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Wisconsin Public Radio

AMERICAN CLASSIC

Program 06-04-30-B

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Two people, a house, a pitchfork, and a barn. It's hard to find a better-known American painting than Grant Wood's masterpiece "American Gothic." But just who are those grim people, and why do they have such a hold on the American psyche? In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, the history of an American classic. Also, a slice of emotion, patriotism and pride – we'll take a look at one of this country's most revered desserts - a cultural and culinary taste of apple pie.

SEGMENT 1:

Jeannette Walls is a famous gossip columnist in New York on MSNBC, but she's the child of hippies who lived a nomadic life in cars and abandoned buildings always one step ahead of their creditors. Walls tells the story in a memoir - "The Glass Castle" - and in this conversation with Steve Paulson.

SEGMENT 2:

Steven Biel is the Director of the History and Literature Program at Harvard University, and the author of "American Gothic." He talks with Jim Fleming about Grant Woods' iconic American painting: who the models were; how the painting's been received and why it's so often parodied. Also, Freakwater is an American country band. They're profiled by TTBOOK producer Veronica Rueckert. We hear lots of music from their new album, "Thinking of You."

SEGMENT 3:

John T. Edge is a food writer and the author of "Apple Pie: An American Story." He tells Steve Paulson the best pies use ugly, tasty, local apples and have a good crust. He think local variations are what makes pies special like the addition of green chiles in New Mexico.

CD copies are available at 1-800-747-7444. Ask for program number 06-04-30-B.

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Books:

• Steven Biel, American Gothic: A Life of America's Most Famous Painting (Norton; ISBN: 039305912X)
  
• John T. Edge, Apple Pie: An American Story (Putnam; ISBN: 0399152156)
  
• Jeanette Walls, The Glass Castle : A Memoir (Scribner; ISBN: 0743247531)
  

Music:

• -Scramble/ California Guitar Trio/ Pathways/ DGM
  
• -High Noon(Do Not Forsake Me)/ The Home Video Album/RCA Victor
• FREAKWATER
  -Ugly Man/ Freakwater/Old Paint/ Thrill Jockey
  -Cathy Ann/ Frakwater/ Thinking of You/ Thrill Jockey
  -So Strange/ Freakwater/ Thinking of You/ Thrill Jockey
  -Hi Ho Silver/ Freakwater/ Thinking of You/Thrill Jockey
• -Cannonball/ Duane Eddy/ Twang Thang/ Rhino
  

• -Hillbillies from Outer Space/ Vaughn Brothers/ Family Style

Distribution dates:

week of 05/06/2007 - hour 2 week of 04/30/2006 - hour 2

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Questions and comments can be addressed to: flemingj@wpr.org

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