WYPL Book Talk

Nat Segaloff has worked in show biz as a publicist, producer, writer and more. His previous titles include: Hurricane Billy: The Stormy Life and Films of William Friedkin, A Lit Fuse: The Provocative Life of Harlan Ellison, and Breaking the Code: Otto Preminger Versus Hollywood's Censors. Today we'll be discussing his latest book Bogart and Huston: Their Lives, Their Adventures, and the Classic Movies They Made Together which is published by Pegasus. 

Dr. Kate Marvel is a climate scientist. She earned her PhD in theoretical physics from the University of Cambridge. She conducted post-doc research at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, as well as at the Carnegie Institution for Science, and the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University. She was a columnist for Scientific American for several years. Today, we'll finish our two-part discussion of her first book for general audiences, Human Nature: Nine Ways to Feel About Our Changing Planet, which is published by Ecco. 

Dr. Kate Marvel is a climate scientist. She earned her PhD in theoretical physics from the University of Cambridge. She conducted post-doc research at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, as well as at the Carnegie Institution for Science, and the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University.    She was a columnist for Scientific American for several years. Today we'll have the first of our two-part discussion of her first book for general audiences, Human Nature: Nine Ways to Feel About Our Changing Planet, which is published by Ecco. 

  Jerry Avorn is a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and Chief Emeritus of the Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics at Brigham and Women's Hospital. His previous book is Powerful Medicines: The Benefits, Risks, and Costs of Prescription Drugs, and today we'll be finishing our discussion of his recent release, Rethinking Medications: Truth, Power, and the Drugs You Take which is published by Simon and Schuster. 

  Jerry Avorn is a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and Chief Emeritus of the Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics at Brigham and Women's Hospital. His previous book is Powerful Medicines: The Benefits, Risks, and Costs of Prescription Drugs, and today we'll begin our discussion of his recent release, Rethinking Medications: Truth, Power, and the Drugs You Take which is published by Simon and Schuster. 

Elizabeth Birkelund is a novelist whose previous works include The Runaway Wife and The Dressmaker. Prior to writing novels, Elizabeth was a personal finance columnist for Cosmopolitan magazine and a full-time freelance writer for publications such as Glamour, Self, Victoria and Working Woman. Today, we'll be discussing her recent novel, A Northern Light in Provence, which is published by Ballantine Books.  

Heather Clark is a biographer, literary critic and novelist. She is the author of Red Comet: The Short Life and Blazing Art of Sylvia Plath, The Grief of Influence: Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes, The Ulster Renaissance: Poetry in Belfast 1962 – 1972 and Sylvia Plath, a Very Short Introduction. Today we'll be discussing her novel, The Scrapbook, which is published by Pantheon Books.   

Rickey Fayne is a native of western Tennessee but currently makes his home in the upper Midwest. His fiction has appeared in publications such as The Kenyon Review, The Sewanee, and Guernica. Today we'll be discussing his debut novel, The Devil Three Times which is published by Little, Brown and Company.   

  Michael Farris Smith is a novelist who has appeared on Book Talk many times discuss his books, including Blackwood and Salvage this World. Today, we'll be discussing his most recent novel, Lay Your Armor Down which is published by Little, Brown and Company. 

  Dr. Roxane Gay is writer, editor, social commentator and a professor of media, culture and feminist studies at Rutgers University. She has written many best-sellers, including her essay collection Bad Feminist, Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body, and the novel An Untamed State. Today we'll be discussing her latest release, The Portable Feminist Reader, which is published by Penguin Classics. 

  We are delighted to welcome Dr. Dolen Perkins Valdez back to the program today. Dolen is an associate professor of English literature at American University, but our listeners better know her as an award-winning, critically-acclaimed novelist. Her previous works are Wench, Balm, and Take My Hand. Today we'll be discussing her latest release, Happy Land, which is published by Berkley. 

We welcome Amor Towles back to the program today for the second of a two-part interview. Amor is a best-selling novelist known for his historical novels The Rules of Civility, A Gentleman Moscow, which was turned into a miniseries starring Ewan McGregor, and The Lincoln Highway which is development to become a feature film. Today we'll begin the discussion of his collection of shorties and a novella, Table for Two, which is now in paperback from Penguin Books. 

