Writer's Voice with Francesca Rheannon

Writer's Voice with Francesca Rheannon

Francesca Rheannon talks to writers of all genres about matters that move us and make us think.

Episodes

May 10, 2025 57 mins
Writer’s Voice: compelling conversations with authors who challenge, inspire, and inform. Episode Summary Mich​èle Gerber Klein discusses Surreal, her revelatory biography of Gala Dalí, the forceful and fascinating woman behind surrealist master Salvador Dalí. Gala emerges not just as a muse, but as a powerful shaper of modern art and identity. “She wasn’t just a … Continue reading Muse, Myth ...
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Writer’s Voice: compelling conversations with authors who challenge, inspire, and inform. Episode Summary Novelist Boris Fishman talks about The Unwanted, a novel of migration, betrayal, and survival set in an unnamed, war-torn country. Fishman explores how lies—meant to protect—can fracture a family even in the face of collective trauma. It’s a moving portrait of a … Continue reading Bo...
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Writer’s Voice: compelling conversations with authors who challenge, inspire, and inform. Episode Summary Today’s episode brings together two extraordinary voices in literature—each grappling with the legacies of crisis, survival, and identity. First, we speak with Eiren Caffall about her novel, All the Water in the World, a haunting, hope-filled work of climate fiction set in … Continue reading Read more
Writer’s Voice: compelling conversations with authors who challenge, inspire, and inform. Episode Summary Two riveting accounts from the Siege of Leningrad during WWII: In the first half, Simon Parkin discusses The Forbidden Garden, the incredible true story of Soviet botanists who protected the world’s first seed bank during the Nazi blockade—sacrificing their own lives to … Continue reading ...
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Writer’s Voice: compelling conversations with authors who challenge, inspire, and inform. Episode Summary Earth Day is coming up this month, so we get a jump on environmental awareness. From visionary climate futures to the minds of our feathered friends, this episode reminds us that joy, attention, and imagination may be our greatest tools for survival. … Continue reading Sanjana Sekhar, META...
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Episode Summary This is the first week of April and April is Poetry Month. So we are so pleased to feature two conversations with poets who use their genre as a vehicle for historical witness and spiritual transformation. First, we talk with poet, geologist and translator Forrest Gander about his novel in poetry Mojave Ghost. … Continue reading Poetry of Place and Freedom with Forrest Gander a...
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Episode Summary We explore two speculative fiction novels that challenge our understanding of consciousness, communication and the human condition. First, we speak with Cary Groner about The Way, a post-pandemic road novel that blends adventure, Buddhist philosophy, and a hopeful vision of the future after our current civilization has been largely swept away. “It’s not … Continue reading
Episode Summary For Women’s History Month, we speak with Cassidy Randall about her book Thirty Below, which tells the gripping true story of the first all-women’s ascent of Denali in 1970. Facing extreme sexism, brutal conditions, and life-threatening storms, this pioneering team of climbers defied expectations and set a precedent for future generations of women … Continue reading Breaki...
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In this episode, we talk with journalist Amanda Becker about the impact of the Dobbs decision, the legal chaos that followed, and how the fight for abortion rights continues. Becker shares insights from her book You Must Stand Up, detailing the rollback of reproductive rights, the history of anti-abortion legislation, and the movement’s ongoing efforts to restore access … Continue reading Read more
Episode Summary We speak with two remarkable writers about two fascinating stories—one rooted in personal history, the other in literary imagination—both shedding light on the fight for justice and self-determination. First, Alice Rothchild tells us about Inspired and Outraged: The Making of a Feminist Physician. It’s a powerful memoir in free verse exploring her journey … Continue reading Ali...
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Episode Summary This episode of Writer’s Voice features two urgent and thought-provoking conversations. First, we speak with Professor Bernadette Atuahene, author of Plundered: How Racist Policies Undermine Black Homeownership in America, about how predatory governance has systematically stripped Black homeowners of generational wealth—particularly in Detroit, where one in three homes has gone through property tax foreclosure since...
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In this episode, we welcome Aran Shetterly to discuss his powerful new book, Morningside: The 1979 Greensboro Massacre and the Struggle for an American City’s Soul. Shetterly unearths the long-overlooked history of the Greensboro Massacre, a brutal attack in which members of the Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazis murdered five labor and civil rights activists … Continue reading BLACK HISTORY MONTH: Ar...
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We sit down with award-winning author Victoria Christopher Murray to talk about Harlem Rhapsody, her novel about the Harlem Renaissance and the woman who made it possible. This gripping novel brings to life Jessie Redmon Fauset, a pioneering literary editor, mentor, and novelist who played a pivotal role in shaping the Harlem Renaissance—yet remains largely … Continue reading Black History Mon...
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In this episode of Writer’s Voice, we talk with Aaron Robertson about his fascinating book, The Black Utopians: Searching for Paradise and the Promised Land in America. It’s about the hidden legacies of Black utopian experiments and what they teach us about the power of community today. Then, we talk with best-selling novelist, journalist and … Continue reading Black History Month: Aaron...
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In this episode of Writer’s Voice, we explore two fascinating books. Rowan Jacobsen takes us deep into the Amazon in Wild Chocolate, uncovering the origins of cacao and the ethical challenges of the chocolate industry. Then, Karissa Chen discusses Homeseeking, her powerful novel tracing the Chinese diaspora through generations of displacement, love, and longing for … Continue reading From the ...
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This week on Writer’s Voice we feature three great conversations. Karen Joy Fowler reflects on the relevance of Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Dispossessed and its vision of utopia on the occasion of the 50th anniversary re-issue of that classic work of speculative fiction. She wrote the introduction. Listen to our 2012 interview with Ursulla … Continue reading Utopias, Pipelines, and Political Art: ...
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In this episode of Writer’s Voice, entomologist and author Barrett Klein discusses his book, The Insect Epiphany: How Our Six-Legged Allies Shape Human Culture. From the crucial roles insects play in ecosystems to their influence on art, architecture, and medicine, Klein unpacks the deep connections between humans and these often misunderstood creatures. [Image above by … Continue reading How ...
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In this week’s episode of WV, nonbinary journalist and author Nico Lang takes us inside the lives of trans and nonbinary youth across America. Their book is AMERICAN TEENAGER: How Trans Kids Are Surviving Hate And Finding Joy In A Turbulent Era. “These kids are just trying to live their lives, but they’re forced to … Continue reading Nico Lang On Trans Youth & Lily Tuck On Her New No...
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Rafael A. Martinez discusses the lived experiences of undocumented youth in America. He’s Assistant Professor of Southwest Borderlands at Arizona State University and author of Illegalized: Undocumented Youth Movements in the United States. He details how activism and organizing led to gains such as in-state tuition and DACA, but also the precariousness of these advancements … Continue reading Read more

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