All posts by Francesca Rheannon

About Francesca Rheannon

Francesca Rheannon is an award-winning independent radio producer. In addition to hosting Writer's Voice, she's a freelance reporter for National Public Radio and its affiliates. Recipient of the prestigious Nancy Dickerson Whitehead Award for reporting on substance abuse issues for her news series, VOICES OF HIV, produced for 88.5 WFCR public radio in western Massachusetts. She is also finishing a book on Provence (PROVINCE OF THE HEART) and working on a memoir of her father, THE ARGONAUTS. View all posts by Francesca Rheannon →

Michael Klare: Covid-19 Is Forcing Us to Rethink How We Consume Energy

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With COVID19 causing lockdowns throughout the globe, demand for oil has plummeted. The bottom has fallen out of the petroleum market. What long term impacts could that have on how we power our economies?

To find out, Francesca called up energy policy analyst Michael Klare. His article “Covid-19 Is Forcing Us to Rethink How We Consume Energy“ appeared in the Nation magazine.

Listen here for our interview with Klare about another article about the impact of the pandemic: Covid-19’s Third Shock Wave: The Global Food Crisis.

Rory MacLean, PRAVDA HA-HA & Michael Klare, Covid-19 & The Food Crisis

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We talk with Rory MacLean about his new book, Pravda Ha-Ha: True Travels to the End of Europe. MacLean travels from Russia and the former Soviet Union states to uncover what has happened since the Fall of the USSR thirty years ago.

Then, the COVID19 pandemic has crashed the world oil market. That might be a good thing for US consumers, but could it be causing a global food crisis? We talk with defense correspondent for the Nation, Michael Klare. He tells us about his latest article for the Nation: Covid-19’s Third Shock Wave: The Global Food Crisis.

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William Evans, WE INHERIT WHAT THE FIRES LEFT & Matt Stoller, Antitrust After the Coronavirus

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We talk with poet William Evans about his powerful new collection of poetry, We Inherit What the Fires Left.

Then, anti-trust policy analyst and author Matt Stoller tells us about his blog post, Antitrust After the Coronavirus: A Government of Corporate Monopolies. Continue reading →

Carl Safina, BECOMING WILD & Margaret Klein Salamon, FACING THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY

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Renowned ecologist and writer Carl Safina joins us to talk about his new book, BECOMING WILD: How Animal Cultures Raise Families, Create Beauty, and Achieve Peace.

Then, we talk with Margaret Klein Salamon, founder of The Climate Mobilization about her book FACING THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY: How To Transform Yourself With Climate Truth (with Molly Gage).

Writer’s Voice — in depth progressive conversation with writers of all genres. On the air since 2004. Rate us on iTunes or whatever podcast app you use.

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Deborah Paredez, YEAR OF THE DOG & Vincent Emanuele, The New Normal

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We talk with poet Deborah Paredez about her new volume of poetry, Year of the Dog. It bears powerful witness to the legacy of war, violence and the struggle for social justice.

Then, whither the Left in a moment of institutional meltdown? We talk with writer, activist and Iraq War veteran Vincent Emanuele about his article in Counterpunch, The New Normal: Cascading and Multilayered Crises.

Writer’s Voice — in depth progressive conversation with writers of all genres. On the air since 2004. Rate us on iTunes or whatever podcast app you use!

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What Happens After Bernie? A Conversation with Micah Uetricht

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Bernie Sanders suspended his campaign two days ago. The suspension left many grassroots organizations that had endorsed him wondering where to go from here. Francesca speaks with Micah Uetricht, co-author of Bigger Than Bernie, about it. Continue reading →

Helen Fremont, The Escape Artist & Branko Marcetic on Tara Reade & Joe Biden

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We talk with Helen Fremont about her stunning new memoir, The Escape Artist. It’s about the toxic influence of closely held secrets on the glue that should hold families together — and about how trauma echoes down the generations.

Then, Bernie Sanders ended his presidential run this week, leavingÂ Joe Biden the only remaining candidate in the race. We air an interview we did last week with Branko Marcetic about how the Democratic Party is handling allegations of sexual assault against Biden. (It was also published on the WV website as a Web Only Extra.)

