Podcast appearances and mentions of Francine Prose

Some of us may describe our characters using only the sense of sight: what the reader sees when imagining the character.  But we can also use sound, smell, taste, and texture to make our characters more memorable.  Here are thoughts on how to do so.  Also, Janet Burroway on the critical difference between a scene and a summary.  And how Francine Prose reads fiction to learn the writing craft.Here is a 20-episode master class on fiction writing—a start-to-finish course covering plot, characters, dialogue, scenes, sentence-level craft, and much more.  Each episode is focused and about 30 minutes.  The full class—all 20 episodes—is available now for a one-time price of forty-nine dollars.  If you want structured, concise guidance, click the Buy the Master Class link in the show notes to get started.Support the showBuy the master class.

Lo que separa lo mediocre de lo extraordinario casi nunca es el talento. Es la atención al detalle, en los libros y en la vida. De este episodio llevas las gafas para ver lo que se te escapa cuando lees con prisa: por qué un buen escritor se parece a un buen mentiroso, cómo el orden de las palabras puede ser casi crueldad o casi piedad, y por qué un detalle absurdamente específico hace creíble todo lo demás. La guía es "Leer como un escritor", y cada truco viene ilustrado dentro de una novela, "La sombra amable", para que veas la maquinaria funcionando en vivo. Útil tanto si lees mucho y retienes poco como si llevas tiempo queriendo escribir algo y no te atreves.Esta semana, ¿te atreves a leer una sola página como si la hubieras escrito tú, a ver qué hay debajo?

Francine Prose has published 232 and at least 10 works of nonfiction. Her 2000 novel Blue Angel was a finalist for the National Book Award. Her brand-new novel, Five Weeks in the Country, taps into historical fact to weave a fascinating account of two geniuses of world renown who really did cross paths in the 19th century about 30 miles east of London, and who really did completely fail to get along.

Hans Christian Anderson hoped to find a household straight out of a Charles Dickens novel when he visited the Dickens family at their country home in the summer of 1857. Instead, he found a marriage in shambles, a band of miserable and neglected children and a host who was desperately hoping Anderson would leave — the sooner, the better.But Anderson didn't leave. He lingered, for five awkward and painful weeks, while the Dickens family disintegrated around him. Francine Prose takes this historic moment and fictionalizes it in her new novel, “Five Weeks in the Country.” Told from multiple perspectives, the book details the very public dissolution of the Dickens family and the very modern question of what to do when good art is produced by a terrible person. On this week's Big Books and Bold Ideas, Prose and host Kerri Miller tackle it all — including why Prose likes reality TV, how she grapples with being a fan of Dickens work without liking Dickens the person, and what it means to write risky, even after you've written 23 novels.Guest:Francine Prose author of many books, including “Household Saints” and “Lovers at the Chameleon Club, Paris 1932.” Her new novel is “Five Weeks in the Country.” Subscribe to the Thread newsletter for the latest book and author news and must-read recommendations.Subscribe to Big Books and Bold Ideas with Kerri Miller on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS or anywhere you get your podcasts.

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens follows Pip, an orphan who rises from humble beginnings after receiving a mysterious fortune, believing it will transform him into a gentleman worthy of love. As he navigates London society, Pip becomes entangled with the eccentric Miss Havisham and her cold ward Estella, while slowly uncovering the true source of his wealth. Francine Prose is the author of twenty-two works of fiction, including The Vixen, Mister Monkey, the New York Times bestseller Lovers at the Chameleon Club, Paris 1932, A Changed Man, and Blue Angel, a finalist for the National Book Award. Her nonfiction includes the modern classic Reading Like a Writer and the acclaimed memoir 1974: A Personal History. A former president of PEN America and a member of both the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, she is widely regarded as one of our most insightful and versatile contemporary writers. Her latest book, Five Weeks in the Country explores a fascinating moment which Francine describes as this: “In 1857, Hans Christian Andersen visited Charles Dickens, his wife and nine children in the British countryside for five comically and heartbreakingly awkward weeks. Telling their story seemed like the perfect way to talk about writing, love, marriage, children and two brilliant authors: a public figure in crisis and a houseguest, more at home in his fairy tales than in life, who overstays his welcome.”Valentine's Claret Punch is our drink pairing, and is what Dickens and Anderson were drinking the night they met and led to the misunderstanding that led Anderson to believe he should visit the Dickens family for an extended stay!In this EpisodeGreat Expectations - John Mills FilmGreat Expectations - 1998 Version

On this episode of Shelf Care: The Podcast, host Susan Maguire speaks to Seattle Public Library Reader Services Librarian Misha Stone about nerding out about reading, reading more (or at least reading more intentionally), and the thrill of the backlist (along with Heated Rivalry, of course). Then, Booklist's Audio Editor Heather Booth drops some brief but powerful insight into what makes an audiobook reader, and what makes them valid readers (because, yes, audiobooks count as reading), and what you can look forward to in Booklist. Finally, Booklist's Editor-in-Chief and Adult Books Editor Donna Seaman chats with Susan about some forthcoming books all kinds of readers can look forward to. Here's what we talked about: To register for Readers' Advisory: Ideas and Practice, visit booklistonline.com/webinars Take our brief Readers' Advisory survey (please and thank you!) How to Read More in 2025 – Shelf Talk (from Seattle Public Library) “Read, every day, something no one else is reading. Think, every day, something no one else is thinking.” ― Christopher Morley Heated Rivalry, by Rachel Reid Go Set a Watchman, by Harper Lee Cat Sebastian Pagebound GoodReads The Storygraph SPL's Your Next Five Books Hemlock & Silver, by T. Kingfisher The Mountains We Call Home, by Kim Michele Richardson The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, by Kim Michele Richardson “Reading Is a Vice,” by Adam Kirsch, published in The Atlantic on Jan. 2, 2026 Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan saga Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon The Glorians: Visitations from the Holy Ordinary, by Terry Tempest Williams The Beginning Comes After the End: Notes on a World of Change, Rebecca Solnit Men Explain Things to Me, by Rebecca Solnit Figuring, by Maria Popova Traversal, by Maria Popova Isola, by Allegra Goodman This Is Not about Us, by Allegra Goodman The Red Convertible: Selected and New Stories, 1978 – 2008, by Louise Erdrich Python's Kiss, by Louise Erdrich Discipline, by Larissa Pham Pop Song: Adventures in Art and Intimacy, by Larissa Pham No Way Home, by T. C. Boyle Five Weeks in the Country, by Francine Prose

Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues   Francine Prose: Reflections on 1974 and the Pentagon Papers Francine Prose, author of “1974, A Personal History” in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky. The author of twenty novels and ten books of non fiction, Francine Prose is best known for such novels as “Lovers at the Chameleon Club, 1932,” “The Vixen,” “Household Saints” and “Mister Monkey,” and non-fiction such as “Anne Frank: The Book, the Life, The Afterlife,” Francine Prose has also written two short story collections , and a picture book. Two of her novels have become films, and one, “The Glorious Ones,” became a Broadway musical. In this book, she recalls her time hanging out with Anthony Russo, who along with Daniel Ellsberg, was responsible for The Pentagon Papers, in San Francisco in 1974 and then a few months later, in New York, capturing the vibe of what it was like to live in that time and place, and differences between then and now. Complete Interview.   Wes Craven (1939-2015): Master of Horror Movies. Wes Craven (1939-2015), noted director of horror and genre films, interviewed by Richard Wolinsky and Richard A. Lupoff on October 13, 1999 while on tour for his one novel, “Fountain Society.” Wes Craven, who died at the age of 76 on August 30, 2015, was considered one of the masters of cinema's horror genre. Best known for The Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream films, ,He was best known for two series of films, the Nightmare on Elm Street films, and the Scream series, which also served as an academic deconstruction of the genre. Starting life as a humanities professor, Wes Craven moved over to film as first a sound editor, and then film editor before turning to writing and directing with The Last House on the Left. Along with the first Nightmare film (and the deconstruction last New Nightmare entry), he directed all four Scream films, along with Red Eye, Cursed, The Serpent and the Rainbow, and the non-genre Meryl Streep vehicle, Music of the Heart. His first and only novel, “Fountain Society,” was published in 1999, and it was during his book tour that he stopped by KPFA where he was interviewed by Richard Wolinsky and Richard A. Lupoff. That interview was digitized and re-edited in 2017 by Richard Wolinsky. Complete interview       Book Interview/Events and Theatre Links Note: Shows may unexpectedly close early or be postponed due to actors' positive COVID tests. Check the venue for closures, ticket refunds, and mask requirements before arrival. Dates are in-theater performances unless otherwise noted. Some venues operate Tuesday – Sunday; others for shorter periods each week. All times Pacific Time. Closing dates are sometimes extended. Book Stores Bay Area Book Festival  See website for highlights from the 110th Annual Bay Area Book Festival, May 31 – June 1, 2025. Book Passage.  Monthly Calendar. Mix of on-line and in-store events. Books Inc.  Mix of on-line and in-store events. The Booksmith.  Monthly Event Calendar. BookShop West Portal. Monthly Event Calendar. Center for Literary Arts, San Jose. See website for Book Club guests in upcoming months. Green Apple Books. Events calendar. Kepler's Books  On-line Refresh the Page program listings. Live Theater Companies Actors Ensemble of Berkeley.  See website for readings and events. Actor's Reading Collective (ARC).  Mary Jane by Amy Herzog, directed by Amy Kossow, November 6 – 30, Magic Theatre, Fort Mason. African American Art & Culture Complex. See website for calendar. American Conservatory Theatre  Stereophonic (in association with BroadwaySF, at the Curran), Oct 28 – Nov 23. Awesome Theatre Company. See website for information. Berkeley Playhouse. Annie. November 7- December 21. Once, February 20 – March 22.  Berkeley Rep. The Hills of California .by Jez Butterworth, Oct. 31 – Dec. 7, Roda Theatre. Mother of Exiles by Jessica Huang, World Premiere, Nov. 14 – Dec. 32, Peets Theatre. Berkeley Shakespeare Company See website for upcoming productions. Brava Theatre Center: See calendar for events listings. BroadwaySF: Stereophonic (in association with ACT), Oct 28 – Nov 23, Curran. See website for complete listings for the Orpheum, Golden Gate and Curran Theaters. Broadway San Jose:  Kinky Boots, Nov. 28-30. See website for other events. Center REP: The Woman in Black, U.S. Tour, November 5-23.. Central Stage. See website for upcoming productions, 5221 Central Avenue, Richmond Central Works See website for information on the 2026 season. Cinnabar Theatre. Young Rep: Disney's The Little Mermaid, November 14-23, Studio Space, Petaluma Outlet Mall. Club Fugazi. Dear San Francisco ongoing. Check website for Music Mondays listings. Contra Costa Civic Theatre Ebenezer Scrooge, an adaptation of “A Christmas Carol” by Joel Roster, December 6 –  21. . See website for other events. Golden Thread  See website for upcoming productions. Hillbarn Theatre: Rogers & Hammerstein's Cinderella, December 4 – 28. Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. Soulful Christmas, December 19-21, Magic Theatre. Los Altos Stage Company. A Christmas Carol, November  28 – December 21.. Lower Bottom Playaz  August Wilson's King Hedley II, November 8 -30. BAM House, Oakland. Magic Theatre. Actors Reading Collective: Mary Jane by Amy Herzog, directed by Amy Kossow, November 6 – 30, See website for other events and productions. Marin Shakespeare Company: See website for events and productions. Marin Theatre: Sally and Tom by Suzan-Lori Parks. October 30 – November 23. The Lightning Thief, MSC Teen Company, November 7 -9. Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts Upcoming Events Page. New Conservatory Theatre Center (NCTC)  Spanish Stew by Marga Gomez, October 17 – November 23. New Performance Traditions.  See website for upcoming schedule Oakland Theater Project. Cabaret, November 21 – December 14. Odd Salon: Upcoming events in San Francisco & New York, and streaming. Palace of Fine Arts Theater.  See website for event listings. Pear Theater. Ada & The Engine  by Lauren Gunderson, November 21 – December 7. See website for staged readings and other events. Playful People Productions. See website for upcoming productions. Presidio Theatre. Peter Pan Panto, Nov. 29 – Dec. 28. See website for complete schedule of events and performances. Ray of Light: Mean Girls. May 2026. Ross Valley Players: See website for New Works Sunday night readings and other events. San Francisco Playhouse. Into the Woods. November 30 – January 17, 2026. SFBATCO.  See website for upcoming streaming and in- theater shows. San Jose Stage Company: See website for events and upcoming season Shotgun Players.  Sunday in the Park with George, November 15 – December 30. South Bay Musical Theatre:  Let It Snow: A Broadway Holiday Celebration, December 20-21, Little Women, The Broadway Musical, January 24 – February 14, 2026. SPARC: See website for upcoming events. Stagebridge: See website for events and productions. Storytime every 4th Saturday. The Breath Project. Streaming archive. The Marsh: Calendar listings for Berkeley, San Francisco and Marshstream. Theatre Lunatico  See website for upcoming productions.. Theatre Rhino  The Break-Up written and performed by Tina D'Elia, November 6-23. Streaming: Essential Services Project, conceived and performed by John Fisher, all weekly performances now available on demand. TheatreWorks Silicon Valley. A Driving Beat by Jordan Ramirez Puckett, Oct 29 – Nov. 23, . Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts Second Stage.Georgiana & Kitty, Christmas at Pemberley by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon, Dec. 3 – 28, Lucie Stern Theatre. Word for Word.  See website for upcoming productions. Misc. Listings: BAMPFA: On View calendar for Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. Berkeley Symphony: See website for listings. Chamber Music San Francisco: Calendar, 2025 Season. Dance Mission Theatre. On stage events calendar. Fort Mason Center. Events calendar. Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Calendar listings and upcoming shows. San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus. See schedule for upcoming SFGMC performances. San Francisco Opera. Calendar listings. San Francisco Symphony. Calendar listings. Filmed Live Musicals: Searchable database of all filmed live musicals, podcast, blog. If you'd like to add your bookstore or theater venue to this list, please write Richard@kpfa.org   . The post November 20, 2025: Francine Prose – Wes Craven appeared first on KPFA.

The literary magazine, Lapham's Quarterly, was founded in 2007. Over the past two years, Lapham's Quarterly has undergone a dramatic transformation. In late 2023 it put its print publication on hiatus, citing severe financial pressures and an inhospitable climate for serious magazines. The death of its founder, Lewis Lapham, in 2024 further challenged its trajectory. In 2025 it announced a full relaunch under Bard College's Hannah Arendt Center, reviving its website and podcast and planning a return to print.

