Podcast appearances and mentions of Sallie Tisdale

Greetings Friends,We are moving through this wonderful collection of encounters with Buddhist Women found in the book The Hidden Lamp for our Summer Read. This week we met Keizan Zenji and Mokufu Sonin engaged in the dialogue below:Hidden Lamp Case 20: Sonin's Shadeless TreeMaster Keizan Jokin asked the nun Mokufu Sonin, “The winter is coming to an end and the springtime is arriving. There is an order to this. What is your understanding?” Sonin replied, “In the braches of a tree without shade, how could there be any seasons?”These two people are very important figures in the history of Zen Buddhism. They are direct Ancestors in our Soto Zen lineage tree. So, they are our Ancestors. What is an Ancestor? One way we understand Ancestor in Buddhism is someone who aligns their heart and mind with the aspiration to awaken and liberate all beings from suffering. So, someone who wants to help us wake up! But one Zen teacher says in actuality —all beings are your ancestor.What would it be like to truly see the world this way?Are all beings trying to awaken us?Is everyone we meet helping us on this path of liberation from suffering?Are they, through their words, thoughts and actions aiding us in opening our own hearts and minds to the love, compassion and wisdom of this universe?It may not always feel that way. But we can aspire to practice as if it were true, this is taking the view of bodhicitta— the great compassion unfolding this life.Connecting to the Zen Ancestors can remind us that humans have been walking this path of awakening for a long time. They were shaped by the path and they also shaped or opened new dimensions of the path through their embodied walking. I find that hearing the ancestor's stories is a lot like pulling a tarot card, or reading a myth or fairytale. Their life stories usually contain dharma teachings, universal themes about the path, but also personal dimensions that may resonate with our own struggles, questions, doubts, curiosities or lived experience.Keizan's PathKeizan Zenji is a great example of this. Considered the “mother of Soto Zen”, he was born in the early years of Soto Zen in Japan, just eleven years after Dogen Zenji (the founder) died. His mother and his grandmother were both Zen practitioners, but also embodied and practiced a more ancient form of spirituality that was common amongst women at the time—a form of spirituality we might call “folk” or “shamanistic” or “animist”. (In her recent books, Bringing Zen Home and The Little Book of Zen Healing Paula Arai explores how the blend of Zen and shamanism is still alive in how many lay women engage in dharma practice).Below is an excerpt from Sallie Tisdale's book Women of the Way, here she shares the story of Keizan's birth. This short selection introduces us to some of the people and practices that influenced Keizan throughout his life.Many years later, when Ekan Daishi was thirty-seven years old, she had a dream. She swallowed the morning light, warm and as soft as silk, and it filled her entire body. A few days later she realized she was pregnant. Then she prayed, as she had often prayed, to the beloved statue of Kannon: “May this child be a spiritual leader, a benefit to all, and please, may the delivery be easy.” For the next seven months, she bowed 1,333 times each day and recited the Kannon Sutra. The baby was born on the property of the Kannon Temple in the province of Echizen, without pain. A short while later Daishi took vows as a nun, and the baby's grandmother, Myōchi, helped raise him.So Keizan was raised with a deep connection to both his mother and grandmother and to the Bodhisattva Kannon (who is the bodhisattva of compassion). He was brought up in an enchanted world, where kami (spirits) filled the natural world, where Buddha's and Bodhisattva's appeared in dreams, where even the mundane aspects of life were part of the art, the ritual of living in an interconnected world of mutual reciprocity. A world emerging from the great compassion of Kannon. Keizan also listened to the wisdom of his dreams, practiced Buddhist astrology and geomancy. He was instrumental in creating and recording the ceremonies we have throughout the Buddhist liturgical year. His love for the ancestors, led him to gather the stories of the Zen Buddhist lineage dating back to Shakyamuni Buddha. Creating a mythological retelling of their lives, and giving teachings inspired by their stories. This collection of his dharma talks on the ancestors, is called the Denkuroku, the Transmission of the Light.Here's another selection from Women of the Way revealing some of the ways he practiced and saw the world, and how he carried his mother's vow forward after she died.His dreams about Yōkōji were strong and good, filled with spirits and buddhas. Even the stars overhead, streaming slowly between the black branches of the pines, were correctly aligned. The hills were no more beautiful than other nearby hills, but he could see through these particular hills to the hidden hills beneath. He believed that he could see the