KQED’s Forum

Six months into the war with Iran, the quick victory President Trump predicted remains elusive. As Iran's hardline regime remains defiant, Atlantic writer and military affairs expert Tom Nichols says the United States has already lost strategically: Iran has gained control of the Strait of Hormuz, strained U.S. alliances and depleted American military resources. Nichols also argues that the ongoing conflict has made Trump more reckless, driving him to make ever more irrational foreign policy choices. We talk to Nichols about the costs of the war and where it goes from here. Guest: Tom Nichols, staff writer, The Atlantic; professor emeritus of national security affairs, U.S. Naval War College Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A few years ago, a black Patagonia vest or a Timbuktu messenger bag were a telltale sign that a person might be from the Bay Area. Now, you might look for an Oaklandish hoodie, a water bottle covered in outdoorsy stickers, a t-shirt advertising a non-alcoholic beer or a Tesla with an Elon disclaimer on the bumper. We'll dive into the objects and accessories that are hella Bay Area and just how they became so ubiquitous. And, we want to hear from you, what are the items that define the Bay Area for you? Guests: Carly Severn, senior editor of audience news, KQED Liam O'Donoghue, host and producer, East Bay Yesterday Baruch Porras-Hernandez, performer, organizer, host, curator, stand up comedian, author of “I Miss You, Delicate” and “Lovers of the Deep Fried Circle,” and co-organizer of KQED's ¿Dónde Esta Mi Gente? Literary Series Pendarvis “Pen” Harshaw, columnist, KQED Arts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meta will pay up to $17 billion to settle a lawsuit alleging Facebook and Instagram violated child privacy and consumer protection laws. The case, brought by 47 states and the District of Columbia, could mark a turning point for social media in the United States. “Meta has agreed to make massive transformations that will reduce the risk of harm from its platforms — and will do it within months,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta when announcing the deal, which includes a $2.2 billion payout to California. “We are talking about time limits, stopping notifications during school, a block on the app during critical overnight hours, bans on plastic surgery filters, and so much more.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Canada was once one of America's staunchest allies, but a trade war between the two nations has put the friendship under strain. Following a collapse in trade talks, the Trump administration is hitting Canada with a 50% tariff that targets hockey equipment, cement, dairy, and plywood. Canada vowed to strike back dollar for dollar, issuing nearly $28 billion in tariffs on American steel, seafood, appliances, electronics and more. Canadians are boycotting U.S. products and cancelling trips south. We look at what this means for the two economies, consumers and the future of America's trade relationships. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A uniquely and universally beloved musician and philanthropist, Dolly Parton died Tuesday at 80. One of country music's most celebrated performers, her signature songs including “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You” resonated across generations. We talk to Parton biographers about the singer's life and legacy, and what made her such a distinct American icon. What did Dolly Parton mean to you? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In her new book, “The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State,” Harvard historian and New Yorker writer Jill Lepore issues a warning that in our desire for more efficient, data-driven governance we're falling into “the rule of humans by machines manufactured by corporations.” Her book is an alarming call to action and, she writes, an “inquiry into what humans mean and intend in abandoning constitutional democracy, the liberal nation-state and even humanity itself for rule by automation, government by machine and replacement by artificial intelligence.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've all done it: put off that email, project… or even something we genuinely want to do. But why do we procrastinate? Researcher Itamar Schatz says it's not that we're just lazy, distracted or bad at managing our time, but that often procrastinators care more rather than less about what they're doing and fear the possibility of failure. We'll look at new research that explores the hidden psychology behind why we delay — and tools to finally get moving. Guest: Itamar Shatz, affiliated lecturer, Cambridge University; author, Solving Procrastination The Science of Why We Put Things Off and How to (Finally!) Stop Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last December, Bay Area transit officials launched Clipper 2.0 – a revamp of the payment system used across the region's 22 public transportation systems. The new version was supposed to allow seamless rides between systems and coordinate discounts and other programs. But its