Books

We'll hear from voters at their polling places, and we'll find out how the polling is going from WYPR reporters stationed at polling places and election monitoring hotline headquarters.

You probably know that you Mitt Romney and Barack Obama are running for president--but did you know there are 23 people running for the office as write-in candidates? We hear from a few of them, and learn how the process works around the country.

Experts in modern medicine are constantly looking for ways to improve the human condition, frequently turning to genetic medicine for answers to some of the body’s most troublesome problems. Nathaniel Comfort, associate professor at Johns Hopkins' Department of the History of Medicine, takes us through the promises of medical genetics, the medical dimension of eugenics and the moral risks of seeking human perfection. He is the author of “The Science of Human Perfection: How Genes Became the Heart of American Medicine.”  

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists Donald Barlett and James Steele say Congress is complicit in the destruction of American manufacturing and the secure jobs that once fueled our economy. They say it helped dismantle private pension systems while cutting taxes for the wealthy. Barlett and Steele, who have been reporting on U.S. economic and political issues for more than 30 years, are authors of “The Betrayal of the American Dream.” Original air date 8/28/12

Tom Hall reaches out to people in Garrett County and on the Eastern Shore for an update on post-Sandy conditions.

One of the referenda on the ballot next week that has gotten less attention than others is the Congressional redistricting map. Marylanders will be able to decide whether to abide by the obviously gerrymandered map. Sheilah talks with a law professor and journalist about the controversial map.

If you talk to most opera fanatics, they’ll tell you that their love of opera started early. Maybe their parents listened to the Met broadcasts every Saturday afternoon. Or, maybe they were taken to the opera by their grandparents.

Tropical storm Sandy has arrived. Tom Hall talks to Maryland Emergency Management Agency spokesperson Ed McDonogh about what you should be doing to stay safe, and how to get to safety if the storm damages your home. And, Nathan checks in with BG&E spokesman Rob Gould.

Then, should Baltimoreans vote for ‘mayor’ at the same time they're voting for U.S. president, rather than the year before, as they do now? The change is on the city ballot. We hear from Councilwoman Rikki Spector, who's pushing for it, and community activist Doc Cheatham, who wants a different change.

Why do some students soar in the classroom while others fail? A new generation of researchers believes student success might have more to do with character traits -- perseverance, curiosity, optimism and self-control --than with intelligence. Our guest, author Paul Tough, his latest book, "How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character."