We began this first of four episodes, sponsored by the Bill Lane Center for the American West, with its co-founder and emeritus Stanford History Professor and Pulitzer Prize-winning author David M. Kennedy, discussing the real and the mythic American West and the nation's possibly most interdisciplinary course offered by the Center on the West and …

Elizabeth Farnsworth, former PBS Newshour anchor and reporter turned writer, engaged in a wide-ranging conversation with host Michael Krasny about her career and latest work. The discussion covered her memorable interviews, mentors, and experiences as a foreign correspondent, including traumatic events that led to her leaving that role. Farnsworth …

We spent a recorded hour with esteemed journalist and editor Perry Garfinkel, author of the bestselling Buddha or Bust and the recently published Becoming Gandhi. Perry spoke of his quest to find morality in Gandhi's life and work and Gandhi's six principles and the differences between being and becoming – the latter presupposing the infinite in pr…

This week we spoke with author Amy Tan about her most recent best-seller, The Backyard Bird Chronicles, a fascinating immersion into nature, the world of birds and her dedication to drawing them. In 2016 during a time of overt racism, especially towards Asian Americans, Amy decided to dive into nature journaling. There she discovered a fascination …

A deep and wide ranging conversation with sociologist Jessica Calarco, focusing on educational disparities, class privilege, and social inequities. Key topics included the hidden curriculum in schools, the role of community colleges, and tax policies aimed at economic equality. The conversation began with a focus on the gap between the privileged a…

Ethan Elkind, a leading climate scientist, led us initially into an understanding of why climate goals were not being met and how that affects overall messaging. From there he spoke of the importance of battery technology, solar and wind renewable energies, and transition to minerals such as lithium, cobalt and graphite. He emphasized the need for …

Aimee Allison, Founder of She the People, joined us to talk about the Kamala Harris presidential nomination and the increased and increasing role of women of color in U.S. key positions of political power. We spoke of political organizer, Georgia's Stacey Abrams, as well as the defeat of squad members Cori Bush in a Missouri primary and Jamaal Bowm…

Stanford Business School Lecturer, author and host of the popular podcast Think Fast/Talk Smart joined us for an inspired and inspiring hour on overcoming public speech anxiety and communicating effectively. Matt spoke of the importance of focusing on value and being conversational as well as having a map and structure. He talked about deep breathi…

Popular PBS Interviewer and New York Times best-selling author Kelly Corrigan sat down with Michael Krasny to talk about a wide range of topics including her experiences decades ago as Professor Krasny's student as well as her views on interviewing. She spoke of her interviews ("A lot like a date and full of emotion") with Francis Collins; Jennifer…

Pulitzer prize winning journalist and economics and tax expert David Cay Johnston spoke with us about his long and extensive investigative research on former U.S. president Donald Trump as well as the state of the U.S. economy during the Trump and Biden presidencies. Johnston spoke critically of news organizations, especially of what he characteriz…

Acclaimed actor, famed narrative voice and Zen Buddhist priest Peter Coyote joined us in a far reaching dialogue which took in his acting and voice careers as well as his life and his life philosophy and sharp edged political views. We spoke, too, about the content in his latest book, Zen in the Vernacular and his early, preeminent family influence…

Leading New York Times writer and best-selling author Frank Bruni joined us for an in-depth discussion of his most recent book The Age of Grievance which focuses on American culture's fall into pessimism and the binary world of choosing sides, tribalism, and the pressing need for compromise and common ground. It is somewhat global (as with Brexit) …

Passion is an understatement when it comes to tech futurist, evangelist, creator of famous Silicon Valley blog Scobleizer, author of six prescient books, podcaster, video journalist, and former Microsoft strategist Robert Scoble. Host Michael Krasny gets down to business, exploring a mind-bending array of topics that will define our technological f…

Author and global futurist Maddy Dychtwald joined us for a wide-ranging deep dive into the subject of her latest best-selling book on the topic of women and aging. We began with her discussing her reasons for writing the book, her work with cutting edge researchers, her erasing of personal hip pain and the longevity revolution. She clarified her ob…

"Competition between the Morally Unfit and the Mentally Unfit." That was Bret Stephens' take on the U.S. presidential race. We spoke of the race and of immigration, including what Stephens described as "legitimate criticism" of the Biden administration as well as Stephens' own family history and realizing the American dream. He also spoke of the ne…

Journalist, entrepreneur and best-selling author Steven Brill joined us to map out why opinions, disinformation and conspiracy theories have become the global death knell for truth. We spoke of why so many people no longer trust facts and Brill's own personal experience with a Russian disinformation operative. He discussed his for-profit business N…

Silicon Valley acclaimed entrepreneur and author Andrew Keen of Keen on and Keen on Substack joined us. We heard his views on the Internet and big tech companies and how new agency and a middle ground are needed rather than regulation or new technology. Andrew discussed the future of work as well as failures of Facebook despite its economic success…

