmas from the point of view of the tree. Nothing so banal as what it might be thinking or what it might say - but what it actually hears as it grows and is harvested, as it is chosen and taken home to be decorated. The sound is wonderfully recorded and mixed, and I particularly like the wind that whistles through the branches as time passes. I must admit to being profoundly ever under the influence of watching "A Charlie Brown Christmas" at an impressionable age and to this day when choosing my own cannot keep the line "There's no such thing as an ugly Christmas tree" out of my head. Give your listeners an unusual treat for the holiday season. This piece is a one-of-a kind winner!

Halloween doesn't hold a monopoly on ghost stories. Any dark and stormy night will do, real or imagined. This quartet (with a fascinating interlude on how they work) begins with a truly creepy archive classic. The pair that follow are presented so naturally one might believe them to be true. Maybe they are! All this leads perfectly to Hans Anderson's piece de resistánce (or should I say "quelle horreur!") about a squeaky kitchen cupboard. At the end when the last words were spoken about writing in blood and at the same moment a pigeon landed on my office windowsill, I nearly jumped out of my skin! The mix of evoctive, atmospheric music is just right. This imaginative half-hour would fit perfectly into anyone's late-night programming. I look forward to hearing more from Love and Radio!

A fantastic kick-off to what promises to be a fascinating series (knowing that the second & third episodes have already recieved prestigeous awards!) Exhaustively researched, expertly mixed, and with a unique style all its own, it's the ideal topic for radio listeners young and old. From Edison's gramaphone to the latest re-mix technologyy, from Caruso to Bjork - and this is just the beginning! In this episode, of particular interest is the contoversy stirred when radio began replacing live musicians with records - labels stating "for home use only" didn't do much to help, not to mention the juke box! Can you say "I-pod" or "intellectulal property."? I wish I had the time to listen to the whole series in one sitting. But like a good book, its probably best to savor it one luscious chapter at a time.

How sad I might've missed this inspiring talk with one of America's great dramatists if he hadn't died. How grateful I am to try and hold onto so much great advice about writing. "You start with a blank page, sitting in the same chair as Chekov or Tennessee Williams." Wilson's thoughts on his own creative process could apply to anyone working in any form - especially radio. "Write above your talent," he enjoins. And later laughs, "Words are free! If they don't work, throw them away." How he listens to the voices of his characters, how he asks them questions, there's so much here for (radio) artists to consider.

Then there's the way he eases into a reading from one of his plays about a character "in search of his song" which sent chills up my spine. For stations limited by time constraints, "drop-in" the short version if you must - but August Wilson's voice is so compelling, I'd postpone anything else to pay tribute to him as soon as possible with this half-hour of gold. I never saw or read his work before. But I'll look for it now - I want to read anything by a writer who says, "You gotta leave some blood on the page."

An upbeat, philosophical alternative to the flood of stories in the aftermath of Katrina. You won't find any tragedy, heroic relief efforts or political posturing in this personal essay about the media's love of meteorological mayhem, as he so aptly puts it. Divine retribution versus scientific study, musical metaphors and Hollywood plot twisters - no one's entirely safe from his subtle humor (like referring to southern California as "a climate on Prozac." A great mix of tv and film clips support an underlying message of hope and faith in nature's mysterious ways. More than enough hurricaine references to make it timely now - but keep it in mind for any future blizzard, heatwave or just another rainy day.