Tammy Wynette: Tragic Country Queen by Jimmy McDonough
August 30, 2010 · Tammy Wynette’s career spanned 25 years, and she scored 17 number one hits in the late 60s and early 70s. She was best known for her hit “Stand by Your Man,” but was married five times. She testified on Capital Hill for an anti-drug abuse campaign, while she herself was addicted. Complicated and conflicted, Tammy’s life was glorious and tragic. Jimmy McDonough discusses Wynette’s life and the research behind the most complete biography written about her to-date. More information is available at jimmymcdonough.net.
August 30, 2010 · Best-selling novelist Sandra Brown discusses her latest novel, Tough Customer. Brown lives in Arlington, Texas, and has written 58 best-selling novels. For the first time in 20 years, this novel features a repeat character by the name of Dodge Hanley. Tough Customer is set in the Big Thicket near Houston. She discusses why she chose this location for the story and why changing technology creates challenges for writers. More information is available at sandrabrown.net.
Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary Roach
August 23, 2010 · Bestselling science writer Mary Roach shares what she learned about the space program in Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void. Roach talks about the two years she spent researching the book and learning first hand about how weightlessness and other challenges of space travel are researched on earth. Among other stories, she relates how the planting of the US flag on the moon required months of planning, engineering and practice before liftoff. More information is available at maryroach.net.
The Personal History of Rachel DuPree by Ann Weisgarber
August 16, 2010 · Ann Weisgarber’s debut novel, The Personal History of Rachel DuPree, is set in 1917 and tells the story of a young African American woman who, along with her husband, is struggling to survive as homesteaders in the South Dakota Badlands. Rachel deals with the challenges of the frontier and her marriage. Weisgarber relates how she became inspired to tell this story and why even though the book is the past, Rachel’s experience still speaks to the women of today. The book won the Texas Institute of Letter’s award for “Best Work of First Fiction,” and has been published in the UK and France in addition to the United States. More information is available at annweisgarber.com.
August 9, 2010 · John Irving is a critically acclaimed author and Oscar-winning screenwriter, best known for The World According to Garp, The Cider House Rules, and A Prayer for Owen Meaney. Dan Skinner talks with John Irving about his best-selling novel, Last Night in Twisted River, which is now available in paperback. Irving discusses the pros and cons of writing a novel versus the screen. He also expresses why he believes the old writer’s adage about “writing what you know” is not useful when it comes to writing fiction, nor is the notion about first hand experience necessary for creating authenticity. More information is available at john-irving.com.
August 2, 2010 · Imagine the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s without Audrey Hepburn or Henry Mancini’s "Moon River." Sam Wasson talks with Dan Skinner about Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and The Dawn of the American Woman. Today we consider the movie a light romantic comedy, but when it first came out, it was controversial. Marilyn Monroe refused the lead role and Audrey Hepburn had to be convinced it wouldn’t ruin her reputation. The studio also didn’t think Henry Mancini was up to the task of writing the music. More information is available at samwasson.com.
July 26, 2010 · Bruce Watson talks with host Dan Skinner about the summer of 1964 the more than 700 American college students that went to Mississippi to register black voters and teach in Freedom Schools. His book Freedom Summer: The Savage Season That Made Mississippi Burn and Made America a Democracy profiles some of those volunteers, shares their memories, and examines how the experience changed their lives and the course of American history. More information is available at brucewatsonwriter.com.
July 26, 2010 · Travel writer Jamie Jensen talks with host Dan Skinner about Road Trip USA: Cross-Country Adventures on America’s Two-Lane Highways. The book covers more than 35,000 miles of classic blacktop from the Appalachian Trail to the Oregon Trail. The book outlines 11 road trips designed to take travelers off the beaten path and into the soul of America. Jensen discusses his experiences in Texas, including visiting Lost Maples and Crystal City’s statue of Popeye. More information is available at roadtripusa.com.
Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer by Novella Carpenter
July 19, 2010 · Novella Carpenter talks with host Dan Skinner about Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer. Carpenter describes her parents as back to the land “hippies” who farmed in rural isolation. As an adult, she desired to grow her own food but wanted the social connection of living in a city, so she became an urban farmer. Carpenter humorously shares her adventures and advice about growing crops and raising livestock in the inner city of Oakland. She discovered that predators are still a problem in the city, and that free hog slop can be found by recycling leftover food from restaurants. More information is available at farmcity.wordpress.com.
