Jim Foster: Conversations On The Coast

Harold Evans, the late author of "They Made America: From the Steam Engine to the Search Engine: Two Centuries of Innovators," talks about how A.P. Giannini helped change the banking industry by expanding services to the middle-class, and also speaks on what he did for the San Francisco Bay Area.  The full interview from a 2004 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.

T.J. English, author of "Havana Nocturne: How the Mob Owned Cuba and Then Lost It to the Revolution," talks about the entertainment scene in 1950s Cuba and the revolution that destroyed it toward the end of the decade.  The full interview from a 2008 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.  Photo: tj-english.com.

James Ellroy, author of "Blood's a Rover," talks about what makes the way he writes about American History so unique.  The full interview from a 2009 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.  Photo: jamesellroy.net.

Joseph J. Ellis, author of "American Creation: Triumphs and Tragedies in the Founding of the Republic," talks about why John Adams wanted more credit for writing the Declaration of Independence.  The full interview from a 2007 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.  Photo: josephellishistorian.com.

Barry Eisler, author of "Fault Line," talks about how two brothers who don't get along find a way to come together and rely upon each other anyway.  The full interview from a 2009 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.  Photo: Douglas Sonders/barryeisler.com.

Gretel Ehrlich, author of "Facing The Wave," talks about how she went about learning the truth of what happened when a tsunami hit Japan in 2011, with the help of her interpreter guides, and the aftermath for the many people affected by the natural disaster.  The full interview from a 2013 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.  Photo: gretelehrlich.com

Jennifer Egan, author of "The Keep," reads an excerpt from the novel and gives her answer to the question "Can the imagined become the reality?"  The full interview from a 2006 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.  Photo: jenniferegan.com/Pieter M. van Hattem

John Dunning, the late author of "The Bookman's Promise," talks about the differences between a bookman and antiquarian, and how the bookman in the novel begins his own search for a book and a killer.  The full interview from a 2005 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts. 

Cassandra Dunn, author of "The Art of Adapting," reads an excerpt from her novel that illustrates how women dealing with a personal crisis sometimes delve into taking care of other people rather than focusing on their own problems.  The full interview from a 2014 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.  Photo: cassandradunn.com.

Sarah Dunant, author of "Sacred Hearts," reads an excerpt from her novel in which the young main character, Serafina, starts to find her voice within the confines of an Italian convent in the year 1570 and makes her plans to escape.  The full interview from a 2009 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.  Photo: sarahdunant.com

Robert Dugoni, former Civil Litigator and author of "The Conviction: A David Sloane Novel," talks about the downside of the privatizing of the criminal justice system in the world, and how he illustrated the issue in his novel.  The full interview from a 2012 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.  Photo: robertdugonibooks.com.

Jennifer DuBois, author of "Cartwheel," talks about how people can reach different conclusions about an event with the same set of facts, and the similarities her novel has to the real life case of Amanda Knox.  The full interview from a 2013 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.  Photo: jennifer-dubois.com.

Ken Dornstein, author of "The Boy Who Fell Out of the Sky: A True Story," talks about the last letter his brother wrote before his tragic death on Pan Am Flight 103, and Ken's reply to him many years later.  The full interview from a 2006 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.  Photo: theboywhofelloutofthesky.com

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, author of "The Palace of Illusions," talks about how a woman named Panchaali becomes powerful in a world where few women do, and how she handles the unusual responsibility of having five husbands.  The full interview from a 2008 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.  Photo: https://www.chitradivakaruni.com/ 

Vanessa Diffenbaugh, author of "The Language of Flowers," talks about the adjustment parents and children often go through when the children are ultimately adopted. The full interview from a 2011 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.

Matthew Diffee, editor of "The Rejection Collection Vol. 2: The Cream of the Crap," talks about what questions cartoonists said they would ask of The New Yorker editor Bob Mankoff if they could ask him just one, while Jim offers why he thinks some of the rejected cartoons shouldn't have been. The full interview from a 2007 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.

Frank Delaney, the late author of "Simple Courage: A True Story of Peril on the Sea," tells a story illustrating how the very diverse ship crew of the freighter S.S. Flying Enterprise showed bravery in the middle of a huge storm in a 1951 voyage to America from Europe. The full interview from a 2006 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.

Frank Deford, the late author of "Over Time: My Life as a Sportswriter," tells a story about his stint with the 'lite beer all stars' and interactions with Rodney Dangerfield and Ben Davidson. The full interview from a 2012 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.

Cal Crosby talks about the excitement that surrounded the opening of a Books Inc. store in Berkeley. The full interview from a 2009 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.

Robert Crais, author of "The Forgotten Man: An Elvis Cole Novel," talks about what happened when the main character ran away as a young boy and the unlikely father figure he found in his life. The full interview from a 2005 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts. Photo: robertcrais.com

Caleb Crain, author of "Necessary Errors," talks about what the main character experienced in a trip to the grocery story as a newcomer to Prague right after the revolution. The full interview from a 2013 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts. Photo: steamthing.com

Jim Crace, author of "The Pesthouse," talks about the general concept of the book in which America is on the decline, inspiring the population to travel eastward to Europe for a better life. The full interview from a 2007 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.

David Corbett, author of "Done for a Dime," talks about what often does and doesn't happen within a police department that might be surprising. The full interview from a 2004 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts. Photo: davidcorbett.com

Amanda Coplin, author of "The Orchardist," reads an excerpt from the novel where the main character named William revisits a young woman who finds herself in jail and thinks back to what he could have done different in the past when he had first met her. The full interview from a 2012 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts. Photo: amandacoplin.com

Jodi Compton, author of "Hailey's War," talks about how a woman in the US Military Academy quickly finds herself back in her old gang life in Los Angeles to help a friend from high school. The full interview from a 2010 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts. Photo: jodicompton.com

Larry Colton, author of "No Ordinary Joes: The Extraordinary True Story of Four Submariners in World War II," talks about the true story of four members of the crew of the USS Grenadier as they tried to save their submarine and themselves after a Japanese torpedo hit it in 1943. The full interview from a 2010 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.

