This week, Ira spoke with Thom Shubilla, author of “James Bond And The Sixties Spy Craze.” In this spyproof episode of “Ira’s Everything Bagel,” Thom talks about his
fascination with spies and the sixties; why he didn’t want to write about it from a contemporary point of view; what Roger Moore originally thought of the idea of playing James Bond in films; why Ian Fleming is and remains the key “influencer” of our perceptions of spies; the surprising interest of President Kennedy in Fleming spy novels; how spy films and television series became a craze; and which James Bond movie kicked off the craze.
Noshing With Warren Kozak – March 7, 2024
(Photo by Shahar Azran)
This week, Ira spoke with Warren Kozak, author of “Waving Goodbye: Life After Loss.” In this coping episode of “Ira’s Everything Bagel,” Warren talks about the book he never ex-pected to write after his wife’s death; books on grief he was given that didn’t help; why this book is personal and practical; how, when his wife died, “my brain just went out to lunch”; why he kept a diary; the good news, how it gets better as time goes by; why he wrote the book in short chapters and short sentences; “time after Lisa”; why death is intertwined with religion; how his Judaism helped him cope with the death of his wife; why he is grateful to his boss; his relationship with his daughter; and how music affected him.
Noshing With Tom Tarantino – February 29, 2024
This week, Ira spoke with Tom Tarantino, author (along with Barbara Scott) of “Looking For Legends.” In this traveling episode of “Ira’s Everything Bagel,” Tom talks about how they both started on the road to travel; how they learned how to travel; some of the fascinating people they have met in their trips and why the book is about those people as well as the destinations; why they always tried to travel to the farthest places in the world and find a person who captured the spirit of each place; the most difficult thing about traveling; the 24-hour rule and why it expanded their horizons; the story of the Ghost Ranch; why they are “lookers”; traveling with a purpose; the importance of planning; and why you don’t need two weeks to enjoy a travel experience.
Noshing With Chris Blackhurst – February 22, 2024
This week, Ira spoke with Chris Blackhurst, author of “The World’s Biggest Cash Machine: Manchester United, the Glazers, and the Struggle for Football’s Soul.” In this kick off episode of “Ira’s Everything Bagel,” Chris talks about why football (soccer) is so important in Great Britain; how Malcolm Glazer played the long game and ended up owning Manchester United; Glazer’s determination to succeed; the reaction of the Manchester United fans who realized there was not a personal connection with the new owners; the record levels of debt after the purchase; why the fans want love for the club and to be able to buy the best players; the playing side and the commercial side of the team; how “tribal” sports writing is; and how he discovered that many Manchester United fans enjoy his book for the insight.