Writer's Voice with Francesca Rheannon Francesca Rheannon

What did a group of ordinary citizens find out when they managed to stop a huge gas pipeline from being built?







We spend the hour with Jonathan Mingle talking about his book, Gaslight: The Atlantic Coast Pipeline And The Fight For America’s Energy Future. It’s the story of how a diverse group of citizens came together to fight a pipeline proposed by one of America’s biggest corporations — and won.







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Key Words: climate crisis, climate change, Jonathan Mingle, gas pipeline, global warming, podcast, book podcast, author interview















Gaslight: The Fight Against America’s Energy Future













In this episode, we delve into the David versus Goliath narrative about the battle against the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Jonathan Mingle, author of Gaslight: The Atlantic Coast Pipeline And The Fight For America’s Energy Future, joins us to unravel the story behind the successful resistance against one of America’s biggest corporations.







Key Points Covered:







Introduction to the Atlantic Coast Pipeline: Jonathan Mingle sets the stage by introducing the proposed pipeline project by Dominion Energy, a corporate endeavor billed as a solution for America’s energy needs.







The Dark Reality of “Natural” Gas: Despite its innocuous name, Mingle exposes the hidden dangers of fossil gas, highlighting how it leaks methane and other toxins, contributing to environmental degradation and health hazards.







The Community Uprising: Mingle shares the remarkable tale of how ordinary citizens from diverse backgrounds rallied together to oppose the pipeline’s construction. Their fight, spanning six years and reaching the Supreme Court, serves as a testament to the power of grassroots activism.







The Battle for America’s Energy Future: At the heart of the conflict lies a pivotal question: Is natural gas truly a “bridge fuel” to a cleaner future, or is it a ticking methane bomb jeopardizing both local communities and the planet’s stability?







Jonathan Mingle’s Insights: As a seasoned journalist whose beat is climate change, energy, and environmental issues, Mingle provides invaluable insights into the broader implications of the pipeline saga, touching upon political, policy, and climate-related ramifications.

We talk with Victor Lodato about his terrific new novel, Honey. It’s about an octogenarian who is trying to come to terms with her life — her childhood growing up in a Mafia family in New Jersey and her adulthood trying to escape it.







Then, we talk with Kimberly Belle about her new thriller, The Paris Widow. The novel takes a look at the illicit trade in blood antiquities.







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Key Words: illicit art trade, blood antiquities, Victor Lodato, Kimberly Belle, thriller, podcast, book podcast, author interview















Victor Lodato’s Octogenarian Heroine







Novels about octogenarians are rare. Octogenarian women — even rarer. And ones that portray an old woman with real affection, complexity and drama, as well as sexiness, are few and far between.













Victor Lodato’s new novel Honey manages this feat. That’s in spite of the fact that Lodato is neither old nor a woman. But the drama is probably helped by the fact that he’s a playwright as well as a novelist. And his affection for his character may be because it’s based on a close friendship he had with a woman in her eighties. He wrote about that friendship in a New York Times Modern Love column in 2017.







His protagonist is Honey Fasinga, the glamorous daughter of a notorious New Jersey mobster. She’s returned to her home town after a lifetime spent as a well-traveled fine art dealer.







She knows where the bodies are buried. Now she wants to lay their ghosts to rest. But first she has to deal with her current family, including those carrying on the brutal traditions of their forebears.







As old cruelties begin to resurface, Honey is no longer sure what she really wants—to forgive or to avenge. The question Lodato’s novel poses is: “What are the limits of compassion in a world of extraordinary violence?”







About The Author







In addition to Honey, Victor Lodato is the author of two other critically acclaimed novels, Edgar and Lucy, and Mathilda Savitch, which won the PEN USA Award. He’s also the author of nine plays.















A Thriller About Blood Antiquities













We’ve all heard about the trade in blood diamonds. But have you heard about “blood antiquities”? That’s the trade in stolen antiquities that infects the international art market. It’s a trade my guest mystery writer Kimberly Belle says is “strip-mining our past.”







The FBI describes this illicit art trade as the third largest black market in the world. Only drugs and guns generate more money than illicit art.