true monastery already there, the one belonging to the other world—the world of protectors and guides. In this place, where the boundary between worlds was very thin, he would build the Monastery of the Eternal Light. A year later Daishi died. Almost at the moment of her death she reached for her son's hand. “I made a vow to Kannon,” she said. “You must continue it. You must help all beings come to the Dharma. Especially, most especially, because you can, you must help all women of the three worlds and the ten directions. “Take the little statue,” she added, nodding toward the Kannon she had found all those years ago in the mud. “Take care of it forever.” In her memory, Keizan ordered that a Sōtō women's temple, Hōō-ji, be built in the province of Kaga.Keizan and Sonin's Dharma FriendshipOne of the most remarkable aspects of Keizan, is that he really took this vow to heart. Sonin was a patron, she donated the mountain where Keizan built Yokoji, one of the many monasteries he helped found, and the one where he spent most of his time. After Sonin's husband died, she went to Keizan to ask for ordination. The night before Keizan had a dream that his beloved deceased grandmother came to him and asked for ordination. From this point on he regarded Sonin as a reincarnation of his grandmother, and the two were very close as teacher and student, and then as friends and collaborators. Keizan wrote that the two of them were like, “magnet and iron.”Keizan wrote that Sonin's aspiration for awakening “clarifies each day”, that “she radiates kindness” and that her “insight is ripening”, shortly before the dialogue above took place. He had asked her about, “temporal existence” and she was unable to answer. She let this question work on her. And sometime later asked Keizan to engage in dharma combat. That is when he asked her about the seasons changing from winter to spring. Sonin's understanding was clear, and she was able to meet Keizan in the place with neither light or shadow.Sonin is the first woman in the Soto Zen lineage of Japan to receive full dharma transmission. Keizan gave transmission to two other women, Konto Ekyu and Myosho Ekan, before he died. (Keizan's mother Ekan Daishi, Mokufu Sonin, Konto Ekyu and Myosho Ekan are all part of the Women's Lineage found in the ZCO chant book, at the monastery we would chant their names as part of morning service twice a week.)In closing, this short snapshot into the lives of Keizan and Sonin, I want to share another excerpt from the Women of the Way.In 1322 Keizan and the nuns founded Enzūin, the Temple of All Pervading Perfection, across the stream from the mountain gate, hidden in the trees. Enzūin was dedicated to the well-being of women forever, and it was most especially meant as an honor to his grandmother and in keeping the promise he made to his mother Ekan Daishi when she died.At the dedication, the statue of Kanzeon, with its eleven serene faces, was installed as the main image. It had come to seem like an animate thing, hearing and acting on the prayers of its bearers. In its base Keizan placed a lock of his own baby hair and his umbilical cord, which his mother had preserved. In this way, he gave his own life to this women's hermitage in the trees. Sonin was the first living abbot there, although Ekan Daishi was considered the first ancestoral abbot. There is still a portrait of Ekan Daishi, Keizan's mother and Sonin as the first abbots on the Yokoji temple property.So, here is a story of the legacy of two Zen Ancestors. If you want to learn more, listen to the podcast where I also explore this short koan exchange and how we too are shadeless trees, in the midst of the changing seasons of our lives. If you are curious to learn more about Keizan and Sonin, there is this great resource here.Is there are any aspects of Keizan and Sonin's story that piqued your interest or felt resonate with your own life and practice? Hope to see you for one of our live online gatherings or in person for a retreat this summer!Weekly Online Meditation EventMonday Night Dharma — 6P PT / 9P ET Join weekly for drop-in meditation and dharma talk. We are currently exploring the Hidden Lamp: Teaching from the Buddhist Women AncestorsFeel free to join anytime. Event lasts about 1.5 hours. ZOOM LINKIn-Person in OregonGrasses, Trees and the Great Earth Sesshin— August 10 - 16 at Great Vow Zen MonasteryIn-Person in Columbus, Ohio through Mud Lotus SanghaWeekly Meditations on Tuesday, Wednesday and ThursdayRetreats, Meditation instruction and other events can be found on our website.Upcoming Sesshins at Saranam Retreat Center in West VirginiaInterdependence Sesshin June 29 - July 5 (Registration is now open!)I'm Amy Kisei. I am a Zen Buddhist Teacher, Spiritual Counselor, Astrologer and Artist. I offer 1:1 Spiritual Counseling sessions using IFS and Hakomi (somatic mindfulness). I also offer astrology readings. Check out my website to learn more. I currently live in Columbus, OH and am a supporting teacher for the Mud Lotus Sangha. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amykisei.substack.com/subscribe

