Reader's Corner

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Welcome to Reader's Corner, a weekly radio show hosted by Boise State University President Bob Kustra that features lively conversations with some of the nation's leading authors about issues and ideas that matter today.

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    • May 31, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 30m AVG DURATION
    • 507 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Reader's Corner

    "Mindmasters" by Sandra Matz

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2025 31:52


    An interview with Sandra Matz, author of the new book, Mindmasters. The book is an exploration of how algorithms penetrate and influence the most intimate aspects of our psychology.

    "The Myth of American Idealism" by Nathan J. Robinson and Noam Chomsky

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2025 32:51


    An interview with Nathan J. Robinson, co-author of the new book, The Myth of American Idealism. The book is an indictment of both American foreign policy and the political influence that supports it.

    "Grizzly Confidential" by Kevin Grange

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2025 30:12


    An interview with Kevin Grange, author of Grizzly Confidential. Part science, part travelogue, the book is a both a gripping account of the famous North American species and a passionate plea for bear conservation.

    "Ungoverning" by Nancy L. Rosenblum and Russell Muirhead

    Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2025 30:12


    An interview with Russell Muirhead, co-author of the new book, Ungoverning: The Attack on the Administrative State and the Politics of Chaos. The book details how a concentrated attack on political institutions threatens to disable the essential workings of government.

    "Nelson Rockefeller's Dilemma" by Marsha E. Barrett

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2025 30:12


    An interview with Marsha E. Barrett, author of Nelson Rockefeller's Dilemma. The book is a compelling political history of the influential career of the four-time New York State governor and US vice president.

    "On the Hippie Trail" by Rick Steves

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2025 30:12


    An interview with legendary travel writer Rick Steves about his new book, On the Hippie Trail. The book offers a glimpse into the memories and misadventures of his formative 1978 trek from Istanbul to Kathmandu.

    "Better Living Through Birding" by Christian Cooper

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2025 30:12


    An interview with Christian Cooper, author of the book, Better Living Through Birding. Part memoir, part travelogue, the book explores how birding helped Cooper during the most difficult parts of his life, and how we can all benefit from looking up more.

    "What the Chicken Knows" by Sy Montgomery

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2025 30:12


    An interview with Sy Montgomery, author of What the Chicken Knows. Part science writing, part personal narrative, the book explores the surprising traits and unique personalities of the world's most recognizable bird.

    "Code Name Puritan" by Greg Barnhisel

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2025 31:57


    An interview with Greg Barnhisel, author of Code Name Puritan. The book is a fascinating biography of Norman Holmes Pearson, an unassuming literary scholar and part-time spy who transformed postwar American culture.

    "Russia and Ukraine" by Maria Popova and Oxana Shevel

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2025 32:27


    An interview with Maria Popova, co-author of the new book, Russia and Ukraine: Entangled Histories, Diverging States. The book examines how the fall of the Soviet Union started an identity and regime divergence between Russia and Ukraine, and set both countries on an inevitable collision course.

    "Midnight Black" by Mark Greaney

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2025 32:48


    An interview with Mark Greaney, author of the new thriller, Midnight Black. The book is a taut new addition to Greaney's bestselling Gray Man series.

    "Where Tyranny Begins" by David Rohde

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2025 30:12


    An interview with David Rohde, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Where Tyranny Begins. In the book, Rohde details how Donald Trump used threats, co-option, and conspiracy theories to bend DOJ and FBI officials to his will.

    "How to Raise a Citizen" by Lindsey Cormack

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2025 30:11


    An interview with Lindsey Cormack, author of the new book, How to Raise a Citizen. The book is a practical guide to nurturing the next generation of responsible, informed citizens.

    "Holding Fire" by Bryce Andrews

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2025 30:12


    An interview with Bryce Andrews, author of the new book, Holding Fire. The book is a memoir of inheritance, history, and one gun's role in the violence that shaped the American West.

    "The Expat" by Hansen Shi

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2025 30:01


    An interview with Hansen Shi, author of the thrilling new novel, The Expat. The book follows a young businessman who travels to China for a job offer, only to find himself thrust into a world of corporate espionage.

    "Challenger" by Adam Higginbotham

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2025 30:11


    An interview with Adam Higginbotham, author of Challenger. The book is a thrilling minute-by-minute account of the 1986 Challenger shuttle disaster, based on new archival research.