July 19, 2010 · What does it mean to be a hero? Brad Meltzer, a best-selling author of mysteries and thrillers, set out to write a nonfiction book that would provide true role models for his eight-year-old son. The book describes the defining moments in the lives of 52 men and women that made them heroes. Heroes for My Son profiles well known and lesser known people ranging from Mother Theresa to Officer Frank Shankwitz. It also includes blank pages for people to add their own heroes. More information is available at heroesformyson.com.
July 12, 2010 · Best-selling author Anne Brashares talks with Dan Skinner about her latest novel, My Name is Memory. Brashares is best known as the author of the popular series of young adult novels that started with The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. This latest novel is a love story written for adult readers. The central character is a man who remembers all of his past lives over a span of a thousand years. In his past lives he falls in love with the same woman, and each time it ends in tragedy. With each new life he seeks her out but she has no memory of him and their past lives. More information is available at annbrashares.com.
Life’s Too Short to Fold Fitted Sheets by Lisa Quinn
July 12, 2010 · Lisa Quinn is an Emmy award-winning television host and recovering Marthaholic. She shares her insights and advice in Life’s Too Short to Fold Fitted Sheets: Your Ultimate Guide to Domestic Liberation. Quinn tells host Dan Skinner that people need to be realistic about housekeeping and not expect perfection. No place can be perfect if people are living in it. Add children and pets into the mix, and you’ll drive yourself crazy if you don’t let go of perfectionism. Quinn says she’s not advising people to be slobs, just to relax a bit when it comes to housekeeping so that you have time for more important things in life. More information is available at lisaquinninc.com.
Take Good Care of the Garden and Dogs by Heather Lende
July 5, 2010 · Heather Lende talks with host Dan Skinner about her book Take Good Care of the Garden and the Dogs: Family, Friends and Faith in Small-Town Alaska. Lende works for the local newspaper in Haines, Alaska, where she writes obituaries, giving her a unique perspective and connection to the community. She relates her near-death experience of being hit by a truck while riding her bicycle in Haines, having to be airlifted to a hospital in Seattle, and how the community helped her recover. More information is available at heatherlende.com.
July 5, 2010 · William Alexander talks with host Dan Skinner about his book 52 Loaves: One Man’s Relentless Pursuit of Truth, Meaning, and a Perfect Crust. The book is Alexander’s humorous tale of how he traveled to three continents researching bread and seeking new baking experiences. He shares the challenge of trying to take sour dough yeast through airport security on the way to Normandy to restore a lost 1300-year-old tradition of baking bread at an Abbey. And yes, in the book, he also shares the recipe for the rustic peasant loaf he attempted to bake each week. More information is available at williamalexander.com.
June 28, 2010 · Iris Gomez talks with host Dan Skinner about her novel, Try to Remember, which tells the story of a Columbian family that immigrates to Miami and their struggles with adjusting to a new culture, mental illness and U.S. immigration law. The central character is 15 year old Gabriella, who while trying to fit into her new life, also worries that their Green Card status will be threatened by her father\’s erratic behavior and by her brothers getting into trouble at school. Iris Gomez, an immigration lawyer and poet, whose family came from Columbia, brings her personal experience and legal expertise to the writing of the novel to dramatize the ongoing debate about immigration reform. More information is available at irisgomez.com.
Crazy for the Storm: A Memoir of Survival by Norman Ollestad
June 28, 2010 · In February 1979, Norman Ollestad was the sole survivor of a plane crash that killed the pilot, Norman\’s father and his father\’s girlfriend. The crash took place at 8,200 feet in the San Gabriel Mountains during a blizzard. Crediting his father with teaching him never to give up and pushing him to be a competitive skier and surfer, he made the dangerous journey down the icy mountain alone. Norman was 11 years old. Ollestad talks with host Dan Skinner about the book, Crazy for the Storm, and how he means it more as a tribute to his charismatic father and an examination of their relationship rather than just a story of plane crash. Through reading the book, he hopes others will contemplate their own father-son relationships. More information is available at crazyforthestorm.com.
Immortality and the Law: The Rising Power of the American Dead by Ray D. Madoff
June 21, 2010 · You can’t take it with you, but sometimes you can still control it after you\’re gone. Do rights for the dead, infringe on the rights of the living? Host Dan Skinner talks with Boston College Law professor Ray D. Madoff about her book Immortality and the Law: The Rising Power of the American Dead. Madoff discusses how American law allows the deceased to exert control over their property, creative output and publicity rights. However, after death, we don\’t have much control over our bodies or reputations. Madoff discusses why American Law is so strong in this area. More information about Ray D. Madoff is available here.