Learn how a Buddhist approach to death and dying can help us come to terms with our mortality. My guest Sallie Tisdale is a nurse and the author of ten books, including Advice for Future Corpses (and Those Who Love Them.) She has worked as a registered nurse and taught at Reed College, Northwestern University,… Continue reading Ep. 404 Advice for Future Corpses and Those Who Love Them with Sallie Tisdale

For many people, memories are foundational. Even though they exist in the past, they inform who we are in the present and can help us make future decisions. So what happens when something that seems so fundamental turns out to be false?Portland writer Sallie Tisdale deals with some of those themes in an essay she wrote for the Oregon Humanities magazine this summer. She joins us to talk about her latest work, the inconsistencies of memory and what it means to write a good memoir.

This week, Sarah and Amelia get deep. About six feet or so. In an episode that totally isn't a disaster of conflicting tones, we discuss the book Advice for Future Corpses (and Those Who Love Them) , a very good book that both of us recommend but neither of us necessarily enjoyed. Sarah shares too many work anecdotes that all involve how bad she is with corpses. Amelia revels the least surprising fact about what she wants done with her body after death. We both say a bunch of really correct facts about decomposition. Guys, you GOTTA watch out for the corpse goo. Media discussed:Advice for Future Corpses (and Those Who Love Them): A Practical Perspective on Death and Dying, by Sallie Tisdale...Disco Elysium but just a little bit I promise 

How does a nurse relate to death. What has she learned by being close to the people who are experiencing the end of life? And how are her personal experiences with death influenced by her professional ones? Acclaimed author Sallie Tisdale gives us a frank and open perspective on death based on all her own experiences and those of her patient. Unsentimental yet deeply human and warm, she helps us explore our own relationship to the thing we all do which so few of us are willing to talk about. Join us to discuss her latest book. Advice for Future Corpses (and Those Who Love Them).

How does a nurse relate to death. What has she learned by being close to the people who are experiencing the end of life? And how are her personal experiences with death influenced by her professional ones? Acclaimed author Sallie Tisdale gives us a frank and open perspective on death based on all her own experiences and those of her patient. Unsentimental yet deeply human and warm, she helps us explore our own relationship to the thing we all do which so few of us are willing to talk about. Join us to discuss her latest book. Advice for Future Corpses (and Those Who Love Them).

How does a nurse relate to death. What has she learned by being close to the people who are experiencing the end of life? And how are her personal experiences with death influenced by her professional ones? Acclaimed author Sallie Tisdale gives us a frank and open perspective on death based on all her own experiences and those of her patient. Unsentimental yet deeply human and warm, she helps us explore our own relationship to the thing we all do which so few of us are willing to talk about. Join us to discuss her latest book. Advice for Future Corpses (and Those Who Love Them).

The Lie About the Truck: Survivor, Reality TV, and the Endless Gaze by Sallie Tisdale The author of the acclaimed Advice for Future Corpses (and Those Who Love Them) brings “her singular sensibility, her genius for language, her love of our deeply imperfect world” (Karen Karbo, author of In Praise of Difficult Women) to this insightful exploration of reality TV and the shifting definitions of truth in America. What is the truth? In a world of fake news and rampant conspiracy theories, the nature of truth has increasingly blurry borders. In this clever and timely cultural commentary, award-winning author Sallie Tisdale tackles this issue by framing it in a familiar way—reality TV, particularly the long-running CBS show Survivor. With humor and in-depth superfan analysis, Tisdale explores the distinction between suspended disbelief and true authenticity both in how we watch shows like Survivor, and in how we perceive the world around us. With her “bold and wise, galvanizing and grounding” (Chloe Caldwell, author of I'll Tell You in Person) writing, Tisdale has created an unputdownable, thoroughly entertaining, and groundbreaking book that we will be talking about for years to come.

Sallie Tisdale is a Zen teacher, writer, and Tricycle contributing editor—and she has seen nearly every season of the award-winning reality TV show Survivor. In her latest book, "The Lie About the Truck: Survivor, Reality TV, and the Endless Gaze" (out October 26), Sallie brings her keen eye and characteristic wit to the series, which she calls “the greatest social experiment on television.” In today's episode of Tricycle Talks, Tricycle's editor-in-chief James Shaheen sits down with Sallie to talk about the dharma lessons of Survivor and what it can teach us about perception, performance, and surviving ourselves.

