Two Way Street

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Diana Nyad: The Woman Who Swam From Cuba to Florida at Age 64 Jul 05, 2018

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July fifth 2018 marks the fourth anniversary of "Two Way Street." To celebrate that milestone, we're revisiting one of our favorite conversations: an interview with Diana Nyad, the strong-willed swimmer who was the first to swim from Cuba to Florida without a protective shark cage. She completed the feat, which many thought was impossible, at the remarkable age of 66.

Former CNN President Tom Johnson On A Lifetime In Journalism Jun 28, 2018

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On this edition of “Two Way Street,” Tom Johnson shares stories about his life and career in journalism. We’re revisiting this conversation — and other favorites — as part of our “Two Way Street” anniversary celebration. To kick off our fifth year, we’re listening again to the shows that we can’t let go: the conversations that challenged us, surprised us and have stuck with us all these years. This show originally aired on January 14, 2017.

The Life and Music of Savannah-Born Songwriter Johnny Mercer Jun 21, 2018

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Johnny Mercer grew up in Savannah and went on to write some of the most popular love songs of the 20th century. You may not know his name, but you certainly know his music, which includes "Something’s Gotta Give," "Moon River," and "Autumn Leaves." Between 1929 and 1976, Mercer wrote the lyrics—and in some cases the music too—to some 1,400 songs. We explore the life and music of Johnny Mercer with Georgia State University archivist Kevin Fleming . Georgia State is the repository for Johnny Mercer’s papers as well as a vast collection of other materials related to his life and career.

Reconstructing A Final Chapter Of The American Slave Trade Jun 14, 2018

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Savannah businessman Charles Lamar on Nov. 28, 1858, became the first person in 40 years to land a slave ship on American soil. That event is the subject of Jim Jordan’s new book, “ The Slave-Trader’s Letter-Book: Charles Lamer, the Wanderer, and other Tales of the African Slave Trade .” Jordan was able to reconstruct the story because he got his hands on valuable research material — Charles Lamar’s own letters, which most historians didn’t even believe existed.

The Search For Atticus Finch's Origin Story Jun 07, 2018

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Who is Atticus Finch really—an arch-segregationist or a champion of justice? And how do we go about answering that question when going straight to the source isn’t an option?

Ramadan: Your Questions Answered May 31, 2018

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Right now Muslims around the world are observing Ramadan, the holiest period on the Islamic calendar. What is Ramadan and what is the history behind it? What compels Muslims everywhere to devote themselves to an entire month of fasting and prayer? Soumaya Khalifa , one of Georgia's most influential Muslim leaders, joins us to answer those questions and more. Khalifa is the Executive Director of the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta.

The Man, The Myths And The Music Of 'Hamilton' May 24, 2018

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Today we're talking about one of the biggest sensations in the history of American theatre: "Hamilton: An American Musical." Composer, lyrisict, and preformer Lin-Manuel Miranda was inspired to create "Hamilton" after reading Ron Chernow's 800-page biography of Alexander Hamilton. Fans of the mega-hit "Hamilton" have waited impatiently for a chance to see the show here in Georgia—and now that opportunity has arrived . The Tony-winning musical is now at the Fox Theatre through June 11. Our guests today are David Sehat , an Associate Professor of American History at Georgia State University, and Rick Lombardo , a seasoned theatrical director who is now the chairman of the Kennesaw State University theater department. Sehat tells us about Alexander Hamilton’s place in history and weighs the musical’s accuracy. Plus, Lombardo and Sehat discuss Miranda's decision to cast actors of color in roles as Founding Fathers. This is a music-packed coversation about the man, the myths, and the music

Four Smart, Well-Read Georgians Discuss Their Favorite Books May 17, 2018

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On this edition of "Two Way Street," we sit down with four smart, well read Georgians to discuss their favorite books. This conversation picks up the discussion started by " The Great American Read ," an eight-part PBS series that unpacks a diverse list of 100 books. "The Great American Read" premieres Tuesday May 22 at 8 PM on GPB. Our guests today are Oglethorpe Unvirersity Creative Writing Professor Jessica Handler , Bitter Southerner Editor in Chief Chuck Reece , Altanta International School Headmaster Kevin Glass, and On Second Thought's new host Virigina Prescott .

Platinum-Selling Songwriter Jimmy Webb On The Stories Behind His Biggest Hits May 10, 2018

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Platinum-selling songwriter Jimmy Webb stopped by our studio last October to talk about his first memoir, " The Cake And The Rain ." Artists from Frank Sinatra to Barbara Streisand have recorded Webb's songs. Some of his hits include “Up, Up and Away,” “Wichita Lineman,” “MacArthur Park,” and “By The Time I Get to Phoenix.” Our conversation begins with a discussion of his childhood in rural Elk City, Oklahoma. He explains how his mother’s “iron will and sometimes anger” drove him to the piano. Plus, Webb talks about the time he was out plowing a field when a voice on the radio captivated him. It belonged to Glen Campbell , who became a close collaborator of Webb’s. He reveals the story behind his celebrated classic "By The Time I Get To Phoenix," for which Campbell won two Grammy awards. Webb also talks about his hit "Wichita Lineman," another song that Campbell recorded. Once, at the Songwriters Hall of Fame , Billy Joel described “Wichita Lineman” as being “emblematic of an ordinary

For Prominent Women Discrimination Often Doesn't Stop At The Grave May 03, 2018

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Today on “Two Way Street” we’re discussing The New York Times obituary project “ Overlooked ” with its co-creator Jessica Bennett . From Ida B. Wells to Emily Warren Roebling , “Overlooked” features the retroactive obituaries of prominent women whose stories initially failed to make it into the Times obit section. Jessica, the Times’ newly appointed gender editor, joins us to discuss her work on “Overlooked” with the digital editor of the obituary desk Amisha Padnani . And since no conversation about obituary writing is complete here in Georgia without including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s longtime obit editor, we asked Kay Powell to join us, too. Kay served as obituary editor of the AJC from 1996 to 2009. “Overlooked” began after an exhaustive search of the Times’ obituary archives struck Jessica and Amisha with this epiphany: white men had historically dominated the newspaper’s obituaries. The two editors responded by writing obituaries for some of the women who had been

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