Becky, Austin, and Heather talk about books of the 1970s including: You Don't Have to Say You Love Me by Norma Klein, Mom, the Wolf Man, and Me by Norma Klein, Taking Sides by Norma Klein, Anastasia Krupnik by Lois Lowry, Sophie's Choice by William Styron, The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, Sweet Savage Love by Rosemary Rogers, The Japanese Screen by Anne Mather, The Pride of the Peacock by Victoria Holt, Love Story by Erich Segal, M.C. Higgins the Great by Virginia Hamilton, Dispatches by Michael Herr PLUS: 1974: A Personal History by Francine Prose, King of Kings by Scott Anderson, Most Dangerous by Steve Sheinkin, Death in the Jungle by Candace Fleming, Joan Dideon, Rick Perlstein, and this article: https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/childrens-literature-in-united-states   

“Well, I mean for starters it still is the greatest first sentence ever,” says Francine Prose in this week's episode of The World in Time. “I mean, three words. A three-word first sentence. I think if you were to ask a kind of range of readers, ‘Can you think of a first sentence?' You know, you probably get ‘It was the best of times, and the worst of times' or ‘the worst of times, and the best of times,' and people would get it backwards. But then you get ‘Call me Ishmael.' Because it establishes this kind of—you know, so much of the book is about authority. About authority, and the lack of authority, and what authority is, and who has it, and what you do with it. And that sentence is just pure authority. Pure narrative authority. ‘Call me Ishmael.' Bingo. It's like, ‘Okay, well, we're going to call you Ishmael.'” This week on the podcast, the Quarterly's editor-at-large Francine Prose returns for an in-depth conversation with Donovan Hohn about Moby Dick's first chapter, “Loomings.” They consider the meanings of the verb to loom, whether Ishmael is likeable or funny, whether the American sermon influenced Melville's oratorical prose, why the antebellum religious press condemned the novel, and what the best medicine might be for “the universal thump.” Earlier episodes in this series: Episode 7 with Daniel Mendelsohn and Episode 8 with Wyatt Mason.

You can purchase your own copy of The Lives of the Muses: Nine Women and the Artists They Inspired HERE.Francine Prose is a renowned American author and critic. She has published several non-fiction books, including The Lives of the Muses, as well as several novels, essays, and short-stories. She has also contributed works to major publications such as The New York Times and The New Yorker. Her novel Blue Angel was a finalist for the National Book award, and her novel A Changed Man, won the Dayton Literary Peace Prize. Prose is also the former president of PEN American Center and holds the title of Distinguished Writer in Residence at Bard College, where she is currently a professor. If you have not yet listened to ArtMuse's episodes on Elizabeth Siddall and Gala Dali, you can find these episodes by searching for ArtMuse on all streaming platforms, as well as on our website: www.artmusepodcast.com. Be sure to follow ArtMuse on Instagram & TikTok. Donate to ArtMuse HERE.ArtMuse is produced by Kula Production Company.Today's episode was written by host Grace Anna.There are accompanying images, resources and suggestions for further reading on the ArtMuse website and Instagram.

“I really loved it,” Francine Prose says of Nixon-era San Francisco in this episode of The World in Time, “but I also knew I wasn't going to live there forever. Everyone I knew was living in these group houses in Berkeley, and then in the city itself, with ten people or fifteen people. I talk about the Reno Hotel, a former nineteenth-century hotel that had been built for boxers, and the city had given it to artists and designers and said, You can live there, don't burn it down. And so they carved out these incredibly beautiful spaces for themselves. But this was before the tech revolution, when the Mission was still kind of wild and free, and it wasn't all the glass cubes and people in tech. It was a great city to live in then. There was a kind of freedom there. Certainly compared to what I'd come from. My good fortune was that I wasn't around a lot of hippies giving acid to two-year-olds. The book takes place during the Vietnam War. We went out and protested McNamara. My husband was the one who scaled the Pentagon, the walls of the Pentagon. We were very idealistic. Maybe unrealistically idealistic, but hey, I'll take it.” This week on the podcast, Donovan Hohn speaks with Francine Prose, author of 1974: A Personal History, about the San Francisco she remembers from her youth, about her relationship with Pentagon Papers whistleblower Tony Russo, about the final defeat of 1960s counterculture, and about the eerie echoes of Prose's favorite movie, Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo.

The new book “1974: A Personal History” is the first work of memoir from New York Times Bestselling writer Francine Prose where she recounts a momentary but intense relationship she had with the troubled activist Anthony Russo, a galvanizing figure who paid a hefty psychic price for the leaking of the pentagon papers.

Less than a decade ago, Anne Boyd was a tenured literature professor and her book, Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy: The Story of Little Women and Why It Still Matters received a rave NYT review from Francine Prose. We talk with Anne Boyd about leaving academia and buying a one-way ticket to Paris. She has been traveling around Europe ever since, writing and exploring new genres, including fiction. We talk about the factors that led her to leave academia; NEH grants; how tenure changes job prospects; how she made her exit from academia work financially; getting those first ten pages ready for a literary agent; writing biography; creating a fanbase on Substack and making it into a community; drawing the attention of Elizabeth Gilbert; and why it all works even when it doesn't work perfectly. Don't forget to rate and review our show and follow us on all social media platforms here: https://linktr.ee/writingitpodcast Contact us with questions, possible future topics/guests, or comments here: https://writingit.fireside.fm/contact

Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues   Francine Prose, “1974: A Personal History” Francine Prose, author of “1974, A Personal History” in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky. The author of twenty novels and ten books of non fiction, Francine Prose is best known for such novels as “Lovers at the Chameleon Club, 1932,” “The Vixen,” “Household Saints” and “Mister Monkey,” and non-fiction such as “Anne Frank: The Book, the Life, The Afterlife,” Francine Prose has also written two short story collections , and a picture book. Two of her novels have become films, and one, “The Glorious Ones,” became a Broadway musical. In this book, she recalls her time hanging out with Anthony Russo, who along with Daniel Ellsberg, was responsible for The Pentagon Papers, in San Francisco in 1974 and then a few months later, in New York, capturing the vibe of what it was like to live in that time and place, and differences between then and now. Complete Interview.   Josh Costello, Artistic Director, Aurora Theatre Company Josh Costello, the Artistic Director of Aurora Theatre in Berkeley since 2019, in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky. Second of two parts. Before taking on the role of Artistic Director at Aurora, Josh Costello was the founding Artistic Director of Impact Theatre and Artistic Director of Explanded Programs at Marin Theatre Company. He directed several plays at Aurora prior to becoming Artistic Director, and was Director of “Eureka Day,” which is opening on Broadway in a few months. Recorded August 22. 2024 in the KPFA studios. Complete Interview.   Review of “Private Lives” by Noel Coward, directed by KJ Sanchez, at ACT Tony Rembe (Geary) Theater through October 6, 2024.   Review of “Mexodus” at Berkeley Rep Peets Theatre through October 20, 2024.     Book Interview/Events and Theatre Links Note: Shows may unexpectedly close early or be postponed due to actors' positive COVID tests. Check the venue for closures, ticket refunds, and vaccination and mask requirements before arrival. Dates are in-theater performances unless otherwise noted. Some venues operate Tuesday – Sunday; others Wednesday or Thursday through Sunday. All times Pacific Time. Closing dates are sometimes extended. Book Stores Bay Area Book Festival  See website for highlights from the 10th Annual Bay Area Book Festival, June 1-2, 2024. Book Passage.  Monthly Calendar. Mix of on-line and in-store events. Books Inc.  Mix of on-line and in-store events. The Booksmith.  Monthly Event Calendar. BookShop West Portal. Monthly Event Calendar. Center for Literary Arts, San Jose. See website for Book Club guests in upcoming months. Green Apple Books. Events calendar. Kepler's Books  On-line Refresh the Page program listings. Live Theater Companies Actors Ensemble of Berkeley. See website for specific days and times, and for staged readings at LaVal's Subterranean Theater. Actor's Reading Collective (ARC).  See website for upcoming readings. African American Art & Culture Complex. See website for calendar. Alter Theatre. See website for upcoming productions. American Conservatory Theatre Noel Coward's Private Lives, September 12 – October 6, Toni Rembe Theatre. A Whynot Christmas Carol, November 26-December 24, Toni Rembe Theatre. Aurora Theatre  Fallen Angels by Noel Coward, October 19 – November 17. Awesome Theatre Company. Por La Noche (By Night), October 11 – 26, 2024. See website for information. Berkeley Rep. Mexodus, September 13 – October 20, Peets Theatre. The Matchbox Magic Flute, October 18 – December 9, Roda Theatre. Berkeley Shakespeare Company. See website for upcoming shows. Boxcar Theatre. Nightmare House on Franklin Street, October 18 – November 1. New Years Eve at the Speakeasy, Jan. 1, 2025. Magic Man, Jan 3 – June 2, Palace Theatre. Brava Theatre Center: New Roots Theatre Festival, November 14-17. See calendar for current and upcoming productions. BroadwaySF: Wicked, August 28 – October 13, Orpheum. See website for events at the Orpheum, Curran and Golden Gate. Peter Pan, October 29 – November 3, Golden Gate. Kimberley Akimbo, November 6 – December 1, Golden Gate. See website for special events. Broadway San Jose:  Spiderman: Across the Spider-Verse in Concert, October 9-10. 2024. Clue, October 29 – November 3, 2024. California Shakespeare Theatre Upcoming season to be announced. Center Rep: Arsenic and Old Lace by Joseph Kesselring September 8 -29.  Dragon Lady, written and performed by Sara Porkalob, October 27 – November 24. Central Works  The Contest by Gary Graves, Oct. 19 – Nov. 17. Cinnabar Theatre. Gutenberg! The Musical January 17-26, 2025, Warren Theatre, Sonoma State University. Club Fugazi. Dear San Francisco ongoing. Check website for Music Mondays listings. Contra Costa Civic Theatre See website for upcoming shows. Curran Theater: See website for special events.. Custom Made Theatre. In hibernation. Cutting Ball Theatre. See website for information and notice of a final production. 42nd Street Moon. See website for upcoming productions. Golden Thread  11 Reflections: San Francisco, October 4-5, Brava Theatre Center. See website for other events. Hillbarn Theatre: Wait Until Dark, October 17 – November 3. Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. The Black Feminist Guide to the Human Body by Lisa B. Thompson, directed by Margo Hall. September 19 – October 6, 2024.  Fort Mason. Lower Bottom Playaz  See website for upcoming productions. Magic Theatre. Tigerbear Productions presents Ghost Rave. October 17-27.. See website for other events. Marin Theatre Company Yaga by by Kat Sandler, October 10 – November 3, 2024. Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts Upcoming Events Page. New Conservatory Theatre Center (NCTC) Ride the Cyclone by Jacob Richmond & Brooke Maxwell, September 20 – October 27 (extended). The Gulf, An Elegy by Audrey Cefaly, October 18 – November 24. My Brother's Gift, based on the writings of Eva Geiringer Schloss and the poetry and paintings of Heinz Geiringer, every Sunday in October at 1 pm. Oakland Theater Project.  Angels in America, Parts I & II, September 27 – October 26, Marin Shakespeare Company, San Rafael. Odd Salon: Upcoming events in San Francisco & New York, and streaming. Pear Theater. Once On This Island, September 13 – October 13, 2024. Playful People Productions. Everybody's Talking about Jamie,  October 26-November 3, Hoover Theatre. San Jose. Presidio Theatre. See website for complete schedule of events and performances. Ray of Light: The Rocky Horror Show, October 10-31, Oasis Nightclub. See website for Spotlight Cabaret Series at Feinstein's at the Nikko. San Francisco Playhouse. The Play That Goes Wrong, September 21 – November 9. SFBATCO.  See website for upcoming streaming and in- theater shows. San Jose Stage Company: See website for upcoming schedule. Shotgun Players.  Choir Boy by Tarrell Alvin McCraney. September 24 – October 26 (extended). South Bay Musical Theatre: No, No Nanette,  Sept 28 – Oct. 19. Saratoga Civic Theater. Stagebridge: See website for events and productions. Storytime every 4th Saturday. The Breath Project. Streaming archive. The Marsh: Calendar listings for Berkeley, San Francisco and Marshstream. Theatre Lunatico  See website for upcoming productions. Theatre Rhino  Cabaret, November 21 – December 15. Streaming: Essential Services Project, conceived and performed by John Fisher, all weekly performances now available on demand. TheatreWorks Silicon Valley. King James by Rajiv Joseph, October 9 – November 3,  2024. Word for Word.  See website for upcoming productions. Misc. Listings: BAM/PFA: On View calendar for BAM/PFA. Berkeley Symphony: See website for listings. Chamber Music San Francisco: Calendar, 2023 Season. Dance Mission Theatre. On stage events calendar. Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Calendar listings and upcoming shows. San Francisco Opera. Calendar listings. San Francisco Symphony. Calendar listings. Filmed Live Musicals: Searchable database of all filmed live musicals, podcast, blog. If you'd like to add your bookstore or theater venue to this list, please write Richard@kpfa.org                                   . The post October 3, 2024: Francine Prose, Reflections on 1974 and the Pentagon Papers appeared first on KPFA.

Francine Prose, author of “1974, A Personal History” in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky. The author of twenty novels and ten books of non fiction, Francine Prose is best known for such novels as “Lovers at the Chameleon Club, 1932,” “The Vixen,” “Household Saints” and “Mister Monkey,” and non-fiction such as “Anne Frank: The Book, the Life, The Afterlife,” Francine Prose has also written two short story collections , and a picture book. Two of her novels have become films, and one, “The Glorious Ones,” became a Broadway musical. In this book, she recalls her time hanging out with Anthony Russo, who along with Daniel Ellsberg, was responsible for The Pentagon Papers, in San Francisco in 1974 and then a few months later, in New York, capturing the vibe of what it was like to live in that time and place, and differences between then and now. The post Francine Prose: “1974, A Personal History,” 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