A Novel Based on Fact







The blood antiquities trade is at the heart of Belle’s new novel, The Paris Widow. As the plot twists and turns, the reader is taken on a fascinating exploration of the topic. While fictional, the novel features characters and incidents based on real life, including Arthur Brand, the professional art sleuth who’s been called “The Indiana Jones of Stolen Art.”







About the Author

Are child protection service (CPS) agencies doing more harm than good?







Join us for an in-depth conversation with sociologist Kelly Fong about her book, Investigating Families: Motherhood in the Shadow of Child Protective Services. We explore the inner workings of Child Protection Services (CPS), the impact on families, and the need for systemic change.







Plus, we replay a segment from our 2022 interview with Emi Nietfield, author of the memoir Acceptance, about overcoming childhood trauma and the foster care system.







And we recommend a new children’s book for Father’s Day!







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Key Words: Child Protective Services, CPS, child welfare, family separation, poverty, social inequality, family policy, Emi Nietfield, Kelly Fong, podcast, book podcast, author interview















Kelly Fong, Investigating Families Interview Highlights















* The disproportionate impact of CPS on low-income mothers and mothers of color







* The fear and destabilization caused by CPS investigations







* The vagueness of child abuse and neglect definitions







* The need for alternative approaches to child protection







* The importance of economic support and social infrastructure in preventing child maltreatment







* Personal stories from mothers impacted by CPS









About The Author







Kelly Fong teaches sociology at the University of California, Irvine. Investigating Families: Motherhood in the Shadow of Child Protective Services (Princeton University Press) is her first book.







Key Quote









“The challenges that families face are not limited to…clinical or therapeutic challenges. For the vast majority of families entangled in the system, the root of many of the needs that they have is poverty, is adversity.” — Kelly Fong















Emi Nietfield, ACCEPTANCE













In the Fall of 2022, we spoke with Emi Nietfield about her powerful memoir, Acceptance. It chronicles her struggles as a teenager and young adult to rise above the poverty and abuse she suffered as a child, despite a child protection system that was anything but protective of children. We play an extended excerpt from that conversation.







Listen to the full interview

























A Book for Father’s Day













Father’s Day is coming up and we have just the book to recommend: LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON.







It’s from the prolific, award-winning children’s book author,  Lesléa Newman, with charming illustrations by A.G. Ford. Featuring fathers who are strong in a gentle way, it’s a celebration of what fathers and sons do together — like cooking, camping and gardening. It also models what a good dad is like.

We talk with Abrahm Lustgarten about his book, On The Move: The Overheating Earth and the Uprooting of America. It’s about how climate chaos means a humanity on the move.







Then, we catch up with journalist and author Ross Barkan about his recent article in New York Magazine, “The Most Endangered Democrat in America: Jamaal Bowman might lose his job over Israel.”







Writers Voice— in depth conversation with writers of all genres, on the air since 2004.







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Key Words: climate migration, climate refugees, climate justice, Abrahm Lustgarten, On the Move book, Ross Barkan, Jamaal Bowman, George Latimer, Gaza ceasefire, New York primary















Climate Chaos Means Humanity on the Move













Guest: Abrahm Lustgarten, investigative reporter on climate change







Book: On the Move: The Overheating Earth and the Uprooting of America







Key Topics:









* Climate Migration: The massive displacement of populations due to climate change, both globally and within the United States.







* Human Habitability Niche: The ideal climate zone for human habitation is shifting, displacing billions.







* U.S. Impacts: Wildfires, floods, extreme heat, and droughts will reshape the country.







* Heat and Humidity: Rising temperatures and humidity levels will make parts of the U.S. uninhabitable.







* Sea Level Rise: Coastal communities are facing rapid land loss and increased flooding.Inequality: Climate change disproportionately affects poor communities and communities of color.







* Economic Impacts: Climate change will cause significant economic disruption, particularly in the southern U.S.







* Food Security: Agricultural yields are declining due to heat and water scarcity.







* Global Perspective: The impacts of climate migration will be far greater in the developing world.







* Loss and Damage: The U.S. and other wealthy nations have a responsibility to aid countries suffering from climate-related losses.







