In addition to being a much admired writer, Ann Patchett owns Parnassus Books in Nashville. “Because I own a bookstore, I get a copy of just about every book that comes out. It’s like being pelted to death with books,” she says. Patchett tells us about Meg Mason, her bookstore, and her father’s watch.

Movie and TV writer Andy Breckman, creator of “Monk,” shares his love for public radio, tells us about Ken Freedman and his place, his local movie theater. Tune in to hear Breckman’s stories and how he has a show on his public radio station.

Jelani Cobb is the dean of Columbia University’s school of journalism and a staff writer for “The New Yorker.” “When people ask what I think is the foundational institution of democracy, I always say: the public library.” Cobb tells us about David Levering Lewis and the Queens Public Library.

To be a great architect — or painter or poet or almost anything — do you need a great patron? Certainly that helps, but according to architects Sara Caples and Everardo Jefferson, you have to bring the talent and vision and invention. The conversation takes places at the Louis Armstrong Center, a building they designed.

Now what? Post-election ideas from political thinker Norman Ornstein astute about structural changes — size of congressional districts, term limits for Supreme Court justices — that can make our democracy more democratic.

Architect and urban planner Vishaan Chakrabarti strives to address broader problems in his designs—climate change, housing costs, income inequality—and to “create civic delight.” That word "delight" is seldom applied to the current Penn Station.

Betsy Barlow Rogers says of Central Park, “I live overlooking the park, and I’m blessed at this stage in life just to know that heaven is at my doorstep." In the 80s, Rogers served as Central Park Administrator, leading the effort to restore it to its current glory. “It’s a wonderful feeling,” she adds. Rogers tell us about Frederick Law Olmsted and of course, Central Park.

When Michael Roth was a student at Wesleyan University, he worked in the kitchen; today he’s Wesleyan's president. “When I walk into the kitchen, although I’m the old guy who used to work there, it’s like I’m the monarch coming in with his entourage. Even if I’m by myself, I feel like they’re looking at me suspiciously.”

Eddie Izzard is eager that her solo performance of Hamlet—yes, all the parts—be a pleasure accessible to everyone. “Shakespeare is presented to people these days as: this is good for you. I’ve heard the term ‘spinach theater.’” Izzard also talks to us about Shakespeare and Covent Garden.

A friend of author Richard Russo’s wife gave his novel “Empire Falls” to Ivanka Trump. Her response: “This is a book about poor people. Why would I want to read a book about poor people?” Russo tells us about his father, Martha’s Vineyard and green pens.