Novelist Francine Prose joins co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to discuss her new book, 1974: A Personal History. Prose talks about her relationship with Tony Russo, who in collaboration with Daniel Ellsberg leaked the Pentagon Papers, a whistleblowing act which revealed decades of government lies about U.S. involvement in Vietnam; how the politics and progressive activism of today compare to those of half a century ago; and why that year was politically pivotal. She also reflects on how in 1974, the idea of government dishonesty was shocking, whereas today it's a given. Prose reads from the book.To hear the full episode, subscribe through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app (include the forward slashes when searching). You can also listen by streaming from the player below. Check out video versions of our interviews on the Fiction/Non/Fiction Instagram account, the Fiction/Non/Fiction YouTube Channel, and our show website: https://www.fnfpodcast.net/This episode of the podcast was produced by Anne Kniggendorf.Francine Prose 1974: A Personal History A Changed Man Blue Angel Anne Frank: the Book, The Life, the Afterlife Others: The Heritage Foundation The Sixties: Big Ideas, Small Books by Jenny Diski Opus Dei J.D. Vance Patty Hearst RAND Corporation Daniel Ellsberg Fiction/Non/Fiction Season 6, Episode 46: “Samuel G. Freedman on What Hubert Humphrey's Fight for Civil Rights Can Teach Us Today” Ground Truth | NPR Journey to Italy Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb Cato Institute Pentagon Papers Espionage Act Comstock Act Wag the Dog Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Novelist Francine Prose joins co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to discuss her new book, 1974: A Personal History. Prose talks about her relationship with Tony Russo, who in collaboration with Daniel Ellsberg leaked the Pentagon Papers, a whistleblowing act which revealed decades of government lies about U.S. involvement in Vietnam; how the politics and progressive activism of today compare to those of half a century ago; and why that year was politically pivotal. She also reflects on how in 1974, the idea of government dishonesty was shocking, whereas today it's a given. Prose reads from the book. To hear the full episode, subscribe through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app (include the forward slashes when searching). You can also listen by streaming from the player below. Check out video versions of our interviews on the Fiction/Non/Fiction Instagram account, the Fiction/Non/Fiction YouTube Channel, and our show website: https://www.fnfpodcast.net/ This episode of the podcast was produced by Anne Kniggendorf. Francine Prose 1974: A Personal History A Changed Man Blue Angel Anne Frank: the Book, The Life, the Afterlife Others: The Heritage Foundation The Sixties: Big Ideas, Small Books by Jenny Diski Opus Dei J.D. Vance Patty Hearst RAND Corporation Daniel Ellsberg Fiction/Non/Fiction Season 6, Episode 46: “Samuel G. Freedman on What Hubert Humphrey's Fight for Civil Rights Can Teach Us Today” Ground Truth | NPR Journey to Italy Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb Cato Institute Pentagon Papers Espionage Act Comstock Act Wag the Dog Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Francine Prose is the author of the memoir 1974: A Personal History, available from Harper. Prose is the author of twenty-two works of fiction including the highly acclaimed The Vixen; Mister Monkey; the New York Times bestseller Lovers at the Chameleon Club, Paris 1932; A Changed Man, which won the Dayton Literary Peace Prize; and Blue Angel, which was a finalist for the National Book Award. Her works of nonfiction include the highly praised Anne Frank: The Book, The Life, The Afterlife, and the New York Times bestseller Reading Like a Writer, which has become a classic. The recipient of numerous grants and honors, including a Guggenheim and a Fulbright, a Director's Fellow at the Center for Scholars and Writers at the New York Public Library, Prose is a former president of PEN American Center, and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She is a Distinguished Writer in Residence at Bard College. *** Otherppl with Brad Listi is a weekly podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. Available where podcasts are available: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, etc. Subscribe to Brad Listi's email newsletter. Support the show on Patreon Merch Twitter Instagram  TikTok Bluesky Email the show: letters [at] otherppl [dot] com The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Francine Prose is the author of over 30 books. Her 12 novels include My New American Life, A Changed Man and Blue Angel, a finalist for the National Book Award. Her nonfiction works include the indispensable Reading Like a Writer; Caravaggio: Painter of Miracles; and The Lives of the Muses: Nine Women and the Artists They Inspired, a New York Times Notable Book for 2002. She's a contributing editor at Harper's, and her essays, reviews, and criticism have appeared in New York Times Book Review, Wall Street Journal, and The Guardian, among other publications. She's a past president of PEN America, a distinguished writer in residence at Bard College, and a recipient of the 2008 Edith Wharton Achievement Award for Literature. Her latest book—and first memoir—is called 1974: A Personal History.In this conversation, Greg Olear talks to Francine Prose about her new memoir, 1974. They discuss the challenges of writing about oneself, the impetus for the book, Tony Russo and the Pentagon Papers, whistleblowers, “Vertigo,” the role of literature in society, the bias against women writers, the state of fiction writing, the impact of AI, the dangers of self-censorship, the current political climate, and more.Plus: a new Zoom!Buy her book:https://www.harpercollins.com/products/1974-francine-prose?variant=41105435459618Her Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/FrancineProseAuthor/Her Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/prose.francine/ Subscribe to The Five 8:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0BRnRwe7yDZXIaF-QZfvhACheck out ROUGH BEAST, Greg's new book:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D47CMX17ROUGH BEAST is now available as an audiobook:https://www.audible.com/pd/Rough-Beast-Audiobook/B0D8K41S3T Would you like to tell us more about you? http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short

The new book “1974: A Personal History” is the first work of memoir from New York Times Bestselling writer Francine Prose where she recounts a momentary but intense relationship she had with the troubled activist Anthony Russo, a galvanizing figure who paid a hefty psychic price for the leaking of the pentagon papers.

Where do we stand with Joe Biden – today? More Democrats are saying Biden needs to step down – Harold Meyerson comments.Also: During the Supreme Court term that just ended, the conservative majority granted new constitutional rights to hedge fund managers, big business—and Donald Trump. David Cole explains the shocking decisions that have transformed our government. Plus: 1974, the new memoir by Francine Prose, recalls the year when “the '60s” came to a definitive end, when it became clear that the changes we'd wanted, the changes we'd fought for, were not going to happen. She spent that year in San Francisco, where she got to know Tony Russo of the Pentagon Papers case.

Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3VU8E5gShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Now there's more! Subscribe to Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books on Acast+ and get ad-free episodes. https://plus.acast.com/s/moms-dont-have-time-to-read-books. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Writer’s Voice, Francesca Rheannon welcomes back acclaimed novelist, essayist, and now memoirist, Francine Prose. They dive into Prose’s latest work, 1974, a memoir that revisits her time in San Francisco during a pivotal year in American history. Then, In a deeply introspective conversation, Gail Godwin opens up about the pivotal moment … Continue reading Two Memoirs: Francine Prose, 1974 & Gail Godwin, GETTING TO KNOW DEATH → The post Two Memoirs: Francine Prose, 1974 & Gail Godwin, GETTING TO KNOW DEATH first appeared on Writer's Voice.

“1974,” the new memoir by Francine Prose, recalls the year when “the sixties” came to a definitive end, when it became clear that the changes we'd wanted, the changes we'd fought for, were not going to happen. She spent that year in San Francisco, where she got to know Tony Russo of the Pentagon Papers case.Also: On May 31, Joe Biden declared, “It is time for this war to end.” But the leaders of both Israel and Hamas seem content for the war in Gaza to grind on into the indefinite future. Hussein Ibish explains why.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

“1974,” the new memoir by Francine Prose, recalls the year when “the sixties” came to a definitive end, when it became clear that the changes we'd wanted, the changes we'd fought for, were not going to happen. She spent that year in San Francisco, where she got to know Tony Russo of the Pentagon Papers case.Also: On May 31, Joe Biden declared, “It is time for this war to end.” But the leaders of both Israel and Hamas seem content for the war in Gaza to grind on into the indefinite future. Hussein Ibish explains why.

Lover and muse to multiple artists, Gala notoriously spit on people she didn't like—or worse. Her marriage to the renowned artist Salvador Dalí was as surreal as his paintings, which he signed with both of their names even though she never held a brush.Starring Laura Ramoso as Gala Dalí and José  Arroyo as Salvador DalíAlso featuring Stephen K. Amos, Nigel Daly, Neve O'Brien, and Tavis Doucette Source List:MUSE: Uncovering the Hidden Figures Behind Art History's Masterpieces by Ruth Millington, ©2022, Pegasus Books, Ltd.The Lives of the Muses: Nine Women & the Artists They Inspired by Francine Prose, ©2002, Harper Collins E-booksThe Secret Life of Salvador Dali by Salvador Dali, Trans. By Haakom M. Chevalier, ©1993, Dover PublicationsBiography.com, The Surreal Romance of Salvador and Gala DalíThe Paris Review, When Your Muse is Also a Demonic DominatrixThe Art Story, Gala Dalí: Russian-Spanish Art Patron and MuseWikipedia, Gala DalíFahrenheit Magazine, Anna María and Salvador Dalí, Different Paths for the Same BloodThe Dalí Org, Gala DalíPoetry Foundation, Paul ÉluardThe Art Story, Salvador DalíBriannica, Salvador DalíEl País, Dalí and Lorca's Games of SeductionGazette du Bon Ton, The Surreal Life of Salvador DalíArt Hive, Love Story in Pictures: Salvador Dalí and GalaTime, Salvador Dalí The New York Times, Gala Dalí's Life Wasn't Quite Surreal, but It Was Pretty StrangeYang Gallery, Dalí & Gala: The Love Story

