Best Phantom Power Radio Podcasts (2024)

1
"The Sentinel State" By Minxin Pei 30:23

12h ago30:23

30:23

An interview with Minxin Pei, author of The Sentinel State. The book argues that the endurance of dictatorship in China owes less to advanced technology than it does to the human resources of the Leninist surveillance state.By Bob Kustra

1
"The Thousand Crimes Of Ming Tsu" By Tom Lin 30:00

7d ago30:00

30:00

Note: This is an encore edition of Reader's Corner. The episode originally aired in August 2022. An interview with Tom Lin, author of the novel, The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu. A twist on the classic western, it’s a story of one man's quest for redemption in the face of a distinctly American brutality.…

1
"Fighting The Night" By Paul Hendrickson 30:23

14d ago30:23

30:23

An interview with Paul Hendrickson, author of the new book, Fighting the Night. The book is a moving story of his father’s wartime service as a night fighter pilot, and the prices he and his fellow soldiers paid for their selfless acts of service.By Bob Kustra

1
"Ian Fleming: The Complete Man" By Nicholas Shakespeare 37:08

21d ago37:08

37:08

An interview with Nicholas Shakespeare, author of the new book, Ian Fleming: The Complete Man. The book offers an eye-opening portrait of the mysterious and fascinating man behind James Bond, and his enduring impact.By Bob Kustra

1
"The Rise And Fall Of The Neoliberal Order" By Gary Gerstle 34:29

28d ago34:29

34:29

Note: This is an encore edition of Reader's Corner. The episode originally aired in July 2022.An interview with Gary Gerstle, author of The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order: America and the World in the Free Market Era. The book illuminates how the ideology of neoliberalism became so infused in the daily life of an era.…

1
"Ascent To Power" By David L. Roll 30:20

1M ago30:20

30:20

An interview with David L. Roll, author of the new book, Ascent to Power. The book focuses on the fascinating story behind the most consequential presidential transition in US history, from Roosevelt to Truman.By Bob Kustra

1
"Phantom Orbit" By David Ignatius 33:40

1M ago33:40

33:40

An interview with David Ignatius, author of the new novel, Phantom Orbit. The book is a thrilling story of espionage against the backdrop of our nation’s renewed interest in space exploration amid geopolitical tumult.By Bob Kustra

1
"Davos Man" By Peter S. Goodman 34:15

2M ago34:15

34:15

Note: This is an encore edition of Reader's Corner. The episode originally aired in July 2022. An interview with Peter S. Goodman, author of Davos Man: How the Billionaires Devoured the World. The book is must read for anyone concerned about economic justice and the sanctity of representative government.…

1
"Differ We Must" By Steve Inskeep 32:25

2M ago32:25

32:25

An interview with Steve Inskeep, author of the new book, Differ We Must. The book is a compelling portrait of Abraham Lincoln’s political acumen in a country divided – and lessons for our own disorderly present.By Bob Kustra

1
"Hedged" By Margot Susca 32:25

2M ago32:25

32:25

An interview with Margot Susca, author of Hedged. The book reveals a newspaper industry rocked by an obsession with profit and beholden to private fund interests.By Bob Kustra

1
"Seek And Hide" By Amy Gajda 36:30

2M ago36:30

36:30

An interview with Amy Gajda, author of Seek and Hide: The Tangled History of the Right to Privacy. The book is an important primer for today’s privacy wars - the surprising history of the right to privacy, and its battle against the public’s right to know.By Bob Kustra

1
"The Demon Of Unrest" By Erik Larson 30:10

3M ago30:10

30:10

An interview with Erik Larson, author of the new book, The Demon of Unrest. The book examines the pivotal five months between the election of Abraham Lincoln and the start of the Civil War.By Bob Kustra

1
"I Will Show You How It Was" By Illia Ponomarenko 41:09

3M ago41:09

41:09

An interview with Illia Ponomarenko, author of the new book, I Will Show You How It Was. The book is powerful and personal chronicle of the war in Ukraine from the front lines.By Bob Kustra

1
"The Meat Paradox" By Rob Percival 30:15

3M ago30:15

30:15

An interview with Rob Percival, author of The Meat Paradox: Eating, Empathy, and the Future of Meat. The book offers a vital and nuanced investigation into the current debate around meat.By Bob Kustra

1
"Coming To Terms With John F. Kennedy" By Stephen F. Knott 33:54

3M ago33:54

33:54

An interview with Stephen F. Knott, author of Coming to Terms with John F. Kennedy. The book offers a broad view of the young President, and shows how politicians on both sides of the aisle distorted JFK's record for their own purposes.By Bob Kustra

1
"The Year Of The Locust" By Terry Hayes 38:33

4M ago38:33

38:33

An interview with Terry Hayes, acclaimed author of the new book, The Year of the Locust. A thriller set in the borderlands of the Middle East, the novel follows a CIA spy as his plans to extract a source are complicated by a powerful adversary.By Bob Kustra