Director of The Bezos Family Foundation and author of Mind in the Making, The Six Stages of Parenthood and The Breakthrough Years, Ellen Galinsky joined us for a deep dive interview starting with the role of neuroscience in understanding the teen brain and then branching out to questions related to teen risky behavior, self-control, decision making…

Journalist, blogger, columnist, podcaster, and technology writer Mike Elgan joined us live from Venice to talk about being a temporary local and AI. The dialogue began with Mike explaining the life he lives and wrote about in Gastronomad, a life of constant travel and absorbing different cultures while remote work allows for a livable income and st…

Biographer (Bobby Kennedy and Satchel) and award-winning reporter Larry Tye talked to us about his newest book, The Jazzmen: How Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and Count Basie Transformed America. All three of these iconic musicians, Tye noted, though from different backgrounds, had to endure Jim Crow and racial bigotry but "opened the eyes, ears …

Veteran political analyst and Associate Director of The Washington Center Marc Sandalow joined us for a rich and wide ranging conversation about the political landscape -- starting with the ongoing trial of Donald Trump and proceeding to questions about who will and will not turn out to vote in the upcoming U.S. presidential election. Marc spoke of…

With a client list that includes Walmart, Microsoft and Apple, Placement IO Founder and CEO Edwin Fu spoke with us about entrepreneurship. He talked about the high which comes from solving problems and building a better mousetrap and the necessity of having the passion of a mad scientist. He emphasized the necessity of craziness for founders based …

The architect of the Oslo accords, Ambassador Dennis Ross, who worked in five U.S. presidential administrations trying to broker peace between Israelis and Palestinians, joined us on the heels of the deaths in Gaza, at the hands of the Israelis, of seven humanitarian workers. Ambassador Ross spoke of the present conflict as the worst he has witness…

Veteran Journalist, Journalism professor and author Jeff Jarvis joined us to discuss media and its history and future and the future of journalism. We zeroed in on questions of Internet regulation and the effect of AI and Jeff spoke about why he believes TikTok should be defended and not banned and focused on what he called hegemonic and corporate …

Former Kaiser Permanente CEO and one of modern healthcare's most influential physician leaders, Dr. Robert Pearl joined us for a deep discussion focusing on his recent book "ChatGPT, MD" and the exponential changes generative AI can bring to American medicine and healthcare. We initially heard a poignant personal story from Dr. Pearl about how he w…

Astronomer Andrew Fraknoi joined us to dispense his usual passionate and illuminating clarity on the April 8 total solar eclipse and eclipses per se and more. He spoke of best places to view, optimal weather conditions, proper eyeglasses and what not to wear, as well as how to observe with a colander and why we cannot see a total solar eclipse from…

Former UC Berkeley Chancellor and President and CEO of the New York Academy of Sciences Nicholas Dirks joined us to discuss his latest book, City of Intellect. We began with an assessment of the free speech movement and the trajectory to more recent efforts by protestors to shut speakers down. The dialogue proceeded from there to questions about ha…

Long-time Apple expert, podcaster and tech savant Rene Ritchie joined us in his role as YouTube liaison to discuss monetizing and revenue sources for aspiring and established YouTube content creators. Rene talked about YouTube as "the most accessible culture endeavor ever seen," and provided useful and practical points for content creators in our w…

We spent an hour with twenty-year CEO of The World Affairs Council and foreign affairs expert Jane Wales discussing the wars in Ukraine, Gaza and the far less media focused civil war in Sudan with illuminating views from her on trends away from liberal democracy and the rise of autocrats. The Information Revolution, which has allowed war to be seen…

Allbirds co-owner and CEO Joey Zwillinger joined us for a wide-ranging discussion focusing on the ups and downs and successes and challenges of the international shoe company as well as decarbonization and sustainability; entrepreneurship and branding; innovation and capitalism. We talked about the fashion industry and the CEO's role in the public …

Leading Stanford neurologist and psychiatrist Dr. Nolan Williams joined us for a deeper understanding of current scientific explorations into the growing use of psychedelics in relieving and curing mental health problems. Though not ignoring valid concerns over bad trips and underage usage, Dr. Williams demonstrated how FDA approved research with s…

We spoke with leading climate scientist Dr. Kristina Dahl about the vital need for systemic solutions to the systemic problem of climate change and the vacillation many of us feel between hope and despair. If fossil fuels remain indispensable to us, what can be done and what, especially, can we as individuals do to curb carbon emissions and stave o…

Louis Ferrante, former hijacker and Mafia gangster who turned in prison to research, book writing and Judaism, talks about his life in crime and time in prison and his published history of the American Mafia from his perspective as an insider. He also talks about guilt and religion, Mafia violence, snitching and Omerta, and the Mafia's Sicilian roo…

