Emily Post said: "Never talk about politics or religion.” But with candidates so divisive, and voters so impassioned, it's tough to follow that particular bit of advice. On today’s show, a polite guide to political conversation. First tip? Know what you're trying to accomplish.
Later in the show, we'll look at why Chicago is still paying for its failed bid to host the 2016 Olympics, and talk to the author of a new book who traced the tracks of extreme skier Doug Coombs, from earning his chops on New Hampshire's slopes to his tragic death on a mountain in France.
Listen to the full show:
How to Talk About Politics
Navigating political conversations can be like steering the Titanic through the Arctic Circle. But fear not: Rob Baedeker is here to help. He's co-author of What to Talk About: On a Plane, At a Cocktail Party, in a Tiny Elevator with Your Boss's Boss.
Florence Chadwick: Open Water Swimming Pioneer
With the 2016 Olympics just around the corner, we're going to be spending the next few weeks hearing the stories of world-class athletes as they strive to make history, and we'll hear about the athletes who came before; who broke barriers never thought possible in sports. This story, about swimmer Florence Chadwick, comes to us from Nate Dimeo, and the podcast The Memory Palace.
You can listen to this story again here: "Local Channels"
The Aftermath of a Failed Olympic Bid
When Chicago lost its bid to host the 2016 summer Olympics, residents were relieved, but as Kathy Bergen and Stacy St. Clair reported for the Chicago Tribune, they're still paying for the costly campaign.
Related: "Chicago's Bid for 2016 Olympics Leaves Pricey Legacy 7 Years Later"
Tracking the Wild Coomba
10 years after the death of legendary skier, Doug Coombs, a book about his life follows his tracks on some of the steepest terrain in the world. Robert Cocuzzo learned to ski at the same small mountain in Western Massachusetts where Coombs took his first turns and managed to find a connection to a man he never had the chance to meet. His new book is called Tracking the Wild Coomba: The Life of Legendary Skier Doug Coombs.