rollout turned out to be a bumpy ride that was riddled with errors including payments not being credited, account software locking out customers and system-wide outages lasting hours. KQED's Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman joins us to talk about his investigation into what went wrong and what's next for Clipper. Guests: Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman, reporter, KQED News Adina Levin, project director, Friends of Caltrain Sarah Syed, board member representing the City of Alameda and portions of Oakland and San Leandro, AC Transit Board of Directors Andrew Fremier, executive director, Metropolitan Transportation Commission Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In their groundbreaking 1976 book, “How to Control Your Drinking,” William R. Miller and Ricardo F. Muñoz offered a guide for moderate alcohol use. Back then about two-thirds of American adults drank, and now about half do. As Americans drink less and question whether any amount of alcohol is healthy, Miller and Muñoz are out with a new book called “Rethinking Drinking,” to help us figure out what role, if any, drinking should have in our lives. Guests: William R. Miller, American clinical psychologist, an emeritus distinguished professor of psychology and psychiatry at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque; co-author of “How to Control Your Drinking” (1976) and “Rethinking Drinking” (2026)  Ricardo F. Muñoz, Distinguished Professor of Clinical Psychology, Emeritus, Palo Alto University; Professor of Psychology, Emeritus, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine; co-author of “How to Control Your Drinking” (1976) and “Rethinking Drinking” (2026) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California's only remaining active nuclear power plant, Diablo Canyon on California's Central Coast, was supposed to shutter in 2025, but a series of heat waves and stress on the grid prompted state leaders to keep it running through 2030. And now, as demand for electricity skyrockets, a new push is growing to reverse the state's decision to abandon nuclear power, and to extend the plant's life through 2045. We'll talk to advocates who have been fighting the nuclear plant since the very beginning about the risks of continuing operations, and from those who believe nuclear power is necessary to meet California's mandate to switch to 100% carbon-free energy by 2045. Guests: Jane Swanson, president and spokesperson, Mothers for Peace Michael Wara, policy director for the Sustainability Accelerator at the Doerr School of Sustainability and director of the Climate and Energy Policy Program and senior research scholar at the Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University Adrian Covert, senior vice president of public policy, Bay Area Council Laura Klivans, climate reporter, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fitness trackers have exploded in popularity, and wearable users swear by the data. But psychologists say these devices can lead to anxiety and obsession. Endlessly checking sleep scores and step counts is part of the problem, but the bigger concern is that even favorable numbers don't mean we're actually healthy. Adam Clark Estes, senior technology correspondent for Vox, did his own fitness tracking experiment, and Dr. Thea Gallagher is a psychologist who works with patients with obsessive disorders. They'll join us to talk about what's driving our desire to quantify our lives, and how we can get better at using tech to support our physical and mental health. Guests: Dr. Thea Gallagher, clinical associate professor, Department of Psychiatry at NYU's Grossman School of Medicine; Digital Mental Health, Outcomes, and Wellness Coordinator at NYU Langone Health; licensed clinical psychologist and anxiety specialist Adam Clark Estes, senior technology correspondent, Vox Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Francisco's Nina LaCour is a bestselling YA author who has turned to adult novels in the past few years. Her new book, “Meet Me In the Garden” is a shimmering novel about a Creole family's migration from New Orleans to California and the ways that they reinterpret their racial and queer identities in their new home. We talk about the Great Migration, the promise of California, and writing characters readers actually love. Guest: Nina LaCour, author, “Meet Me in the Garden,” “Yerba Buena” and “We Are Okay” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The San Diego-based naval carrier USS Abraham Lincoln has been deployed to the Middle East to support Iran war operations for nearly nine months. The ship has not stopped at port since December 2025, setting a record for the most consecutive days at sea without a port call. Sailors aboard the Lincoln and their families are now sounding the alarm, reporting food shortages, sanitation issues and deteriorating mental health among personnel. One crew member was rescued after going overboard. We look at what the Lincoln's historic deployment reveals about the demands of the war in Iran — and the military's ability to protect service members. