The week ahead: from Simpson-Bowles to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

This is the first in what will be a regular Friday post on the week ahead, where I'll talk about some of the shows we have coming up.

Thanksgiving week generally tends to be a slow week for us in the news business, but this year looks to be different. We'll be monitoring the mounting violence in Gaza and keeping an eye on fiscal cliff negotiations.

On Monday at 9:00, we'll be talking about assisted suicide. We were intrigued by the issue when a ballot initiative that would have legalized physician-assisted suicide came up for a vote in Massachusetts (it was ultimately voted down) and thought it would make an interesting in-depth conversation. One of our guests is the director of the Frontline documentary "The Suicide Plan." At 11:00, you'll hear Kerri's Talking Volumes conversation with Erin Morgenstern, author of "The Night Circus."

On Tuesday, political thriller writer and Minnesota native Vince Flynn will come to our studio at 10:00 to discuss his new book "The Last Man." The book is the 13th novel in Flynn's Mitch Rapp series. Then, at 11:00, we'll ask a question that we hope will spur some debate Thanksgiving dinner: "Who should really be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?" Current DJ Mark Wheat will join us for that discussion, and we hope to hear from our listeners.

On Wednesday at 10:00, we're going to take a look at the Simpson-Bowles deficit reduction plan, and why nothing ever came of it. A listener wrote to us with this suggestion, and we thought it would be good to revisit the plan with the specter of the fiscal cliff looming. And then at 11:00, you'll hear parts of Kerri's discussions with National Book Award winners Louise Erdrich and Katherine Boo.

After that, it's a few days off for The Daily Circuit. We'll be back on Monday, November 26th. Feel free to share your thoughts on our upcoming shows, and please let us know what you'd like to hear us talk about.

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