Sure, there’s a Halloween sound to our second hour today — a conversation with historian John Demos about his new book, “The Enemy Within: 2,000 Years of Witch-Hunting in the Western World.”

A scary Halloween story. We’ll talk with Yale historian John Demos about the 2,000-year history of witch-hunting in the Western world.

An excerpt from “THE ENEMY WITHIN: 2,000 Years of Witch-hunting in the Western World” by John Demos

Countdown to Election Day. Obama buys prime time. McCain is running out of time. Our weekly roundtable goes behind the headlines.

Novelist Margaret Atwood turns her discerning eye to debt, to what we owe each other, and what makes us human.

It’s a fight to the finish for campaign ‘08. We’ll touch down in key battleground states where everything’s on the line for John McCain and Barack Obama.

We’ll ask The Atlantic’s Andrew Sullivan, The New Yorker’s Nicholas Lemann, and Daily Beast chief Tina Brown.

Top Wall Street insider Henry Kaufman on what our economy — and society — are up against in the current downturn.

It’s not a law firm. It’s our guest lineup for Wednesday’s second hour. The Atlantic’s superblogger Andrew Sullivan — he of The Daily Dish — will join us.

We’ll talk with the field biologist who tracks new threats, to jungle and stream, before they become pandemic.

The last big issue: America’s wars. With one week to election day, we’ll look at McCain and Obama on Iraq and Afghanistan.

Filmmaker Wayne Wang, director of “The Joy Luck Club,” on Chinese- American life now and his new film, “The Princess of Nebraska.”

The right attacks ACORN and its voter registration drives. Now Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says the real issue is widespread vote suppression. We’ll hear the debate.

On Monday, a week and a day before the election, we’re going to look at the still swirling controversy over the integrity of the vote, from the right and the left. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will join us.

ROASTED CARROT GINGER SOUP
SERVES 10
There is nothing like roasting to make the ordinary extraordinary. The humble carrot and parsnip become stars when popped in the oven, where the flavors caramelize beautifully.
1½ pounds carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
1 pound parsnips, peeled and quartered lengthwise
1 large onion, sliced
1 piece (3 inches) fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
6 tablespoons [...]

Buffalo Shrimp
with Blue Cheese Sauce
Serves 6 as an appetizer
Taking some liberty with the classic buffalo chicken wing, I’ve substituted shrimp and served it along with crisp veggies and a super blue cheese sauce for a hot new appetizer. It’s as good as it gets! Don’t miss this one for the Super Bowl!
8 tablespoons (1 stick) [...]

A conversation with “Silver Palate” chef and cookbook star Sheila Lukins on what we eat now.

Alan Greenspan faces history. Obama flies to an ailing grandmother. McCain fights on. Markets shudder. Our weekly roundtable goes behind the headlines.

The unmentionable. How couples talk – and don’t talk – about old loves.

Fear and trembling in the retail world. If the lights go out in economic crisis, what happens to all those stores?