Darryl C. Murphy

Host

Host of WBUR's news and culture podcast The Common

Talking symphony strings for the season of spring with Lloyd Schwartz

WBUR contributing arts critic Lloyd Schwartz joins The Common to discuss classical music.

Lloyd, who is Somerville's poet laureate, a 1994 Pulitzer Prize winner and Fresh Air's classical music critic, also shared recommendations from his latest guide to Greater Boston classical events on offer this spring.

Here are some of his picks:

You can read the rest of Lloyd's recommendations, as well as more WBUR arts guides which include theater, film and dance here.

Dorchester bookstore is one of several new establishments offering a 'third place'

When you walk in the doors of justBook-Ish in Fields Corner, it is immediately clear that it is more than just a bookshop. The space invites patrons to stay for a while. There is a bar with a menu of snacks and non-alcoholic drinks. Visitors can take a seat at the communal table and chairs, or snuggle up in one of several window reading nooks.

JustBook-Ish was founded by Porsha Olayiwola, who is a former Boston Poet Laureate, and Bing Broderick, who previously served as the executive director a...

A look inside a lab studying fire in Worcester

Albert Simeoni has dedicated his life to fighting wildfires. While studying for his doctorate in mechanical engineering, he wanted to experience fighting the fires he was researching.

So he became a firefighter in Corsica, France, and real-life experience hit him fast — like the time he inhaled too much smoke.

“I laid down on the road because I couldn’t take it anymore,” he recalled.

Or the time he was trapped in a wildfire inside a canyon, and didn’t know if he would make it out alive.

“I h...

Author on John Lewis's legacy and the split within the civil rights movement

WBUR's Darryl C. Murphy sat down with Historian, Author and Newton-native David Greenberg to discuss his latest biography "John Lewis: A Life." The book offers a deep look into the life of the Late John Lewis. The iconic civil rights activist eventually became one of the most revered politicians of his time.

This conversation originally took place at WBUR's CitySpace in November 2024. You can watch the full live discussion below.

For the first time, Boston residents get some say in how public money is spent

If you had $2 million to invest in your community, how would you spend it?

If you’re a resident of Boston, you have until Feb. 15 to cast your vote in Boston’s first city-wide participatory budget.

Participatory budgeting is when residents come together to collectively decide how to spend public dollars. Bostonians can vote for up to five projects from a list of 14 ideas proposed by fellow residents.

Kendra Patterson is a steering committee member of the Better Budget Alliance, a local coalit...

New England’s fishing industry is struggling to keep up with fast-moving climate change

The seafood industry in New England generates more than $20 billion in sales each year and employs more than a quarter million people. But WBUR’s climate and environment correspondent Barbara Moran found it’s not moving fast enough to meet the challenges of climate change, and a new Trump presidency could make things more complicated.

This story was produced as part of the Pulitzer Center's StoryReach U.S. Fellowship with additional reporting from Columbia University’s Duh Linh Tu.

'Window-dressing' Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy and how we got here

President-elect Donald Trump will take over the Oval Office once again on Monday. Trump's second inauguration also happens to fall on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

We saw this as an opportunity to examine how the day intended to honor Dr. King's legacy first came to be. WBUR's The Common spoke to Donathan Brown, vice provost for faculty diversity at Northeastern University and co-editor of "Dream and Legacy: Revisiting King in a Post Civil Rights Era," about where we fall short in our collective...

Boston chefs say neurodiversity can be a superpower in the kitchen

Boston Globe's food reporter Kara Baskin spoke to multiple local chefs and restaurateurs who struggled with ADHD and dyslexia in school but thrive in the restaurant industry. They said their differences are their superpower.

Darryl C. Murphy spoke with Baskin and Dan Bazzinotti, head chef at Boston’s Blue Ribbon Restaurants and instructor at Johnson & Wales University, for Radio Boston about why the industry supported him in a way the traditional education system never did.
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New year, new goals, new can't-miss events

What do a "rage room," a thought-provoking play, and sandwich recipes of yesteryear have in common? They're all recommendations from Candice Springer, assistant director of WBUR CitySpace, for kicking off 2025.