* Economic Opportunities: Addressing climate change can create economic benefits, but requires investment and policy changes.







* Solutions: Reducing emissions, investing in adaptation, and providing foreign aid are crucial steps.









Read an Excerpt from On The Move







Keywords: climate change, migration, displacement, heat, floods, drought, inequality, economics, food security, loss and damage, foreign aid, solutions







Additional Notes: Lustgarten’s book provides a detailed and personal look at the impacts of climate migration. The interview highlights the urgency of addressing climate change and the need for immediate action. The discussion emphasizes the interconnectedness of climate change, migration, and social justice issues.















The Most Endangered Democrat in America: Jamal Bowman’s Battle Against AIPAC







Congressmember Jamal Bowman of New York is facing a tough challenge in the upcoming June primary,

Was 2020 the year Americans finally lost faith in their government? We talk with Eric Klinenberg about his acclaimed new book, 2020: One City, Seven People, And The Year Everything Changed.







The book follows seven New Yorkers as they try to cope with the pandemic. Among them, a transit worker, a bar owner, a retired lawyer who organizes a mutual aid network and a Black Lives Matter protester. Their stories and those of the others illustrate how our leaders and institutions failed us — and how some citizens stepped into the breach.







Then, in February 2021 we spoke with journalist John Nichols about why President Biden’s bold plan for Covid relief was defeated by the Republicans, joined by a few centrist Dems. We listen back to that conversation.







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2020: Covid, Black Lives Matter, Culture Wars













2020 was a momentous year in our nation’s history. The worst pandemic in a century was raging. The country saw the largest protest movement ever, with people of all races uniting in support of Black Lives Matter. The economy plummeted and the government spent trillions trying to keep people afloat.







It was also the year that many Americans lost the last shred of faith they had in our institutions. Yet, you hardly hear anybody talking about what happened that year.







That’s why Eric Klinenberg’s book is so important. He follows seven New Yorkers whose experiences illuminate how Americans reckoned with 2020. The book vividly captures these stories, casting them against the backdrop of a high-stakes presidential election, a surge of misinformation, rising distrust, and raging protests.







Klinenberg’s book 2020 not only helps us reckon with what we lived through, but also with the challenges we face before the next crisis arrives.







About The Author







Eric Klinenberg is an American sociologist and a scholar of urban studies, culture, and media. He teaches Social Science at NYU and is Director of the Institute for Public Knowledge. In addition to 2020 Klinenberg is the author of several books, including Fighting For Air and Going Solo, both of which we spoke to him about on this show.







Listen to an audio excerpt from 2020

Larry Tye tells us about his new book, The Jazzmen: How Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie Transformed America. It’s a fresh look at three titans of the Jazz Age. Then, we re-air our 2020 interview with Larry Tye about his biography of Senator Joe McCarthy, Demagogue.







Writers Voice— in depth conversation with writers of all genres, on the air since 2004.







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Key words: Jazz Age, Larry Tye, Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, Satchmo, Duke Ellington, author interview, book podcast, podcast





















Titans of The Jazz Age







Among the greatest jazz musicians of all time were Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie. These titans of jazz, born within a few years of each other, rose from the depths of racial adversity to become global icons of music.







Today, we talk with biographer Larry Tye, bestselling author of Satchel and Bobby Kennedy, about his new book, The Jazzmen. It paints a sweeping portrait of this triumvirate of the Jazz Age, men who not only entertained the world but also broke through the barriers of segregation and violence with their artistry.







Ellington, a grandson of slaves, rose above the confines of his time, crafting music that defied categorization. Armstrong, emerging from a rough New Orleans neighborhood known as The Battlefield, began his musical journey with a humble tin horn at the age of seven. Count Basie, born to a coachman and a laundress, saw his future in the sounds of a traveling carnival, eventually paving his way to fame with a little help from Fats Waller.







Their legacy of challenging and overcoming racial boundaries opened America’s eyes to the power of their art, and, in some ways, set the stage for the civil rights movement.







Listen to an excerpt from The Jazz Men.







About The Author







Larry Tye is the author of numerous books, including biographies of Bobby Kennedy and Senator Joe McCarthy. Listen to our interviews with him about those books.