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The Deep Dive: Your Autumn Reading List Awaits
This week we dive into books. You'll find book recommendations, a preview of The Boston Book Festival, stories about the science of reading, and an interview with author Gregory Maguire about his book Wicked.
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October 28, 2025 - The Massachusetts Veterans Legacy Trail, Lesley Ann Warren on Clue at 40, and Kiernan Schmitt
As part of our ongoing “Countdown to 2026” series, we explore how Massachusetts is commemorating 250 years of American history. Veterans Services Secretary Jon Santiago joins us to discuss the new Massachusetts Veterans Legacy Trail, a statewide digital map linking more than 1,200 monuments and memorials that honor generations of service. Created by the Healey–Driscoll administration for the MA250 commemoration, the trail invites residents to engage with the Commonwealth’s military past — from the Revolution to today. To learn more about the trail go here.From there actress Lesley Ann Warren joins “The Culture Show” to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the cult classic film “Clue.” The Oscar- and Golden Globe–nominated performer, who played the unforgettable Miss Scarlet, will be in Boston to host a special anniversary screening at the Emerson Colonial Theatre. To learn more go here.Finally travel writer Kiernan Schmitt takes us on a Halloween-inspired journey through the hidden and haunting corners of the city. His book “Secret Boston: An Unusual Guide”uncovers the eerie and unexpected — from ghostly convents to abandoned zoos and the bizarre sculpture garden known as Ponyhenge. Schmitt, who co-hosts the travel podcast “Out of Office,” returns to the show to reveal the stories and curiosities hiding in plain sight. -
October 27, 2025 - Bruins 365, Terri Lyne Carrington on Lift Every Voice and Sing, and Erica Vanstone
Hockey historian Mike Commito joins The Culture Show to celebrate the Boston Bruins—one story at a time. His new book, Bruins 365, serves up a memorable moment for every day of the year, combining sharp research with the spirit of the game.From there it’s another edition of “Sound Files,” our ongoing series when we invite local musicians and cultural critics to zero in on one of their favorite entries in the US National Recording Registry. On tap today, Grammy Award–winning drummer, composer, and founder of the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice, Terri Lyne Carrington. She goes deep on “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”Finally, roller derby veteran and author Erica Vanstone takes us inside her fast-paced, full-contact memoir “Don’t Let Them Eat the Baby: Why Roller Derby is the Greatest Sport Never Sold.” From the Camden rinks to the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association, Vanstone tells a story of resilience, rebellion, and the community that helped her—and a sport—find their soul. -
October 24, 2025 - Week in Review: The Louvre heist, the East Wing of the White House, and Dunkin's Spidey D
Edgar B. Herwick III, Culture Show contributor Lisa Simmons and Culture Show contributor Joyce Kulhawik co-host this week’s arts and culture week-in-review.First up, the Louvre heist. Thieves disguised as maintenance workers pulled off a seven-minute jewel theft at the world’s most famous museum — raising questions about how security slipped for treasures worth nearly $100 million.From there a look at Hollywood’s fading star power: From Julia Roberts to Dwayne Johnson, A-list names aren’t guaranteeing box-office gold anymore. What’s dimming their shine?Plus Eric Lu’s Triumph. The Massachusetts-born pianist made history in Warsaw, becoming the first American in 55 years to win the International Chopin Competition.And the legacy of Allan Crite. Boston’s own “artist-reporter” is celebrated in a major exhibition from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and the Boston Athenaeum, honoring his vivid portrayals of everyday Black life. -
October 23, 2025 - Dorie McCullough Lawson, Mary Grant, and Laurel Kratochvila
Pulitzer Prize–winning historian David McCullough spent decades helping Americans see their past in human terms. A new collection, “History Matters”, gathers his essays and speeches on why history endures — edited by his daughter Dorie McCullough Lawson and longtime collaborator Mike Hill. She joins us ahead of her American Ancestors Headquarters event today at 5 p.m. To learn more go here. From there Mary Grant, president of MassArt joins us for her monthly appearance as part of our recurring series “AI: Actual Intelligence.”Finally Berlin-based baker Laurel Kratochvila joins the Culture SHow to talk about her new cookbook Dobre Dobre: Baking from Poland and Beyond. The book celebrates Poland’s baking traditions — from Jewish-diasporic classics to regional favorites — and reveals how migration and memory live on in every recipe. She’ll appear at Harvard Book Store tonight at 7 p.m. to learn more go here. -
October 22, 2025 - The 24th Halloween Horror Marathon at the Coolidge Corner Theatre and Gish Jen
Halloween is lurking around the corner and the Coolidge Corner Theatre is preparing for its 24th annual Halloween Horror Marathon. Mark Anastasio, the Coolidge’s Program Director, joins us to preview twelve hours of horror classics, creature features, and surprise screenings — all shown on 35 millimeter film. To learn more go here.Then, author Gish Jen discusses her new novel, “Bad Bad Girl.” In this witty and deeply personal work, Jen blends fiction and autobiography to imagine her mother’s life and explore the distance between them — uncovering how storytelling can bridge what family history leaves unsaid. On October 25th you can catch her at a Boston Book Festival event at 3:00. To learn more go here.
