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What’s on your Five Foot Shelf?

One hundred years ago saw the publication of Charles Eliot’s Five Foot Shelf. But what books from the last 100 years, fiction or non-fiction, have now earned a slot alongside them? >>>Join the discussion

Add to the five-foot shelf

One hundred years ago, Harvard President Charles Eliot declared that all the books you need for a complete liberal arts education could fit on a five-foot shelf. Last week, we asked listeners to come up with some updates. Anchor Jeb Sharp reads a couple of the suggestions. We’ll reveal more on Friday. Listen

Join the discussion: Which books would you like to see on the Five Foot Shelf?

Adding to the Five Foot Shelf

100 years ago, the President of Harvard University claimed you could get a solid liberal education by reading a certain collection of books that would fit on a five-foot shelf. What’s been added to – or taken off – that shelf since? Anchor Jeb Sharp finds out. Listen Which books would you like to see [...]

Are you concerned about the drug war in Mexico?

Mexico’s drug cartels are stepping up the violence. Recently senior police officers, members of their families and a judge have been assassinated in broad daylight. Do you fear this might spill over into the United States? What should Washington do about it?

How do you define peace?

Is it merely the absence of war? How do the personal and political meanings of peace relate to each other?

What are your favorite books about the Middle East?

Do you have a ‘must read’ tip? Do you prefer novels over non-fiction?

What are you doing to reduce your carbon footprint?

How would you reform the immigration system?

How would you overcome America’s dependency on foreign oil?

President Obama has called for the U.S. to become energy independent, saying its reliance on foreign oil and global warming posed threats. Outlining his energy priorities, he said the country would not be held “hostage to dwindling resources, hostile regimes, and a warming planet”.

Swine Flu: What precautions, if any, are you taking?

What questions do you have about swine flu that aren’t being answered? Do you have a swine-flu related experience you’d like to share? We’d like to hear from you. Post your questions and experiences here. What precautions are you taking against swine flu? What do you think the US government should be doing to control [...]

What piece of jargon would you like to see thrown into the linguistic trash can?

An association of local government leaders in Britain has compiled a list of banned jargon. These are words and phrases that the association says must be avoided in order to “communicate effectively”.