Episode 161: Building a Great Museum - Founding CEO Tracks Evolution of National WWII Museum

12/21/23 • 60 min

Gordon “Nick” Mueller once had a conversation with Stephen Ambrose, a history professor colleague at the University of New Orleans. What Ambrose had to say would make history itself. He proposed a project to build a museum focused on the Normandy D-Day invasions. Taking advantage of the university’s lakefront location – which would be used to test the Higgins landing boats used in the invasion – plus Ambrose’s volumes of interviews on the war, the idea seemed like a natural. From that day, Mueller’s career took a new track toward his own landing as the founding President and CEO of what would eventually be called The National World War II Museum.

Now regarded as one of the nation’s best museums and ranking high in attendance, the museum project that Ambrose envisioned, like the Normandy invasion, was a success tough with a heavy drama an obstacles along the way.

Mueller joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about the war and the new book he co-authored, along with research historian Kali Matin Schick, entitled “Building the National WWII Museum.”

There are lots of stories in the interview including that of Ambrose’s reaction the first time he saw a personal screening of his book, “Saving Private Ryan” having been made into a movie.

There are lots of stories in the interview including that of Ambrose’s reaction the first time he saw a personal screening of his book, “Saving Private Ryan” having been made into a movie.

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Episode 160: Exploring Louisiana's Literary Scene

Louisiana has a rich literary history. All authors conduct interviews as part of their craft, but only one wondered what it would be like to interview a vampire. As another Louisiana author, Kate Chopin, might have said about Anne Rice’s vampire book, it was an awakening.

Peggy Scott Laborde, a producer and documentary maker for public television station WYES tv in New Orleans joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk about her latest documentary, “Literary New Orleans.” The program opens the book on some of the best works from the Louisiana literary scene. We will also hear about why Tennessee Williams changed the name of the play he was working on from “The Poker Night” to “Streetcar named Desire.”

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Episode 162: Stanley Dry - A Legacy of Food Writing

Arguably, no one knows Louisiana food better than Stanley Dry. Having served 21 years of writing the food column for Louisiana Life – as well as having been a contributor to national publications including Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, The New York Times and the Times’ Book review – Dry, who is retiring from writing, also provided the recipes for a published Louisiana Life recipe collection, “The Essential Louisiana Cookbook. ” He joined Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to talk food and recipes of many types including his favorites in several categories.

It is an engaging interview that covers his experiences at table sides and in his own kitchen and gardens, plus he revels his favorite Louisiana themed dinner. Listen closely and you can hear about his top choice fish dish and a surprise ingredient for crawfish boil.