I think it is (Danny's writing this) - especially when the author is my co-host, David K. Shipler. Dave's new novel, The Interpreter, takes us into the rice paddies and twisting alleys of Vietnam, right after US troops fled the war there in 1973. But Dave explores provocative issues that would resonate in Iraq or Afghanistan or any other country where interpreters play a crucial role for Americans. David Ignatius, the acclaimed associate editor and columnist of the The Washington Post, reviews it like this: "Shipler captures the awful truth that every correspondent knows - that we are unworthy of the brave men and women who act as our translators and ‘fixers,’ the solitary heroes living between two languages and cultures but refusing to take sides." Dave's novel raises provocative questions, sure, but some of my favorite parts are like Vietnam travelogs, painting images of streets pulsing with motorbikes piled with families, chickens and guavas; lush jungles and spidery canals; and Vietnam's foul-smelling but magical-tasting fish sauce.

Two Israeli educators argue, with evidence to back them up, that Israel's schools have indoctrinated people over the decades to detest and mistrust Palestinians - and to be primed to fight them (Palestinian schools have done a similar job poisoning their own students against Israelis). Daniel Bar-Tal and Nimrod Tal are convinced that revamping the curriculum could help change Israelis' mindsets, and make them more open to working toward peace. Wait until you hear how Nimrod taught teachers-in-training last year about distressing, little-known aspects of Israel's history - and how that opened their hearts (at least a bit) to Palestinians.

AI recreations of real people, which clone their faces, distinctive voices and all, have become so convincing that even top computer specialists are finding it hard to tell the difference between fakery and reality. Creative "deep fakes" aren't all bad - they can bring dead artists and historical figures alive, to energize museums and schools - but most uses so far have been evil: Think fake pornographic videos of your sister or daughter, or scams that bilk people out of millions of dollars. Our guest, law professor Danielle Citron at the University of Virginia, has been advising companies and government officials on how to protect the public from the terrible harm that deep fakes can cause, but executives like Elon Musk don't want to listen. Her worst fears haven't come true yet - such as a deep fake that changes an election or triggers a war - but it's hard not to expect them.