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.

Podcast

Jim Motavalli, HIGH VOLTAGE & James Hoggan, CLIMATE COVER-UP

Jim Motavalli
James Hoggan

Journalist Jim Motavalli talks about the electric car revolution. His new book is HIGH VOLTAGE: The Fast Track to Plug In the Auto Industry. And WV airs a 2010 interview with James Hoggan of DeSmogBlog about his book, CLIMATE COVER-UP. Continue reading

Podcast

Esther Kaplan, WITH GOD ON THEIR SIDE & Dr. Tom Plaut, One Minute Asthma

Esther Kaplan-Credit: David Barreda
Dr. Tom Plaut

Investigative journalist Esther Kaplan talks about her book, With God on Their Side: George W. Bush and the Christian Right (encore show from February 2006) and Dr. Tom Plaut talks about asthma and how to prevent the kind of attack that killed journalist Anthony Shadid. His book is One Minute Asthma. Continue reading

Podcast

Scott Alarik, REVIVAL & Rebecca Coleman, KINGDOM OF CHILDHOOD

Scott Alarik
Rebecca Coleman

Novelist Rebecca Coleman talks about her psychological thriller, KINGDOM OF CHILDHOOD. It’s about an affair between a female teacher and a teenage student that goes very, very wrong.

And guest host Michael Pollitt talks with folk musician and critic Scott Alarik about his first work of fiction, REVIVAL. Continue reading

Podcast

Fiction from Thrity Umrigar & Michael David Lukas & OWS Poetry

Michael David Lukas
Thrity Umrigar

Michael David Lukas talks about his novel, THE ORACLE OF STAMBOUL. It’s the story of a young girl of astonishing talents who changes the course of the Ottoman Empire. And Thrity Umrigar tells us about her new novel, THE WORLD WE FOUND. Four college friends from Bombay India reconnect decades later when one of them falls gravely ill — and find their lives profoundly changed. Continue reading

Podcast

Annamarie Pluhar, Sharing Housing & Robin Zasio, The Hoarder in You

Dr. Robin Zasio
Annamarie Pluhar

Annamarie Pluhar talks about her book, SHARING HOUSING: A Guidebook to Finding and Keeping Good Housemates and psychologist Dr. Robin Zasio talks about her book, THE HOARDER IN YOU: How to Live a Happier, Healthier, Uncluttered Life. Continue reading

Podcast

John Michael Greer, APOCALYPSE NOT & Richard Heinberg, THE END OF GROWTH

Richard Heinberg
John Michael Greer

John Michael Greer says the world will not end in 2012. His book is APOCALYPSE NOT. And Richard Heinberg tells us about the coming downsizing of civilization and what we can do to survive it. His book is THE END OF GROWTH. Continue reading

Podcast

Top Ten Shows of 2011

Tahmima Anam
Teju Cole

We hear clips from five of the top ten shows of 2011, including novelists Tahmima Anam, and Teju Cole, journalist James Kaplan, memoirist Susan Rosenberg and marine ecologist Carl Safina. We also tell you about five other show episodes that made the list.

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Podcast

Christian McEwen, WORLD ENOUGH & TIME and A Story for the Winter Solstice

Christian McEwen

Christian McEwen tells us about taking it slow in WORLD ENOUGH & TIME; we talk with Jane Brox about the evolution of artificial light; and we also hear a Winter Solstice story by host Francesca Rheannon, “The Food Philosophe”.

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Podcast

Songwriters Katryna & Nerissa Nields & David Rovics

Nerissa & Katrina Shields
David Rovics

Folksinger sisters Katryna and Nerissa Nields talk about their terrific book and CD set, ALL TOGETHER SINGING IN THE KITCHEN. And topical singer-songwriter David Rovics tells us about writing “songs of social significance” and we listen to a few. Continue reading

Podcast

James Workman, HEART OF DRYNESS & Christine Shearer, KIVALINA

James Workman
Christine Shearer

James Workman talks about his book, THE HEART OF DRYNESS: How the Last Bushmen Can Help Us Endure the Coming Age of Permanent Drought. And journalist Christine Shearer talks about KIVALINA: A Climate Change Story.

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Podcast

Greg Palast, VULTURE’S PICNIC & Marina Sitrin on #OWS

Greg Palast
Marina Sitrin

Marina Sitrin talks about her essay that appears in the book,  THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING — the first book out about the Occupy Movement. And investigative reporter Greg Palast talks about his latest shocker, VULTURES’ PICNIC: In Pursuit of Petroleum Pigs, Power Pirates, and High-Finance Carnivores.

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