1
"The Revenge of Power" By Moisés Naím 34:15

4M ago34:15

34:15

An interview with Moisés Naím, author of The Revenge of Power: How Autocrats Are Reinventing Politics for the 21st Century. The book examines the future of freedom and how to contain and defeat the autocrats popping up around the world.By Bob Kustra

1
"The End Of Reality" By Jonathan Taplin 37:23

4M ago37:23

37:23

An interview with Jonathan Taplin, author of The End of Reality. The book is a scathing critique of the worldview being sold by four American billionaires.By Bob Kustra

1
"Three-Inch Teeth" By C.J. Box 30:23

4M ago30:23

30:23

An interview with writer C.J. Box, joining us to talk about his new novel, Three-Inch Teeth. In the book, game warden Joe Pickett contends with a vicious grizzly bear and an ex-convict out for revenge.By Bob Kustra

1
"Sunny Days" By David Kamp 30:00

4M ago30:00

30:00

Note: This is an encore edition of Reader's Corner. The episode originally aired in October 2020.By Bob Kustra

1
"Fire Weather" By John Vaillant 34:16

5M ago34:16

34:16

An interview with John Vaillant, author of Fire Weather. The book offers a terrifying account of a colossal wildfire and an exploration of the rapidly changing relationship between fire and humankind.By Bob Kustra

1
"How To Sell A Poison" By Elena Conis 32:01

5M ago32:01

32:01

An interview with Elena Conis, author of How to Sell a Poison. The book tells the tangled story of DDT, a corporate-backed poison that decimated wildlife and left behind toxic bodies.By Bob Kustra

1
"Once There Were Wolves" By Charlotte McConaghy 32:16

5M ago32:16

32:16

An interview with Charlotte McConaghy about her new novel, Once There Were Wolves. The book is about the looming threat of environmental collapse and the bold and flawed humans working to avert it.By Bob Kustra

1
"A Day In The Life Of Abed Salama" By Nathan Thrall 36:01

5M ago36:01

36:01

An interview with Nathan Thrall, author of the new book, A Day in the Life of Abed Salama. The book tells the story of a deadly accident outside Jerusalem that unravels a tangle of lives, loves, and histories over the course of a single day.By Bob Kustra

1
"Tired Of Winning" By Jonathan Karl 37:16

6M ago37:16

37:16

An interview with Jonathan Karl, author of Tired of Winning. The book explores how Donald Trump remade the Republican Party in his own image, baggage and all.By Bob Kustra

1
"Camera Man" By Dana Stevens 37:30

6M ago37:30

37:30

An interview with Dana Stevens, author of Camera Man: Buster Keaton, The Dawn of Cinema and the Invention of the Twentieth Century. In the book, Stevens places acclaimed filmmaker Buster Keaton’s unique creative genius in the context of his time.By Bob Kustra

1
"Tyranny of the Minority" By Steven Levitsky (Part II) 31:54

6M ago31:54

31:54

An interview with Steven Levitsky, co-author of Tyranny of the Minority. The book offers important context for our volatile times and a framework for how to protect our democracy from an authoritarian backlash.By Bob Kustra

1
"Tyranny of the Minority" By Steven Levitsky (Part I) 30:39

6M ago30:39

30:39

An interview with Steven Levitsky, co-author of Tyranny of the Minority. The book offers important context for our volatile times and a framework for how to protect our democracy from an authoritarian backlash.By Bob Kustra

1
"The Violin Conspiracy" By Brendan Slocumb 32:18

7M ago32:18

32:18

An interview with Brendan Slocumb, author of the novel, The Violin Conspiracy. Part literary thriller and part mystery, the book is a gripping coming-of-age story about the love of music and a young man’s resilience.By Bob Kustra

1
"The Big Fail" By Joe Nocera 31:45

7M ago31:45

31:45

An interview with Joe Nocera, co-author of The Big Fail. Co-written by Bethany MacLean, the book offers new answers for why and how America become the world leader in COVID deaths.By Bob Kustra

1
"White House Wild Child" By Shelley Fraser Mickle 34:54

7M ago34:54

34:54

An interview with Shelley Fraser Mickle, author of the new book, White House Wild Child. The book is a fascinating biography of outspoken first-daughter Alice Roosevelt, sometimes dubbed the Jackie O of the early 20th century.By Bob Kustra

1
"How Ike Led" By Susan Eisenhower 30:16

7M ago30:16

30:16

Note: This is an encore edition of Reader's Corner. The episode first aired in January 2021.By Bob Kustra

1
"Plunder" By Brendan Ballou 31:53

7M ago31:53

31:53

An interview with Brendan Ballou, author of the new book, Plunder. The book offers a powerful expose on the private equity industry – what it is, how it harms businesses and jobs, how the government helps, and how it can be reined in.By Bob Kustra

1
"Navalny: Putin's Nemesis, Russia's Future?" By Morvan Lallouet, Ben Noble, And Jan Matti Dollbaum 34:24

8M ago34:24

34:24

An interview with Morvan Lallouet, co-author of Navalny: Putin’s Nemesis, Russia’s Future? The book offers a close look at Alexei Navalny, from his pioneering anti-corruption investigations to his leadership of a political movement.By Bob Kustra

