KPFA - Bookwaves/Artwaves

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Bookwaves/Artwaves presents in-depth interviews with authors of fiction and narrative non-fiction, delving deeply into political and social issues, literary technique, and the life of the author, along with interviews devoted to theatre and film, and archive interviews from Bookwaves and Probabilities. Hosted by Richard Wolinsky.

  1. 1d ago

    Bookwaves/Artwaves – October 22, 2026: Carey Perloff: Directing Pinter and Stoppard

    Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues   Theatre Director Carey Perloff Carey Perloff, author of “Pinter and Stoppard: A Director’s View,”  discusses her direction of plays by both master playwrights with host Richard Wolinsky, recorded October 14, 2026. The former Artistic Director of A.C.T. from 1992 until 2018 and a playwright in her own right, Carey Perloff discusses her current direction of plays by Harold Pinter and Tom Stoppard. “Betrayal” by Harold Pinter (1930-2008), which Carey is now directing, plays at Marin Theatre October 22 – November 15, 2026. “Leopoldstadt,” the final play by Tom Stoppard (1937-2025) will be directed by Carey at Berkeley Rep’s Roda Theatre, and plays in 2027 from June 4th through July 11th. Her earlier production of “Leopoldstadt” played at The Writers Theatre near Chicago from June through August, 2026. Carey’s relationship with both playwrights goes back several years. While with New York’s Classic Stage Company, she directed both ‘The Birthday Party” and the American premiere of Pinter’s “Mountain Language,” and worked closely with the playwright both times. Her personal friendship with Tom Stoppard led to the direction of several plays at A.C.T., most notably his masterpiece, “Arcadia,” as well as working with Stoppard on a revised version of “Leopoldstadt” shortly before his death. In this interview, she discusses her approach to both playwrights, and the role of language in their work, as well as her personal history with both. Her book, “Pinter and Stoppard: A Director’s View” was published by Bloomsbury in 2022.   Ann Beattie, award winning novelist and short story writer, author of “Chilly Scenes of Winter” and other novels, and several collections of short stories, discusses the relationship of literature to film and theatre, and other issues in this previously unaired archive interview, recorded March 4, 2011, while she was on tour for her collection, The New Yorker Stories.          Review of “Every Saturday Night”, an SFBATCO production at ACT Strand Theatre through November 1, 2026.   The post Bookwaves/Artwaves – October 22, 2026: Carey Perloff: Directing Pinter and Stoppard appeared first on KPFA.

  2. Oct 15

    Bookwaves/Artwaves – October 15, 2026: Maureen Gosling, “The Nine Lives of Barbara Dane”

    Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues   Documentary Filmmaker Maureen Gosling Maureen Gosling, director of the films ‘The Nine Lives of Barbara Dane” and co-director, with Chris Simon, of  “This Ain’t No Mouse Music: about the late KPFA host Chris Strachwitz, is interviewed by host Richard Wolinsky, recorded October 12, 2026. Maureen Gosling spent twenty years working with award-winning documentarian Les Blank for his many films, including the noted film about the making of “Fitzcarraldo” titled “Burden of Dreams.” Her film about singer activist Barbara Dane, “The Nine Lives of Barbara Dane” was released in 2023, and is now making its commercial theatre debut in various cities around the States. It will be at the Roxie in San Francisco on Sunday October 18th at 3:15 pm, with the audience moving afterward to the Chapel, down the street, for a music festival. Barbara Dane (1927-2024) was a jazz, blues and folk singer, and strong political activist for several decades. In this interview, Maureen Gosling discusses her work with Les Blank and the making of “Burden of Dreams,” the story behind “This Ain’t No Mouse Music” and “Nine Lives…” and talks about the relationship of music, film and politics. Review of “The Fall Show”, at Shotgun Players Ashby Stage through November 1, 2026.   The post Bookwaves/Artwaves – October 15, 2026: Maureen Gosling, “The Nine Lives of Barbara Dane” appeared first on KPFA.

  3. Sep 17

    Bookwaves/Artwaves – September 17, 2026: Mary Roach, America’s Funniest Science Author, Part One

    Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues   The Quirky Science World of Mary Roach The author of several non-fiction works that examine specific areas of life that are rarely covered elsewhere, Mary Roach brings a sharp eye and excellent research skills to explain how things work, how they don’t work, and the various things that happen in between. The author of eight books, she has appeared on Bookwaves and Bookwaves/Artwaves four times, with a fifth to air in October, 2026. These are two earlier interviews. Part One: Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void. What’s life like for astronauts? What is it like to be in Zero-G, or to find yourself doing a space walk? What kind of food do they eat, and what are astronauts and technicians really like? In this interview recorded in the KPFA studios on August 24, 2010, she discusses all these topics, as well as a look back to her earlier book, Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife. This interview has not aired in over fifteen years. Part Two: Fuzz: When Nature Breaks The Law. “Fuzz” deals with such issues as animals killing humans, pests in the fields, attempts to control invasive species, animal burglaries (watch out, Yogi Bear!) and even birds destroying flowers in the Vatican. In this interview, she discusses many of these issues, plus adds some information that never found its way into her book. Recorded by computer September 16, 2021. An interview recorded September 15, 2026 about Mary Roach’s latest book, Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy will air in October, 2026 Review of “The Cook”, at Berkeley Rep Peets Theatre through October 11, 2026.  Review of “African Stew” presented by Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, at The Magic Theatre through September 27, 2026. The post Bookwaves/Artwaves – September 17, 2026: Mary Roach, America’s Funniest Science Author, Part One appeared first on KPFA.