Writer and Senior Vice President at The Black List Kate Hagen joins to discuss Nancy Savoca's 'Household Saints', a generational tale of Italian women in New York and the shifting influences of faith, divinity, and family in their day to day lives. Long unavailable and thought lost to time, an original print of the film was discovered by the filmmakers and has received a new 4k restoration courtesy of Milestone Films. The restoration is screening theatrically all across the country and a proper blu ray release of the film is headed to Kino Lorber in April.We discuss the work of Nancy Savoca, her recent string of restorations, and the position she occupies in the broader conversation about independent film of the 1990s. Then, we examine the film's brilliantly nuanced take on Catholicism and faith - how it manifests in the lives of its central characters, and how the film maintains a compelling balance of fascination and skepticism for the notion of divinity. Finally, we discuss the movie as a triumphant story of what can happen when film preservation wins out, and why there is even more work to be done on the front of preservation now and in the future. Follow Kate Hagen on Twitter.Read up on the how-to's of film preservation at Missing Movies.Watch Roger Ebert on Household Saints. Get access to all of our premium episodes and bonus content by becoming a Hit Factory Patron for just $5/month.....Our theme song is "Mirror" by Chris Fish. 

More than thirty years ago, director Nancy Savoca premiered what the New York Times described as a “miracle” of a film. Household Saints was adapted from a novel by Francine Prose about three generations of an Italian-American family navigating faith and modernity in post–World War II New York City. The movie brought together an incredible ensemble cast, including Tracey Ullman, Vincent D'Onofrio, Lili Taylor, and Michael Imperioli, and told a strange and charming tale of fanatically headstrong women who were unlike any other characters to grace the movie screens of the 1990s. It all begins when Joseph, a handsome butcher (D'Onofrio), wins the stubborn Catherine (Ullman) as his wife in a game of pinochle. The first half of the film follows their relationship, which is plagued by the superstitions of Joseph's bitter mother, while the second half follows their daughter, Teresa (Taylor), who becomes consumed by a saintly devotion to a Catholic God. Last year, after a long and arduous effort to recover and restore the movie's materials, a new restoration premiered at the New York Film Festival, and introduced contemporary audiences to what still feels like a cinematic novelty. With a restored Household Saints in theaters now, Film Comment Editor Devika Girish interviewed Savoca and her star, Vincent D'Onofrio, to talk about making the film, how they infused it with their own Italian-American upbringing, and the daring mix of sex and religion that the movie explores.

Public Libraries are often wonderful places, but they have become targets of right-wing attack in the culture war. Sasha Abramsky reports on the battle in one small town in Eastern Washington state. Also: Cornel West should not run as a 3rd party candidate, but in the Democratic Primaries--that's what D.D. Guttenplan says – he's editor of The Nation.Plus: A comic novel about Ethel and Julius Rosenberg? Who'd have thought that was possible? Francine Prose has written one: it's called “The Vixen,” and it's terrific. (recorded in July, 2021)

Author Lee Kofman returns to discuss her hugely popular writing memoir and guide, The Writer Laid Bare – James's favourite book of 2022! Lee dives into the concept of emotional honesty and 'nonesty' in writing and life, and why it's essential to her practice.  We also discuss the importance of reading as writers and her recommendation to 'read up'. Lee explores how writers can ensure they're not writing with political blinkers, how to craft complex and realistic characters, and what part of The Writer Laid Bare has resonated most with readers.  This episode offers inspiration and advice for anyone wanting to lead a more richly creative life.  Dr Lee Kofman is a Russian-born Israeli-Australian author of six books and editor of two anthologies, writing teacher and mentor based in Melbourne. Her books in English include the writing guide The Writer Laid Bare, and two memoirs: Imperfect, and The Dangerous Bride. She has also edited two anthologies of personal essays, Rebellious Daughters and Split. Get your copy of The Writer Laid Bare from Booktopia or your local bookshop.  Books and authors discussed in this episode: Karl Ove Knausgård;  Jane Austin;  A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce;  A Swim in the Pond in the Rain by George Saunders;  Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose;  Thomas Manne;  The Fire and the Rose by Robyn Cadwallader;  Turning Points in Medieval History by Dorsey Armstrong;  Crying in H Mary by Michelle Zauner;  Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata;  Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason;  Taken by Dinuka McKenzie Upcoming events with Ashley: The Joy of Creative Writing: Laneway Learning online workshop – Tuesday, 2 May, 7.45-9pm ($9-14) Taking the Next Step: Australian Society of Authors online workshop – Wednesday 3 May, 1-2pm, ($30-60)   Brisbane Writers Festival Thrills and Chills – Saturday 13 May, 4pm, Stale Library Queensland ($25) The Listening Station – Tuesday 16 May, 6.45-8pm, Art Bau Gallery, Brookvale ($30) Enter the Dark Web – in conversation at Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts, Tuesday 30 May, 12.30-1.30 pm, free Upcoming events with James: Yarrum Storyfest – 1-2 July, Yarrum Regional Theatre, Yarrum, VIC ($25-$40 book here)  Sydney Writers Festival presents James McKenzie Watson – Wednesday 24 May, 6.30-7.30 pm, Penrith City Library ($5 – book here) Sydney Writers Festival Life in the Landscape – Thursday 25 May, 11 am to 12 pm, Carriageworks ($15-$25 – book here)  Ashley's psychological thriller 'Dark Mode' is out now! Learn more about it and get your copy here. James' novel 'Denizen' is out now! Learn more about it and get your copy here.  Get in touch! ashleykalagianblunt.com jamesmckenziewatson.com Twitter: @AKalagianBlunt + @JamesMcWatson Instagram: @akalagianblunt + @jamesmcwatson

For the fifteenth episode of "Reading the Art World," host Megan Fox Kelly speaks with Courtney J. Martin, co-author of “Cecily Brown," published by Phaidon. This 2020 book is the first major monograph about Cecily Brown, one of the most influential painters of our time. In it, Courtney offers an insightful interview with the artist, and co-authors Jason Rosenfeld and Francine Prose provide illuminating essays. Courtney J. Martin is the Paul Mellon Director of the Yale Center for British Art in New Haven. Previously, she was the Deputy Director and Chief Curator at the Dia Art Foundation, she taught at Brown University and the University of California, Berkeley and worked at the Ford Foundation. She received a doctorate from Yale University.  Courtney sits on the boards of the Chinati Foundation, the Center for Curatorial Leadership, Hauser & Wirth Institute and the Henry Moore Foundation. Cecily Brown is a British-born, New York-based artist who rose to prominence in the late 1990s. She established her unique voice within the art sphere by investigating the sensual qualities of oil paint and challenging the conventions of abstraction and figuration. Through a range of references to old master paintings, Abstract Expressionism, and popular culture, Brown's symbolic language, exuberant brushwork, rich palette, intense energy, and embrace of the erotic have redefined some of painting's historical canons."Reading the Art World" is a live interview and podcast series with leading art world authors hosted by art advisor Megan Fox Kelly. The conversations explore timely subjects in the world of art, design, architecture, artists and the art market, and are an opportunity to engage further with the minds behind these insightful new publications. Megan Fox Kelly is an art advisor and President of the Association of Professional Art Advisors who works with collectors, estates and foundations. For more information, visit: meganfoxkelly.com. Follow us on Instagram: @meganfoxkelly.Purchase “Cecily Brown" by Courtney J. Martin at Phaidon. Music composed by Bob Golden.

Cleopatra is one of the most famous women in history. As a wily seductress who charmed both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, she's been the subject of numerous stage and screen portrayals. Francine Prose says she's also greatly misunderstood. The award-winning novelist, essayist and critic has written about various real-life figures, from Anne Frank to Ethel Rosenberg. In her latest book, Cleopatra: Her History, Her Myth, Prose challenges common misperceptions about the queen of Egypt and how she's often represented in popular culture.

