Midday on WNYC

New York Times columnist and reporter Nick Bilton tells the story behind Twitter, a drama of betrayed friendships and power struggles, as the founders went from engineers to wealthy celebrities. Hatching Twitter: A True Story of Money, Power, Friendship, and Betrayal tells how, as Twitter grew, the four founders fought bitterly for money, influence, publicity, and control over a company that grows larger and more powerful by the day. 

Amy Tan discusses her latest novel, The Valley of Amazement. It spans more than 40 years and two continents, and resurrects pivotal episodes in history: from the collapse of China’s last imperial dynasty to the rise of the Republic, the explosive growth of lucrative foreign trade and anti-foreign sentiment to the inner workings of courtesan houses and the lives of foreign  “Shanghailanders," both erased by World War II.

Gemma Tarlach, senior associate editor of Discover magazine, discusses the top 10 science stories of 2013, from new signs of life on Mars to the clash between technology and privacy.

Brett Haylock, Ursula Martinez, and Le Gateau Chocolat, on their show, “La Soiree,” a hybrid of sideshow, vaudeville, and burlesque. “La Soiree” is playing at the Union Square Theatre.

Filmmaker Alex Gibney talks about his Oscar-shortlisted documentary, “The Armstrong Lie.” Throughout 2009, he followed Lance Armstrong on his celebrated comeback to professional cycling. The film looks at the doping revelations and how Armstrong could so effectively promote and protect such an elaborate lie.

Gerard Lordahl, Director, Open Space Greening Program at GrowNYC, answers questions about caring for plants and gardens over the winter! Leave a question for Gerard! Or call us during the segment at 212-433-9692!

Linguistics expert David Crystal looks at 100 words that best illustrate the wide variety of sources, influences and events that have shaped the English language. The Story of English in 100 Words takes readers on a tour of the winding byways of our language via the rude, the obscure, and the downright surprising.  

Maxwell Ryan, CEO and founder of Apartment Therapy, gives advice and answers questions about how to get organized for the new year. From cleaning out closets and clearing clutter, from financial files to the tangle of wires behind your television and stereo.

New Yorker staff writer Ian Frazier and Mary Brosnahan, president of Coalition for the Homeless, discuss why New York has more homeless now than it had for decades, what life is like for many of the homeless families in the city, and what the new mayor should do to address the problem. Frazier’s article “Hidden City” appeared in the October 28 issue of The New Yorker.

Russell Banks discusses his new collection of short stories, A Permanent Member of the Family. The 12 stories in the collection examine the ways we try—and sometimes fail—to connect with one another. Banks looks at the families we make for ourselves and the ones we're born into.

Larry Tye tells the history of Superman, who after 75 years remains one of America’s most enduring heroes. In Superman: The High-Flying History of America’s Most Enduring Hero, Tye looks at the history of the Man of Steel and also of the creators, designers, owners, and performers who made him the icon he is today.

Major League pitcher Dwight Gooden talks about his memoir of his talent, addiction, and recovery. In Doc, the Mets’ beloved Dr. K shares the intimate details of his life and career, revealing all the extraordinary highs and lows: The hidden traumas in his family; the thrill and pressure of being a young baseball phenom in New York; his self-destructive drug binges; and his three World Series rings.

Leonard Lopate hosts his annual Gospel Christmas special, with favorite songs from gospel greats like Mahalia Jackson, Marion Williams, Edna Gallmon Cook, and Alex Bradford, and others. Billboard: Joy to the World, Marion Williams. Album: If We Ever Needed the Lord Before 1. When Was Jesus Born, Marion Williams & Stars of Faith. Album: O Holy Night 2. Great Day in December, Swan Silvertones. Album: Saviour Pass Me Not 3. No Room at the Hotel,The Chosen Gospel Singers. Album: The Lifeboat 4. No Room at the Inn, Mahalia Jackson. Album: Mahalia Sings Songs of Christmas 5. Poor Little Jesus Boy, Mattie Williams. Album: Black Nativity, Gospel on Broadway! 6. The Holy Babe, Mahalia Jackson. Album: Mahalia Sings Songs of Christmas) 7. Angels from the Realms of Glory, Edna Gallmon Cooke. Album: Mme Edna Gallmon Cooke & Doris Akers 8. Christ Is Born, Marion Williams and Alex Bradford. Album: Black Nativity, Gospel on Broadway! 9. Go Tell It on the Mountain, Mahalia Jackson. Album: Apollo Sessions 10. Silent Night, Holy Night, Mahalia Jackson. Album: Silent Night: Gospel Christmas with Mahalia Jackson 11. God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman, Marion Williams. Album: Through Many Dangers 12. Mary, Mary, What You Gonna Name that Pretty Little Baby? Frances Steadman and Marion Williams. Album: Black Nativity, Gospel on Broadway! 13. O Come All Ye Faithful, Mahalia Jackson. Album: Mahalia Sings Songs of Christmas 14. No Room at the Inn, Staples Singers. Album: The 25th Day of December 15. All Hail the Power, Marion Williams. Single 16: No Room at the Inn, Marion Williams. Album: O Holy Night

Benjamin Franklin, who wrote more letters to his sister than he wrote to anyone else, was the original American self-made man; his sister spent her life caring for her 12 children. Historian Jill Lepore shows that Benjamin Franklin’s youngest sister was, like her brother, a passionate reader, a gifted writer, and an astonishingly shrewd political commentator. Book of Ages: The Life and Opinions of Jane Franklin brings Jane Franklin to life in a way that illuminates not only one woman but an entire world.

Frank Dikötter chronicles Mao Zedong’s ascension and his campaign to transform the Chinese into what the party called New People. Due to the secrecy surrounding the country’s records, little has been known before now about the eight years preceding the massive famine and Great Leap Forward. In The Tragedy of Liberation: A History of the Chinese Revolution 1945-1957, Dikötter draws on hundreds of previously classified documents, secret police reports, unexpurgated versions of leadership speeches, eyewitness accounts of those who survived to reveal the horrific policies they implemented in the name of progress.