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Book Public is a Texas Public Radio podcast about books. At Book Public we believe books have the power to enlighten and entertain us. Listen in as we talk to authors about their books and why and how they wrote them. At Book Public we’re committed to connecting listeners to books that help us understand today’s world—and each other—a little bit better.

Yvette Benavides


    • May 23, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 28m AVG DURATION
    • 170 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Book Public

    Book Public: 'The Fate of Others' by Richard Bausch

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2025 30:49


    Richard Bausch discusses his latest story collection, The Fate of Others. This may be the author's 24th book, but it is a fresh, powerful collection of stories for today's world with all its resonances of loss and isolation—but also of hope.

    Book Public: 'Have Mercy on Us' by Lisa Cupolo

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2025 25:18


    The flaws and follies of Cupolo's characters teach us something about what it means to be human when we make mistakes or when we allow each other mercy. Lisa Cupolo discusses her award-winning story collection.

    Book Public: 'The Bright Years' by Sarah Damoff

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2025 31:00


    The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff is a multigenerational family saga that underscores the ways that a family tries to navigate and survive addiction, grief, shame and the losses that loving deeply can bring to our lives. Secrets and regrets, forgiveness and grace—all figure in this tender story about love in its many forms.

    Book Public: 'Four Red Sweaters' by Lucy Adlington

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2025 26:04


    Jock Heidenstein. Anita Lasker. Chana Zumerkorn, Regina Feldman. These young women did not know each other. They never met—not before or after their respective experiences during the Holocaust. What connects their incredible stories? A red sweater. Lucy Adlington discusses her book Four Red Sweaters.

    Book Public: 'The Imagined Life' by Andrew Porter

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2025 21:23


    The Imagined Life is a novel about memory, music and longing—and about the bonds between a father and a son. Andrew Porter discusses his latest novel on the latest episode of Book Public.

    Book Public: ‘Book of Potions' by Lauren K. Watel

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2025 32:26


    For author Lauren K. Watel, “potions” are part poem and part fiction. There are 75 prose-like vignettes with the density and intensity of poems in her "Book of Potions."

    Book Public: 'Brother Brontë' by Fernando A. Flores

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2025 34:37


    The novel is set in 2038 in Three Rivers, Texas. A corrupt industrialist is the mayor. Women are indentured laborers in a fish cannery. Reading books is against the law. Protagonist Neftalí is the last literate citizen of the town. What can she do to reclaim and help her city?

    Book Public: ‘Our Beautiful Boys' by Sameer Pandya

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2025 27:12


    The novel is about race and class and about parents trying to raise their sons in our fraught times.

    Book Public: 'The Horse' by Willy Vlautin

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2025 41:24


    The protagonist is a supremely talented man who is also deeply troubled. He must emerge from his isolation to help a blind, wounded, helpless horse—but can he also save himself?

    Book Public: 'We're Alone' by Edwidge Danticat

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2025 23:11


    Edwidge Danticat discusses her essay collection, We're Alone. The essays cover subjects like environmental catastrophe, the traumas of colonialism, motherhood, and the complexities of resilience.

    Book Public: 'Back After This' by Linda Holmes

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2025 12:32


    In the novel, Back After This, a podcast producer in Washington D.C. becomes the host of a new podcast—about dating. It's a break she's been waiting for. But will this new opportunity destroy her chances at love instead? Linda Holmes discusses her latest novel on the next episode of Book Public.

    Book Public: ‘Nesting' by Roisín O'Donnell

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2025 5:52


    A young, pregnant mother tries to leave an abusive husband. Obstacles are everywhere for her and her children. Yvette Benavides reviews Nesting—a tense and emotional novel by Roisín O'Donnell.

    Book Public: 'The Umbrella Maker's Son' by Tod Lending

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2025 46:15


    Tod Lending joins Yvette Benavides for a discussion about The Umbrella Maker's Son. This World War II novel is a powerful and poignant story about survival and hope in the face of terror and violence. It's an important addition to modern works of Holocaust literature.

    Book Public: 'Selena: A Little Golden Book Biography'

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2025 3:08


    A new Little Golden Book biography immortalizes the story of Selena Quintanilla for a new generation of young readers.

    Book Public: 'Save Me, Stranger' by Erika Krouse

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2025 39:25


    Erika Krouse discusses her story collection.

