I've seen TV stories about it and even seen the Bond film that featured the Ice Hotel, but this piece is the first time I've actually got to FEEL what it might be like to go there. Producer Bill Hammack is an engineer who talks every week about all the buildings and things around us we take for granted and tells us stories about them. Sound boring? Think again. Mr. Hammack is a born storyteller and a natural on radio. The tour of the Ice Hotel is filled with sound, music, interviews and his insightful commentary and description. From the flight to Sweden through the arrival to the hotel with frozen chocolates on the pillow to the trip to the Northern Lights to the interview with the architect, this piece is a delight. Why we haven't heard more from him is a mystery to me. Stations would do well to air this piece in the summer when we're sweltering with heat exhaustion. Think of it as a radio cooler. Let's hope that more episodes of Mr. Hammack's programs appear on this site....Dmae

Meena Alexander is worthy of a whole hour about her writing and her thoughts. But this piece isn't as successful as I'd like it to be. It has everything going for it...high production values, thoughtful interviews with Ms. Alexander and her students, captivating dramatic readings from "Fault Lines" -- the focus of this piece.

These elements give an intimate, earnest and personal approach to profiling this intriguing writer. What detracts from the delicate offerings is the use of a distant narrator. I would have preferred more interviews from Ms. Alexander and perhaps no narration or at least a reporter who could add to the mood and style of the piece rather than detract.

Having said that, I do think stations should seriously consider pairing this with other 14-15 minute pieces to create an hour special that could deal with literature, Asian issues, commemoration of 9/11, women's topics--the piece could fit several themes. Producers Laura Jackson and Betsy Morgan are to be commended for producing this thoughtful piece. I want to hear more from them. Just with a different narrator or none at all....Dmae

This sounds like an interesting experiment that's not quite ready for air. I love the idea of having a commentary that sounds like a monologue. But the producer is being much too kind in assessing the quality of the delivery. At times they hit it right on the mark and it sounds like you're hearing an edited piece made from an interview. But most of the time it sounds like someone reading out-loud off a sheet of paper. In terms of content, I would have liked to have heard more about the feelings and emotions of this woman. This could almost have been done in the third person.

This is a totally non-verbal, charming piece of sound--a steady crescendo from one 'peep' to a climax of many and then back down to one. I loved it! I would like to be able to loop it and play it in my office during certain times of day. It is very calming (though mildly irritating at its height, which doesn't last long). I think it would be a great relief from the standard music pieces that are played between segments on public radio.

THe part of this piece that captures my attention is how the illness turned the mother into an open person, how she likes sex better etc. I would like to have heard more about that and what the world is like for her mother now that she is "open", not so much about the story of how the illness struck. I also wanted more about the relationship between the daughter and the mother and how it changed. That would make it a stronger piece. THe part at the end about not worrying about work or cellphones, I found, was a bit cliched.

Good story, fits anywhere, talking about haircuts or not. Maybe use on April Fool's Day, but as a true story (fun to play with listeners like that... pick the true story).

Ahh. It's great to have Ian back. I really missed him. This peace is really funny and reminds me of some of my favorite pieces from the I Gotta Go anthology.

Having listend to this and a few others on the site I'd say they're read slightly too fast, even compared with classic Ian.

The interviewer does a bad job of asking questions. They are a bit long, are leading, and insert the interviewers personal opinions.

Producing a piece about brain aneurysms and dying mothers can make for some pretty bummer radio. Thankfully, this piece avoids all those pitfalls without getting sappy.

This is an unusual story with lots of unexpected little twists, often producing a lot of unanticipated (yet very human) moments of humor. Listen, and you to may believe that heaven is being a vegetable farmer in Vietnam (you have to listen to get that joke).

The piece is a bit too long, but some fantastic interview clips with her mother (who did survive) keep things moving. The only distractions are some occasional sounds effects (ambulance noise, hospital monitor beeps). These are so unnecessary. Since these are not authentic sounds recorded at the time of the events, they are superfluous. The story is so strong that they aren’t needed.

For stations, the piece would make a nice drop-in for a variety of magazine-style programs. A possible connection would be Mother's Day. The piece has an intro and outro that are better read by the local host.

There is nothing not to like here. The interviews are fun and insightful, great characters everywhere. Intriguing settings -- I'm particularly fond of the slightly out-of-tune piano and the behind-the-scenes at the Met stuff. My only complaint is that the program itself is Wagnerian as defined at the end: knowing the task is impossible, the Valiant Producers still pursued this particular grail (oops! wrong opera!). In sum, Bravo!