Candice joins Darryl to discuss these events and experiences, as well as share personal goals for the new year that just might inspire some of your own.

"You can go in, you can suit up, and you can smash the heck out of things," Candice Springer says of this "rage room" in Fitchburg. Bu...
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New biography on hip-hop legend MF DOOM shines light on Boston influence

MF DOOM was a legendary emcee known for wearing a mask and keeping a distance from fame in a genre where artists usually embrace the spotlight.

DOOM passed away in 2020, but his life is documented in a biography recently released called The Chronicles of DOOM: Unraveling Hip-hop’s Masked Iconoclast. In the book, Writer and journalist S.H. Fernando Jr aka SKIZZ sheds light on DOOM’s story, which includes his time spent right here in Boston.

Today on The Common, Darryl's conversation with SKIZZ...
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Cozy up with a movie or comic book this December

It's been a minute, but Candice Springer, assistant director for WBUR CitySpace, is back to give you the low down on what's happening in the city this December.

After a quick recap of the biggest musical movie event of the year ("Wicked"), here's what Candice recommends:

Now in its 15th year, MICE is New England's longest-running independent comics expo. At this totally free event there is something for everyone: workshops for artists of all levels, panel discussions and, of course, a marketpl...
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A closer look at abortion care

When a 2022 Supreme Court ruling ended nationwide protection for abortion access, Massachusetts abortion rights advocates predicted an influx of people from out of state seeking abortions.

Now, WBUR's Martha Bebinger found the number of people who obtained abortion care from Massachusetts providers was up at least 37% in 2023. The increase was mostly driven by patients from outside the state.

Today on The Common, Martha and Dr. Angel Foster, co-founder of Cambridge Reproductive Health Consulta...
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How a second Trump presidency could impact Massachusetts

It's been a little over a week since President-elect Donald Trump won a second term in office over Vice President Kamala Harris. Regardless of how you feel about it, another Trump presidency is almost certain to leave a lasting impression on our political reality, including here in deep-blue Massachusetts.

Today on The Common, WBUR Senior Politics Reporter, Anthony Brooks and WBUR State House Reporter, Walter Wuthmann, join us to discuss reactions since the election and look ahead to what the r...
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As other newspapers demur, why the Boston Globe is making endorsements

Less than a week after the Washington Post announced it would not endorse a candidate for president this year, the newspaper has lost more than a quarter million subscribers.

Over that same time period, the Boston Globe has reportedly experienced "exponential" subscriber growth.

Jim Dao, editor of the Globe's editorial page, joins Radio Boston to discuss why his page endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential race, and made endorsements in a host of down-ballot contests.
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Don't be spooked by this election's BOO-llot questions

Happy Halloween! We wish you safe and spooky celebrations this week. That said, Tuesday, November 5th is the 2024 general election. And there is nothing scarier than getting to the polls unprepared.

Five statewide ballot questions are before voters this November, and frighteningly, there are quite a few misconceptions about them.

Evan Horowitz, director of The Center for State Policy Analysis at Tufts University, joins us in breaking down each question and outlines what is being asked of voter...
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New biography on hip-hop legend MF DOOM shines light on Boston influence

Four years ago, on Halloween day, one of hip-hop’s most revered artists died.

His name was Daniel Dumile but he went by the stage name MF DOOM. The British-American rapper wore a mask that became synonymous with his legacy. His lyrics were both complex and conversational, and his persona was that of a beloved supervillain.

WBUR's Radio Boston spoke to S.H. Fernando Jr. — also known as SKIZ — who wrote a new biography on MF DOOM. Boston journalist, historian and author Dart Adams also joined to...
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Is the Mass. hospital system prepared to deal with extreme weather caused by climate change?

Hospitals around the country are still in need of IV fluids after Hurricane Helene damaged a manufacturing facility in North Carolina that produces about 60% of the vital solution nationwide. The Category 4 hurricane killed more than 200 people across North Carolina and other states, and it caused billions of dollars in damages.

Mass General Brigham buys its IV fluids fromBaxter International Inc, which operates the damaged facility. Last week, the hospital system had to reschedule elective sur...
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