    Book Public: 'The Mourner's Bestiary' by Eiren Caffall

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2025 29:07


    Eiren Caffall's The Mourner's Bestiary, is a memoir about her experiences with polycystic kidney disease (PKD)—a chronic illness that has afflicted her family for 150 years—with the stories of marine life struggling to survive in the world's fastest warming marine ecosystem.

    Book Public: 'The Best Short Stories 2024': The O. Henry Prize Winners

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2024 38:44


    Jenny Minton Quigley is the editor of the series. Amor Towles is this year's guest judge.

    Book Public: 'Filmmaker's Journey' by Severo Perez

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2024 26:36


    Severo Perez's Filmmaker's Journey recounts Perez's story from his humble beginnings on San Antonio's West Side to 2024—and a celebration of his film “...and the Earth did not Swallow Him” being nominated to the National Film Registry by Congressman Joaquín Castro.

    Book Public: 'Traveling without Moving' by Taiyon J. Coleman

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2024 44:13


    Taiyon J. Coleman discusses her essay collection.

    Book Public: 'On James Baldwin' by Colm Tóibín

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2024 22:47


    An interview with Colm Tóibín about his latest book, 'On James Baldwin.'

    Book Public: 'The Disappeared' by Rebecca J. Sanford

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2024 19:34


    'The Disappeared' by Rebecca J. Sanford is a debut novel inspired by the real mothers and grandmothers who spoke out against Argentina's military dictatorship.

    Book Public: 'The Day's Hard Edge' by José Antonio Rodríguez

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2024 24:00


    José Antonio Rodríguez discusses his latest poetry collection, "The Day's Hard Edge."

    Book Public: Hurricane stories

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2024 6:02


    Many works of fiction feature cataclysmic weather events. In "God's Gonna Trouble the Water" by Randall Kenan, the effects of a hurricane don't always affect diverse communities the same way.

    Book Public: 'Getting to Know Death' by Gail Godwin

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2024 5:33


    A review of the memoir Getting to Know Death: A Meditation by Gail Godwin

    Book Public: 'Poor Deer' by Claire Oshetsky

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 21, 2024 5:09


    A young girl must come to terms with her role in a tragic loss—and work to reshape the narrative of her own life in the aftermath. A review of Poor Deer by Claire Oshetsky.

    Book Public: 'Longing for Connection' by Andrew Burstein

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2024 7:19


    What is an emotional history? What of the “emotional history” of the United States? This is what historian Andrew Burstein investigates—and answers— in his latest book, Longing for Connection: Entangled Memories and Emotional Loss in Early America. The book covers the period from America's founding through the Civil War.

    Book Public: 'Sipsworth' by Simon Van Booy

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2024 30:30


    On this episode of Book Public, Simon Van Booy discusses his latest novel, Sipsworth.

    Book Public: 'Truth is the Arrow, Mercy is the Bow' by Steve Almond

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2024 35:44


    In his latest book, Truth is the Arrow, Mercy is the Bow, Steve Almond explores the trials and myths that influence our writing lives.

    Book Public: San Antonio Book Festival has something for everyone

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2024 12:44


    Lilly Gonzalez is the executive director of the San Antonio Book Festival. She discusses this year's exciting author line-up at the April 13 all-day event.

    Book Public: 'Half-Lives' by Lynn Schmeidler

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2024 29:12


    Book Public: Lynn Schmeidler discusses her story collection, Half-Lives, with Book Public host, Yvette Benavides.

    Book Public: ‘The Divorcées' by Rowan Beaird

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2024 20:02


    Rowan Beaird discusses her novel The Divorcées. It's set in the 1950s on a divorce ranch, a place where women could live for six weeks to establish residency in order to be able to file for divorce in a Nevada court.

    Book Public: 'Wandering Stars' by Tommy Orange

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2024 33:01


    Tommy Orange discusses Wandering Stars. The novel traces the legacies of the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864 and the Carlisle Indian Industrial School through three generations of a family.

    Book Public: Everyman's Library publishes 40th anniversary edition of 'The House on Mango Street' by Sandra Cisneros

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2024 43:28


    Book Public: 'Splinters: Another Kind of Love Story' by Leslie Jamison

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2024 32:41


    Leslie Jamison discusses her memoir, 'Splinters: A Kind of Love Story' with Yvette Benavides.