We welcome Amor Towles to the program today for the first of a two-part interview. Amor is a best-selling novelist known for his historical novels The Rules of Civility, A Gentleman Moscow, which was turned into a miniseries starring Ewan McGregor, and The Lincoln Highway which is development to become a feature film. Today we'll begin the discussion of his collection of shorties and a novella, Table for Two, which is now in paperback from Penguin Books. 

Today we welcome a new co-host to the program today, Miriam Oliphant. Miriam is a veteran of the publishing industry and recently joined WYPL on a full-time basis. Her first interview for Book Talk is with novelist Anita Kopacz, who has found great success in the magazine world and become a spiritual advisor. She currently in the midst of a trilogy looking at spirits in the Yoruba tradition. The first book was Shallow Waters, and today she and Miriam will discuss the second installment, which is entitled The Wind on Her Tongue and is available from Atria/Black Privilege Publishing.

Tova Mirvis, a native of Memphis, is an author, who has previously joined us on Book Talk to speak about her memoir The Book of Separation as well as her novels, Visible City and The Outside World. Today, we'll discuss her latest novel, We Would Never, published by Simon and Schuster.  

Preston Lauterbach is a former Memphian who has written extensively about African-American music and history and has helped musicians tell their own stories, as well. Preston has appeared on Book Talk several times to discuss his books, The Chitlin Circuit and the Road to Rock ‘n' Roll, Beale Street Dynasty, and Bluff City. Today, we'll be discussing his latest title, Before Elvis:The African American Musicians Who Made The King, which is published by Da Capo Press. 

Mark Greaney is a New York Times best-selling author of international thrillers. He co-authored several Jack Ryan novels with Tom Clancy, and continued the series for a few years after Mr. Clancy's passing. He recently started a new series starring Josh Duffy, a security contractor, but today we'll be discussing his 14th installment in his Grey Man series, featuring burned CIA asset, Court Gentry. Midnight Black features Gentry trying to infiltrate Russia in order to free his love Zoya Zakharova. 

  Guest host Dr. David Mason is back to conclude a special two-part interview with historian Dr. Manan Ahmed Asif. Dr. Ahmed is an associate professor of history at Columbia University. A Book of Conquest: The Chachnama and Muslim Origins in South Asia,  Where the Wild Frontiers Are: Pakistan and the American Imagination, and The Loss of Hindustan. He and Dr. Mason will wrap up their conversation today about his latest title: Disrupted City: Walking the Pathways of Memory and History in Lahore which is published by the New Press. 

  Guest host Dr. David Mason is back to host a special two-part interview with historian Dr. Manan Ahmed Asif. Dr. Ahmed is an associate professor of history at Columbia University. A Book of Conquest: The Chachnama and Muslim Origins in South Asia,  Where the Wild Frontiers Are: Pakistan and the American Imagination, and The Loss of Hindustan. He and Dr. Mason will begin their conversation today about his latest title: Disrupted City: Walking the Pathways of Memory and History in Lahore which is published by the New Press. 

  We are honored to welcome Rachel Kushner to the program today. Rachel is an award-winning novelist, whose previous work includes the novels, Telex from Cuba, The Flame Throwers and The Mars Room, as well as the collection of essays, The Hard Crowd. Today we'll be discussing her recent acclaimed novel, Creation Lake, which is published by Scribner. 

We welcome Dr. Russell Muirhead back to the program today for the second of a two-part interview. Russel is the Robert Clements Professor of Democracy and Politics and Co-Director, Political Economy Project at Dartmouth College. He has many publications, including two books co-written with Dr. Nancy L. Rosenblum, who is the Senator Joseph Clark Professor of Ethics in Politics and Government emerita at Harvard University. Their first title together was 2019's A Lot of People Are Saying: The New Conspiracism and the Assault on Democracy and recently Princeton University Press released Ungoverning: The Politics of Chaos and the Attack on the Administrative State which we will conclude discussing today.   

