Book Lust with Nancy Pearl (Seattle Channel)

Local author Thomas Kohnstamm said his latest novel, "Supersonic," is a book of place, specifically, Seattle. He told Book Lust host Nancy Pearl "Seattle isn't the Space Needle or the Fremont Troll," but rather the interactions between neighbors, the waves of people entering the city, and the constant process of building. The novel tells the stories of four families over 150 years of Seattle history, and delves into what Kohnstamm calls the mythology of the city in a way only a book written by someone born and raised here could.

Nancy Pearl talks with legal scholar and author Michelle Adams about her new book "The Containment: Detroit, the Supreme Court, and the Battle for Racial Justice in the North." Adams' book dives into the landmark Milliken v. Bradley case, which haulted efforts to desegregate Detroit schools in 1974. "The Containment" is a gripping legal and historical drama about policies that shaped a city—and a nation—with a few unexpected heroes along the way.

Nancy Pearl speaks with author Erika Swyler about her new genre-bending novel, "We Lived on the Horizon." It's a little bit speculative fiction, but it's also mystery, sci-fi, romance, political thriller, and horror, too. The book takes place in a thought-provoking world where AI is in charge and sacrifice is rewarded. They discuss AI and robots in fiction, how Swyler builds characters and stories, and how they would rearrange the library if they each had their own way.

Nancy Pearl speaks with author and Booklist editor Donna Seaman about her latest publication, "A River of Books: A Life in Reading." In it, Seaman tells the story of her life as defined by books. They discuss what she hopes for in the works she reviews and reads on her own time, her past as a child who "really didn't like being a child at all," and the poet she recommends these days to those seeking solace and clarity.

Nancy Pearl speaks with author Nick Harkaway, son of the great British espionage novelist John le Carre.

Leah Hager Cohen joins Book Lust host Nancy Pearl to discuss her latest novel.

Jamie Harrison's "The River View" follows archaeologist and private investigator Jules Clement as the people of his small Montana town pull him in mysterious and murderous directions. The returning Book Lust guest told host Nancy Pearl the fictional town of Blue Deer is based on her own hometown, though perhaps with a few more suspicious deaths per capita. They discussed the challenge of returning for this fifth installment of the Jules Clement novels, the fun of writing from the perspective of someone not quite like the author herself, and what she's working on next.

Bill Morris' nonfiction book "The Lions Finally Roar" was nearly titled "Natural-Born Losers," that is, of course, until the Detroit NFL team's record took a turn for the better. Morris told host (and Detroiter herself) Nancy Pearl he found a compelling story in what he called the Lions' "culture of futility," fueled largely by loyalty to the wrong people. The book isn't just about sports, though, as he said, "I didn't want to write a football book. I wanted to write a book about Detroit and the people of Detroit."

The protagonists in Jasper Fforde's "Red Side Story" live in Chromatacia, a place where "The hierarchy is based not on something mundane like voting for people, but on the colors that you can see." A sequel to "Shades of Grey," the book is packed with humor, adventure, murderous plots, and a dash of romance. In this edition of Book Lust, Fforde and host Nancy Pearl delve into Chromatica's reflections of our own world, as well as their views on fantasy, satire, and the wonder of audiobooks.

Marie-Helene Bertino's "Beautyland" is based on the author's short story about "an unnamed alien faxing notes on human beings to who she believes are her superiors." Bertino based the story's structure on the lifespan of a star and lent much of her own story to her protagonist's "Earth life" and "magical vocation." She tells host Nancy Pearl she herself has a folder on her computer called "Notes on Human Beings," where she collects the baffling and charming idiosyncrasies of our kind which are not unlike the character's observations. In fact, that folder helped her write this novel, which, at its core, is an examination of "what it means to be a human on Earth."

The history books may lead us to believe it's the grand successes that shape our world, but what about the failures? The epic disasters, the inventions ahead of their time, and the plain bad ideas – surely they have a place in humanity's tale, too? If you've ever wondered about the wins that weren't, comic artist and editor Kel McDonald has the graphic novel for you. "Failure to Launch: A Tour of Ill-Fated Futures" compiles comic artists' favorite flops throughout history (illustrated in each of their unique styles) into one astonishing anthology.

