Likely Stories

Hello, I'm Rebecca Flavin, director of engaged learning curriculum and senior lecturer of political science at Baylor University. My friends will all attest. Two of my favorite things are reading and traveling. And when I can combine the two by reading books about places I travel, I am in heaven.

Kevin Tankersley is in the host seat for this weeks Likely Stories. Behind the music, the comedy, and the car chases, The Blues Brothers was a passion project fueled by friendship. The Blues Brothers: An Epic Friendship explores the rise of Belushi and Aykroyd, the film's impact, and the legends it helped reignite.

As an English teacher. Shakespeare has been in my lesson plans for years. I could teach the bard with my eyes closed. But what if we could reimagine one of the most classic plays in a new light, and take the famous couplet 'for never was there a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo', and flip it on its end. For never was a story of more whimsy than this. Of the Montagues and their daughter Rosie.

Have you ever found yourself inexplicably moved by something incredibly simple and innocuous? A blinking street light in the dead of night. A solitary shopping cart in an empty parking lot. If so, then you might like to know, that sudden shift of emotion is known as a heartspur.

This is Guilherme Feitosa DeAlmeida, senior lecturer of Musical Theatre at Baylor University. I'm here with this week's edition of Likely Stories. Award winning author Mahasweta Devi is an environmental crusader. Bitter Soil is her narrative manifesto.

In my goal to read more nonfiction books, I picked up You're Not Listening – what you're missing and why it matters by Kate Murphy. I admit I can't remember who recommended this book, I probably wasn't listening… but reading it is a great opportunity to learn how to become a better listener and who doesn't want that.I'm Lucy Petter. Welcome to today's Likely Stories.

My name is Heather White, I teach Art History classes at Baylor and manage my household, I have two toddlers and a ten year old. Today I am reviewing, “I Who Have Never Known Men,” by Jaqueline Harpman. If you've never heard of it, don't worry, it's an older, obscure book with a somewhat wordy title.

If you haven't seen the movie Midnight Cowboy, don't read Baylor professor James Kendrick's new book Midnight Cowboy. It is full of spoilers…full.

You know, investing my soul into a story about fictional competitive ice dancers was not what I had on my 2025 BINGO card, yet there I was, poring over the pages of this book and pouring out my emotions over this debut that is an homage to Wuthering Heights and reads like part fictional account and part Netflix Olympic documentary. Dig in your toepicks to 'The Favorites' by Layne Fargo and get ready for one heck of a spin.

Hey there. Lauren here. I'm KWBU's public relations intern as well as a Baylor student and a bookseller at Fabled. Today I'm going to be talking all about the book, Carrie Sotozis Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Let me tell you, I love me some Taylor Jenkins Reid. I would probably say she's my favorite author. She writes such fascinating stories with the most interesting characters. One of these interesting characters being Carrie Soto.

Have you ever been in a daily commute, or in a class, and sat next to the same people day in and day out, and not known one thing about them? Not their names, not their jobs, and certainly not their lives. You give them nicknames in your head attributed to what they wear and what they drink, but you have no idea who they are. Of course, you never speak. The first rule is “don't talk to strangers.” What would it take to get to know these people, and in turn to let them into your life?

I'm Joe Riley with KWBU, and this is Likely Stories.Every couple of weeks, I visit the Waco McLennan County Library and browse the New Book shelves. That's where I saw Bringing Ben Home: A Murder, A Conviction, and the Fight to Redeem American Justice. Actually, it was the author's name that first caught my eye – Barbara Bradley Hagerty is currently a contributing writer at The Atlantic. Before that, she spent 19 years reporting on justice issues and religion for NPR. I checked the book out because I've always been impressed by her work.

It's not Christmastime anymore, but that's never stopped me from enjoying any story set during the most wonderful time of the year. This one is heavy on mystery, lightly romantic, deeply nostalgic, fully entrenched in the setting.

Nearly every time my husband sees me reading he asks, “Reading one of your “happy” books again?” To be fair, he may have a point. For example, listening to the audiobook of a novel that unpacks the emotional trauma of four generations of Filipino men, is possibly not the most uplifting way to spend a drive through the plains of the Texas Panhandle. But Everything We Never Had by Randy Ribay was so worth it. I'm Gia Chevis with this week's installment of Likely Stories.

For this week's episode of Likely stories, Kevin Tankersley, from the Department of Journalism, Public Relations & New Media at Baylor, is investigating what goes into the making of True Crime Television.

Hi, I'm Molly-Jo Tilton, reporter at KWBU and hobbyist reader. On this week's episode of Likely Stories, we'll be talking about Trust by Hernan Diaz.

Hello. My name is Douglas Henry, Dean of the Honors College at Baylor University, with this week's edition of Likely Stories.

My name is Heather White, I teach Art History classes at Baylor. Before I begin this segment of Likely Stories, I wanted to let you know that this review acknowledges the existence of sexual desire, if this is not appropriate for everyone in your listening space, you may want to return after this three minute segment has ended. Okay, here we go.

If it has taken you an annoyingly long time to learn that perfection isn't a healthy goal and getting help isn't a sign of a character flaw, then you might empathize with Rika's journey in Butter, A Novel of Food and Murder by Asako Yuzuki. I'm Gia Chevis with this week's installment of Likely Stories.

What would it be like to move to the legendary prairie land of Laura Ingalls Wilder, only to have your world fall apart? Hello, and welcome to “Likely Stories.” I'm Diane Kemper.

