Karen Grassle: Bright Lights, Prairie Dust

07/21/23 • 53 min

Fans may know her best for her portrayal of “Ma” on the popular television series Little House on the Prairie, but Karen Grassle has also had a far-reaching career in theater and film as well. In her new memoir, "Bright Lights, Prairie Dust: Reflections on Life, Loss, and Love from Little House's Ma," she recounts with surprising candor and humor how she faced challenges off-screen, including a battle with alcoholism, and how she found her way to the other side. She joins us this week to discuss her extraordinary journey. https://karengrassle.net

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A Conversation With Jazz Icon Herb Alpert

At the age of eight, Herb Alpert was drawn to the trumpet in a music appreciation class in his elementary school. He went on to master the instrument, earning numerous awards along the way. He recorded his first hit song, "The Lonely Bull" in 1962. Since then, he has earned five #1 hits, 9 GRAMMY® Awards, 15 Gold albums, 14 Platinum albums and he has sold over 72 million records. He also started one of the most successful independent record labels in music history, A & M Records. He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and named as one of the Grammy Museum’s ”Icons of the Music Industry” He joins us this week on Watching America to discuss his extraordinary career. https://herbalpert.com

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From Memory to Manuscript: Ruta Sepetys Explores How To Unlock The Stories Within You

Born as the daughter of a Lithuanian refugee, best-selling author Ruta Sepetys has harnessed the power of story to highlight the lives of those who would otherwise become lost in the cracks of history. Her impact goes far beyond the pages of her novels. She was honored by the President of Lithuania for her contributions to education and memory preservation. And she has received her own commemorative postage stamp. She says she is extremely proud of her Baltic heritage, even if that means she has a name no one can pronounce. (Incidentally, it rhymes with spaghettis.) Though she is best known for historical novels, after numerous requests from readers about how one would go about recording their own history, she has turned her pen to non-fiction. Her new book: "You: the Story: - A Writer’s Guide to Craft Through Memory" provides aspiring writers with a roadmap to crafting compelling stories by encouraging them to look inward and excavate their own memories. This week on Watching America, she joins host Dr. Alan Campbell to explore the power of history, story, and self-reflection. https://rutasepetys.com