Author Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snicket of "A Series of Unfortunate Events") discusses his new book, "And Then? And Then? What Else?" He tells host Nancy Pearl that it began as a book about the poems of Baudelaire but transformed into something more personal. It offers a peek behind the scenes of the industry and an explanation of how he went from being "tiresome in every undergraduate way" to the writer he is today. Essentially, he says, it's sort of "how I write."

A "Rosie the Riveter"-hunting serial killer roams World War II Seattle in author Kevin O'Brien's first historical thriller, "The Enemy at Home." He and Nancy Pearl discussed the very real history of murder in Seattle the caught his attention, the gendered dynamics of serial killing, and a bit of publishing drama in this latest episode of Book Lust.

The novel "Dayswork," by the married duo Jennifer Habel and Chris Bachelder, follows a woman navigating the pandemic while using the life of "Moby-Dick" author Herman Melville to examine her own. The pair acknowledges that pitching the book's "strange form and...strange subject matter" to their agent posed a challenge. Despite their concerns, the "Melville Vortex" that captivated the couple had apparently ensnared others in the industry as well and they found an enthusiastic response. On the latest episode of Book Lust with host Nancy Pearl, the couple discusses their journey to the renowned author, their decision not to defend his complex reputation, and their plans for future collaborative writing projects.

Author and playwright Cristina García joins Book Lust's Nancy Pearl to discuss her new novel, "Vanishing Maps," the long-awaited sequel to her 1992 debut, "Dreaming in Cuban." The two discuss García's writing style - "elastic realism" - and how the new novel came to be written. García's first novel followed a number of women from a family that is bitterly divided over the Cuban revolution. The new book picks up decades later in a very different world but filled with many of the same struggles. For fans of "Dreaming in Cuban," the new novel ties up a few loose ends and leaves you with a few new ones.

Julie Schumacher’s “The English Experience” is the third novel in what was never supposed to be a trilogy. The book follows a professor who reluctantly leads an eclectic group of students to a Winter Term abroad in England, and as Schumacher says, it’s the students who humanize both the story and its protagonist. Book Lust’s Nancy Pearl chats with the author about this unintentional third installment and the process by which it came to be.

Julianna Baggott joins Book Lust to talk about her wonderfully wacky new collection of short stories, "I'd Really Prefer Not to Be Here with You," a little bit sci-fi, a little bit horror, and a lot of human nature, all set in the not-so-distant and slightly dystopian future. Host Nancy Pearl asks Julianna about her writing process, and they trade favorite short story writers. Julianna explains how learning about screenwriting can make anyone a better writer.

Dan Berger's nonfiction book, "Stayed on Freedom: The Long History of Black Power through One Family's Journey," closely follows a formerly married (still friends) couple through decades on the frontlines of the Black Power movement. Berger says this book documents the couple through the intersection of personal and public, and tells the story of the movement from a new perspective. One only made possible by a decades-long relationship with its subjects.

“Book Lust” host Nancy Pearl speaks with author and former librarian Elizabeth McCracken about her latest work “The Hero of This Book.” The book is inspired by McCracken’s own relationship with her mother, and she says the novelization of that relationship resulted in a somewhat unusual writing process.

Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer David Maraniss’s compelling new book, “Path Lit by Lightning: The Life of Jim Thorpe,” dives into the life of the Native American sports legend who excelled at every sport. Maraniss sits down with Book Lust host Nancy Pearl to talk about how the athlete’s life is a paradigm for the struggles of Native Americans in the 19th and 20th centuries. The author also admits that writing about Thorpe came with some unique challenges he’d never encountered in his decades as a biographer.

Karen Henry Clark and Sheryl Murray join Nancy talk about their collaboration on "Library Girl – How Nancy Pearl Became America's Most Celebrated Librarian," a picture book about a little girl who loved to read. 

Karen Henry Clark and Sheryl Murray join Nancy talk about their collaboration on "Library Girl – How Nancy Pearl Became America's Most Celebrated Librarian," a picture book about a little girl who loved to read. 

Nancy Pearl talks with Susan Linn (Nancy’s sister!) about the context and impact of technology on today’s children, and her book "Who’s Raising the Kids? Big Tech, Big Business, and the Lives of Children."

Jess Walter's new short story collection, "The Angel of Rome," explores the little moments in life that spark big change, for better or worse. The bestselling author of "Beautiful Ruins," "The Cold Millions," and seven other books joins Nancy Pearl to discuss his early career as a journalist (in his hometown of Spokane), how he knows when a story should be a short story and not a novel, and what he's working on next.