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal immigration agents arrested more than 50 thousand people in July, a record number for the Trump administration which has demanded 2,000 ICE arrests daily. The surge has brought new tactics including arresting travelers at U.S. airports with pending green card applications or valid work permits. And the public nature of the airport arrests have flooded social media. We talk about the ways in which ICE is targeting individuals who have legal protections and what may come next. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After years of chasing news stories and crashing on deadlines, NPR health and science correspondent Allison Aubrey began to reconsider what she wanted out of her life. Aubrey argues that this is a feeling that many women over 50 face, as they search for meaning beyond career achievement and parenting. In her new book, “Your Turn: How to Create a Midlife You Love,” Aubrey reveals steps for building a happier, healthier midlife. She tells the stories of women who are redefining their lives and joins us to share her own journey toward new meaning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Francisco voters will decide in November whether to set up a public bank, a city-owned financial institution that could manage city funds and make loans. The move would make San Francisco the first city in the country to operate a public bank, though it's a concept cities and states across the country are exploring as a way to give local governments more control over their money and fund projects such as affordable housing, green energy infrastructure and small businesses that commercial banks don't typically fund. Critics say cities already have tools available to them that are less risky and complicated to use. We'll dive into what it is and how it might work in San Francisco. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The San Andreas Fault is under more pressure now than it has been in the last 1,000 years. That's according to new research from seismologists who study earthquakes along the Pacific Rim. With recent earthquakes in Japan, Colombia and Venezuela making headlines, we look at the latest science, how prepared California is for “the Big One” and why we still can't predict earthquakes. Guests: Katherine Sharer, geologist, U.S. Geological Survey Wendy Bohon, seismic hazards and earthquake engineering branch chief, California Geological Survey Brian Strong, chief resilience officer, San Francisco Office of Resilience and Capital Planning Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jared Huffman is the only member of Congress to publicly state that he does not believe in any god. In politics, disavowing religion can be a liability, but Huffman argues that more than ever, the separation of church and state is vital. A formerly devout Mormon, he sees Christian nationalism as America's most dangerous political movement, especially after witnessing the January 6 insurrection up close and seeing the “ministry-industrial complex” at work in the halls of Congress. Huffman lays out his arguments and calls for a secular democracy in his new book “No Prophets.” Guest: Jared Huffman, U.S. Representative, California's 2nd congressional district – Which covers six counties including all of Marin and Mendocino and much of Sonoma; author, “No Prophets: The Fight to Save Democracy from Christian Nationalism” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More than 600 California stoneworkers have contracted silicosis, a deadly and incurable lung disease resulting from exposure to the silica in engineered stone. The material, a go-to choice for home countertops, has been found to be toxic to the workers who cut, grind and polish it. Now, doctors, stoneworkers and activists are pressuring California lawmakers to ban the material and embrace available alternatives. At the same time, stone manufacturers and lawmakers are pushing federal legislation to protect manufacturers from worker lawsuits. Join us as we unpack the danger of artificial stone containing silica and the state of efforts to protect workers. Guests: Farida Jhabvala Romero, labor correspondent, KQED Dr. Sheiphali Gandhi, pulmonologist and assistant professor, UC San Francisco; director, the Center for Silicosis Support and Research Network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The public library is our country's last truly democratic institution,” writes celebrated librarian and public historian Dorothy Lazard. In her 40-year career, half at Oakland's main branch, Lazard was on the front lines of libraries' mission to provide free access to all and to serve as a hub of civic life. She was also witness to book bans, financial crises and the many challenges that threaten the institution. Her new book, “Behind the Desk at the Main: A Librarian's Memoir,” offers a personal portrait of how libraries work and the people that keep them functioning, and a rousing call to protect them. Guest: Dorothy Lazard, author, Behind the Desk at the Main: A Librarian's Memoir; former head librarian, Oakland History Center; author, What You