She published a collection of essays, Violation, in 2015. Her incredible work has appeared in Harper's, Antioch Review, Conjunctions, Threepenny Review, The New Yorker, and Tricycle, among other journals. Tisdale also teaches at Dharma Rain Zen Center in Portland, Oregon.

Tracy is a senior staff writer at Jezebel covering sex, gender, and feminism. She's also the author of "Want Me: A Sex Writer's Journey into the Heart of Desire". Tracy and I discuss what it was like growing up as a young person with access to porn, AOL sex chatrooms, and how we navigated the very confusing world of "sexual education." We cover desire, pleasure, masculinity and femininity, power dynamics, sexual self-awareness, or lack thereof, and more. Find Tracy at TracyClarkFlory.com and on Twitter. Tracy's book recommendation: Talk Dirty to Me by Sallie Tisdale and Love and Trouble by Claire Dederer. Songs featured: “Unravel Me” by Sabrina Claudio and “Feeling Good” by Nina Simone How to support the show: Rate, review and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! Support my work on Patreon and get access to perks like an exclusive Discord Server, a book club just for patrons, shirts + stickers, playlists, and curated workshops led by myself, fellow Patrons and former guests of the podcast. Visit my website – AnyaKaats.com & Find me on Instagram Get full access to A Millennial's Guide to Saving the World at anyakaats.substack.com/subscribe

Sallie Tisdale tells us about a somewhat new role for the Doula, offering comfort at the end of a life.  Come listen.

Dragon on the Couch: The Dragon watched In & Of Itself (Hulu) and highly recommends going in blind to watch it. She also wanted everyone to know she reads (listens) to books and mentioned three morbid corner ones on death and dying: Being Mortal by Atul Gawande, The Art of Dying Well by Katy Butler, and Advice for Future Corpses by Sallie Tisdale. Berto on the Bed: Berto watched the iconic When Harry Met Sally (HBO) and assured us all it is still the movie all rom-coms wish they were. Berto also watched Night Stalker (Netflix) and agreed the docuseries missed the mark.   This week's deep dive is the 1989 buddy cop action movie Tango & Cash (HBO).

a library chat with writer Sallie Tisdale 

Sallie Jiko Tisdale began practicing Zen in 1983 and received Lay Dharma transmission in 1997 from her teacher, Kyogen Carlson. She currently serves as Godo, or head of teaching, for Dharma Rain Zen Center in Portland, Oregon. She has written nine books, including Women of the Way: Discovering 2,500 Years of Buddhist Wisdom and most recently Advice for Future Corpses: a Practical Perspective on Death and Dying, which was a NY Times Book Critic's top 10 book of the year. Her essays have appeared in many magazines and journals, including Harper’s, The New Yorker, and Tricycle. Jiko also works part-time as a registered nurse in palliative care and is an end-of-life nursing educator. You can find out more by visiting the website for the Dharma Rain Zen Center at: https://dharma-rain.org/ And at: http://sallietisdale.com/ Sit, Breathe, Bow is hosted by Ian White Maher. https://www.theseekerstable.com/ Sit, Breathe, Bow is sponsored by the Online Sangha of the International Kwan Um School of Zen https://kwanumzenonline.org  

Our Ideal is Authenticity

Today, Sallie Tisdale of Tricycle talks about the illusion of loneliness, and how she deals with the thought of her own mortality.   Sponsors: Amazon.com - Shop Amazon using this link and a portion of what you spend will go back to the show. Become a Super-Fan of the Show Support ZEN commuter and get access to patron bonuses THANKS FOR LISTENING! Thanks again for listening to the show! If it has helped you in any way, please share it using the social media buttons you see on the page. Also, reviews for the podcast on iTunes are extremely helpful, they help it reach a wider audience.  The more positive reviews the higher in the rankings it goes.  Of course that means more peace in the world.  So please let me know what you think.  I read ever one of them. Did you enjoy the podcast?

Portland writer Sallie Tisdale says finding ways to help others has kept her anxiety about COVID-19 at bay. We hear from Tisdale, author of “Advice for Future Corpses (and Those Who Love Them)” and part-time registered nurse about how she’s coping with the pandemic and social distancing.