Julie Otsuka latest novel, "The Swimmers," opens with a group of obsessed swimmers whose daily ritual is interrupted when a mysterious crack forming at the bottom of their local pool forces its closure. As the unexplained crack grows and spreads, the story shifts to follow Alice, one of the swimmers, and her slow descent into dementia. Otsuka joins Book Lust with Nancy Pearl and explains the connection between the two halves of the book, and they discuss writing style, favorite authors, and future projects.

Gish Jen joins Nancy Pearl to discuss recent reads, writing short stories, and the origins of her first name (she wasn't born with it). "Thank you, Mr. Nixon," Jen's ninth book, is a novel-in-stories exploring the Chinese diaspora that followed the opening of China to the West that began during the Nixon administration.

Author Nina de Gramont joins Nancy Pearl for an episode of Book Lust to talk about "The Christie Affair." She says that before writing this latest work, she hadn’t read a single Agatha Christie mystery, but when she heard the story of the icon’s mysterious disappearance, she knew it had to be novelized. It turns out, readers agree! Reese Witherspoon even gave it the Reese’s Book Club stamp of approval.

Writer and concert violinist Rosalyn Story's new book, "Sing Her Name," interweaves the lives of two Black women singers living more than a century apart. In the book, a present-day young singer facing struggles stumbles upon an extraordinarily successful, but mostly forgotten, singer (based on the soprano Sissieretta Jones). In learning about her life and the hardships she suffered, the young woman finds life-altering inspiration and guidance. Story joins Nancy Pearl to discuss the new novel, her previous books, and her passionate interest in elevating Black women to their rightful place in the annals of American music.

Charles Finch, a well-known and award-winning literary critic, is also the author of a series of mystery novels set in Victorian England featuring the gentleman detective Charles Lenox. But his new book, "What Just Happened: Notes on a Long Year," is an intimate nonfiction account of 2020, from COVID-19 to racial reckoning to the U.S. presidential election and more. Finch joins Nancy Pearl to discuss their favorite books, the challenges of writing, and their mutual love of country music.

Candace Robb's immersive historical novels take place in medieval England. In her newest novel, "The Riverwoman's Dragon," the 13th in the Owen Archer series, Archer arrives in a York filled with chaos, terror, and suspicion amidst the Black Plague to help a local healer prove her innocence. The prolific author sits down with Nancy Pearl to discuss her affinity for the medieval period, falling in love with her characters, some favorite reads, and more.

Meg Waite Clayton took a leap, leaving a busy career in law to pursue her childhood dream of becoming a writer. She's written eight novels since 2002. Her recent books could be categorized as historical fiction, not wholly based on history but real people and events sprinkled with invented characters. Her latest, "The Postmistress of Paris," is a layered story of suspense, romance, and the beauty of art, inspired by the true story of a woman who helped to smuggle artists and intellectuals out of German-occupied France.

Folio librarian Lillian Dabney talks with Nancy about her energetic commitment to spreading the joy of books. They celebrate Nancy's long career of important work keeping literature at the center of conversations. 

Naomi Hirahara joins Nancy Pearl to discuss "Clark and Division," her new historical mystery that takes place in the 1940s when a Japanese American family is transitioning to city life after mass incarceration during World War II. Naomi is the author of several mystery series as well as non-fiction and she tells Nancy why she decided to write this story inspired by historical events as a stand-alone mystery. Her years working as a journalist and researching Japanese American history add rich historical details to the heartbreaking story of Aki, a young woman who sets off to find out who murdered her older sister.

Author Stephen Mack Jones joins Nancy Pearl to discuss his "August Snow" mysteries. Steve reveals the inspiration behind the title hero, August Snow, an ex-police detective who solves crimes for the marginalized in this (so far) three-part crime fiction series based in Detroit. The books sprinkle true events and real places into the fictional stories and the city plays such a vivid role that they made Nancy homesick for her Detroit childhood. 

Nancy Pearl talks with Daniel James Brown, author of the wildly successful "The Boys in the Boat." His new book, "Facing the Mountain - A True Story of Japanese American Heroes in World War II," chronicles four Japanese American families and their sons, telling the story of World War II in a way you've never heard before. He explains how the book grew out of conversations with Tom Ikeda of Densho, the Seattle-based nonprofit that collects oral histories of Japanese Americans incarcerated during World War II. Plus, Brown shares what he's been reading for pleasure after four years immersed in book research. 

