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Tonight on the Front Porch, we'll look at the connection between art and democracy. In her new book, Provoking Democracy: Why We Need the Arts, Carolin Levine argues that artists and their work are key to a strong, free society. We'll find out why. We'll also ask how far government can go to protect the arts without commandeering them. Carolyn joins us from New York. We'll also hear from Michael Kammen, author of Visual Shock: A History of Art Controversies in American Culture.

***This show originally aired July 31, 2007***

Andrew Ferguson, a journalist and native of Illinois was determined to find out what was behind the mystique of President Abraham Lincoln. In the process he discovers a humorous American backdrop to the lore and legend of the country's sixteenth president. We'll talk with Ferguson about the sometimes bizarre journey he took to research his new book, Land of Lincoln: Adventures in Abe's America.

During the show, we'll also hear Studio 360 host Kurt Anderson explore the legacy of the 16th president through the lens of Washington D.C.'s Lincoln Memorial. You can listen to the piece again at the Public Radio Exchange.

***This interview originally aired June 29, 2007***

The Front Porch will be preempted this evening for a special NHPR Veterans’ Day program from The Living Well Show.
The impact of war is usually measured by the number of deaths, the number of casualties, and the financial costs involved. But war creates many invisible wounds that are harder to quantify – and harder to deal with. Edward Tick, author of War and the Soul, found that traditional psychotherapy wasn’t adequate treatment for the emotional and psychological damages inflicted on the battlefield, so he studied the traditions of Native Americans, Greeks and other cultures. Host Shamaan C. C. Eagle talks with Dr. Tick about his studies.

You can listen to this program (and write a review of it) at the Public Radio Exchange.

Tonight on the Front Porch, we're looking at memory loss. As we grow older, almost all of us have to deal with failing recollections of some sort. Not every case is extreme, but dementia and Alzheimer's can be the hardest thing a family must go through. We'll explore memory loss through the eyes of a playwright who's work tells the story of an elderly couple dealing with Alzheimer's disease. And we'll talk with a Dartmouth researcher about why, exactly, our memories begin to fail as we get older.

Our Guests Are:

• Barbara Hammond, author of the play "Norman and Beatrice: A Marriage in Two Acts". It tells the story of an elderly couple dealing with Alzheimer's disease.
• Dr. William Kelly, associate professor of Psychology at Dartmouth College.

Last April, Barbara shared part of her play and lead a discussion about it as part of the Littleton Senior Center's series "Mindful Things: Exploring Memory Loss through Science and Art."

This show originally aired April 10, 2007

Meredith Hall's book Without a Map tells a stunning story of exile and exclusion. Meredith grew up on the seacoast of New Hampshire and became pregnant at age 16, in 1965. Her memoir is a rare and clear glimpse into the social mores of the mid-60's, and reveals the state of shame many families faced when an unmarried daughter became pregnant. We'll talk with Meredith about the scope of her life which was framed decisively by the events of her teen years. Meredith teaches English at the University of New Hampshire.

We'll also listen-in as a son interviews his mother who gave him up for adoption when he was born 28 years ago. Mary Lou Maher and her son, Brad, spoke in a StoryCorps booth in New York City. You listen to the piece at the Public Radio Exchange, or you check out the StoryCorps website.

This show originally aired May 10, 2007