June 14, 2010 · Most poets start with a blank sheet and create verse. Austin Kleon starts with a page full of words and marks out most of them to create poetry. The Austin, Texas based poet, cartoonist and designer talks with host Dan Skinner about his collection of poetry called Newspaper Blackout. The book also provides the history of the art form, some how-to instructions and samples of winning poetry submitted through Kleon’s on-line poetry competition. Additional poems and more information is available at austinkleon.com.
The Last Stand: Custer, Sitting Bull, and the Battle of Little Big Horn by Nathaniel Philbrick
June 14, 2010 · Historian Nathaniel Philbrick talks with host Dan Skinner about The Last Stand: Custer, Sitting Bull, and the Battle of Little Big Horn. Philbrick discusses the iconic battle and the myths surrounding Custer and Sitting Bull. He draws upon new archeological and archival discoveries, plus his own research to give a more accurate picture of what transpired at the Battle of Little Big Horn. Philbrick also discusses the iconic nature of “last stands” including reference to the Alamo. More information is available at nathanielphilbrick.com.
June 7, 2010 · Suzanne Gordon talks with host Dan Skinner about a collection of nursing stories she has compiled in When Chicken Soup Isn’t Enough: Stories of Nurses Standing Up for Themselves, Their Patients, and Their Profession, that describe the real world of providing health care. The stories demonstrate the challenges of working within a system that presents many obstacles to quality patient care, including nurse shortages, inadequate funding for nursing education, and poor communication between and within professions. Gordon hopes that readers will take away a better understanding of the nursing profession and problems that have yet to be solved. More information is available at suzannegordon.com.
Christianity: The First Three Thousand Yearsby Diarmaid MacCulloch
June 7, 2010 · Historian Diarmaid MacCulloch talks with host Dan Skinner about Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years. MacCulloch chose the title to indicate that the history prior to Christianity is important to understand the context of the of religion’s birth and also to indicate that it still has a long history yet to unfold. The book has been described as the first truly global history that examines the great ideas and personalities of Christianity. MacCulloch also examines how Christianity is currently being expressed in different cultures around the world. You can learn more about MacCulloch and his previous books here.
June 2, 2010 · New York Times food writer, Kim Severson, discusses Spoon Fed: How Eight Cooks Saved My Life. The book profiles eight female chefs and the valuable lessons she learned from each. For example, from Marion Cunningham she learned that in food and in life it is never too late to start over. The book is part profile and part memoir as Severson shares why she needed to learn these lessons from the kitchen. Severson also talks about her journey from reporter to food writer that took her from Michigan to Alaska to New York. More information is available at kimseverson.com.
June 2, 2010 · Host Dan Skinner talks with Susan Senator about The Autism Mom’s Survival Guide (for dads, too!). Caring for a child with autism also means taking time to care for your own needs. This survival guide offers insight on how to create a balanced and happy life while raising a child with autism. The book features information and advice from autism parents, researches and professionals. This is Senator’s second book on the topic, her first, is entitled “Making Peace with Autism.” More information is available at susansenator.com.
May 24, 2010 · Dan Skinner talks with Anne Lamott about her latest novel, Imperfect Birds. This family drama deals with raising a teenage daughter who falls into substance abuse. Rosie is 17 years old, beautiful and intelligent. She is “a good kid,” but she succumbs to some of the many temptations facing today’s teens. Her mother, Elizabeth, is a recovering alcoholic whose sobriety is threatened from the stress of dealing with her daughter’s behavior. Anne Lamott’s fiction is a cautionary tale about contemporary society.
May 24, 2010 · Dan Skinner talks with Chef Tal Ronnen about The Conscious Cook: Delicious Meatless Recipes that will Change the Way you Eat. When Tal became a vegan he didn’t leave his taste buds behind, so he insists that his dishes are just as delicious as what he enjoyed as a carnivore. He believes a vegan diet is not only good for the person but also good for the environment. Ronnen is a graduate of the Natural Gourmet Institute, has worked in the nation’s top vegan restaurants, and has also conducted master workshops on the topic at Le Cordon Bleu College campuses nationwide. More information is available at here.
Letters to Jackie: Condolences from a Grieving Nation by Ellen Fitzpatrick
May 17, 2010 · Dan Skinner talks with Ellen Fitzpatrick about Letters to Jackie: Condolences from a Grieving Nation. Following JFK’s assassination, Jackie Kennedy received nearly 1.5 million letters expressing grief and concern. Some of those letters are featured in the book along with some rarely seen photos. The letters represent a wide cross-section of Americans who felt the need to reach out to Jackie. Fitzpatrick, a professor and historian, discusses why JFK’s assassination so profoundly touched the nation. More information is available at ellenfitzpatrick.net.
