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Letter from America by Alistair CookeEpisodes

  1. The 1970s

    1970s USA rediscovered through lost recordings of Alistair Cooke's Letter From America.

  2. America's problem with gun ownership

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

  3. The atom bomb warning of 1939

    How two refugees warned Roosevelt of the German nuclear threat.

  4. Rudolph Valentino

    The life of Rudolph Valentino (1895-1926).

  5. Atlanta and Augusta

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

  6. Kennedy's rocking chair

    The secret ailments of President John F Kennedy.

  7. How ice cream changed America

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

  8. Groucho Marx and Bing Crosby

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

  9. The Messiah at Christmas

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

  10. Alistair Cooke's Last Letter

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

  11. How WWI turned slimming into a fashion

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

  12. Encounters with Intelligence

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

  13. Was Saddam a Threat or Not?

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

  14. The Day of the GP is Over

    Alistair Cooke remembers when doctors used to make house calls.

  15. Temperatures Drop

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

  16. Not Worth Talking About

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

  17. The Problem with Sport

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

  18. Pork Barrel Politics

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

  19. Birth of a Christmas Fairy Tale

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

  20. Looking for an Anniversary

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

  21. Why the War Couldn't Wait

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

  22. Healthy Eating

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

  23. Chinese Textile Tariffs

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

  24. The Appetite for War

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

  25. Social Lion and Remarkable Architect

    Alistair Cooke celebrates the architectural achievements of Stanford White.

  26. Towering Glass and Steel

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

  27. The Pledge of Allegiance

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

  28. Separated by Language

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

  29. The California Election

    Alistair Cooke contemplates Arnold Schwarzenegger's role as governor.

  30. I am a Jelly Doughnut

    Alistair Cooke pays tribute to Robert Lochner and Alexander Butterfield.

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