We welcome Dr. Russell Muirhead to the program today for the first of a two-part interview. Russel is the Robert Clements Professor of Democracy and Politics and Co-Director, Political Economy Project at Dartmouth College. He has many publications, including two books co-written with Dr. Nancy L. Rosenblum, who is the Senator Joseph Clark Professor of Ethics in Politics and Government emerita at Harvard University. Their first title together was 2019's A Lot of People Are Saying: The New Conspiracism and the Assault on Democracy and recently Princeton University Press released Ungoverning: The Politics of Chaos and the Attack on the Administrative State which we will discuss today and next time.   

Eugenia Bone previously appeared on the show to talk about her books, The Kitchen Ecosystem: Integrating Recipes to Create Delicious Meals and Mycophilia: Revelations from the Weird World of Mushrooms. It's been ten years since her last time with us, and today, we'll be discussing her most recent title Have a Good Trip: Exploring the Magic Mushroom Experience which is published by Flat Iron Books. A note, the possession and use of psilocybe mushrooms is illegal in most of the United States, including Book Talk's home state of Tennessee. A couple of states are exploring medical usage of them and several, mainly college towns, have decriminalized possession. These are the early days of scientific research, and Book Talk makes no claims on their efficacy, and strongly warns against possession and use where such is in violation of the laws of one's jurisdiction.   

  Charles Bock was last on Book Talk for his debut novel, Beautiful Children, which won the 2009 Sue Kaufman Prize for First Fiction from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. His second novel was Alice and Oliver. Today, we're talking about his recent memoir, I Will Do Better: A Father's Memoir of Heartbreak, Parenting, and Love published by Harry N. Abrams, which is distributed by Hachette. 

  We welcome Charles King back to the program today for the final segment of a special three-part interview. Charles is a professor of International Affairs and Government at Georgetown University. His previous titles include Midnight at the Pera Palace and Gods of the Upper Air. Today we will continue to discuss Every Valley: The Desperate Lives and Troubled Times That Made Handel's Messiah which is published by Doubleday and was just named to the New York Times 100 Best Books of 2024 list.

We welcome Charles King back to the program today for the second of a special three-part interview. Charles is a professor of International Affairs and Government at Georgetown University. His previous titles include Midnight at the Pera Palace and Gods of the Upper Air. Today we will continue to discuss Every Valley: The Desperate Lives and Troubled Times That Made Handel's Messiah which is published by Doubleday, which was just named to the New York Times 100 Best Books of 2024 list. 

Charles King is a professor of International Affairs and Government at Georgetown University. He has written for academic audiences as well as the wider, general readership. His previous titles include Midnight at the Pera Palace and Gods of the Upper Air. In 2024, he brings us Every Valley: The Desperate Lives and Troubled Times That Made Handel's Messiah which is published by Doubleday.

Wright Thompson is a writer of non-fiction. His journalism has appeared in The New Orleans Times Picayune, The Kansas City Star and currently at ESPN.com. His previous books are The Cost of These Dreams and Pappyland. Today we'll be discussing his new effort, The Barn: The Secret History of a Murder in Mississippi, which looks at the infamous murder of 14 year old Emmett Till in 1955, but also reveals the socio-economic facts that set the scene for this evil act, as well as the repercussions for the guilty and for Till's family and friends, which go on until this day.   

Sonia Purnell is a former journalist and current author of non-fiction. She first appeared on Book Talk for her previous book, A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II. Her other books include Clementine: The Life of Mrs. Winston Churchill and Just Boris: A Tale of Blond Ambition - A Biography of Boris Johnson. Today we conclude our two-part interview for her new book, KINGMAKER: Pamela Harriman's Astonishing Life of Power, Seduction, and Intrigue, which is published by Viking. 

Sonia Purnell is a former journalist and current author of non-fiction. She first appeared on Book Talk for her previous book, A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II. Her other books include Clementine: The Life of Mrs. Winston Churchill and Just Boris: A Tale of Blond Ambition - A Biography of Boris Johnson. Today we have the first of a two-part interview talking about her new book, KINGMAKER: Pamela Harriman's Astonishing Life of Power, Seduction, and Intrigue which is published by Viking. 

