Two gigantic men try to push each other out of small sand pit. That’s Sumo wrestling, the distinctive sport of Japan. The way those wrestlers cheat – and similar subjects-  helped to suggest some of the basic insights of Freakonomics. Here’s the account provided by economics professor Steven D. Levitt shortly after the publication of his first book on the Freakonomics of everyday life.

Israel’s Six Days War with Egypt, Jordan, Syria, etc. established its present borders and delivered solid, territory-loss to its hostile neighbors. It was brilliantly recounted by Michael Oren, an American-born Israeli in his book which was subtitled, “June 1967 and the making of the modern middle east.” Here is our full conversation with Oren who went on, later, to be Israel’s ambassador to Washington and now is a leading member of the Knesset.

…..may well be Venice, which may ultimately go fully underwater. But a thousand strange Venetian tales (all true) will persist. Of its many aberrant inhabitants was Ezra Pound the American poet and traitor who broadcast anti-American and anti-Semitic programs from Rome during the second world war. Released from a psychiatric hospital after seven years, he settled in Venice with the most loyal of his mistresses and some very rich supporters. The tale is told by John Berendt in a book published in 2005 and discussed with Berendt later that year on Extension 720.

Robert Macneil, broadcast journalist of Canadian origin, has an abiding interest in the varying accents and vocabularies of english speakers. His book “Do You Speak American?” examines American regional accents and in this program from 2005 we listen to many of them and analyze how they were formed. The range is all the way from Brooklyn to California “valley girl.” And how do you pronounce “merry Mary married?”

…..not with the Marx Brothers but, celebrating the 2008 opening of the Chicago Lyric Opera, we talked with Peter Sellars, then the director of the company and also with the conductor of the new opera “Dr. Atomic.” Among our guests by recording are: Mozart, Puccini, Verdi, Bryne Terfel. Renata Tibaldi and Maria Callas. A great and memorable time was had by all.