Author and journalist Blaine Harden joins Nancy Pearl to discuss his book "A Frontier Killing, Its Legacy of Lies, and the Taking of the American West." The book dismantles a bogus legend that turned failed missionaries Marcus and Narcissa Whitman into great American heroes, justified devastating white conquest, and created a lasting false history about the founding of the Pacific Northwest. Also, Harden reveals what he reads in his spare time and tells Nancy how he feels about Hemingway.

Sonora Jha joins Nancy Pearl to discuss her book "How to Raise a Feminist Son." They talk about how the book is part memoir, part how-to workbook; how growing up in India influenced her identity as a feminist; and how she went about raising her son with feminist values. Plus, find out what Jha is reading and pick up some great book recommendations.

After several successful works of narrative nonfiction, author David Laskin dove right into writing fiction, and the coming of age 1970s novel "What Sammy Knew" is the result. He and Nancy Pearl discuss the differences between writing fiction and narrative nonfiction, how he workshops his own writing, and his preferred method for writing the part of the book that comes between the beginning and the end.

Science writer Steve Olson joins Nancy Pearl to talk about his book "The Apocalypse Factory: Plutonium and the Making of the Atomic Age," the story of the Manhattan Project, WWII, and the Cold War from the perspective of the often-overlooked Hanford Nuclear Facility. In the book, Olson, who grew up just down the road from the Hanford site in Othello, Wash., recounts stories of the influential scientists and engineers and the small town that played a big role in creating plutonium that fueled some of the most destructive weapons ever created.

Jamie Harrison, author of "The Center of Everything," says each novel is some unexpected blend of autobiography and fiction, and this one is no different. She chats with host Nancy Pearl about her favorite comfort reads of the past year and the mystery novel she won't even share with her agent... yet. 

Marina Endicott, author of 'The Voyage of the Morning Light,' shares the heartbreaking injustice that triggered the novel's plot and why she felt compelled to tell the story from a perspective of a skeptically open-minded little sister. Though the book largely takes place on a sea voyage in 1912, Endicott talks with Book Lust host Nancy Pearl about her own travels and research, which taught her about those injustices and their ties to the ones we're still fighting today.

Natalie Zina Walschots connects the dots between video games, poetry, and her new novel "Hench" with host Nancy Pearl. The book follows the plight of Anna, a supervillain's henchperson who's just trying to pay the rent. Walschots says she waited and waited for someone to tell the evil sidekick's story, but "slowly came to the terrible realization" that the responsibility fell to her. She shares how sci-fi and fantasy in all forms provided the perfect escapism for the self-proclaimed nerd, and how poetry served the opposite, but equally necessary function.

Book Lust host Nancy Pearl chats with poet Kathleen Flenniken. In the interview, the former Washington State Poet Laureate opens up about her experience traveling to every county in the state to share her love of poetry with elementary students. Plus, Kathleen reveals how she dove into reading and writing poetry in her early 30s, and how the craft has shaped her life. 

Nancy Pearl interviews Simon Stephenson about his new novel "Set My Heart to Five." The book stars Jared, a robot who works as a dentist in Michigan but discovers he has emotions (even though he's not supposed to) and dreams of becoming a Hollywood screenwriter. They discuss how he got the idea for the story, what it's like to write a laugh-out-loud book that some people won't find funny, and the merits of the word "heartwarming" and whether it accurately describes this novel.

In this special episode of Book Lust, Folio librarian Lillian Dabney interviews Book Lust host Nancy Pearl and co-author Jeff Schwager about the new book "The Writer's Library." The new book is an intimate, moving, and insightful collection of interviews with great literary figures. These literary legends, including Donna Tartt, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Andrew Sean Greer, Laila Lalami, and Michael Chabon, reveal the books that made them think, brought them joy, and changed their lives.

Spring training may have been suspended, but America's love of baseball has not. Author and editor Emily Nemens joins Nancy Pearl to talk about short stories, writing, and...baseball! Nemens' debut novel, "The Cactus League," is about a fictional baseball player on a fictional team during the excitement of spring training. As stories often go, it's about baseball but it's also not about baseball. They also share a long list of sports-centered (and sports-adjacent) literary fiction to get you through the dry spell until the season returns.