George Howe Colt, author of "Brothers: On His Brothers and Brothers in History," talks about how siblings play a big part in who they become as people despite trying to differentiate themselves from one another as they grow up. The full interview from a 2013 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts. Photo: thoreaufarm.org

Michael Collins, author of "Lost Souls," talks about how the characters in the book illustrate the failures we all experience and live through in various way, both economically and psychologically. The full interview from a 2004 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts. Photo: michaelcollinswriter.com

Meg Waite Clayton, author of "The Wednesday Daughters," talks about the second wave of the women's movement as illustrated in the book with the daughters trying to live their own lives while at the same time keeping in mind the expectations of their mothers. The full interview from a 2013 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.

Kate Christensen, author of "The Great Man," talks about the beauty that can still reside in women over 65 and the misconception about how older women perceive themselves. The full interview from a 2007 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.

Gennifer Choldenko, author of "Chasing Secrets," reads an excerpt from her novel as spoken by the main character, a thirteen-year-old named Lizzie, illustrating the courageous nature of kids and how change for the better is always possible. The full interview from a 2015 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts. Photo: gennifercholdenko.com

Lee Child, author of "The Hard Way: A Jack Reacher Novel," talks about how the main character is kind of a mythical character and why he is continually re-invented over thousands of years throughout history. The full interview from a 2006 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.

Pauline W. Chen, transplant surgeon and author of "Final Exam: A Surgeon's Reflections on Mortality," talks about an experience she had in medical school that transformed her. The full interview from a 2007 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.

Michael Castleman, author of "A Killing in Real Estate," talks about the main plot of the novel which explores real estate development in San Francisco, and also discusses how many developers use Monopoly names for their shell corporations. The full interview from a 2011 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.

James Carroll, Boston Globe columnist and author of "Crusade: Chronicles of an Unjust War," reads an expert from a column he wrote in early 2003 regarding the Iraq war, and also discusses the concept of "preventive war." The full interview from a 2004 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.

Peter Carey, author of "Parrot and Olivier in America," talks about how the main character Olivier, based on Alexis de Tocqueville, was concerned about how a culture can be well-maintained in a capitalist democracy and that it can be both a good and bad thing that anybody can be President. The full interview from a 2010 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.

Stephen J. Cannell, author of "On the Grind: A Shane Scully Novel," talks about the question he asked himself before starting a new TV project. The full interview from a 2009 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.

Alice Camille, author of "Animals of the Bible from A to Z," talks about the challenge of finding the animal that began with the letter U. The full interview from a 2007 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts. The book is illustrated by Camille's niece, Sarah Evelyn Showalter.

Thomas Cahill, author of "Mysteries of the Middle Ages: The Rise of Feminism, Science, and Art from the Cults of Catholic Europe," explains how some wanted him to remove the word 'feminism' from his book title, and why he refused to do so. The full interview from a 2006 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.

Carolyn Burke, author of "No Regrets: The Life of Edith Piaf," talks about the night that Edith Piaff was discovered by a night club owner. The full interview from a 2011 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.

D.W. Buffa, author of "Breach of Trust," discusses what happened when one of the main characters in the novel decided to resign the Vice Presidency and run for President against the incumbent, and then also shares a brief true story about United States Senator Phil Hart. The full interview from a 2004 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.

Elizabeth Brundage, author of "A Stranger Like You," talks about the part of her book that delves into the challenges in Hollywood for women screenwriters. The full interview from a 2010 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts. Photo: Edward Acker/elizabethbrundage.com

Jessica Bruder, author of "Burning Book: A Visual History of Burning Man," talks about how several participants in the 2005 Burning Man event headed south into the Hurricane Katrina disaster area to help people rebuild. The full interview from a 2007 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.

Rita Mae Brown, author of "Full Cry," reads a short comical passage from her book where two foxhounds speak to each other about their 72-year-old master "Sister" Jane. The full interview from a 2005 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.

Sonny Brewer, author of "The Poet of Tolstoy Park," talks about what the main charater in the book, Henry Stuart, did after being told by his doctor that he was dying and how it transformed his community. This full interview from a 2006 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.

T.C. Boyle, author of "The Women," talks about how architect Frank Lloyd Wright seemed to thrive on tumult in order to work. This full interview from a 2009 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.

Raymond Bonner, author of "Anatomy of Injustice: A Murder Case Gone Wrong," talks about why the purpose of the book changed to a more broad look at the death penalty, the law, and wrongful convictions. This full interview from a 2012 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.

Sarah Blake, author of "The Postmistress," reads a short passage from the book in which a broadcast dispatcher named Frankie Bard broadcast a very emotional moment from overseas in London during World War 2, alongside Edward R. Murrow. This full interview from a 2011 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.

Nichole Bernier, author of "The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D.," talks about how the main character Kate was anxious ahead of a rare planned dinner with her husband without their kids, and how solitude with another person is an art. This full interview from a 2012 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.

Dane Huckelbridge, author of "Bourbon: A History of the American Spirit, explains how Bourbon whiskey was the American experience. This full interview from a 2014 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.

Megan Mayhew Bergman, author of "Birds of a Lesser Paradise," reads from her title short story regarding a father fallen ill and how nature can be such a comfort. This full interview from a 2012 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" can be heard now wherever you get your podcasts.