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We spend the hour talking with Dr. George Yancy about racism in America and what white people can do about it. His book is, Backlash: What Happens When We Talk Honestly About Racism in America?
It grew out of a 2015 New York Times op-ed, a letter entitled Dear White America and the vitriolic backlash he experienced from many white readers in response. Continue reading
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We spend the hour talking with Chris Feliciano Arnold about his book, The Third Bank of the River: Power and Survival in The 21st Century Amazon (Picador USA, June 2018).
It’s a sweeping investigation of crime and corruption in the Amazon, all the more relevant now that the extreme right-wing politician Jair Bolsinaro has been elected President of Brazil. We originally spoke with Chris Arnold before the election, but were able to get a post-election update from him to add to the program.
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Today, we feature two books aimed at children and teens. We talk with Lawrence Goldstone about his book, Unpunished Murder: Massacre at Colfax and the Quest for Justice. It’s about a massacre of African Americans that occurred almost 150 years ago and the Supreme Court verdict that overturned their convictions. The case centered around an interpretation of the 14th Amendment — an amendment that is under attack today by our president and his Republican allies.
Then, we talk with children’s book author Susan Wood about her picture book biography, Elizabeth Warren: Nevertheless, She Persisted. It is charmingly illustrated by Sarah Green. Continue reading
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We talk with Anand Giridharadas about his groundbreaking new book, Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World.
Then, we find out about a different way of doing business: the cooperative movement that’s sweeping the globe. We talk with Nathan Schneider about his book, Everything For Everyone: The Radical Tradition That Is Shaping the Next Economy. Continue reading
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We spend the hour talking with master of crime fiction Tana French, first about her new novel The Wych Elm (given a rave review by Stephen King in the New York Times.)
Then we re-air our 2016 interview with her about her last to date in the Dublin Murder Squad series, The Trespasser. Continue reading
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Tatjana Soli talks about her new novel, The Removes. It takes place during the so-called “Indian Wars” in the American West. Then, we air our interview from 2005 with Charles Mann about his acclaimed study of the Americas before Columbus, 1491. Continue reading
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We talk with Aida Edemariam about her memoir, The Wife’s Tale: A Personal History. It’s about her Ethiopian grandmother who, over nearly a century of living, experienced the transformation of Ethiopian society and her place in it.
Then we celebrate apple season with Russell Powell, talking about his book, Apples of New England: A User’s Guide. Continue reading
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We talk with James E. Loewen about his bestseller Lies My Teacher Told Me and why teaching history the right way is so important to our democracy.
Then, the celebrated author of The Giver is writing a play about school shootings. We speak with Lois Lowry about her work-in-progress, currently titled Fun and Games. Continue reading
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We talk with Arundhati Roy about her bestselling new novel, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness, set in today’s India. Then, Imogen Hermes Gowar tells us about her acclaimed debut novel set in 18th century London, The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock. Continue reading
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We talk with Dr. Irwin Redlener about his book The Future of Us: What the Dreams of Children Mean for Twenty-First-Century America. Then we talk with Barbara Oakley about her book, Learning How To Learn, A Guide for Kids and Teens. Continue reading
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We talk with Cory Taylor about his book, How Hitler Was Made: Germany and the Rise of the Perfect Nazi. Then, Koch Brothers sponsored efforts are getting harsh new anti-protest laws passed in states across the country. We talk with Nicholas Kusnetz of Inside Climate News about this new threat to free speech. Continue reading
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Carl Hoffman talks about his book The Last Wild Men of Borneo: A True Story of Death and Treasure. Then we talk with Jane Goodall’s biographer Dale Peterson about his new book, The Ghosts of Gombe: A True Story of Love and Death in an African Wilderness. Continue reading
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We talk with Dr. Aaron Carroll about his book The Bad Food Bible: How and Why to Eat Sinfully. Then, Kristin Lawless tells us about why processed food is so bad for us. Her book is Formerly Known As Food: How the Industrial Food System Is Changing Our Minds, Bodies, and Culture. Continue reading
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We talk with Steven Stoll about his brilliant history of Appalachia: Ramp Hollow: The Ordeal of Appalachia. Then, coastal property values are threatened by sea level rise. We talk with Rachel Cleetus of the Union of Concerned Scientists about the report she co-authored, Underwater, Rising Seas, Chronic Floods, and the Implications for US Coastal Real Estate. Continue reading
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Cathryn Hankla talks about her memoir LOST PLACES: On Losing And Finding Home. Then Francesca reads a passage about “finding home” from her memoir about Provence.