Don't Know Will Make a Whole New World Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's your favorite thriller novel? That's a question the New York Times posed this summer to renowned authors and critics, and now the Times is out with a list of the top 50 thrillers released so far this century. We'll talk to the list's editors about how it came together, what makes a great thriller, and why these books — including the number one pick, Gillian Flynn's “Gone Girl” — are so irresistible to readers. Guests: Gilbert Cruz, Canon editor, The New York Times Tina Jordan, Book Review deputy editor, The New York Times Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Social isolation has been declared a public health crisis by the U.S. Surgeon General. And you've likely heard about the male loneliness epidemic or how people are turning to AI bots forcompanionship. But across the Bay Area, shared hobbies are transforming strangers into close knit communities. We'll talk about KQED's Finding Your People series and hear from local subcultures – from mermaids to rock climbers – about the activities that have brought them together. How have you found your people? Guests: Nastia Voynovskaya, editor and reporter, KQED Arts Beth LaBerge, photographer and visual journalist, KQED The Mermaid Atlantis, part of the Northern California mermaid scene Phillip Lang, rock climber and rapper, organizes meetups for the Black Rock Collective, a group of Black climbers in Oakland Simrill Smith, skates under the name Creech with the roller derby team San Francisco Rolling Dead, Bay Area Derby league Hannah Phamvu, a regular at meetups for romance novel fans at A Novel Affair bookstore in Los Altos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the aftermath of the 2012 Sandy Hook mass school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, rightwing commentator Alex Jones peddled bogus conspiracy theories about the tragedy. The Sandy Hook families sued Jones for defamation and emotional distress, and in 2025 a court ordered Jones to pay them nearly $1.5 billion. Jones filed for bankruptcy, and as a court began to sort through his assets, the new owners of parody newspaper The Onion stepped in to take over his far-right platform, Infowars. We'll talk to Ben Collins, CEO of The Onion, about the acquisition and what he plans to do with a “new” Infowars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Trump administration has pulled millions of dollars of funding for teen pregnancy prevention programs nationwide as part of its push for abstinence-only sex ed. Many states, including California, have embraced comprehensive sex ed requiring students to learn about reproduction as well as topics such as consent and contraception. Experts have credited such programs for helping cause the teen pregnancy rate to plummet and say federal policies and loss of funding could prove harmful in the long term and may be part of a larger agenda to encourage childbirth. We'll talk about the Trump administration's policies, defunding of programs, and best practices for educating teens about a loaded topic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Trump administration's push to execute the largest deportation campaign in U.S. history is unfolding in “a fog of fake numbers and statistical subterfuge.” That's according to The Atlantic's Nick Miroff, who covers immigration and the Department of Homeland Security. We talk to Miroff about the political pressures shaping the deportation push, the unintended consequences of blue state backlash to ICE detention facilities and how Homeland Security secretary Markwayne Mullin is responding to attacks from far-right critics who say he's not aggressive enough on immigration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A cyberattack on Suisun City over the weekend forced the city to shut down its network infrastructure and declare a state of emergency. City hall services remain closed. In March, Foster City also declared a state of emergency after a similar attack. And two weeks ago, seven states across the country reported tampering with local water systems, a cyberattack attributed to Iran. How vulnerable are American cities and critical infrastructure like electrical grids, sewage treatment plants, and communications to cyber warfare? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The burgers are so good that they're causing traffic jams. At least that's what's happening in Culver City, where the line of cars at spots like In-N-Out Burger spills beyond the parking lot and into the street. Now officials there are trying to ban new drive-thrus outright. These bans are not an entirely new phenomenon — San Luis Obispo banned drive-thrus back in 1982 — but they're getting newfound attention as recent pushes gain national attention. We'll look at California's role in the rise of fast food drive-thrus and examine whether the current moment could be the beginning of the end for a fast food staple. Guests: Shawn Hubler, Los Angeles bureau chief, The New York Times Adam Chandler, food columnist, The Wall Street Journal; author of “Drive-Thru Dreams: A Journey