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Letter from America by Alistair Cooke Episode guide

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America's problem with gun ownership

The debate on gun control in the US, as examined by Alistair Cooke in 1993.

First broadcast: 23 Dec 2012

Not currently available
The atom bomb warning of 1939

How two refugees warned Roosevelt of the German nuclear threat.

First broadcast: 19 Nov 2008

over a year left to listen
Rudolph Valentino

The life of Rudolph Valentino (1895-1926).

First broadcast: 05 Dec 2007

over a year left to listen
Atlanta and Augusta

A history of the Augusta National Golf Club from its formation in 1777.

First broadcast: 04 Dec 2007

over a year left to listen
Kennedy's rocking chair

The secret ailments of President John F Kennedy.

First broadcast: 03 Dec 2007

over a year left to listen
How ice cream changed America

A profile of Reuben Mattus (1912-1994), the co-founder of Haagen-Dazs.

First broadcast: 30 Nov 2007

over a year left to listen
Groucho Marx and Bing Crosby

Profiles of entertainers Groucho Marx (1898-1977) and Bing Crosby (1903-1977).

First broadcast: 29 Nov 2007

over a year left to listen
The Messiah at Christmas

In the wake of 9/11, Alistair Cooke remembers introducing Bernstein to Handel's Messiah.

First broadcast: 28 Nov 2007

over a year left to listen
Alistair Cooke's Last Letter

In his last letter, Alistair Cooke examines Iraq’s influence on the Presidential Election.

First broadcast: 20 Feb 2004

over a year left to listen
How WWI turned slimming into a fashion

How slimming became fashionable during the food shortages of the First World War.

First broadcast: 13 Feb 2004

over a year left to listen
Encounters with Intelligence

Alistair Cooke remembers the time he was mistaken for a spy during World War II.

First broadcast: 06 Feb 2004

over a year left to listen
Was Saddam a Threat or Not?

Alistair Cooke discusses the resignation of the US chief weapons inspector, Dr David Kay.

First broadcast: 30 Jan 2004

over a year left to listen
The Day of the GP is Over

Alistair Cooke remembers when doctors used to make house calls.

First broadcast: 23 Jan 2004

over a year left to listen
Temperatures Drop

Alistair Cooke remembers a Palm Beach winter, as Arctic weather hits the northern states.

First broadcast: 16 Jan 2004

over a year left to listen
Not Worth Talking About

Alistair Cooke refuses to exhaust himself describing all the presidential candidates.

First broadcast: 09 Jan 2004

over a year left to listen
The Problem with Sport

Alistair Cooke wonders what makes people favour athletic prowess over academic skill.

First broadcast: 02 Jan 2004

over a year left to listen
Pork Barrel Politics

Alistair Cooke examines how congressmen secure re-appointments during an election year.

First broadcast: 26 Dec 2003

over a year left to listen
Birth of a Christmas Fairy Tale

Charles Dickens’ Scrooge reminds Alistair Cooke of the uniting force of Christmas.

First broadcast: 19 Dec 2003

over a year left to listen
Looking for an Anniversary

An anniversary gets Alistair Cooke out from a sticky broadcasting situation.

First broadcast: 12 Dec 2003

over a year left to listen
Why the War Couldn't Wait

Alistair Cooke examines why it is so difficult to establish democracy in Iraq.

First broadcast: 05 Dec 2003

over a year left to listen
Healthy Eating

In light of new concerns about healthy eating, Alistair Cooke reflects on Thanksgiving.

First broadcast: 28 Nov 2003

over a year left to listen
Chinese Textile Tariffs

Alistair Cooke compares Chinese import tax with the great depression Smoot-Hawley Tariff.

First broadcast: 21 Nov 2003

over a year left to listen
The Appetite for War

Alistair Cooke examines how casualty numbers influences the public's appetite for war.

First broadcast: 14 Nov 2003

over a year left to listen
Social Lion and Remarkable Architect

Alistair Cooke celebrates the architectural achievements of Stanford White.

First broadcast: 07 Nov 2003

over a year left to listen
Towering Glass and Steel

Forty years on, Alistair Cooke examines the effect of destroying the Pennsylvania Station.

First broadcast: 31 Oct 2003

over a year left to listen
The Pledge of Allegiance

Alistair Cooke examines the Pledge of Allegiance and its role in a secular society.

First broadcast: 24 Oct 2003

over a year left to listen
Separated by Language

Alistair Cooke muses on curious linguistic differences between America and England.

First broadcast: 17 Oct 2003

over a year left to listen
The California Election

Alistair Cooke contemplates Arnold Schwarzenegger's role as governor.

First broadcast: 10 Oct 2003

over a year left to listen
I am a Jelly Doughnut

Alistair Cooke pays tribute to Robert Lochner and Alexander Butterfield.

First broadcast: 03 Oct 2003

over a year left to listen
Why it Costs so Much to Rebuild Iraq

Alistair Cooke asks why it is costing so much to rebuild Iraq.

First broadcast: 26 Sep 2003

over a year left to listen

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