Unlocking the Secrets of Stonehenge by Marc Aronson
May 17, 2010 · Dan Skinner talks with archeologist Mike Parker Pearson about his research at Stonehenge. Inspired by observations made by an archeologist from Madagascar, Pearson’s team of archeologists has made major discoveries near Stonehenge that shed new light on the purpose of the structure and how it fits into a larger complex of buildings. His work is chronicled in a National Geographic book for young people, If Stones Could Speak: Unlocking the Secrets of Stonehenge by Marc Aronson.
May 10, 2010 · Dan Skinner talks with Beth Hoffman about Saving CeeCee Honeycutt. Her debut novel quickly became a New York Times best seller. The novel follows the life of a 12-year-old girl in Ohio who has spent her young life dealing with her mother’s mental illness and tragic death. She is taken to Savannah, Georgia, by her great-aunt where she meets an interesting cast of characters, develops friendships, and gradually heals. More information is available at bethhoffman.net.
Eternity Soup: Inside the Quest to End Aging by Greg Critser
May 10, 2010 · The search for Immortality has fascinated humanity for ages. Dan Skinner talks with Greg Critser about his book Eternity Soup: Inside The Quest to End Aging. Critser is a science and medical journalist who has written for the LA Times, the Times of London and the New York Times. In his latest book, he examines the sociological impact of a growing elderly population and reviews current research on aging including work being done at the Barshop Institute in San Antonio. Comments from Dr. Steven Austad about research at the Institute are also featured in the interview.
May 5, 2010 · David Baldacci discusses his latest thriller, Deliver Us from Evil. The novel features a returning character named Shaw, who is on the trail of an international criminal going by the name of Evan Waller. Shaw’s mission is to prevent Waller from closing his latest deal that would lead to mass murder. Shaw is not the only one looking for Waller, Reggie Campion, an agent for a secret vigilante group is also tracking Waller. Eventually, Reggie and Shaw’s missions will collide. Baldacci says the story deals with the negative consequences for the characters even if their intentions are honorable. More information is available at davidbaldacci.com.
May 3, 2010 · Dan Skinner talks with science fiction writer Robert J. Sawyer about the second in his trilogy dealing with an artificial intelligence on the world wide web. Through fiction, WWW:WATCH, explores how an artificial intelligence might emerge and how the public and government might react. Is it a threat or is it benevolent? It is also a “coming of age” story for the three main characters, a teenaged girl, the artificial intelligence and a chimp/bonobo hybrid. Each must make decisions about their character and what they will become. More info is available at sfwriter.com.
April 26, 2010 · Dan Skinner talks with Josh Karp about Straight Down The Middle: Shivas Irons, Bagger Vance, and How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love My Golf Swing. Karp’s book is a humorous look at golf and his journey to improve his game through instruction in acting techniques, sword handling, and Zen meditation. Ultimately, Karp credits Zen with allowing him to shave strokes off his handicap. He golfed his way across North America and Scotland to get advice from top notch golf coaches and shares what he learned along the way. More info is available at joshkarpbooks.com
Water: The Epic Struggle for Wealth, Power, and Civilization by Steven Solomon
April 19, 2010 · Dan Skinner talks with Steven Solomon about Water: The Epic Struggle for Wealth, Power, and Civilization. Solomon discusses how the availability of water has shaped humanity from ancient times to today. As freshwater becomes scarcer it is creating a divide in human society and is transforming political landscapes. Solomon discusses problems in the United States and around the world and suggests what we can do to help deal with the issues that face us now and in the future. More information is available at thewaterblog.wordpress.com.
April 12, 2010 · Dan Skinner talks with management guru Tom Peters, author of the classic book on management, In Search of Excellence. In his latest book, The Little Big Things, Peters gives readers 163 ways to pursue excellence. He advises readers to go back to the basics and not underestimate the power of the small details that add up to success. His advice includes putting your staff first and taking care of their needs because an unhappy staff will not provide good customer service. If your staff is having a bad day, your customer will have a bad day. More information is available at tompeters.com.
April 5, 2010 · Ethan Watters talks with host Dan Skinner about his book Crazy Like Us: The Globalization of the American Psyche. America is a leading exporter of many things, including ideas about mental health and how those illnesses should be treated. Watters book examines how our spreading western culture is changing how the world views what is normal and what requires medication. By examining other cultures, that have not yet adopted western treatments, Watters believes we may discover we have more to learn than we have to teach about mental health. More information is available at crazylikeus.com.