Guest host Linda Lloyd welcomes back best-selling cookbook author, Anne Byrn. Anne is known by millions as the Cake Mix Doctor, who has shown us how to start with a boxed cake mix and customize it to create truly memorable desserts. In her new book, Anne is expanding her purview with Baking in the American South: 200 Recipes and Their Untold Stories, which is published by Harper Celebrate.   

Jessica Mills is a journalist who has written for The Wall Street Journal and The Independent. Today, we'll be discussing her debut novel, The English Chemist. It is based on the life of pioneering scientist Rosalind Franklin whose imaging work in capturing the structure of DNA was sidelined and buried by Frances Crick and John Watson who won the Nobel Prize in 1952 and did not credit Franklin. The English Chemist is published by Pegasus Books which is distributed by Simon and Schuster. 

Danica Nava's debut novel is The Truth According to Ember, a romantic comedy set in central Oklahoma, where a young woman fudges her resume' hoping to jump start her career and overcome discrimination against people of Native American heritage. The Truth According to Ember is published by Berkley.   

  Hena Khan is a prolific author of children's books including Amina's Voice and Amina's Song, the second of which won the Asian/Pacific American Award for Children's Literature in 2022. She has enjoyed great success with picture books and middle-grade novels, but today we're talking about her newest endeavor, graphic novels. We are Big Time is the story of a teen girl whose family moves from Florida to Wisconsin. She joins the girls' basketball team at her new high school, who then try to overcome low expectations from their fellow students and show their neighbors that Muslim girls can shoot the rock with the best of them. We Are Big Time is illustrated by Safiya Zerrougui and published by Knopf Books for Young Readers. 

I'm delighted to welcome Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky back to the program for the concluding installment of our two-part interview. Dr. Chervinsky recently was named the executive director of the George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon. She has previously written The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution and co-edited Mourning the Presidents: Loss and Legacy in American Culture. Today we finish our discussion about George Washington's vice President and successor in her new book, Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic which is published by Oxford University Press.   

I'm happy to welcome Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky back to the program for the first of a two-part interview. Dr. Chervinsky recently was named the executive director of the George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon. She has previously written The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution and co-edited Mourning the Presidents: Loss and Legacy in American Culture. Today we will begin our discussion about George Washington's vice President and successor in her new book, Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic which is published by Oxford University Press.   

Dr. Amanda Bellows teaches history at The New School in New York. In addition to many contributions to academic journals and scholarly books, her writing has also appeared in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, in addition to many others. Her first book was American Slavery and Russian Serfdom in the Post-Emancipation Imagination, and today we conclude our discussion of her recent release, The Explorers: A New History of America in Ten Expeditions which is published by William Morrow.   

Dr. Amanda Bellows teaches history at The New School in New York. In addition to many contributions to academic journals and scholarly books, her writing has also appeared in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, in addition to many others. Her first book was American Slavery and Russian Serfdom in the Post-Emancipation Imagination, and today we begin our discussion of her recent release, The Explorers: A New History of America in Ten Expeditions which is published by William Morrow.   

Steve Wynn is the founder and creative force behind the influential L.A. rock band The Dream Syndicate, which never quite made the leap to mainstream, but they were probably one of your favorite bands' favorite bands. In addition to a solo career, Steve has played with many of gene's heaviest hitters, including four albums with The Baseball Project, which also includes Peter Buck and Mike Mills of REM, Scott McGaughey of The Young Fresh Fellows, and Lita Pitmon of Filthy Friends. Steve recently published his first book, I Wouldn't Say It If It Wasn't True: A Memoir Of Life, Music, And The Dream Syndicate, which is published by Jawbone Press. His new solo album is called Make It Right and is available from Fire Records.   

Eli Cranor played college football, and even professionally in Sweden for a bit. He came back to Arkansas to teach high school and coach football. His debut novel, Don't Know Tough, won the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best First Novel and was on The New York Times and USA Today's best books of the year lists. Eli appeared on Book Talk for his second novel, Ozark Dogs, which landed on The New York Times and The Guardian's lists of best crime novels of the year. He return to the program today to conclude our discussion about his latest novel, Broiler, which is published by SOHO Crime. Broiler is a novel of desperation involving two couples, the white, upper middle-class Mimi and Luke and the undocumented Gabriela and Edwin who work at the chicken processing plant which Luke manages. 

