Getting Unstuck – Cultivating Curiosity

Guest Robert M. Edsel is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of five non-fiction books, including Rescuing da Vinci, Saving Italy, and The Monuments Men, which served as the basis for Academy Award recipient George Clooney's 2014 film. His most recent book, Remember Us: American Sacrifice, Dutch Freedom, and a Forever Promise Forged in World War II, was hailed by historian Donald L. Miller as "one of the outstanding works of our time." Mr. Edsel is also the Founder and Chairman of the Monuments Men and Women Foundation, a recipient of the National Humanities Medal, awarded by President George W. Bush. In 2025, coinciding with the release of Remember Us, the Foundation launched The Forever Promise Project to connect American families of fallen service members buried at the Netherlands American Cemetery with the Dutch adopters who have honored their loved ones' graves for generations, continuing Mr. Edsel's commitment to honoring the service and sacrifice of American veterans. Summary In this episode of Getting Unstuck: Cultivating Curiosity, Robert discusses his book Remember Us, which explores the history of the powerful relationship between American sacrifice and Dutch gratitude during and after World War II. Ordinary people can make an extraordinary difference. In the Netherlands, local residents created a grave adoption program to honor American service members who died liberating their country. Within 14 months, volunteers had adopted all 18,000 graves, promising to remember the fallen as their own. That commitment continues across generations. Remembrance must include the full human story. Robert describes the brutal work of burying the dead, including the contributions of segregated Black American troops. Their experiences illuminate both their service and the contradictions that exist within American democracy. Freedom carries obligations. The Dutch have preserved the memory of American sacrifice for more than 80 years. Robert argues that their example challenges us to understand the cost of freedom, honor those who secured it, and take responsibility for preserving democracy. The Takeaway Freedom is not simply inherited; it is secured through sacrifice and preserved through responsibility. Robert's central message is that the Dutch grave adoption program offers a powerful example of how ordinary people can honor those sacrifices, keep history alive, and inspire future generations to protect democracy. Social MediaInstagram: @RobertEdsel Facebook: @RobertEdselAuthor LinkedIn: @RobertEdsel X: @RobertEdsel Websites: www.robertedsel.com, www.mmwf.org, www.foreverpromise.org What can you do to help carry out the mission? Become an ambassador. "The Forever Promise Project" and the grave adoption program survive and thrive by raising awareness of the mission. Many of these soldiers' families in the United States are unaware of this unique grave adoption program, having no knowledge that a family in the Netherlands has been caring for their loved one's grave for generations. The Ambassador Toolkit makes it easy to take action that may open doors to reaching families and creating lasting connections—whether by sharing stories on social media, writing op-eds, or pitching and connecting us with local journalists or publications in your area. https://www.foreverpromise.org/support/toolkit Donate. Help support the program's ongoing mission. https://www.foreverpromise.org/support/donate-online

Guest David Meier is the Marketing and Communications Manager for Friends of the Boundary Waters, engaging and growing a tremendous community of BWCA enthusiasts who enjoy and protect this wilderness. He also hosts the "Big Red Canoe" podcast and recently returned from a transformative first solo trip in the Boundary Waters. Summary David explores how wilderness fosters solitude, self-reliance, and a deeper connection to the natural world. Drawing on his first solo canoe trip, he describes how slowing down and observing wildlife helped him reset and reconnect with himself. He also discusses the threats facing Minnesota's Boundary Waters, particularly proposed sulfide mining and climate change, and the organization's efforts to protect public lands and educate young people. David's central message is that wilderness is both a personal source of renewal and a shared natural treasure that demands active protection. Through conservation advocacy and youth education, he hopes to inspire future generations to become wilderness stewards. Social Media Links Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness: https://www.friends-bwca.org Facebook https://www.facebook.com/friendsBWCAW/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/friendsbwcaw/ TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@friendsbwcaw Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/bwca.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/friends-of-the-boundary-waters-wilderness/

Summary Something different in this episode. No guest with me at the microphone. Instead, I narrate a personal story in three parts: Part 1: the memory - A canoeing mishap in Canada's Quetico Provincial Park illustrates how innovation often begins with the constraint of using only what's at hand. By repurposing a paddle as a lever, my brother and I escape a submerged tree branch and what could have been a very wet welcome in a river. Part 2: innovating - Later, I use the paddle example to describe the innovation skill of "task unification" in a workshop. And I describe three additional examples of task unification. Part 3: the meaning - My story takes an unexpected turn when my brother doesn't remember the canoeing incident. I go on to explore how memory, family relationships, and the stories we tell ourselves can shape—and perhaps reshape—our understanding of the past.

Guest Katie DeBonville's first book, Grace Notes, a memoir of essays in which music is the throughline, was published in May 2026. A Massachusetts native who has enjoyed a career in fundraising for arts organizations, she holds degrees in music from Bucknell University and New England Conservatory and earned her MFA from Lesley University. When not writing, she enjoys attending concerts, browsing in independent bookstores, and a good glass of wine. Summary Katie discusses her Banned Book Week Substack series, which examines some of hr favorite books that have been banned or challenged, from Nancy Drew and Judy Blume to Amy Tan and Harry Potter. She finds that many of the reasons books were banned decades ago—discomfort with authority, sexuality, race, trauma, and marginalized identities—remain relevant today. Her essential point: rather than hiding difficult subjects, we should confront them through reading, conversation, and critical thinking. Social Media & Referenced Overview https://www.ala.org/bbooks/banned Books most often banned https://www.lib.umich.edu/about-us/news/banned-books-week-2026-october-4-10/ Top 10 Most Often Challenged 2026 https://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10 Description of the 10 Most Often Banned Books https://bookresumes.uniteagainstbookbans.org/ The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman The Librarians film Trailer Podcast episode on the Nazi book burning on May 10, 1933, and the underground memorial Grace Notes: A Musical Memoir by Katie DeBonville

Guest Jack Green has been fascinated by history since childhood. That lifelong interest has taken him on a journey across the UK and Europe, exploring places connected to 20th-century history. He is particularly drawn to locations where the past is still visible today, especially those that bear the scars and traces of the Blitz, a key part of British History during the Second World War. Summary The Blitz was a sustained strategic bombing campaign by Nazi Germany against the U.K. during World War II, lasting from September 7, 1940, to May 16, 1941. It was intended to break British morale. In this conversation, Jack Green explores the Blitz through the physical remnants still visible across London and other cities—from bomb-damaged churches and a surviving fireplace to air-raid shelters and memorials. Jack explains how he uses short-form social-media videos to bring these stories to younger audiences. His essential point is that history becomes more meaningful when we connect with the actual places and firsthand experiences of the people who lived through it. Links Tiktok - The Past Brought to Life Instagram - The Past Brought to Life The Blitz: The British Under Attack by Juliet Gardiner Forgotten Voices of the Blitz and the Battle of Britain by Joshua Levine Referenced (images at https://www.queticocoaching.com/blog) St Dunstan in the East Church Garden St. Mary le Strand church Vincent Street fireplace in Westminster The Vincent Street Fireplace (click on this link)