Writer's Voice

For Climate Week, we talk with Andrew Boyd about I Want A Better Catastrophe. Then nonfiction author Chuck Collins tells us about his debut climate action-themed novel, Altar to an Erupting Sun.

We talk with Clare Carlisle about her book The Marriage Question: George Eliot's Double Life and with Norman Solomon about his new book, War Made Invisible.

Ahmed White talks about his history of the Wobblies, Under the Iron Heel. Then Nikhil Goyal tells us about his book, Live to See the Day: Coming of Age in American Poverty.

David Goodman talks about his book, An American Cannabis Story about Puffin Farm in Washington State. And Carl Hart discusses Drug Use For Grownups: Chasing Liberty In The Land of Fear.

We talk with historian Martha Hodes about her memoir My Hijacking: A Personal History of Forgetting and Remembering. In 1970, she survived six days as a hostage on a hijacked plane when she was twelve years old. Then, teacher Adam Bessie tells us about his take on how the pandemic has driven us apart—and what it will take to bring us together. His graphic pandemic memoir is Going Remote: A Teacher’s Journey.

Paul Kix tells us the thrilling story of the fight to end Jim Crow, led by the greatest figures of the Civil Rights Movement—and won by children. His book is You Have To Be Prepared To Die Before You Can Begin To Live.

Buzzy Jackson tells us the story of the anti-Nazi saboteur, Hannie Schaft and the lessons it holds for us as we confront fascism today. Her novel based on true events is To Die Beautiful. Then Francesca reads a short excerpt from her own father’s story of resistance in the same war.

Ava Chin tells us about her stunning family memoir/history of the Chinese Exclusion Act in America, Mott Street: A Chinese American Family’s Story of Exclusion and Homecoming. Then we talk with Tanis Rideout about her new novel The Sea Between Two Shores. It’s about two families, one Canadian and one from an island in Vanuatu, who must deal with the legacy of colonialism in the South Pacific and the responsibilities they have to each other.

We talk with Jeff Goodell about how climate change is causing extreme heat that is pushing Planet Earth beyond habitable boundaries. Also, Lynn Zinser talks about climate liability lawsuits.

We talk about the rise of mass fascism in America with Jeff Sharlet. His book is The Undertow. Also, a review of Dennis LeHane's new novel, Small Mercies.

Family separation continues to devastate the lives of children, as explored in Sylvia Rodriguez-Vega's book, Drawing Deportation: Art and Resistance among Immigrant Children. This poignant work delves into the traumatic experiences faced by immigrant children and showcases the healing power of art in their recovery. In another thought-provoking book, You Are The Universe: Ram Dass Maps The Journey, Amy Beutens brings to life the profound teachings of renowned spiritual teacher Ram Dass. With captivating illustrations and co-editing by Julie Weinstein, this graphic book conveys a transformative message of love and unity, appealing to both teens and adults.

As a physician I'm perhaps more aware than most people of how perilous our everyday lives are and how quickly they could transition to something quite disastrous. And I think in America especially we exist in a sort of denial of our mortality…As a result we are very shocked when any hint of tragedy comes our way.

"I feel like if we can spend time in a place like one of these Happy Valleys that still holds these wisdom cultures that had these technologies and these systems that survived thousands and thousands of years before industrialization, that maybe we can learn how to respect the land again."

We talk with Peggy Orenstein about her book, UNRAVELING and Katy Simpson Smith tells us about her new novel, THE WEEDS.

We talk about media literacy with Allison Butler (The Media and Me). Also, Lizzie Stark enlightens us all about eggs. Her book is Egg: A Dozen Ovatures.

Jonathan Eig discusses his acclaimed new biography, "KING: A Life," on Writer's Voice. This captivating portrait of the civil rights leader offers fresh insights and an intimate perspective.

We talk with Ilan Stavans about his anthology, THE PEOPLE’S TONGUE: Americans and the English Language.

We spend the hour with IPCC climate scientist Joëlle Gergis, talking about her powerful and moving book, Humanity's Moment: A Climate Scientist's Case for Hope.

We talk with Sarah Schenck and Steven Lawrence about their film The Invisible Extinction. It’s about the threats to our life-supporting microbiome and the scientists racing to save our vanishing microbes before it's too late.

We talk with Stephen Markley about his acclaimed new novel about the climate crisis, The Deluge. It lays out the different paths that may be taken to changing the political will to tackle climate, the unintended consequences they lead to, and the twists and turns of political, ecological and individual fates that intertwine and react with each other. Then we talk about what we can do in our own lives to protect our planet from climate disaster. We air excerpts from our interviews with Peter Kalmus (Being The Change) and Darr Reilly of Carbon C.R.E.W.