Farewelling founder Karen Bussen and Sallie Tisdale, palliative care nurse, Buddhist, and author of the revolutionary guidebook, “Advice for Future Corpses and Those Who Love Them” speak frankly about how planning for end of life and funeral details is a gift. Sallie gets real about the idea of dying at home, why she doesn’t like the term “death with dignity” and why she thinks it’s crazy that at one of the most singular moments of our human experience, we are so reluctant to give instructions that would help us and our loved ones. Note: this conversation includes suicide, assisted death, and other topics that may be sensitive, so please use discretion if you or someone you’re listening with might find them difficult.If you’d like to hear more from Sallie Tisdale, check out Part 1 of her conversation with Karen here.Sallie Tisdale is an award-winning author of nine books, including “Advice for Future Corpses and Those Who Love Them,”.To read more, visit us at MyFarewelling.com. If you’re inspired to make your own plan, download our free Farewelling Worksheets here.

Farewelling founder Karen Bussen has a lively conversation with the brilliant Sallie Tisdale, palliative care nurse, Buddhist, and author of the revolutionary guidebook, “Advice for Future Corpses and Those Who Love Them.” Sallie offers her special brand of uplifting straight talk—how to practice accepting help when you need it, how to choose a healthcare proxy badass, leaving emotional baggage behind when a loved one is dying, and what’s on her own surprisingly delightful death-bed playlist (hint: there’s comedy). Sallie Tisdale is an award-winning author of nine books, including Advice for Future Corpses and Those Who Love Them.To read more, visit the Farewelling site.

In Advice for Future Corpses (And Those Who Love Them), writer and palliative care nurse Sallie Tisdale asks what the living can learn by looking death in the eye. By turns philosophical and pragmatic, this is a “book on how to die that is also a blessedly saccharine-free guide for how to live", according to The New York Times, which hailed it as a Top Book of 2018. Sallie shares her insights into death and dying in conversation with ABC Radio Sydney’s James Valentine.

Why is it so hard to say that someone died? We use the terms “passed away”, “departed”, “crossed over”, among others because we can't say died. Sallie Tisdale is a straight shooter. She uses her experience as a writer, a Zen Buddhist, and an RN, to educate about end of life and care of the dead in her book Advice for Future Corpses: A Practical Perspective on Death and Dying Check out today's episode and find out: What the most common fears associated with death and dying are. The impact burial and cremation have on our environment. Things you should know about hospice. Although we didn't discuss this, Sallie mentioned PACE programs. I will do an episode on PACE in the future, but in the meantime, check out the link for more information.

Playful, big-eyed, and highly intelligent, sea lions seem to beg for human attention—except they don't, because they're animals. In the March issue of Harper's Magazine, Sallie Tisdale examines how human intervention—specifically, the construction of massive dams that trap fish and rising ocean temperatures—has led sea lions to make their way to bodies of water they shouldn't be in, specifically the Columbia River in Oregon. Tisdale makes the case that we must guide this population back into balance, or face a population of starving sea lions and environmental collapse. In this episode, Tisdale, author of Advice for Future Corpses and other books, discusses the emotional, economic, and environmental issues that have exacerbated this problem with web editor Violet Lucca. Read Tisdale's article here: https://harpers.org/archive/2019/03/catechism-of-the-waters-sea-lions-columbia-river/

How does a nurse relate to death. What has she learned by being close to the people who are experiencing the end of life? And how are her personal experiences with death influenced by her professional ones? Acclaimed author Sallie Tisdale gives us a frank and open perspective on death based on all her own experiences and those of her patient. Unsentimental yet deeply human and warm, she helps us explore our own relationship to the thing we all do which so few of us are willing to talk about. Join us to discuss her latest book. Advice for Future Corpses (and Those Who Love Them).

How does a nurse relate to death. What has she learned by being close to the people who are experiencing the end of life? And how are her personal experiences with death influenced by her professional ones? Acclaimed author Sallie Tisdale gives us a frank and open perspective on death based on all her own experiences and those of her patient. Unsentimental yet deeply human and warm, she helps us explore our own relationship to the thing we all do which so few of us are willing to talk about. Join us to discuss her latest book. Advice for Future Corpses (and Those Who Love Them).

How does a nurse relate to death. What has she learned by being close to the people who are experiencing the end of life? And how are her personal experiences with death influenced by her professional ones? Acclaimed author Sallie Tisdale gives us a frank and open perspective on death based on all her own experiences and those of her patient. Unsentimental yet deeply human and warm, she helps us explore our own relationship to the thing we all do which so few of us are willing to talk about. Join us to discuss her latest book. Advice for Future Corpses (and Those Who Love Them).

Sallie joined us in NYC to share her insights and answer questions around the dying process.