KWBU's Malcolm Foster reviews the Pulitzer Prize winning book A Visit From the Goon Squad, by Jennifer Egan.

Hi, and welcome to this week's edition of Likely Stories. I'm Paige Connell, and I teach English at Midway High School.

Hey there, I'm Lauren, KWBU Public Relations Intern, Fabled Bookseller, and Baylor Student. Today I'm going to be telling you about one of my favorite books of all time, Everything I know about Love by Dolly Alderton.

Life is filled with second chances, but given the opportunity, could you forgive the person who brought you the greatest heartache?Welcome to “Likely Stories.” I'm Diane Kemper.

Magical realism isn't my preferred genre—I typically gravitate toward psychological thrillers with a sharp twist or historical fiction with heart-wrenching accuracy, but when I heard about this debut novel, The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown, a book about books with a unique concept and complex world building just a shade off of our own, I couldn't resist.

I finished reading Hip Hop Is History, the latest book by Questlove, on a recent Saturday afternoon. On my walk the next night, I was listening to Terri Gross' interview with Questlove on Fresh Air. The first song that she mentioned was Rapper's Delight, the first commercially successful hip hop song. I paused Fresh Air, found the long – like 15 minutes long – version of Rapper's Delight, and listened to that. Then I went back to the interview.

How does an artists trajectory affect our understanding and appreciation of their creative output?

I have a love hate relationship with reading and learning about history. I can't decide whether I hate being reminded that humans seem to absolutely refuse to learn from their past mistakes or love the hope I feel knowing that we've more or less survived those past mistakes and have made progress, however slowly.

Hi I'm Molly-Jo Tilton, reporter at KWBU, and welcome to this week's episode of likely stories. Today I want to talk about one of my favorite books of all time, Andrew Joseph White's “The Spirit Bares its Teeth”.

Hosting this edition of Likely Stories is Lori Fogelman. Lori works at Baylor University and is part of the broadcast team for Baylor Women's Basketball. Here is her review of Wait Till Next Year by Doris Kearns Goodwin.

A big Willie Nelson fan has written a book about the iconic 4th of July picnics.

Hi, and welcome to Likely Stories. I'm Paige Connell, and I teach English at Midway High School, and today I want to talk about everyone's favorite science fiction construct: time travel.

Hello, and welcome to this week's episode of Likely Stories. I'm Malcolm Foster, operations assistant at KWBU and aspiring habitual reader. Today I want to talk about Haruki Marakumi's best known body of work, ‘Norwegian Wood.'

Hey there, my name is Lauren Hooker. I'm a student at Baylor as well as a bookseller at Fabled and I'm also the Public Relations intern this semester here at KWBU.

In this week's episode of Likley Stories, art historian and educator, Heather White, is discussing 'North Woods' by Daniel Mason.

Hello, my name is Douglas Henry, dean of the Honors College at Baylor University. With this week's edition of Likely Stories.

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Likely Stories. I'm Paige Connell, and I teach English at Midway High School. When this year comes to a close, if The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon isn't my top 1-2 best books of the year, I will be shocked.

This is the Reverend Dr. Andrew Armand. I'm an Episcopal priest here in town at St. Alban's Episcopal Church. Welcome to this next edition of Likely Stories.

Ah, high school. The sounds. The smells. The drama.

Spooky season is approaching. The days are getting shorter, the nights are getting longer, and the flavors are getting pumpkiny-er.

If you have ever wanted a glimpse behind the curtain at the White House, "Upstairs at the White House" by Chief Usher JB West is the book for you.

Hi, my name is Shenequa Williams, and I am an Instructional Specialist at Cedar Ridge Elementary. Today, I'm reviewing The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.

Hi, and welcome back to Likely Stories. I'm Paige Connell, an English teacher at Midway High School, with a review of the most precious book about finding your purpose, caring for others, and the beauty of life-even among the smallest of creatures. Sipsworth by Simon van Booy moved me to tears and filled my cup.

I love books about books. Really, who wouldn't want to be a librarian holding the multiverse together, as in The Invisible Library series? And so many give great us reading lists as a bonus.

Hello. My name is Douglas Henry, Dean of the Honors College at Baylor University.Last year, Barbara Kingsolver won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction for her novel, Demon Copperhead. Inspired by Charles Dickens' David Copperfield, Kingsolver lays bare the woeful lives of orphans in drug-addicted America.

During the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine, some people learned to make sourdough, and some learned to paint. Me? I read books. I'm Emma Weidmann, the Arts and Life Editor at the Baylor Lariat, with this week's edition of Likely Stories on KWBU.

Harrison Otis says of The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the nineteen thirty-six Berlin Olympics, "...this is more than a sports story. It's a window into American life during the Great Depression. It's a story about Hitler's rise to power. It's a story of the men and women from Washington whose friendships and conflicts are the real heart of the book...".

Why hello there, I'm Malcolm Foster, Operations Assistant at KWBU, habitual collector of books and lifelong lover of compelling storytelling. Today I want to talk about a body of work that captured both my head and my heart. A book that I still find myself thinking of years after my first read through.

Hi, and welcome to Likely Stories. I'm Paige Connell, and I teach 9th grade English at Midway High School. Today I want to talk about one of my surprise favorite books of 2023, Starter Villain by John Scalzi.

Of all the books I have read recently, the one I have recommended to the most people is “The Displacements” by Bruce Holsinger.