Diary of a Nation

The following episode contains explicit language and descriptions of disturbing incidents. My guest spent a decade in prison after he accepted a plea deal on drug conspiracy and gun charges. He went from stashing hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash under his bed at home to earning a few dollars a day in federal prison while managing over $200 million in military contracts. 

The United States is the incarceration capital of the...

Worldwide, one person dies by suicide every 40 seconds. Steve Boczenowski's son, Jeffrey, died by suicide. So did my first boyfriend. Together, Steve and I share our loved ones' stories and discuss how to prevent more suicides. If you're struggling, help is available. Contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting “home” to 741741.

A Saudi Arabian cat that immigrated to New Hampshire. A rooster that helped a teenager get to college. A dog that evaded cop cars and a helicopter. A raccoon that overstayed its welcome. A poodle with a Tinder profile. Through a series of short stories, this episode explores our bonds with our pets. Some stories are funny. Some are sad. Some aren't even appropriate for children.

Were he alive, Harold Ward would have celebrated his 100th birthday this year. As the oldest resident in town, he was the recipient of the Boston Post Cane. As the first Black family in Lee, New Hampshire, the Ward family left a positive and enduring impression. On his deathbed, Harold recounted family stories and asked his son Michael Cameron Ward to preserve the memories in writing. The result is a collection of books titled "...

The US has waged a $1 trillion war on drugs. Even though opioid addiction has faded from the news cycle, drug overdoses have surged during the pandemic, and millions remain addicted. This month, my guest Katie celebrates three years of being clean. Her story offers some solutions.

Massachusetts engineer Peter Degen-Portnoy made the news when the Mars One mission named him as a semifinalist in a competition that intended to establish a permanent human colony on the red planet. The father of five was prepared to die on Mars. This interview will give you a more complete picture of Peter as a man. Website: mars-one.com. 

Dr. Fred Grewe is a hospice chaplain, an author and a fellow podcaster. Over the past 15 years, he has served more than 3,000 people who have died. In this episode, he explains what the dying have taught him about living. Books: What the Dying Have Taught Me about Living and Time to Talk about Dying. Dr. Grewe's Podcast: Meditations 4 Misfits. Website: fredgrewe.com.

Vera Rivard was just 16 when she swam the English Channel last year, nearly a century after her idol did the same. Vera's 13-year-old sister Margaret and her mother Darcie supported her along the route as they traveled with a crew in a pilot boat. Listen as the New Hampshire family discusses the trip and their love of swimming. 

The content in this episode is graphic and may be disturbing for some listeners. Former POW Capt. Hubert Buchanan was an Air Force fighter pilot when a Vietnamese fighter ace shot down his F-4 Phantom in 1966. He was quickly captured and moved among half a dozen POW camps over the next 6.5 years. Capt. Buchanan was held captive one year longer than the late US Senator John McCain. 

In part one, Capt. Buchanan recounts the dogfight ...

A handful of landmark rulings over the past 25 years significantly advanced gay rights in the US. Despite that, institutions and individuals continue to discriminate against gay people. My guest Fausto Di Ianne even tried to pray away the gay. 

Abenaki Native Mali Obomsawin is an activist. She's also a member of the folk band, Lula Wiles. In this interview, she discusses her activism on behalf of land rights and social justice. Photo credit: Lokotah Sanborn, Penobscot Nation. "Shaking As It Turns" song used with artist permission. Band: lulawiles.com. Articles referenced in podcast appear in Smithsonian Folklife and Boston Globe.

Part Three: In the final part of the interview, Kati Preston discusses her associations with Israeli government officials and fellow Holocaust survivors plus her current interests and her take on American politics. Autobiography: Holocaust to Healing: Closing the Circle.

Part Two: After the Holocaust, Kati Preston emigrates to Israel. She eventually becomes a highly-successful fashion designer, interacting with Christian Dior and Harry Winston while in Paris.  She learned eight languages, moved across seven countries, married three times, and gave birth to four sons. Autobiography: Holocaust to Healing: Closing the Circle.