  4. Sep 3

    Bookwaves/Artwaves – September 3, 2026: Two Science Fiction Masters: Ursula K. Le Guin and Gene Wolfe

    Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues   Ursula K. Le Guin (1929-2018): Science Fiction/Fantasy Giant, 2000 Ursula K. Le Guin (1929-2018), who broke the artificial wall between science fiction and literature, died on January 22nd, 2018 at the age of 88. An essayist and poet along with being a fiction writer, she transcended all genres with the quality of her prose and the allegorical nature of her work. Best known for her novels The Left Hand of Darkness, which dealt with gender; The Dispossessed, which dealt with a utopian civilization; her series of novels in the fantasy realm of Earthsea; and her short stories, especially “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas,” Ursula K. Le Guin broke ground in several directions over the course of her writing life. But she started in science fiction fantasy. On September 29th, 2000, Richard Wolinsky and his then co-host Richard A. Lupoff spoke with Ursula K. Le Guin about her career as a writer and about her latest novel, a political and social science fiction allegory, “The Telling.” An extended version of this interview can be found as a Radio Wolinsky podcast.   Gene Wolfe (1931-2019): Science Fiction Grandmaster, 1982 Gene Wolfe, from a 1982 video. Gene Wolfe (1931-2019), author of several science fiction novels and short stories, including “The Book of the New Sun,” interviewed by Richard Wolinsky, Lawrence Davidson and Richard A. Lupoff at Bay Con, Thanksgiving weekend, 1982. The noted fantasy and science fiction writer Gene Wolfe died on April 14, 2019, one month shy of his 88th birthday. By the time of his death, he’d achieved a lifetime achievement award from the World Fantasy Convention, he’d been acclaimed a science fiction Grand Master from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, had won several awards from various organizations in the field, and was considered a writer’s writer. Digitizing, remastering & re-editing by Richard Wolinsky in 2019. Sound quality is variable. Complete Radio Wolinsky podcast The post Bookwaves/Artwaves – September 3, 2026: Two Science Fiction Masters: Ursula K. Le Guin and Gene Wolfe appeared first on KPFA.

  5. Aug 20

    Bookwaves/Artwaves – August 20, 2026: Ursula Hegi (1946-2026), Acclaimed Novelist and Short Story Author, 1991

    Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues   Ursula Hegi (1946-2026): Two Interviews, 2001 and 2004 Ursula Hegi (1946-2026), who died at the age of eighty on July 27, 2026, best known for her novel “Stones from a River,” about life in a small town in Germany in the days leading up to World War II, in conversation with Richard Wolinsky. Two interviews, the first recorded November 6, 2001 while on tour for her short story collection, “Hotel of the Saints,” and the second, recorded January 8, 2004, for her novel, “Sacred Time,” less than a year after the invasion of Iraq. Ursula Hegi was a German born novelist and short story writer whose work focused on life in Germany before, during and after World War II along with German and German-American identity, and the nature of moral complicity. She was best known for her novel, Stones from a River, published in 1994, which formed part of a series of novels and stories which came to be known as the Burgdorf cycle, taking place in the fictional small town of Burgdorf, Germany during the middle of the twentieth century. At the time of her death from complications from a stroke, there were nine novels, two short story collections, a children’s book, and one non-fiction work from 1998, Tearing the Silence: On Being German in America. Her last novel, The Patron Saint of Pregnant Girls, was published in 2020. The 2001 interview, one of the last Bookwaves interviews recorded on analog tape, was digitized, remastered and edited August 14-16, 2026.   Review of “R.O.I. (Return on Investment)”, a San Francisco Playhousere  production at the Creativity Theatre through September 5, 2026       The post Bookwaves/Artwaves – August 20, 2026: Ursula Hegi (1946-2026), Acclaimed Novelist and Short Story Author, 1991 appeared first on KPFA.

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Bookwaves/Artwaves presents in-depth interviews with authors of fiction and narrative non-fiction, delving deeply into political and social issues, literary technique, and the life of the author, along with interviews devoted to theatre and film, and archive interviews from Bookwaves and Probabilities. Hosted by Richard Wolinsky.

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