New Israel Fund CEO and self-described politically proud progressive Daniel Sokatch joined us to talk about what Emily Dickinson called "the thing with feathers" and discover seeds of hope for the long-term in the midst of the bloody battles between Israel and Hamas and their seemingly irreconcilable narratives. A passionate and incredibly well inf…

Happy Cooking are the two words that now are the trademark on recipes of master chef and culinary artist and educator Jacques Pepin. The French born public television star and author joined us to talk about his most recent book – Cooking My Way: Recipes and Techniques for Economical Cooking. We talked of cooking seasonally; using leftovers; the per…

Internationally celebrated scientist Helen Blau focuses in on and elucidates the frontiers of stem cell research and her own singularly important work in her Stanford based lab and the company she co-founded. From longevity and replenishing and replacing stem cells, the conversation ranged on to an exploration of telomeres, CRISPR, and cloning and …

We began our conversation with internationally celebrated photographer Howard Schatz by focusing on the nature of creativity and and the challenges of creating "phenomenal" images when so many images are unoriginal, easy to access and abundant -- though the abundance, Schatz feels, makes it easier to determine what is great. He spoke about his inte…

Ken Dychtwald has acquired much wisdom on aging over the years so we began by exploring the upside of aging. He spoke of major historical changes in life expectancy and general attitudes toward aging. From there we discussed the central importance of purpose and the distinction New York Times columnist David Brooks has made between a career resume …

In this engaging conversation with tech expert Jason Snell, the dialogue covered diverse AI-related topics. From the challenges of regulation to biases in machine learning models, the conversation explored societal impacts, education, and the digital divide. Jason also shared insights on the transformative nature of the Internet and discussed Apple…

In this enlightening episode of Gray Matter, Michael Krasny explores the life and work of accomplished entrepreneur and CEO of BioVie, Cuong Do. Starting from his humble beginnings as an immigrant from Vietnam, Cuong details his extensive contributions in the fields of business strategy and bio-medical research, from discovering a potential Alzheim…

We recently spoke with Dr. Laura Esserman, a leading internationally recognized surgeon and breast cancer oncologist at the University of California, San Francisco where she serves as director of the UCSF Breast Care Center. We discussed the need to redefine cancer and the need for personalized patient centered care in health care, as well as a ran…

Best-selling author and Stanford Professor of Medicine Abraham Verghese joined us to talk about his widely acclaimed and best-selling memoirs and novels, and look at the ways medicine can be practiced as a more patient centered, empathic and caring two way relationship. We discussed, too, the value of bedside medicine and the physical exam. Join us…

Our conversation with Tenshin Reb Anderson, one of the most prominent contemporary Zen Buddhist teachers and scholars, author, dharma leader and former abbot, included a deep dive into the belief and practice of Buddhism, with a focus on the wisdom in it for us all, along with your questions and comments.…

Our interview with Larry Smith and Melanie Abrams challenged our assumptions as we explored the many conceptions and misconceptions of cannabis use. Their new book, The Joy of Cannabis, is an attempt to clear up misunderstanding and describe the how and why of safely availing ourselves of the benefits. In the 1930s with the wane of Prohibition the …

We met with Lee Child on the eve of his retirement as the author of the Jack Reacher book series. The premier proxy for millions of readers who yearn for revenge in lives where revenge is impractical or out of reach, the character of Jack Reacher is a figure who metes out justice against bullies in a way that ironically is equitable and fair. We re…

In the wake of Hamas' unprecedented attack across Israel's southern border with Gaza, we met with Amichai Magen, Visiting Fellow in Israeli Studies at Stanford University's Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies to take stock of the humanitarian and geopolitical dynamics in Israel, Gaza, the Middle East, and the globe writ large. As the…

Why are some of us drawn to scary stories? "Because we want to believe that we are strong enough to survive being scared." In peeking into that dark side, we cultivate empathy. Few have had a bigger role in constructing imaginary worlds than renowned concept artist Iain McCaig. His work is truly the stuff of legend. We found his zest for illustrati…

We met with Norman Solomon, co-founder of RootsAction.org and executive director of the Institute for Public Accuracy, to shed light on what we are NOT told about our military involvement around the globe. One cannot fathom the human toll of 4.5 million lives lost directly and indirectly from US military action since 9/11. Solomon implicates corpor…

We talked to Geraldo Rivera about a range of topics, including much that is in the news and on Fox News, where he was for twenty-three years until recently. Leadership there is soon to change from Rupert Murdoch to his son Lachlan. What does Geraldo think about that shift and what are his thoughts on the so-called "fair and balanced" news network? …

In the same week that NASA announced Mark McInerney as its new Director of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) Research - known to the rest of us as UFOs - we met with Harvard Professor of Science Avi Loeb, dubbed one of the 25 most influential people on the topic of Space. We discuss his recent expedition to the ocean near Papua New Guinea wher…