    "How Tyrants Fall" by Marcel Dirsus

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 11, 2025 32:05


    An interview with Marcel Dirsus, author of How Tyrants Fall. The book is a deeply-researched examination of how dictators are overthrown, and what happens to nations in the aftermath.

    "Talk Radio's America" by Brian Rosenwald

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2025 39:57


    An interview with Brian Rosenwald, author of the book, Talk Radio's America. The book takes a close look at the infotainment format pioneered by Rush Limbaugh on AM radio, and the effect it had on the Republican party.

    "Assassins Anonymous" by Rob Hart

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2024 30:10


    An interview with Rob Hart, author of the new novel, Assassins Anonymous. The book is a thrilling story of suspense, murder, and redemption, as a reformed hitman tries to stay on the straight and narrow while running for his life.

    "Stolen Pride" by Arlie Russell Hochschild

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2024 30:11


    An interview with Arlie Russell Hochschild, author of Stolen Pride. Set in Appalachia, the book takes a hard look at the “pride paradox” that has given the Right Wing's appeals such resonance.

    "Unjust Debts" By Melissa B. Jacoby

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2024 29:57


    An interview with Melissa B. Jacoby, author of the new book, Unjust Debts. The book offers an incisive look at the hidden role of bankruptcy in perpetuating inequality in America.

    "Table For Two" By Amor Towles

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2024 34:19


    An interview with Amor Towles, bestselling author of the new book, Table for Two. The book is a collection of short fiction based in New York, along with a novella set in the Golden Age of Hollywood.

    "On Freedom" By Timothy Snyder

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2024 34:46


    An interview with Timothy Snyder, author of the new book, On Freedom. The book is an exploration of the American ideal of freedom—what it is, how it's been misunderstood, and why it may be our only chance for survival.

    "To Run The World" By Sergey Radchenko

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 2, 2024 33:49


    An interview with Sergey Radchenko, author of the new book, To Run the World. The book offers a detailed portrait of Russian leadership during the Cold War, helming a sprawling nation with irreconcilable ambitions as a self-proclaimed superpower and the leader of global revolution.

    "I Will Show You How It Was" By Illia Ponomarenko

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2024 41:09


    An interview with Illia Ponomarenko, author of the new book, I Will Show You How It Was. The book is powerful and personal chronicle of the war in Ukraine from the front lines.

    "Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here" By Jonathan Blitzer

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2024 30:24


    An interview with Jonathan Blitzer, author of Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here. The book is a vivid portrait of the people whose lives ebb and flow across the U.S. border, and how the immigration crisis shapes American politics and culture.

    "The Sentinel State" By Minxin Pei

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2024 30:23


    An interview with Minxin Pei, author of The Sentinel State. The book argues that the endurance of dictatorship in China owes less to advanced technology than it does to the human resources of the Leninist surveillance state.

    "Fighting The Night" By Paul Hendrickson

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2024 30:23


    An interview with Paul Hendrickson, author of the new book, Fighting the Night. The book is a moving story of his father's wartime service as a night fighter pilot, and the prices he and his fellow soldiers paid for their selfless acts of service.

    "Ian Fleming: The Complete Man" By Nicholas Shakespeare

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2024 37:08


    An interview with Nicholas Shakespeare, author of the new book, Ian Fleming: The Complete Man. The book offers an eye-opening portrait of the mysterious and fascinating man behind James Bond, and his enduring impact.

    "Ascent To Power" By David L. Roll

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2024 30:20


    An interview with David L. Roll, author of the new book, Ascent to Power. The book focuses on the fascinating story behind the most consequential presidential transition in US history, from Roosevelt to Truman.

    "Phantom Orbit" By David Ignatius

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2024 33:40


    An interview with David Ignatius, author of the new novel, Phantom Orbit. The book is a thrilling story of espionage against the backdrop of our nation's renewed interest in space exploration amid geopolitical tumult.

    "Differ We Must" By Steve Inskeep

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2024 32:00


    An interview with Steve Inskeep, author of the new book, Differ We Must. The book is a compelling portrait of Abraham Lincoln's political acumen in a country divided – and lessons for our own disorderly present.

    "Hedged" By Margot Susca

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2024 32:25


    An interview with Margot Susca, author of Hedged. The book reveals a newspaper industry rocked by an obsession with profit and beholden to private fund interests.