Through the Heart of America's Fast-Food Kingdom” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer-related death for Americans under 50. And, for people in their 20s and 30s, the rate of incidences is expected to increase 90% by 2030. We explore what's causing this alarming trend, the warning symptoms everyone should know, and what's being done to improve treatment, advance research, and advocate for patients nationwide. Guests: Dr. Chloe Atreya, medical oncologist, UCSF; co-director, UCSF Young Onset Colorectal Cancer Center Molly Roberts, vice president of advocacy, Fight Colorectal Cancer! Amanda Webb, colorectal cancer survivor and advocate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What would happen if a top-secret Russian lab released a deadly, weaponized, pathogen? That's the nightmare possibility that author Annie Jacobsen presents in her new book, “Biological War: A Scenario.” Drawing on hundreds of interviews with former defense secretaries, CIA and FEMA officials, scientists and counterterrorism experts, Jacobsen shows how we might respond hour-by-hour, and the outlook is grim. We'll talk to Jacobsen about why we can't ignore the existence of biological weaponry. Guest: Annie Jacobsen, author of “Biological War: A Scenario” and other books including “Nuclear War” and “The Pentagon's Brain” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I've not gone back to any of the old places,” reflects the protagonist in the new novel “A Tender Age.” But that is just what the author Chang-rae Lee does, in this, his most personal book yet. Set in the 70s, the story follows an eleven-year-old Korean American boy caught between his doting immigrant parents and a roving pack of neighborhood kids — until one summer changes everything. Lee, a Stanford professor and Pulitzer Prize finalist joins us. Guest:Chang-rae Lee, author, “A Tender Age,” He is also the author of the award-winning novel “Native Speaker” and the Pulitzer Prize-nominated “The Surrendered,” among other works. He is a professor of creative writing at Stanford University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“We all need to act more childish,” says professional child interviewer Julian Shapiro-Barnum, the YouTuber behind the viral series Recess Therapy. He's interviewed thousands of young kids to get their takes on love, family, adulthood — and corn. And he says he's learned from kids about how adults can better listen to their emotions, instincts and imaginations. Shapiro-Barnum's new book is “How to Grow Up Without Becoming a Grown-Up.” He joins us and we hear from you: What has a kid taught you? Guests: Julian Shapiro-Barnum, comedian; interviewer for online shows “Recess Therapy,” “Celebrity Substitute,” and “Outside Tonight;” author, “How to Grow Up Without Becoming a Grown-Up: Big Lessons from Little Kids” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bosnian Muslim funeral practices, Togolese views on mental illness, traditional Chinese medicine and postpartum depression among African American women are some of the topics addressed by Oakland High students in their publication, “Cross-Cultural Medicine, Volume 8.” It's the latest installment of an annual capstone project for juniors in Oakland High's public health academy, the essays in which – written by students, drawing from interviews they conducted and research they analyzed – both celebrate their own cultures' approaches to medicine and examine mistrust of Western medical institutions. And it's taught annually at the health sciences-focused Samuel Merritt University as part of its culturally competent care curriculum. We'll hear from the students about the work they published and from the project's creator, Jessica Forbes, who teaches at Oakland High School. Guests: Skili Richardson, incoming senior, Oakland High School; author, “How to Care for a Woman Who Has Postpartum Depression;” illustrator, “Cross-Cultural Medicine, Volume 8″ front and back covers Charlene Kwan, incoming senior, Oakland High School; author, “Warmth from the Root” Nzubechukwu Ugo Egeonu, incoming senior, Oakland High School; author, “African Distrust of Western Medicine and Practices” Jessica Forbes, teacher, Oakland High School Sarah Koster, family nurse practitioner; professor, Samuel Merritt University Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Actor and screenwriter Danny McBride has built his career portraying immature men. From “Eastbound and Down” to “The Righteous Gemstones,” McBride weaves satire and profanity to comment on American culture. In his new book, “Thrilling Tales of Modern Men,” McBride offers a collection of short stories about complicated men, and asks whether we can empathize with deeply unlikeable characters. He joins us to talk about what his new book has to say about modern American masculinity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Bay Area's homelessness crisis is one of the most acute in the nation, and it has concentrated in the region's biggest cities, like San Jose. Many communities have adopted new policies aimed at mitigating the crisis – from checks aimed at stabilizing vulnerable