David R. Roth is the author of the novel The Femme Fatale Hypothesis (Regal House Publishing, 2021). His stories are set in or shaped by life in the small Delaware River town in which he has lived for over three decades. M. Allen Cunningham is the author, most recently, of the novel Q&A (Regal House Publishing, 2021) and the producer and host of In the Atelier and Thoreau's Leaves: the Thoreau Podcast. He teaches creative writing at Portland State University and elsewhere. The springboard for this Atelier Talk is the first question in this interview from The New York Review of Books. (https://www.nybooks.com/online/2022/11/05/gods-of-chaos-and-stupidity-joshua-cohen/) Mentioned in this episode: 2022 Pulitzer Prize winner Joshua Cohen; New York Review of Books; The writer's seriousness & the writer's subject; The writer's seriousness & the market; Moby-Dick; Kent Haruf's Our Souls at Night; Haruf's Plainsong Trilogy; Subject versus treatment; The need to be read; The “sanctity” of fiction; Communication as consequence; The circuit of creativity, thought, expression; A paltry number of readers; Focusing on one reader at a time; Many angles on seriousness; The reader's perspective on what makes writing serious; Genre-writing and seriousness; C.S. Lewis's An Experiment in Criticism; What kind of reading does the writing encourage?; Georges Simenon; Simenon's The Stain on the Snow; Dashiell Hammett; Louise Erdrich's Justice Trilogy; Literary crime novels; Genre expectations; Form versus formula; “Blood-red lips”; Attention elicits attention; Satisfactions of form; Lasting reading experiences versus beach reads; Elmore Leonard; Francine Prose's Reading Like a Writer; The importance of achieving more than one thing; Writing as human expression; 3 questions about the reading experience; James Baldwin's “The Discovery of What It Means to Be an American”; Baldwin's Nobody Knows My Name; Impatience with interiority; Teju Cole; Trusting in the reader's seriousness; The writer's seriousness and the writer's daily discipline; Toni Morrison; Reading seriously as a writer; Becoming more and more judgmental, unforgiving, and incorrigible; Letting the unconscious continue the work; Showing up and waiting; Writers have to write. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/in-the-atelier/support

The Saratoga Book Festival (SBF) is an annual community-wide celebration of books in downtown Saratoga Springs, New York with a mission to encourage a lifelong love of reading and promote greater literacy for all.This year's authors include: Gregory Maguire, Meg Wolitzer, Peter Balakian, Chris Hedges, Francine Prose and Peter Steiner – just to name a few. Ellen Beal, President of SBF, joins us this morning for a preview.

Our guests today in the Story Craft Cafe are Julia Fierro and Caeli Wolfson Widger who write as the duo named Cassidy Lucas. We talk about how their creative process changes when they are writing alone as compared to the magic that happens whey they co-author.  Cassidy Lucas is the pen name of writing duo Julia Fierro and Caeli Wolfson Widger. Fierro is the author of the novels Cutting Teeth, praised by the New Yorker as a “comically energetic début,” and The Gypsy Moth Summer, called “hugely engaging” by Francine Prose. Widger is the author of the novels Real Happy Family and Mother of Invention, praised by Margaret Atwood as a “pacey thriller,” and was featured on NPR's Marketplace. Both Fierro and Widger live in Santa Monica with their families. Their second novel, The Last Party, set in Topanga Canyon on the westside of Los Angeles, will be published in April 2022. Santa Monica, their first book together, was published in 2020. The authors of Santa Monica once again illuminate the dark truths of life in sunny California in THE LAST PARTY, a twisty and atmospheric psychological thriller about a 50th birthday celebration on a remote mountainside in Topanga Canyon, where things go terrifyingly wrong. For Los Angeleno Dawn Sanders, turning 50 seems like one more disappointment. Her career has stalled, her nineteen-year-old daughter with developmental issues is regressing, and Dawn's ex-husband Craig, a fertility doctor worshipped by Hollywood's elite, is forever upending her life. Though she doesn't feel much like celebrating, she can't say no when her best friend Mia Markle, a flamboyant and strong-willed actress, insists on planning a “creative” birthday weekend in the wild, wealthy bohemian enclave of Topanga Canyon. On the weekend of the Summer Solstice, Dawn and her six closest friends gather in the hills above the canyon at “Celestial Ranch,” 18-acres of rugged, wooded mountainside where they'll spend three glorious days hiking, practicing meditation and reiki, and enjoying lavish catered cuisine. They will also indulge in a little DMT, a short-acting psychedelic drug meant to open their senses and transport them to a higher plain. But as the weekend unfolds, long-buried tensions, unresolved grievances, and old secrets emerge, leaving Dawn desperate for clarity about her life. Dawn and her friends take the drug late at night on an open hillside beneath the glittering stars. When Dawn returns from her intense and revelatory “trip,” she learns that one of her friends has gone missing. Then another disappears. And soon, Dawn finds herself alone on the dark mountainside, seemingly abandoned by the people who are supposed to love her most. Or have they somehow been taken from her? What could Dawn have possibly done to deserve a devastating birthday night like this—and how will she make it to the morning alone?

Our guests today in the Story Craft Cafe are Julia Fierro and Caeli Wolfson Widger who write as the duo named Cassidy Lucas. We talk about how their creative process changes when they are writing alone as compared to the magic that happens whey they co-author.  Cassidy Lucas is the pen name of writing duo Julia Fierro and Caeli Wolfson Widger. Fierro is the author of the novels Cutting Teeth, praised by the New Yorker as a “comically energetic début,” and The Gypsy Moth Summer, called “hugely engaging” by Francine Prose. Widger is the author of the novels Real Happy Family and Mother of Invention, praised by Margaret Atwood as a “pacey thriller,” and was featured on NPR's Marketplace. Both Fierro and Widger live in Santa Monica with their families. Their second novel, The Last Party, set in Topanga Canyon on the westside of Los Angeles, will be published in April 2022. Santa Monica, their first book together, was published in 2020. The authors of Santa Monica once again illuminate the dark truths of life in sunny California in THE LAST PARTY, a twisty and atmospheric psychological thriller about a 50th birthday celebration on a remote mountainside in Topanga Canyon, where things go terrifyingly wrong. For Los Angeleno Dawn Sanders, turning 50 seems like one more disappointment. Her career has stalled, her nineteen-year-old daughter with developmental issues is regressing, and Dawn's ex-husband Craig, a fertility doctor worshipped by Hollywood's elite, is forever upending her life. Though she doesn't feel much like celebrating, she can't say no when her best friend Mia Markle, a flamboyant and strong-willed actress, insists on planning a “creative” birthday weekend in the wild, wealthy bohemian enclave of Topanga Canyon. On the weekend of the Summer Solstice, Dawn and her six closest friends gather in the hills above the canyon at “Celestial Ranch,” 18-acres of rugged, wooded mountainside where they'll spend three glorious days hiking, practicing meditation and reiki, and enjoying lavish catered cuisine. They will also indulge in a little DMT, a short-acting psychedelic drug meant to open their senses and transport them to a higher plain. But as the weekend unfolds, long-buried tensions, unresolved grievances, and old secrets emerge, leaving Dawn desperate for clarity about her life. Dawn and her friends take the drug late at night on an open hillside beneath the glittering stars. When Dawn returns from her intense and revelatory “trip,” she learns that one of her friends has gone missing. Then another disappears. And soon, Dawn finds herself alone on the dark mountainside, seemingly abandoned by the people who are supposed to love her most. Or have they somehow been taken from her? What could Dawn have possibly done to deserve a devastating birthday night like this—and how will she make it to the morning alone?