Eli Cranor played college football, and even professionally in Sweden for a bit. He came back to Arkansas to teach high school and coach football. His debut novel, Don't Know Tough, won the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best First Novel and was on The New York Times and USA Today's best books of the year lists. Eli appeared on Book Talk for his second novel, Ozark Dogs, which landed on The New York Times and The Guardian's lists of best crime novels of the year. He joins us today to talk about his latest novel, Broiler, which is published by SOHO Crime. Broiler is a novel of desperation involving two couples, the white, upper middle-class Mimi and Luke and the undocumented Gabriela and Edwin who work at the chicken processing plant that Luke manages. 

Paul Haddad is a television producer as well as a writer, having published novels and non-fiction alike. Born in Hollywood, he has a keen interest in Los Angeles, and some his previous books include High Fives, Pennant Drives, and Fernandomania, as well as Freewaytopia: How Freeways Shaped Los Angeles. Today we'll begin our two-part conversation about his latest title, Inventing Paradise: The Power Brokers Who Created the Dream of Los Angeles which is published by Santa Monica Press.   

Paul Haddad is a television producer as well as a writer, having published novels and non-fiction alike. Born in Hollywood, he has a keen interest in Los Angeles, and some his previous books include High Fives, Pennant Drives, and Fernandomania, as well as Freewaytopia: How Freeways Shaped Los Angeles. Today we'll begin our two-part conversation about his latest title, Inventing Paradise: The Power Brokers Who Created the Dream of Los Angeles which is published by Santa Monica Press.   

  Boyce Upholt is a writer whose work has been published in the Atlantic, National Geographic, and the Oxford American, among others, and he was awarded the 2019 James Beard Award for investigative journalism. Today we'll conclude our two-part discussion about his debut book, The Great River: The Making and Unmaking of the Mississippi, which is published by W.W. Norton.  

  Boyce Upholt is a writer whose work has been published in the Atlantic, National Geographic, and the Oxford American, among others, and he was awarded the 2019 James Beard Award for investigative journalism. Today we'll begin our two-part discussion about his debut book, The Great River: The Making and Unmaking of the Mississippi, which is published by W.W. Norton.  

  Mark Greaney is best known for his Grey Man series starring the burned CIA operator turned assassin Court Gentry. But today we'll be discussing the second book in his other series, starring Josh and Nicole Duffy. The first book Armored came out in 2022, and today we'll be talking about Sentinel which is newly available from Berkely Books. 

  Dr. Kathleen DuVal is a professor of history at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Her previous works include Independence Lost: Lives on the Edge of the American Revolution and The Native Ground: Indians and Colonists in the Heart of the Continent. Today is the final installment of a special three-part interview about her recently released book, Native Nations: A Millennium in North America, which is available from Random House. 

    Dr. Kathleen DuVal is a professor of history at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Her previous works include Independence Lost: Lives on the Edge of the American Revolution and The Native Ground: Indians and Colonists in the Heart of the Continent. Today is the second installment of a special three-part interview about her recently released book, Native Nations: A Millennium in North America, which is available from Random House. 

    Dr. Kathleen DuVal is a professor of history at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Her previous works include Independence Lost: Lives on the Edge of the American Revolution and The Native Ground: Indians and Colonists in the Heart of the Continent. Today we begin our conversation about her recently released book, Native Nations: A Millennium in North America, which is available from Random House. 

Hampton Sides is a veteran journalist and non-fiction writer, with his work appearing in many publications, including National Geographic and Outside magazine. Book Talk listeners may best know him for his appearances discussing his titles like, Hellhound on His Trail, Blood and Thunder, and In the Kingdom of Ice. Today, we will begin a two-part interview talking about his latest book, The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook, which is published by Doubleday. 

Hampton Sides is a veteran journalist and non-fiction writer, with his work appearing in many publications, including National Geographic and Outside magazine. Book Talk listeners may best know him for his appearances discussing his titles like, Hellhound on His Trail, Blood and Thunder, and In the Kingdom of Ice. Today, we will begin a two-part interview talking about his latest book, The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook, which is published by Doubleday.