Monthly Archives: November 2024

Podcast

Petrina Engelke on Iconic American Cuisine 

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In this special holiday edition of Writer’s Voice, journalist and author Petrina Engelke shares her journey exploring iconic American cuisine along Route 66, detailed in the book she co-wrote with food blogger Gabriele Frankemölle, Cook Across America: 66 Iconic Recipes Along the Legendary Route 66.

Engelke delves into the diverse cultural traditions that define American food, from maple syrup production in Illinois to fusion Tex-Mex dishes in Texas and barbecue’s African American roots. She also highlights the intersection of food, history, and climate change, discussing how environmental challenges threaten beloved traditions like winemaking and maple syrup harvesting.

“Barbecue is a testament to resilience, born from hard labor and innovation by enslaved African Americans.” — Petrina Engelke

Cook Across America is written for a German readership (Engelke reports on America for German news outlets) but our conversation is an engaging exploration of the many-splendored diversity that makes American food traditions so rich that any English-speaker can enjoy.

Writers Voice— in depth conversation with writers of all genres, on the air since 2004.

Connect with Us: Follow us on social media to stay up-to-date on the latest episodes and news. Find us on Facebook at Writers Voice with Francesca Rheannon, on Instagram and Threads @WritersVoicePodcast or find us on Bluesky @writersvoice.bsky.social. Read transcripts at the Writer’s Voice Substack. 

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Key Words: Petrina Engelke, American cuisine, climate change, Cook Across America

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Podcast

BY THE FIRE WE CARRY, Rebecca Nagle on Indigenous Sovereignty and Democracy

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In this episode, Rebecca Nagle, journalist and author of By the Fire We Carry: The Generations’ Long Fight for Justice on Native Land, unpacks the history of the Cherokee Nation and broader Indigenous struggles for sovereignty.

Nagle intertwines personal family history with systemic injustices, tracing the consequences of the Trail of Tears, the Indian Removal Act, and the ongoing fight for Native land rights. She examines how these histories intersect with larger issues of capitalism, democracy, and climate justice.

The conversation also highlights recent landmark Supreme Court decisions and their implications for Indigenous sovereignty and U.S. democracy.

““If you think that lawlessness towards one group can’t eventually affect you, history tells us otherwise.” — Rebecca Nagle

Then, we continue our Thanksgiving week tradition of hearing Native American storyteller and ethnohistorian Marge Bruchac talk about the holiday from the Native point of view — and her re-telling of the Story of Corn.

Writers Voice— in depth conversation with writers of all genres, on the air since 2004.

Connect with Us: Follow us on social media to stay up-to-date on the latest episodes and news. Find us on Facebook at Writers Voice with Francesca Rheannon, on Instagram and Threads @WritersVoicePodcast or find us on Bluesky @writersvoice.bsky.social. Read transcripts at the Writer’s Voice Substack. 

Key Words: Rebecca Nagle, By the Fire We Carry, Indigenous sovereignty, Cherokee Nation, Supreme Court, Trail of Tears, McGirt v. Oklahoma, Native land rights, Indian Removal Act, democracy and genocide, environmental justice, Neil Gorsuch

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Podcast

LINGUAPHILE: Julie Sedivy on the Beauty, Complexity, and Mystery of Language

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Summary

In this episode, Julie Sedivy, author of Linguaphile: A Life of Language Love, explores her profound relationship with language as both a scientist and a writer.

Sedivy shares her journey from a multilingual childhood to becoming a linguist, reflecting on the complexities of multilingualism, the emotional weight of language, and its profound ties to time, identity, and human connection.

She also delves into how language shapes our social interactions, cultural divides, and even our final moments.

“The last word my brother said was ‘love.’ And that’s what remains when everything else falls away.” — Julie Sedivy

Writers Voice— in depth conversation with writers of all genres, on the air since 2004.

Connect with Us: Follow us on social media to stay up-to-date on the latest episodes and news. Find us on Facebook at Writers Voice with Francesca Rheannon, on Instagram and Threads @WritersVoicePodcast or find us on Bluesky @writersvoice.bsky.social. Read transcripts at the Writer’s Voice Substack. 

Key Words: Julie Sedivy, Linguaphile, multilingualism, psycholinguistics, linguistics, aging and language,

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Podcast

Ann Patchett & Kathy Engel on Art, Love, and the Power of Poetry in Difficult Times

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Summary

In this episode of Writer’s Voice, celebrated novelist Ann Patchett discusses the annotated release of her beloved novel Bel Canto, exploring how themes of love, art, and humanity resonate in times of crisis.

Patchett reflects on her writing process, the tenderness of her characters, and how art can provide solace in difficult times.

The, poet and activist Kathy Engel discusses her collection, Dear Inheritors, touching on the intersections of poetry, social justice, and the ongoing struggles against racism and privilege.

Engel’s work reflects on her life experiences and the contradictions of beauty and violence in society, emphasizing the importance of holding space for vulnerability, honesty, and collective healing. We last spoke with her in 2014.

Writers Voice— in depth conversation with writers of all genres, on the air since 2004.

Connect with Us: Follow us on social media to stay up-to-date on the latest episodes and news. Find us on Facebook at Writers Voice with Francesca Rheannon, on Instagram and Threads @WritersVoicePodcast or find us on Bluesky @writersvoice.bsky.social. Read transcripts at the Writer’s Voice Substack. 

Key words: Ann Patchett, Bel Canto annotated, Kathy Engel, Dear Inheritors, poetry, writing process, art and activism, podcast, Writer’s Voice

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Podcast

Gardening Utopia: Olivia Laing on THE GARDEN AGAINST TIME

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In this thought-provoking episode, acclaimed author Olivia Laing shares insights from The Garden Against Time, exploring the concept of gardens as both physical spaces and metaphors for paradise, exclusion, and resistance.

Laing recounts restoring a historic garden and reflects on themes of ecological stewardship, historical gardens, and the philosophical tensions between control and collaboration with nature.

Their book juxtaposes the beauty of gardens with the historical darkness behind some, revealing how spaces of natural beauty have sometimes been exclusionary or rooted in colonial wealth.

We also replay our 2017 interview with Timothy Snyder about his book, On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century. The book was intended as a kind of vaccine to inoculate us against acquiescing to authoritarianism.

Writers Voice— in depth conversation with writers of all genres, on the air since 2004.

Connect with Us: Follow us on social media to stay up-to-date on the latest episodes and news. Find us on Facebook at Writers Voice with Francesca Rheannon, on Instagram and Threads @WritersVoicePodcast or on Bluesky.

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Key words: Olivia Laing, The Garden Against Time, historical gardens, utopian communities, ecological gardening, Paradise Lost, environmental stewardship, gardening and mental health, public gardens, Timothy Snyder, fascism, Donald Trump, authoritarianism, resistance.

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