Writer’s Voice — in depth progressive conversation with writers of all genres. On the air since 2004. Rate us on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. And like us on Facebook at Writers Voice with Francesca Rheannon or find us on twitter @WritersVoice.

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Branko Marcetic: Joe Biden Is No Al Franken

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We talk with Branko Marcetic about his recent article in Jacobin, For Top Democrats, Joe Biden Is No Al Franken.

It’s about the differing ways prominent Senators treated sexual harassment claims made against Al Franken, who was pressured to resign his Senate seat, and the sexual assault claim made against Biden by former staffer Tara Reade. Continue reading →

Barry McCallion, Book Artist of The Oarsman & Matthew Rose, A Book About Death

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We’re all used to narrative that’s told with words. But what about narrative that’s told through art? Book art?

We talk with book artist Barry McCallion about book art, including his series The Oarsman, which he’s been creating now for fifty years. Then, we replay excerpts from my 2009 interview with Matthew Rose about A Book About Death, the exhibition he curated of art postcards mailed in from around the world.

Writer’s Voice — in depth conversation with writers of all genres, on the air since 2004. Like us on Facebook at Writers Voice with Francesca Rheannon or find us on twitter @WritersVoice.

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Branko Marcetic, YESTERDAY’S MAN & Wendell Potter on Medicare For All

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Unless the unexpected happens, it looks like Joe Biden may very well be the Democratic Party nominee for president. But can he beat Trump? And even if he does, will that really end Trumpism? We talk with Branko Marcetic about his just released book about Joe Biden, Yesterday’s Man: The Case Against Joe Biden.

Then we air an interview from last year and posted to the Writers Voice website with Wendell Potter about the full court press against Medicare For All by industry and the politicians it funds. Continue reading →

SinÁ©ad Gleeson, CONSTELLATIONS & Therese Anne Fowler, A GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD

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We talk with Irish writer SinÁ©ad Gleeson about her award-winning collection of essays, Constellations: Reflections From Life.

Then, they say the road to Hell is paved with good intentions; that makes for a rich vein for fiction Therese Anne Fowler mines in her new novel, A Good Neighborhood. Continue reading →

Robert Pollin on the COVID19 Stimulus Bill

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Yesterday, the Senate passed a $2 trillion stimulus package to deal with the COVID19 pandemic in the US.

Already, it has come under some withering criticism from New York Mayor Bill De Blasio, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.

Some economists are blasting it, as well.

Writer’s Voice host Francesca Rheannon spoke with economist Robert Pollin of the Political Economy Research Center at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst about what the bill does, what it doesn’t do and what an adequate bill should do.

Peter Heller, THE RIVER & Timothy Snyder, On Tyranny

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We talk with Peter Heller about his terrific new novel, a thriller set on a river above the Arctic Circle. It’s called The River.

Then, we re-air our 2017 interview with historian Timothy Snyder about his cautionary tale about the descent into authoritarianism. The book is On Tyranny.

Writer’s Voice — in depth conversation with writers of all genres, on the air since 2004. Rate us on iTunes or whatever podcast app you use!

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Judy Foreman, EXERCISE IS MEDICINE & Michael Zapata, THE LOST BOOK OF ADANA MOREAU

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We talk with Judy Foreman about her book Exercise is Medicine: How Physical Activity Boosts Health and Slows Aging. (Oxford University Press.)
Then, we talk with Michael Zapata about his acclaimed novel, The Lost Book of Adana Moreau (Hanover Square Press).

Writer’s Voice — in depth progressive conversation with writers of all genres. On the air since 2004. Rate us on iTunes!

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John Nichols on Billionaire Candidacies & Lucy Hughes-Hallet, FABULOUS

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We talk with John Nichols about his recent article for the Nation magazine, “Democrats Must Reject Not Just a Billionaire but the Billionaire Class“.

Then, we switch gears to talk with novelist, biographer and now short story writer Lucy Hughes-Hallet about her new collection of stories based on myths and fables. It’s called Fabulous.

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