The Roadhouse

Dick chatted Dec. 20 with Dr. Mary Doheny, clinical psychologist at The Family Institute at Northwestern University in Chicago, about why striving for perfection never works....and what you can do instead to have a happy, lower-stress time this holiday season. 

Buck chatted recently with internationally-known photographer & North House instructor Layne Kennedy, who's just out with "Light over Iceland: Photography at 66 Degrees North." They talked about Layne's philosophy on photography, how shooting pictures has changed with the switch from film to digital, and lots more. You can see a preview of his new book at http://www.blurb.com/books/4759092-light-over-iceland 
 

Buck spoke recently with Tom Kizzia, Anchorage Daily News reporter and author of "Pilgrim's Wilderness." Billed as "Into the Wild meets Helter Skelter," it's the true story of a modern-day family with a cult-leader-like patriarch who moves to a remote area of the Alaskan wilderness. Named one of Amazon's Best Books of the Year for 2013.

Michael Schumacher, author of 12 books on Great Lakes shipwrecks and lighthouses, joined Dick Nov. 29 to discuss his latest, "November's Fury: The Deadly Great Lakes Hurricane of 1913." The four-day storm damaged or sank dozens of boats and killed more than 250 sailors. Could it happen that way again today?

Buck spoke with polar adventurer & Ely business owner Paul Schurke about his 2012 expedition to retrace Ernest Shackleton's amazing adventure across South Georgia (Antarctica). In addition to his other talents, Paul is an excellent storyteller, and this piece includes his recounting of the famed Shackleton expedition, in which he eventually brought his entire crew home safely.

It's the time of year when we check in with the experts at the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line. Home economist Alice Coffey joined Dick Nov. 22 to talk all things turkey. And as Alice says, people do incredibly unusual things with their turkeys. You can reach Butterball at 1 800 288 8372 (1 800 BUTTERBALL) or at their website.

Chicago filmmaker George Desort spend a total of 80 nights on Isle Royale NP in 2011, traveling solo with his camera equipment, food & gear in his kayak. Dick spoke with George Nov. 22 about his adventure and the resulting film, "Fifty Lakes One Island,"  which was shown at North House Folk School that weekend. To see a special video clip just for WTIP listeners, click on the link above, then click on the logo in the upper left corner of the home page. Enter the word cookies when you get the password box.

Rick Brooks is co-founder and program director of the nonprofit organization Little Free Library. Little Free Libraries are little buildings, sort of like a birdhouse but bigger, in people's front yards or other public spaces, that hold books for the taking. The idea is to share books and the love of reading...and draw the community closer along the way. Since the idea's start in 2009, nearly 12,000 Little Free Libraries have been put into use around the world. Buck spoke with Rick recently to learn all about them and why people are loving the idea.

Kay Grindland is director of Care Partners in Cook County, which works to support people with serious illness or those at end of life, as well as their caregivers. She and her colleague Debi LaMusga joined Dick Nov. 15 to talk about palliative (or comfort) care, how it works, why it's important, and more. November is National Palliative Care Awareness Month.

The didgeridoo is a wind instrument that originated with indigenous Australians, still in widespread use both in Australia and all over the world. Local musician Brian Bennett brought two of his instruments to Studio A to talk with Buck & Dick about how the instrument and the music is made, and played a few tunes.