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 →

Writers Voice: Mary Pipher, WOMEN ROWING NORTH & Looking Back At 2018

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We talk with psychologist and celebrated author Mary Pipher about her new book, Women Rowing North: Navigating Life’s Currents and Flourishing As We Age.

Then we take a look back at some of the critical issues covered by the authors we interviewed in 2018. We play clips from seven great conversations with authors Ashley Dawson, Lauren Markham, George Yancy, Anand Giridharadas, Nathan Schneider, Vandana Shiva, andÂ Sy Montgomery.

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Writers Voice: Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, FRIDAY BLACK & Mark Russell Gelade, NAVIGATING BY STARS

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Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah talks about his award-winning story collection Friday Black. Then, we talk about the art of the really really short story with Mark Russell Gelade. His short-short story collection is Navigating by Stars. Continue reading →

Ken Krimstein, THE THREE ESCAPES OF HANNAH ARENDT & Kate Evans, RED ROSA

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We talk with Ken KrimsteinÂ about Hannah Arendt — her life, her work, and her importance for our time. His book is The Three Escapes of Hannah Arendt (Bloomsbury).

Then we listen back to my 2015 interview about another brilliant German Jewish woman of the 20th century, revolutionary Rosa Luxemburg.Â We talk with Kate Evans about her graphic biography Red RosaÂ (Verso). Continue reading →

Ariel Burger, WITNESS & Ani Tuzman, THE TREMBLE OF LOVE

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Ariel Burger talks about his book WITNESS: Lessons from Elie Wiesel’s Classroom. And we re-air our 2016 interview with Ani Tuzman about her novel based on the life of the 18th-century Jewish mystic, the Baal Shem Tov, The Tremble of Love. Continue reading →

Ariel Burger Interview Segment: Elie Wiesel and Palestinian Rights

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Despite his unquestionable moral force, there have been those who have pointed out that Elie Wiesel’s record of compassion faltered when it came to justice for the Palestinian people.

He was on record supporting the settlements that have taken over Palestinian land in the occupied territories and also in failing to publicly criticize Israel’s human rights violations.

In this segment from the extended interview with Ariel Burger, Francesca asks Burger about Wiesel’s stance toward Palestinian rights and he responds.

After the interview was recorded, Ariel Burger wrote Francesca the following about Wiesel’s work on behalf of victims of other genocides and mass murders, above all in Darfur.

Listen to the podcast interview here.

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Sy Montgomery, HOW TO BE A GOOD CREATURE & Earl Swift, CHESAPEAKE REQUIEM

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We talk with Sy Montgomery, acclaimed author of Soul of An Octopus about her wonderful new book, How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals.

Then, we talk with journalist and author Earl Swift about his soulful and timely portrait of a 200-year-old crabbing community in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay that’s facing extinction from rising sea levels. His book is Chesapeake Requiem, A Year with the Watermen of Vanishing Tangier Island. Continue reading →

Anthony Horowitz, FOREVER AND A DAY & Maxine Rosaler, QUEEN FOR A DAY

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We talk with master of crime fiction Anthony Horowitz about his new James Bond novel, Forever And A Day (Harper Collins). It’s the prequel to the first Ian Fleming James Bond novel, Casino Royale.

Then, we talk with Maxine Rosaler about her story collection, Queen For A Day. It’s a poignant, trenchant and funny exploration of life with an autistic son. And finally, for Thanksgiving, we hear the Native American legend of how corn was given to the Abenaki people. Continue reading →

George Yancy, BACKLASH

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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.Â 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 AmericaÂ and the vitriolic backlash he experienced from many white readers in response.Â Continue reading →

Chris Feliciano Arnold, THE THIRD BANK OF THE RIVER

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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-wingÂ politician Jair Bolsinaro has been elected President of Brazil. We originally spoke with Chris Arnold before the election,Â but were able to get a post-election update from him to add to the program.

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Lawrence Goldstone, UNPUNISHED MURDER & Susan Wood, ELIZABETH WARREN

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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.Â It is charmingly illustrated by Sarah Green. Continue reading →

Anand Giridharadas, WINNERS TAKE ALL & Nathan Schneider, EVERYTHING FOR EVERYONE

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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: TheÂ Radical Tradition That Is ShapingÂ theÂ Next Economy. Continue reading →

Tana French, THE WYCH ELM & THE TRESPASSER

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We spend the hour talking with master of crime fictionÂ 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 →

Tatjana Soli, THE REMOVES & Charles Mann, 1491

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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 →

Aida Edemariam, THE WIFE’S TALE & Russell Powell, APPLES OF NEW ENGLAND

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We talk with Aida Edemariam about her memoir,Â The Wife’s Tale: A Personal History.Â 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,Â Apples of New England: A User’s Guide. Continue reading →

James Loewen, LIES MY TEACHER TOLD ME & Lois Lowry, FUN AND GAMES

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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 →