Novelist Francine Prose talks with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about her novel, The Vixen. They also talk about writing about writers, writing during Covid, using McCarthyism as an allegory for Trumpism, and more.  Download audio.(Recorded in February 2022) Music and sound design by Travis Barrett Barbara DeMarco-Barrett: www.penonfire.com Marrie Stone: www.marriestone.com Travis Barrett: https://travisbarrett.mykajabi.com

Here is the NLS annotation: The vixen: a novel DB 104346 Prose, Francine. Reading time 12 hours, 21 minutes. Read by Tristan Morris. A production of National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress. Subjects: Historical Fiction Description: In 1953, recent Harvard graduate Simon Putnam is newly hired by a distinguished New York publishing firm. He gets a difficult first assignment editing a lurid bodice ripper improbably based on the recent trial and execution of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2021. Your facilitator for this group is Michelle Bernstein (hamletsweetlady@gmail.com).

Bestselling author Francine Prose’s latest book “The Vixen,” is set in the glamorous world of New York publishing in the 1950s. It is the story of a young man tasked with editing a steamy bodice ripper. The novel is based on the recent trial and execution of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg. The assignment reveals the true cost of entering such a world.

The House will pass a Build Back Better bill next week, maybe--Harold Meyerson explains. Plus: A comic novel about Ethel Rosenberg? Francine Prose has written one--"The Vixen"--and it's terrific. Also: EllaTaylor on "Passing," the film about a Black woman passing for white in New York City in the 1920s - playing now on Netflix.

This week, bestselling author Francine Prose discusses her latest, “The Vixen.” Set in the glamorous world of 1950s New York publishing, the novel is the story of a young man tasked with editing a steamy bodice-ripper based on the recent trial and execution of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg. Photo courtesy of Harper.

Bestselling author Francine Prose's latest book “The Vixen,” is set in the glamorous world of New York publishing in the 1950s. It is the story of a young man tasked with editing a steamy bodice ripper. The novel is based on the recent trial and execution of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg. The assignment reveals the true cost of entering such a world.

You're a writer, so you write. But do you read? Silly question, I know, because of course you read. A better question is how do you read? Do you read like a writer? There are ways writers can read that can be both inspiring and instructive, and that's what we're going to cover today, so you can see how reading, as Stephen King says, can serve as your  "creative center." As we learn to read like a writer, you might be a little afraid I'm going to ruin reading for you—that you'll no longer be able to read for pleasure, but don't worry. You'll still be able to read for fun and distraction. You can listen, read, or watch to learn more. https://youtu.be/cHaeAOVodaQ Read to Collect Ideas for Your Work If you want to read like a writer, you'll benefit from reading with an analytical eye, but before we get into that, the first way to read as a writer is to go ahead and read for inspiration and information, just like you always do.​ You need to understand a topic better, so you research and read about it. You want to expand your knowledge, so you read and take notes. You want to improve yourself, so you grab a book that's going to help you gain a skill or solve a problem. We writers are always collecting ideas and content. All that you read can feed into your writing. In fact, we've done this our entire lives. If not consciously then subconsciously, we've been doing all this collecting. Now I want you to be more intentional about it. Even as you're casually reading the back of a cereal box, a tweet, or a magazine article, start to take notes about where this content came from, who wrote it, and how it impacted you, because this is material that you can use in all of your work. Authors Are Your Teachers Another big way we can read as writers is to start viewing other authors and writers as teachers. They can instruct us. Francine Prose in her book Reading Like a Writer said this: I've heard the way a writer reads described as "reading carnivorously." What I've always assumed that this means is not, as the expression might seem to imply, reading for what can be ingested, stolen or borrowed, but rather for what can be admired, absorbed, and learned. It involves reading for sheer pleasure, but also with an eye and a memory for which author happens to do which thing particularly well. So we read and pay attention to the choices an author makes that results in such engaging work. In literature, especially in poetry courses, we talk about a "close reading," where every idea, every sentence—even every word—is examined. A close reading reveals all: from the highest level of themes, ideas, organization, and structure all the way down to the details of sentences and word choices. We see what works and why it works. And while we do want to look to the best to be able to level up our work, we don't have to always be reading Shakespeare and Dickinson to improve as writers. Our teachers, our model texts, can be from the kinds of writing we want to pursue. We might find a blog post that serves as an excellent example and study the tone and topics that were covered as well as the length and the layout. And we can learn from that. So find your experts, your teachers, your models, your mentors...wherever they may be. Read Close by Annotating Another way we can read like a writer is to annotate. Mortimer Adler in his book How to Read a Book, written with Charles van Doren, wrote this: Full ownership of a book only comes when you have made it a part of yourself and the best way to make yourself a part of it, which comes to the same thing, is by writing in it. He claims that full ownership of a book happens not when you purchase it. It happens when you interact with it on the page. You annotate, you underline, you write in the margins, and in that way you make it your own. And the book becomes a part of you. But let me tell you something: I grew up in a household where we did not write...

Marie Laveau was THE Voodoo Queen in a city overrun with purported doctors and queens. Today we're separating fact from fiction about both Marie and voodoo. Was she a witch or a saint? When you actually get into the nitty gritty of her life and dig deeper than the many exaggerated stories about both the woman and voodoo itself, what you find is actually not spooky at all – it's a story of mercy, generosity, and serious hustle.Storical will be a little less frequent for the next few months as I'm undergoing some health treatments. Subscribe in whatever app you use to get all the latest episodes or follow @StoricalPodcast on Instagram.Join Potions and Paperbacks for virtual book club and articles on history, literature and perfume: https://www.facebook.com/groups/247203939797050/Non-fictionThe Magic of Marie Laveau: Embracing the Spiritual Legacy of The Voodoo Queen of New Orleans by Denise Alvarado - https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/44442902Hoodoo in America by Zora Neale Hurston - https://books.google.com/books/about/Hoodoo_in_America.html?id=EacSHAAACAAJHaitian Revolution Part 1 by Footnoting History - https://www.footnotinghistory.com/home/haitian-revolution-part-i-1791-1793Marie Laveau by Queens Podcast - https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/katy-2/queens-podcst/e/65213837Marie Laveau by Deviant Women Podcast - https://deviantwomenpodcast.com/2020/02/27/marie-laveau/FictionVoodoo Dreams by Jewell Parker Rhodes - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/336622.Voodoo_DreamsMarie Laveau by Francine Prose - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51792.Marie_LaveauFilmLaveau (Still in Development) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5570862/Dinner with the Alchemist (2016) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3923750American Horror Story: Coven (2013) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3743358Check out my perfume inspired by Marie Laveau, Voodoo Queen: https://www.immortalperfumes.com/imported-products/voodoo-queen-a-perfume-inspired-by-marie-laveau

Francine Prose talks about Anne Frank, the subject of her 2009 book, at the 2011 New York Institute for the Humanities symposium, “Second Thoughts on the Memory Industry.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With humor and great insight, bestselling author, Francine Prose, touches on revisions, the sources of ideas, and teaching writing.

Francine Prose is the author of 20 works of fiction. Her 2000 novel, Blue Angel, was a finalist for the National Book Award, and her 2005 novel, A Changed Man, won the Dayton Literary Peace Prize. Her most recent works of nonfiction include the highly acclaimed Anne Frank: The Book, The Life, The Afterlife and the New York Times bestseller, Reading Like a Writer.

Prose's protagonist, Lou Villars, is based on the athlete and Gestapo interrogator Violette Morris, who was photographed with her lover in a Parisian nightclub in 1932.

My New American Life is the immigrant story told in a new way. Francine Prose's touching and funny character, Lula, is used to suffering -- she comes from Albania...