Books and More with William Cooper

The Spending Power: We discuss how the constitution works with respect to federal spending and why, today, it's not working. Highlights include the recent opinion from the high court striking down Trump's tariffs and his efforts to impound congressionally authorized funds intended for universities.
DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY.
will-cooper.com

Dr. Barsouk's book shares the latest research on the many risk factors behind our young adult cancer epidemic including obesity, microplastics, ultra-processed foods, pollution, radiation and more.
https://www.adambarsouk.com/

How The Constitution Works ... And Why It Doesn't, with Pulitzer prize-winning legal historian Edward Larson.
 
DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY
will-cooper.com

We discuss his new book, A Four-Eyed World: How Glasses Changed the Way We See
https://davidkdunaway.com/
A Four-Eyed World: How Glasses Changed the Way We See is the first book to investigate the experience of wearing glasses and contacts and their role in culture. David King Dunaway encourages readers to take a look at how they literally see the world through what they wear. He explores everything from the history of deficient eyesight and how glasses are made to portrayals of those who wear glasses in media, the stigma surrounding them, and the future of augmented and virtual reality glasses, highlighting how glasses have shaped, and continue to shape, who we are. Interwoven is Dunaway's own experience of spending a week without his glasses, which he has used since childhood, to see the world around him and his newfound appreciation for his visual aids.

We discuss her hit new book, featured on NPR's Fresh Air, DIZZY.
A medical mystery and a cautionary tale about our broken-down system, DIZZY is a memoir about perseverance in pursuit of answers, of learning to live with life’s uncertainty, and the struggle to find joy in an imperfect but beautiful world. 
"An arresting new memoir."-Maureen Corrigan NPR's Fresh Air
https://www.rachelweaver.net/
https://www.npr.org/2026/02/09/nx-s1-5704301/dizzy-book-review-rachel-weaver

A delightful discussion with Gina about her new book, Scatman: The Remarkable Story of the World’s Unlikeliest Popstar.
https://ginawaggott.com/
You know the songs. You won’t believe the story.
The incredible, untold journey of John “Scatman” Larkin — from a broken child silenced by abuse, trauma, and stuttering, to a man who found his voice in jazz, lost himself to addiction, and ultimately reclaimed it all through music.

A longtime international correspondent, Amos spent much of her award-winning career at National Public Radio. Her reporting on the Middle East and refugees in the U.S. regularly featured on NPR’s Morning Edition, Weekend Edition, and All Things Considered. We discuss it in depth.
She recently covered the Syrian and Iraqi refugee crises, the economy in the Middle East, and the Arab youth surge. Previously she reported for ABC’s Nightline and PBS’s Frontline.
Amos is the author of two books: Eclipse of the Sunnis: Power, Exile, and Upheaval in the Middle East, and Lines in the Sand: Desert Storm and the Remaking of the Arab World. She has won several major journalism honors, including a Courage in Journalism Award from the International Women’s Media Foundation, a George Foster Peabody Award, an Edward R. Murrow Lifetime Achievement Award, and an Emmy.
https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/deborah-amos/eclipse-of-the-sunnis/9781586488543/?lens=publicaffairs
https://journalism.princeton.edu/people/deborah-amos-2018/

We discuss her new book, Chasing Nirvana: A Seeker's Story of Love, Loss, and Liberation.
https://www.priyahutner.com/
Raised under the spell of a charismatic female guru from Brooklyn, Priya Hutner grew up in a world of bizarre rituals, spiritual promises, and suffocating control. In this gripping memoir, she recounts her epic adventure to attain enlightenment and a daring quest to escape a cult-like community, reclaim her voice, and discover that true freedom comes from within.   
 

As we discuss, Anxiety Rx by Dr. Russell Kennedy is a book that offers a holistic, body-based approach to healing anxiety, arguing it originates in stored trauma in the body, not just the mind. Drawing from his own experience, Kennedy combines neuroscience, psychology, and somatic (body-focused) practices to help readers release "background alarm" and heal old wounds, moving beyond traditional talk therapy by addressing the physical sensations of anxiety. The book provides practical techniques to change both your "mindset" and "body-set" for lasting relief. 
https://www.dr-russ.com/

A delightful conversation with Pamela Paul, a writer at large for The Wall Street Journal. She was previously an Opinion columnist for The New York Times, where she also spent nine years as the editor of The New York Times Book Review and oversaw all books coverage at The New York Times. She is the former host of the weekly Book Review podcast for The Times. She is the author and editor of ten books. Visit her online at www.pamelapaul.com.