renters to making it illegal to refuse shelter beds. We examine the causes and potential solutions being implemented around the Bay Area, with a special look at a series of controversial new policies being implemented in the South Bay, including an effort to redirect funding from permanent housing projects to build more forms of temporary shelter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With domestic demand down and retaliatory tariffs from Canada hurting international sales, California's wine industry is struggling. But beyond this year's challenges, grape growers and winemakers are confronting the broader threat of climate change, which is already transforming places like Napa and Sonoma and could ultimately threaten the entire industry. We'll talk to researchers and winemakers about the looming threats and what changes are necessary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California is racing toward the ambitious goal of a 100% clean energy grid by 2045. But trading fossil fuels for zero-carbon power isn't as simple as flipping a switch—it means overhauling the appliances, vehicles, and energy systems we've relied on for decades. We'll talk with state and local leaders about where we're making real progress and where we're falling short. And we'll hear from you: how is California's green energy transition impacting your daily choices and utility bills? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From woodworking to ceramics to baking, people are increasingly stepping away from their devices and embracing manual arts. This desire to work with our hands may speak to an anxiety with modern technology, but professor Joshua Habgood-Coote argues that the preoccupation with ancient crafts dates back thousands of years. Habgood-Coote calls this trend “skill nostalgia,” and he joins us to discuss what happens when we long for the past. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For decades, grassroots activists have led the way in pushing the government to regulate toxins that harm our health and wellbeing. The MAHA, or Make America Healthy Again, movement has taken up some of that activism to fight the growing prevalence of environmental toxins such as pesticides, PFAS and microplastics. Though MAHA has lobbied U.S. health secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and President Trump to reduce the pollutants, many have been disappointed by the administration's inaction. We'll talk about efforts to regulate environmental toxins and the Trump administration's approach. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A trusted press is essential to a thriving democracy, but recent studies show that Americans' confidence in news media has hit record lows — regardless of factors like geography and political affiliation. To blame are growing perceptions of bias and a sense that news reporting that doesn't feel applicable to everyday life. We look at why so few people trust the media — and what could be done to change that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Claire Stapleton started working at Google in 2007 she was a true believer, becoming known as the “Bard of Google,” by spinning positive narratives of the company. But by 2018, she was so disillusioned by the company culture that she helped organize the company's largest walkout to protest how Google handled sexual harassment cases.  We talk to Stapleton about her takes on the myths and the reality of Google  and her new book “Don't Be Evil: Bad Bosses, Fake Promises, and my Escape from Big Tech.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

E-bike crashes and injuries in California are increasing, a new study out of UC San Diego finds. And those injuries are not only more severe compared with conventional bikes, they'redisproportionately involving kids age 14 and younger. We'll hear how doctors, lawmakers andbiking advocates are responding to the risks posed by e-bikes – and by what some call emotorcycles – and we'll hear your takes about how we can make our roads safer for all. Guests: Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman, reporter, KQED Asha Weinstein Agrawal, professor and researcher, Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University John Maa, governor and former president, American College of Surgeons; former trauma surgeon, MarinHealth Medical Center; co-author of the new study from UCSD, “An exponential increase in e-bike injuries in California” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Summer reading season is here. What belongs in your beach bag — or on your nightstand? We talk with Bay Area booksellers and authors about the books that they recommend, from light, breezy reads to delicious mysteries to the doorstopper you've been putting off. And we hear from you: what are you reading? Guests: Vanessa Hua, author, “Coyoteland,” “Forbidden City” and “A River of Stars” Brad Johnson, owner, East Bay Booksellers in Oakland Kit Fitzgerald, co-founder, bookseller, Noe Valley Books Hannah deBree, founder, Tender Buttons Books, an online indie book site Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices