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Raj Patel talks about his best-seller, THE VALUE OF NOTHING. It’s about reshaping market society and redefining democracy. Mount Holyoke College film prof Samba Gadjigo tells us about his community-based learning project, Africa Through African Eyes. And we hear a clip from next week’s show: Kim John Payne on SIMPLICITY PARENTING. Continue reading
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Dom Sagolla talks about how Twitter’s role during the antigovernment demonstrations in Iran started him thinking about how to protect one’s identity on Twitter.
You can listen to the full interview with Dom Sagolla.
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Chris Brogan talks about personal communication on the Web.
Listen to the full interview with Chris Brogan.
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Twitter founder Dom Sagolla talks about his style guide to Twitter, 140 CHARACTERS. And social media expert Chris Brogan tells us about his book, TRUST AGENTS. It’s about how to use the Web to build your influence, improve your reputation and create trust. Continue reading
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Climate scientist Dr. James Hansen talks about STORMS OF MY GRANDCHILDREN. It’s about climate catastrophe and how we must — and can — prevent it. Richard Wilbur reads “Advice To A Prophet”. And we pay homage to Robert Parker and Howard Zinn, who both died in late January, 2010. Continue reading
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The great “people’s historian” Howard Zinn died January 27, 2010 at the age of 87. His book, A PEOPLE’S HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, presented an alternative view to the one most are taught in school: instead of focusing on presidents and tycoons, it told the story of people’s movements, including those of workers, civil rights and antiwar activists, women and gays, lesbians and bisexuals.
Zinn spoke to Writers Voice host Francesca Rheannon in 2005 about his companion volume to A PEOPLE’S HISTORY, [amazon-product text=”VOICES OF A PEOPLE’S HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES” type=”text”]1583229167[/amazon-product]. It’s a collection of writings from the great protagonists of social justice: Frederick Douglass, George Jackson, Chief Joseph, Martin Luther King Jr., Sacco and Vanzetti, and Malcolm X, among many others. Zinn talks about hi perspective on history, war and peace, and the two sides of the American story — idealism and exploitation.
Go to Howard Zinn page on Amazon.com
In this video Zinn discusses his experiences fighting during World War II and his being asked to bomb a small town in France.
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Mystery novelist Robert Parker died January 20, 2010 at his desk at home, writing. It was a fitting end for this most prolific of writers — more than sixty books emerged from his pen. Although he wrote in several genres, including westerns and young-adult novels, Parker was best known for his mystery novels, especially those featuring Spenser, the hardboiled detective with a sensitive heart.
Writers Voice guest host Jodi Schneider talked to Robert Parker in 2005 about his Spenser novel, [amazon-product text=”SCHOOL DAYS” type=”text”]0425211347[/amazon-product], his life and his writing. She found out he wrote ten pages a day with no revisions, working for about six hours. He made it up as he went, with little or no planning in advance. And he never read any of his books after publication. Listen to this free-wheeling, funny interview.
Go to the Robert Parker Amazon.com page
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Journalist Lesley Hazleton talks about AFTER THE PROPHET. It’s about the wars of succession after Mohammed’s death that led to the split between Shia and Sunni. And author Tracy Kidder talks about Haiti, Dr. Paul Farmer, and the organization Farmer founded, Partners in Health. Kidder’s book is MOUNTAINS BEYOND MOUNTAINS, published in 2003. Continue reading
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Richard Benjamin talks about SEARCHING FOR WHITOPIA: An Improbable Journey To The Heart Of White America. It’s about his odyssey to discover the hearts and minds of those living in the overwhelmingly white enclaves that are some of the fastest growing communities in the country. And poet and children’s book author Richard Michelson talks about AS GOOD AS ANYBODY. It’s about the friendship between Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel. Continue reading
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Ralph Nader talks about his latest book, ONLY THE SUPERRICH CAN SAVE US! It’s a “utopian fantasy” about a cadre of billionaires under the leadership of Warren Buffet who take on corporate America to save democracy and the planet. And neuroscientist Sue Barry talks about conquering a visual disability and training her brain to see normally. Her memoir is FIXING MY GAZE. Continue reading
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Peter Phillips of Project Censored talks about the Project’s latest yearbook of the top censored news stories of 2009, CENSORED 2010. And novelist Dan Chaon talks about his thriller, AWAIT YOUR REPLY. It examines the truth and lies about identity. Continue reading
It’s that time of year to reflect on “The List”: The Ten Best Of list, that is. This year was really tough (not unlike the 2008 best of list!), because there were so many show episodes I could have included. I was a bit chagrined that it was so dominated by men — I strive for gender balance in these lists — but so many of the guys wrote books of such heart and human compassion (Tracy Kidder, Abraham Verghese, Nicholsen Baker, Tyler Boudreau) that I just had to include them. Browse through the list and enjoy!
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Artist and writer Matthew Rose talks about the unbound book of art postcards he curated, A BOOK ABOUT DEATH. It’s a collection of 500 limited edition postcards on the theme of death, each one created by an artist for the exhibition. And George Monbiot and Bill McKibben talk about climate change. Continue reading
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Guest host Chris Rohmann interviews Los Angles Times drama critic Kenneth Turan about FREE FOR ALL: Joe Papp, The Public, and the Greatest Theater Story Ever Told. It’s about the how Joseph Papp founded the New York Shakespeare Festival and the Public Theater. Then Suzan Colon tells us about her memoir, CHERRIES IN WINTER: My Family’s Recipe for Hope in Hard Times. Finally, we talk about THE HEALTHY COLLEGE COOKBOOK with editor Rachel Holcomb. Continue reading
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Harvey Wasserman tells us about SOLARTOPIA, his vision of 2030’s clean energy world. And ecologist Amy Seidl tells us how we can adapt to climate change while trying to control it. Her book is EARLY SPRING. Continue reading