    Book Public: 'The Road from Belhaven' by Margot Livesey

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2024 25:46


    Book Public podcast host Yvette Benavides interviews Margot Livesey about her latest novel, 'The Road from Belhaven.'

    Book Public: 'The Women' by Kristin Hannah

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2024 21:38


    Book Public host Yvette Benavides interviews Kristin Hannah about her latest novel, "The Women."

    Book Public: 'The Fetishist' by Katherine Min

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2024 20:10


    The author Katherine Min passed away in 2019. Her daughter, Kayla Min Andrews, discusses her mother's posthumously published novel, The Fetishist.

    Book Public: Richard Blanco on his new book, 'Homeland of My Body: New & Selected Poems'

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 22, 2023 35:00


    Richard Blanco reads from and discusses his latest poetry collection.

    Book Public: Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow's ‘All the Little Bird-Hearts' is a novel that explores themes of motherhood, authenticity and autism

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2023 18:25


    In All the Little Bird-Hearts, debut novelist Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow has created a richly drawn psychological drama set in the late 1980s about a woman, Sunday Forrester, who is autistic. The author is also autistic. The novel was longlisted for the Booker Prize for 2023.

    Book Public: Writing and art from the farmworker community in 'The Common'

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2023 46:04


    Book Public: 'Small in Real Life' by Kelly Sather

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2023 31:29


    Kelly Sather discusses her award-winning story collection, 'Small in Real Life.'

    Book Public: 'The Madstone' by Elizabeth Crook

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2023 28:44


    Elizabeth Crook's latest novel, The Madstone, is a thrilling story set in Texas in the late 1860s. Protagonist Benjamin Shreve sets out on a long journey to help a pregnant mother and her little son evade a murderous gang.

    texas public crooks elizabeth crook
    Book Public: 'Ladies' Lunch' by Lore Segal

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2023 24:16


    At 95 years old, Lore Segal is at the top of her game with her latest story collection, Ladies' Lunch.

    Book Public: ‘The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store' by James McBride

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2023 37:05


    In James McBride's The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, we are in Pottstown, Pennsylvania in 1972. A human skeleton has been discovered at a construction site. Who holds the secrets of this discovery? The answer might be found among the residents of Chicken Hill, a neighborhood where immigrant Jews and African Americans have lived side by side for decades, sharing life's sorrows and joys—and looking out for each other.

    Book Public: 'Somebody's Fool' by Richard Russo

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2023 41:06


    Richard Russo won the Pulitzer Prize for his novel Empire Falls and millions have followed the saga of Donald “Sully” Sullivan. Richard Russo discusses Somebody's Fool, the third book in his North Bath trilogy.

    Book Public: ‘Vanishing Maps' by Cristina García

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2023 32:42


    Cristina García discusses her latest novel, Vanishing Maps. The novel follows the del Pino family we first met in García's first novel, Dreaming in Cuban.

    Book Public: Review of 'Home Reading Service' by Fabio Morábito

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2023 3:49


    A review of the novel 'Home Reading Service' by Fabio Morábito

    ‘The Wind Knows My Name': Isabel Allende shows how history repeats itself in novel about two child refugees

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 9, 2023 24:36


    Isabel Allende's novel traces the ripple effects of war and immigration on one child in Europe in 1938 and another in El Salvador in 2019. Each finds refuge in the U.S.

    ‘Good Night, Irene': Luis Alberto Urrea's historical novel based on his mother's experiences in the Red Cross during World War II

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2023 60:44


    Luis Alberto Urrea's latest novel is based on his mother's experiences working with the Red Cross behind the front lines during World War II.

    ‘You Are Here': Karin Lin-Greenberg's debut novel chronicles a failing mall that connects a community

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2023 26:51


    When a mall that has been the town's gathering place for decades is scheduled to close down, the community must face the ways they live their lives. Karin Lin-Greenberg discusses her novel, You Are Here.

    ‘A Living Remedy': Nicole Chung's memoir explores a daughter's grief and strength to survive

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2023 30:26


    Nicole Chung discusses her book, A Living Remedy—a profound ode to her parents that also shows the failures of our country's health-care system.

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