March 29, 2010 · Maria Finn talks with host Dan Skinner about her memoir, Hold Me Tight & Tango Me Home. The book is Maria’s story of how learning to tango helped her deal with heartache and put her life back in the groove. Learning to tang meant dealing with rejection, criticism and unpredictable dance partners but it also provided her with the opportunity to regain her confidence and pursue a new life.. The book travels from New York to Buenos Aires to explore the culture, history, music and moves of the tango. More information about Maria Finn and her books is available at mariafinn.com.
March 5, 2010 · Award-winning journalist and social critic, David Aaronovitch, talks with host Dan Skinner about Voodoo Histories: The Role of the Conspiracy Theory in Shaping Modern History. The book examines why conspiracy theories develop and the purposes they serve in creating false order out of the chaos of history. From The Protocols of the Elders of Zion to The Da Vinci Code, Aaronvitch traces conspiracy theories back to their true sources and shows how over time fiction oft repeated becomes accepted by some as fact.
February 22, 2010 · Ashley Merryman talks with host Dan Skinner about NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children. Merryman co-authored the book with, and it contains their reporting of new research about childhood development and parenting. Topics covered in the interview include: why certain types of praise as a motivational tool may have the opposite effect: how early sibling relationships predict future adult behavior; how to talk about race issues and why children value aggression as a social tool. More info at www.nurtureshock.com.
Mornings with Mailer: A Recollection of a Friendship by Dwayne Raymond
February 22, 2010 · Dwayne Raymond talks with host Dan Skinner about his memoir, Mornings with Mailer: A Recollection of a Friendship. In 2003, Raymond was waiting tables in Provincetown, Massachusetts to support his writing career. It was there he met Norman Mailer and eventually became Mailer’s research assistant. In the final four years of Norman Mailer’s life, Dwayne Raymond was Mailer’s aide in both professional and personal matters. In his memoir, Raymond presents a loving remembrance of a quirky and complex man whose private life was much different than his public persona. More information about the book is available at the HarperCollins website.
February 22, 2010 · Thomas Cobb talks with host Dan Skinner about how his debut novel Crazy Heart became an Oscar-nominated motion picture. The novel started out as a short story that he wrote while in Houston, Texas. The book was published in 1987 but had gone out of print before it came to the attention of director Scott Cooper. Thanks to the movie, the book is now back in print and enjoying new success. Cobb says the movie is a respectful adaptation of his novel, and although the ending of the movie is not the same as the book, he found the movie version satisfying as well. More information about Cobb and his writing is available at thomascobb.net.
The Power of Two: Surviving Serious Illness with an Attitude and an Advocate by Brian and Gerri Monaghan
February 1, 2010 · Brian and Gerri Monaghan talk with host Dan Skinner about The Power of Two: Surviving Serious Illness with an Attitude and an Advocate. In 1998, attorney Brian Monahan was diagnosed with Stage IV melanoma in his brain and given only a few months to live. This book is an inspirational story of survival filled with advice for others who are dealing with major medical issues. The Monaghan’s underscore the importance of having an advocate to watch over the patient and provide tips on how to fulfill that role. More information is available at www.readthepoweroftwo.com.
How Philosophy Can Save Your Life: 10 Ideas That Matter Most by Marietta McCarty
February 1, 2010 · Professor Marietta McCarty talks with host Dan Skinner about How Philosophy Can Save Your Life: 10 Ideas That Matter Most. The book follows her best selling Little Big Minds, which introduced children to philosophy. In this latest book for adults, she explains how exploring philosophy’s big ideas in the context of a philosophy club can not only be thought-provoking, but life-changing. She uses prose, poetry, music, drama and documentaries to illustrate and stimulate conversation about each of the “10 Ideas” explored in the book. She also offers advice about starting a philosophy club. More information is available at www.mariettamccarty.com.
February 1, 2010 · Internationally known food and travel writer Colman Andrews talks with host Dan Skinner about The Country Cooking of Ireland. The book captures this culinary spirit of Ireland with more than 225 recipes and over 100 color photographs. Andrews explains that putting food in perspective is part of his approach to writing about food because it is important to understand how the land and the history of the people contribute to the creation of a particular cuisine. He shares stories of how the book was researched and the people he met along the way.
February 1, 2010 · Award winning science fiction author Robert J. Sawyer talks with host Dan Skinner about his latest novel WWW: Wake. He also discusses how one of his previous novels Flash Forward has been adapted for an ABC television series by the same name. Robert J. Sawyer is one of only seven writers in history — and the only Canadian — to win all three of the world's top Science Fiction awards for best novel of the year: the Hugo, the Nebula, and the John W. Campbell Memorial ward. More information about Sawyer and his novels is available at www.sfwriter.com.
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