Letter from America

Broadcaster Alistair Cooke recounts tales from his observations on US life, a series which ran for several decades on the BBC

Radio 4,1477 episodes

Episodes

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The 1970s
1970s USA rediscovered through lost recordings of Alistair Cooke's Letter From America.
30 Mar 2014,120 mins
The atom bomb warning of 1939
How two refugees warned Roosevelt of the German nuclear threat.
19 Nov 2008,15 mins
Rudolph Valentino
The life of Rudolph Valentino (1895-1926).
05 Dec 2007,15 mins
Atlanta and Augusta
A history of the Augusta National Golf Club from its formation in 1777.
04 Dec 2007,15 mins
Kennedy's rocking chair
The secret ailments of President John F Kennedy.
03 Dec 2007,15 mins
How ice cream changed America
A profile of Reuben Mattus (1912-1994), the co-founder of Haagen-Dazs.
30 Nov 2007,15 mins
Groucho Marx and Bing Crosby
Profiles of entertainers Groucho Marx (1898-1977) and Bing Crosby (1903-1977).
29 Nov 2007,15 mins
Last Letter
Alistair Cooke's final letter considers the political impact of the Iraq war.
20 Feb 2004,15 mins
Alistair Cooke's Last Letter
In his last letter, Alistair Cooke examines Iraq’s influence on the Presidential Election.
20 Feb 2004,15 mins
How WWI turned slimming into a fashion
How slimming became fashionable during the food shortages of the First World War.
13 Feb 2004,15 mins
Encounters with Intelligence
Alistair Cooke remembers the time he was mistaken for a spy during World War II.
06 Feb 2004,15 mins
Was Saddam a Threat or Not?
Alistair Cooke discusses the resignation of the US chief weapons inspector, Dr David Kay.
30 Jan 2004,15 mins
The Day of the GP is Over
Alistair Cooke remembers when doctors used to make house calls.
23 Jan 2004,15 mins
Temperatures Drop
Alistair Cooke remembers a Palm Beach winter, as Arctic weather hits the northern states.
16 Jan 2004,15 mins
Not Worth Talking About
Alistair Cooke refuses to exhaust himself describing all the presidential candidates.
09 Jan 2004,15 mins
The Problem with Sport
Alistair Cooke wonders what makes people favour athletic prowess over academic skill.
02 Jan 2004,15 mins
Pork Barrel Politics
Alistair Cooke examines how congressmen secure re-appointments during an election year.
26 Dec 2003,15 mins
Birth of a Christmas Fairy Tale
Charles Dickens’ Scrooge reminds Alistair Cooke of the uniting force of Christmas.
19 Dec 2003,15 mins
Looking for an Anniversary
An anniversary gets Alistair Cooke out from a sticky broadcasting situation.
12 Dec 2003,15 mins
Why the War Couldn't Wait
Alistair Cooke examines why it is so difficult to establish democracy in Iraq.
05 Dec 2003,15 mins
Healthy Eating
In light of new concerns about healthy eating, Alistair Cooke reflects on Thanksgiving.
28 Nov 2003,15 mins
Chinese Textile Tariffs
Alistair Cooke compares Chinese import tax with the great depression Smoot-Hawley Tariff.
21 Nov 2003,15 mins
The Appetite for War
Alistair Cooke examines how casualty numbers influences the public's appetite for war.
14 Nov 2003,15 mins
Social Lion and Remarkable Architect
Alistair Cooke celebrates the architectural achievements of Stanford White.
07 Nov 2003,15 mins
Towering Glass and Steel
Forty years on, Alistair Cooke examines the effect of destroying the Pennsylvania Station.
31 Oct 2003,15 mins
The Pledge of Allegiance
Alistair Cooke examines the Pledge of Allegiance and its role in a secular society.
24 Oct 2003,15 mins
Separated by Language
Alistair Cooke muses on curious linguistic differences between America and England.
17 Oct 2003,15 mins
The California Election
Alistair Cooke contemplates Arnold Schwarzenegger's role as governor.
10 Oct 2003,15 mins
I am a Jelly Doughnut
Alistair Cooke pays tribute to Robert Lochner and Alexander Butterfield.
03 Oct 2003,15 mins
Why it Costs so Much to Rebuild Iraq
Alistair Cooke asks why it is costing so much to rebuild Iraq.
26 Sep 2003,15 mins