1
"The Identity Trap" By Yascha Mounk 34:53

8M ago34:53

34:53

An interview with Yascha Mounk, author of the new book, The Identity Trap. The book provides a comprehensive account of the origins, consequences, and limitations of so-called “wokeness.”By Bob Kustra

1
"Flying Blind" By Peter Robison (Part II) 29:30

8M ago29:30

29:30

An interview with Peter Robison, author of Flying Blind: The 737 Tragedy and the Fall of Boeing. The book explores how an industry titan became consumed with the bottom line, leading to a tragedy that endangered countless lives. Note: This is the second of a two-part interview.By Bob Kustra

1
"Flying Blind" By Peter Robison (Part I) 29:01

8M ago29:01

29:01

An interview with Peter Robison, author of Flying Blind: The 737 Tragedy and the Fall of Boeing. The book explores how an industry titan became consumed with the bottom line, leading to a tragedy that endangered countless lives.By Bob Kustra

1
"Moscow X" By David McCloskey 34:31

9M ago34:31

34:31

An interview with David McCloskey author of the new thriller, Moscow X. The book centers on a daring CIA operation, which targets Putin’s private banker.By Bob Kustra

1
"Techlash" By Tom Wheeler 32:16

9M ago32:16

32:16

An interview with Tom Wheeler, former FCC chairman and author of the new book, Techlash. With the experiences of the late 19th century’s industrial Gilded Age as a backdrop, Wheeler makes the case for a new vision of digital governance.By Bob Kustra

1
"The Exponential Age" By Azeem Azhar 32:45

9M ago32:45

32:45

An interview with Azeem Azhar, author of The Exponential Age: How Accelerating Technology is Transforming Business, Politics, and Society. The book explores the widening gap between rapidly-expanding technology and our ability to deal with its effects.By Bob Kustra

1
"Mansfield And Dirksen" By Marc C. Johnson 31:24

9M ago31:24

31:24

An interview with Marc C. Johnson, author of Mansfield and Dirksen: Bipartisan Giants of the Senate. The book highlights two Senate leaders whose commitment to bipartisanship lead to the passage of groundbreaking legislation, even in tumultuous times.By Bob Kustra

1
"The Lumumba Plot" By Stuart A. Reid (Part II) 32:30

10M ago32:30

32:30

An interview with Stuart A. Reid, author of The Lumumba Plot. The book is a thrilling Cold War account of the U.S.-sanctioned plot to assassinate the democratically elected leader of the newly independent Congo.By Bob Kustra

1
"The Lumumba Plot" By Stuart A. Reid (Part I) 31:05

10M ago31:05

31:05

An interview with Stuart A. Reid, author of The Lumumba Plot. The book is a thrilling Cold War account of the U.S.-sanctioned plot to assassinate the democratically elected leader of the newly independent Congo.By Bob Kustra

1
"Clark and Division" By Naomi Hirahara 30:20

10M ago30:20

30:20

An interview with Naomi Hirahara, author of the new novel, Clark and Division. Part crime novel, part poignant historical fiction, the book was recently listed as a New York Times Best Mystery Novel of 2021.By Bob Kustra

1
"The Age of Insurrection" By David Neiwert 30:39

10M ago30:39

30:39

An interview with David Neiwert, author of The Age of Insurrection. In the book, Neiwert charts the rise of the far right’s threats against American democracy.By Bob Kustra

1
"Passport Stamps" By Sean D. Carberry 39:05

11M ago39:05

39:05

An interview with Sean D. Carberry, author of the new book, Passport Stamps: Searching the World for a War to Call Home. The book is a darkly comic and emotionally-fraught tale of a former NPR journalist who seeks solace in the world’s most dangerous places.By Bob Kustra

1
"The Secret Gate" By Mitchell Zuckoff 33:54

11M ago33:54

33:54

An interview with Mitchell Zuckoff, author of The Secret Gate: A True Story of Courage and Sacrifice During the Collapse of Afghanistan. The book covers the true story of an incredible rescue in the frenzied final hours of the U.S. evacuation of Afghanistan.By Bob Kustra

1
"How Antitrust Failed Workers" By Eric A. Posner 35:04

11M ago35:04

35:04

An interview with Eric A. Posner, author of How Antitrust Law Failed Workers. The book is a powerful examination of the causes of inequality and wage stagnation in America.By Bob Kustra

1
"Pushed Out" By Ryanne Pilgeram (Part I) 30:10

12M ago30:10

30:10

Note: This is part I of a two-part interview, which originally aired in March 2022. An interview with Ryanne Pilgeram, author of Pushed Out: Contested Development and Rural Gentrification in the US West. In the book, a small town weighs the economic compromises of growth in the Rocky Mountain West.By Bob Kustra

1
"A Forest Journey" By John Perlin 34:52

12M ago34:52

34:52

An interview with John Perlin, author of A Forest Journey. Now with a brand new edition, Perlin's book offers a contemporary view of the effects of wood, as used for building and fuel, and of deforestation on the development of civilization.By Bob Kustra

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