Sallie Tisdale is the author of nine books and today we are talking about her most recent Advice for Future Corpses (and Those Who Love Them). Tisdales writing has also appeared in Harper's, Antioch Review, Conjunctions, Threepenny Review, The New Yorker, and Tricycle, among other journals. As a palliative care nurse, meditator and writer, this […]

Sallie Tisdale is the author of nine books and today we are talking about her most recent Advice for Future Corpses (and Those Who Love Them). Tisdales writing has also appeared in Harper’s, Antioch Review, Conjunctions, Threepenny Review, The New Yorker, and Tricycle, among other journals. As a palliative care nurse, meditator and writer, this […]

“That Sallie Tisdale’s a treasure comes as no secret to lovers of the essay, and yet this happy gathering that spans the decades is revelatory, a fascinating look at the epic wanderings of a life mapped by curiosity. Here we get elephants and houseflies, diets and fires, birth and the debris of death, all the […] The post Sallie Tisdale : Violation appeared first on Tin House.

Mid-winter blues got you down? We've got the remedy for that. Whether its getting outside in the darkest time of year for a European-style light festival, hearing music from one of Portland's premiere Americana stars, or meeting Portland's brand new city commissioner, Chloe Eudaly, this week's show is guaranteed to warm your soul.Chloe Eudaly on Her Big Step from Indie Bookstore Owner to City Commissioner - 1:23Chloe Eudaly started work as Portland’s newest commissioner amid a winter weather event that shut down city offices. In a town wracked by tumultuous gentrification, Eudaly is a single mom, a renter, and an eastsider who beat a much better-funded incumbent. In her first act as Commissioner, Eudaly has put up a proposal requiring landlords to pay relocation costs when tenants are evicted without cause that will go before council on Feb. 2. The Portland Winter Light Festival Shines Away the S.A.D. - 11:08You can stay in and be cozy at this time of year; no one would blame you. But the Portland Winter Lights Festival is giving you a reason to head outside on Feb. 1–4. Now in its second year, the fest fills Portland's waterfront between OMSI and the Zidell Yards with flashing drones, epics projections, other crazy light art and free events to celebrate the spirit of winter and the warmth of community. What It Takes to Design an Iconic Album Cover - 17:32So much goes into the making of a great record, but sometimes it’s the album art that bumps a great record into the realm of the iconic. Think about the collection of famous faces on the front of the Beatles “Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band” or that baby bobbing in the pool on the cover of Nirvana’s "Nevermind," or that very trippy prism on Pink Floyd’s "Dark Side of the Moon." Portland is home to many artists, and opbmusic welcomed two innovative designers, Orion Landau of the indie metal record label Relapse and Aaron Draplin of Draplin Design Company, into the studio to chat about their careers and which album covers inspire them. PDX Jazz Brings Music and Art to the Classroom - 24:54How do you get kids to understand a musical form that has no rules, no walls? Art can help. Volunteers with PDX Jazz have spent the winter fanning out in metro-area schools, playing music for kids and talking to them about jazz history. Teachers like Katie Robinson at Boise-Eliot/Humboldt then work with the kids on designing jazz album covers. All the students’ work will be part of a Feb. 7 art show at the Ace Hotel's event space, The Cleaners, in Portland. Douglas County Voters Grapple with their Vote to Close the Libraries - 28:39As a kid, do you remember trips to the library? Story time? Or maybe you stop by as an adult to get books and movies or use the computers. Douglas County readers will no longer have that option. In the November election, they failed to pass a measure that would create a special taxing district to fund the libraries, and now all of the branches of the Douglas County Library System, centered around Roseburg, will close by the end of May. Live Music from Americana Chameleon Tony Furtado - 34:46Songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Tony Furtado is an Americana chameleon. He effortlessly shifts between bluegrass, folk, blues, old time, and rock sounds. It’s a fascinating career arc that was beautifully captured in his most recent release, a live album called “Cider House Sessions” recorded at Portland’s Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider. Writer Sallie Tisdale on Mining the Deeply Personal - 40:31The Portland writer Sallie Tisdale is one of Oregon’s true literary treasures. She’s the author of eight books, including “Talk Dirty to Me” and “Stepping Westward,” but she is first and foremost an essayist — someone who can make art out of her process of trying to make sense of the world. Her latest book, "Violation," is a collection of essays that she wrote over the past three decades.

Author Paolo Bacigalupi warns us about the dangers of magical thinking when it comes to the environment, Ijeoma Oluo tells us why she has hope for the future of race relations, Sallie Tisdale discusses the dangers of writing about your own family, and Liz Vice’s soulful sound lifts our spirits.