    "The Demon Of Unrest" By Erik Larson

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2024 30:10


    An interview with Erik Larson, author of the new book, The Demon of Unrest. The book examines the pivotal five months between the election of Abraham Lincoln and the start of the Civil War.

    "I Will Show You How It Was" By Illia Ponomarenko

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 13, 2024 41:09


    An interview with Illia Ponomarenko, author of the new book, I Will Show You How It Was. The book is powerful and personal chronicle of the war in Ukraine from the front lines.

    "Coming To Terms With John F. Kennedy" By Stephen F. Knott

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2024 33:54


    An interview with Stephen F. Knott, author of Coming to Terms with John F. Kennedy. The book offers a broad view of the young President, and shows how politicians on both sides of the aisle distorted JFK's record for their own purposes.

    "The Year Of The Locust" By Terry Hayes

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2024 38:33


    An interview with Terry Hayes, acclaimed author of the new book, The Year of the Locust. A thriller set in the borderlands of the Middle East, the novel follows a CIA spy as his plans to extract a source are complicated by a powerful adversary.

    "The End Of Reality" By Jonathan Taplin

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2024 37:23


    An interview with Jonathan Taplin, author of The End of Reality. The book is a scathing critique of the worldview being sold by four American billionaires.

    "Three-Inch Teeth" By C.J. Box

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2024 30:00


    An interview with writer C.J. Box, joining us to talk about his new novel, Three-Inch Teeth. In the book, game warden Joe Pickett contends with a vicious grizzly bear and an ex-convict out for revenge.

    "Fire Weather" By John Vaillant

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2024 34:16


    An interview with John Vaillant, author of Fire Weather. The book offers a terrifying account of a colossal wildfire and an exploration of the rapidly changing relationship between fire and humankind.

    "How To Sell A Poison" By Elena Conis

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2024 32:01


    An interview with Elena Conis, author of How to Sell a Poison. The book tells the tangled story of DDT, a corporate-backed poison that decimated wildlife and left behind toxic bodies.

    "A Day In The Life Of Abed Salama" By Nathan Thrall

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2024 36:01


    An interview with Nathan Thrall, author of the new book, A Day in the Life of Abed Salama. The book tells the story of a deadly accident outside Jerusalem that unravels a tangle of lives, loves, and histories over the course of a single day.

    "Tired Of Winning" By Jonathan Karl

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2024 37:16


    An interview with Jonathan Karl, author of Tired of Winning. The book explores how Donald Trump remade the Republican Party in his own image, baggage and all.

    "Tyranny of the Minority" By Steven Levitsky (Part II)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2024 31:54


    An interview with Steven Levitsky, co-author of Tyranny of the Minority. The book offers important context for our volatile times and a framework for how to protect our democracy from an authoritarian backlash.

    "Tyranny of the Minority" By Steven Levitsky (Part I)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2024 30:39


    An interview with Steven Levitsky, co-author of Tyranny of the Minority. The book offers important context for our volatile times and a framework for how to protect our democracy from an authoritarian backlash.

    "The Big Fail" By Joe Nocera

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2024 31:45


    An interview with Joe Nocera, co-author of The Big Fail. Co-written by Bethany MacLean, the book offers new answers for why and how America become the world leader in COVID deaths.

    "White House Wild Child" By Shelley Fraser Mickle

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2024 34:54


    An interview with Shelley Fraser Mickle, author of the new book, White House Wild Child. The book is a fascinating biography of outspoken first-daughter Alice Roosevelt, sometimes dubbed the Jackie O of the early 20th century.

    "Plunder" By Brendan Ballou

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2024 31:53


    An interview with Brendan Ballou, author of the new book, Plunder. The book offers a powerful expose on the private equity industry – what it is, how it harms businesses and jobs, how the government helps, and how it can be reined in.

    "The Identity Trap" By Yascha Mounk

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2024 34:53


    An interview with Yascha Mounk, author of the new book, The Identity Trap. The book provides a comprehensive account of the origins, consequences, and limitations of so-called “wokeness.”

    "Moscow X" By David McCloskey

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2024 34:31


    An interview with David McCloskey author of the new thriller, Moscow X. The book centers on a daring CIA operation, which targets Putin's private banker.

    "Techlash" By Tom Wheeler

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2024 32:16


    An interview with Tom Wheeler, former FCC chairman and author of the new book, Techlash. With the experiences of the late 19th century's industrial Gilded Age as a backdrop, Wheeler makes the case for a new vision of digital governance.

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