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This week, Amy Bizzarri discusses her cookbook and travelogue, Route 66 Recipes: A Culinary Cruise Along the Mother Road, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the famous highway. Bizzarri talks about the food history of the legendary road, and the diners, cafes, soda shops, and dive bars that make up the landscape. Moderated by editor and writer Erica Floyd. Discover more stories about Route 66 here! This program was part of the 2026 American Writers Festival. Co-hosted by the American Writers Museum and Chicago Public Library, the American Writers Festival is a free literary event featuring in-depth conversations with diverse writers from across genres and backgrounds. This conversation took place June 6, 2026 and was recorded live at the American Writers Museum. AWM PODCAST NETWORK HUB More about Route 66 Recipes: Cook up iconic dishes from all along Route 66 in the comfort of your own kitchen. Fuel up with the "world's best" coffee and donut holes at Lou Mitchell's in downtown Chicago and then cruise into Doc's Soda Fountain in Girard for a fizzy Green River phosphate. The tiger stripe fudge in Uranus, Missouri, doesn't disappoint, but you best save room for the Big Texan seventy-two-ounce steak challenge in Amarillo. Bop into Midpoint Café in Adrian for a slice of ugly crust pie and then ready yourself for a fiesta of flavors in New Mexico, from prickly pear margaritas to poblanos rellenos. Arizona's Hualapai Lodge serves up piñon stew, rich with tradition, just like the comforting bowl of chili you can dig into at Barney's Beanery in Santa Monica, the end of the road. Author Amy Bizzarri serves up recipes—each paired with a side of history—that capture the essence of the classic diners, cozy chili parlors, welcoming inns, old-school soda shops, tasty burger joints, and unforgettable dive bars that have fueled generations of travelers. AMY BIZZARRI is a Chicago-based author whose books celebrate the flavors, stories, and roadways that shaped American culture. Her work spans the country's most iconic routes and eras, from Route 66 Recipes, a culinary journey along the Mother Road, to The Civilian Conservation Corps Cookbook, which revives dishes from one of the nation's most influential New Deal programs. She has chronicled regional food traditions in Iconic Chicago Dishes, Drinks and Desserts and Iconic Hollywood Dishes, Drinks and Desserts, and explored America's legendary highways in The Best Hits on Route 66 and The Best Hits on Route 61. ERICA FLOYD is the founder and owner of Lake Literary Center, a literary arts hub in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, offering writing workshops, author readings, literary events, books clubs, and open mics. She holds an MFA in creative writing from Antioch University Los Angeles and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. A former magazine editor-in-chief and marketing director, her writing appears in Electric Literature, The Rumpus, Lunch Ticket, BusinessWeek, and nonfiction books. Floyd is currently writing a second novel, essays, and translations. She lives in rural Wisconsin, where she co-owns her family’s certified organic mushroom farm.

This week, writers and free speech advocates Jacob Mchangama and Sara Paretsky discuss the importance of free speech today. Jacob Mchangama is the author of Free Speech: A History from Socrates to Social Media, which traces the riveting legal, political, and cultural history of this idea. He is also the co-author, along with Jeff Kosseff, of the new book The Future of Free Speech: Reversing the Global Decline of Democracy’s Most Essential Freedom. He is joined by mystery writer and free speech advocate Sara Paretsky to discuss this important topic. Paretsky's latest novel, Bad Company, comes out November 2026. This program was part of the 2026 American Writers Festival. Co-hosted by the American Writers Museum and Chicago Public Library, the American Writers Festival is a free literary event featuring in-depth conversations with diverse writers from across genres and backgrounds. This conversation took place June 6, 2026 and was recorded live at the American Writers Museum. AWM PODCAST NETWORK HUB More about The Future of Free Speech: The Future of Free Speech argues for a reinvigorated, global commitment to open dialogue. Mchangama and Kosseff advocate nonpartisan, civic-minded solutions that resist both government overreach and corporate silencing. They offer a compelling case for how free speech can meet modern challenges without abandoning its foundational role in sustaining democracy, human rights, and shared understanding. More about Bad Company: Meet Lily. Once the CIA's most effective field agent, she's now the target of a Company womanhunt designed to silence her. She's in her 70s. Can she call on her old field skills to save her life? JACOB MCHANGAMA is the Founder and Executive Director of The Future of Free Speech and research professor at Vanderbilt University. Author of Free Speech: A History From Socrates to Social Media, (Basic Books 2022) and The Future of Free Speech: Reversing the Global Decline of Democracy’s Most Essential Freedom (Johns Hopkins University Press 2026). He is the recipient of numerous awards for his work on free speech and human rights. SARA PARETSKY revolutionized the mystery world in 1982 when she introduced V.I. Warshawski in Indemnity Only. By creating a detective with the grit and smarts to take on the mean streets, Paretsky challenged a genre in which women historically were vamps or victims. V.I. struck a chord with readers and critics; Indemnity Only was followed by twenty more V.I. novels. Paretsky detailed her journey from Kansas farm-girl to New York Times bestseller in her 2007 memoir, Writing in an Age of Silence, which was a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. In addition, Paretsky has written two stand-alone novels, Ghost Country, and Bleeding Kansas, set in the part of rural Kansas where Paretsky grew up. She has published several short story collections, most recently Love & Other Crimes, and has edited numerous other anthologies.

This week, Reyna Grande and Erika L. Sánchez discuss Grande’s new book Migrant Heart: Essays About Things I Can’t Forget, an ambitious memoir in essays that illuminates the hidden cost of the American Dream and the complex journey of healing that follows survival. This conversation originally took place September 23, 2026 and was recorded live at the American Writers Museum. AWM PODCAST NETWORK HUB More about Migrant Heart: What is the true power of stories? Can they heal the jagged edges of a traumatic childhood? Is the cost of telling the story worth the price of the cure? Reyna Grande has spent her career capturing the raw reality of life across borders. In this intricate and deeply intimate memoir-in-essays, the author of the landmark memoirs The Distance Between Us and A Dream Called Home again turns her gaze inward to explore the scars left by migration and the ongoing work of stitching herself back together. With her signature blend of sophistication and raw honesty, Grande interrogates how living between two nations, two languages, and two identities has shaped the woman, mother, and writer she has become. Moving from the legacy of violence in her hometown of Iguala, Mexico, to a bittersweet family vacation in Europe spent reconciling her own impoverished past with her children’s world of abundance, she uncovers startling truths about the nature of survival. Whether being racially profiled in the Arizona borderlands or finding unexpected wisdom from the slugs in her garden, Grande unflinchingly asks: How do we bridge the gap between who we were and who we have become? How do we turn pain into power? When memory threatens to define us, how can we use story to heal while still honoring our boundaries? Migrant Heart is a powerful testament to Grande’s role as a storyteller and cultural witness. It expands our understanding of life in the United States and the complex people who cross and live within its borders. It is an essential read for the seekers, the dreamers, and anyone who believes in the enduring, transformative power of finding one’s voice. REYNA GRANDE is an award-winning author whose work powerfully illuminates the complexities of immigration, family separation, and the pursuit of the American Dream. Born in Mexico, Grande embarked on a perilous journey to the U.S. at age nine to reunite with her parents—a defining experience that fuels her writing. Breaking generational barriers, she became the first in her family to graduate from college, earning a BA from UC Santa Cruz and an MFA from Antioch University. Her diverse body of work includes her celebrated memoirs, The Distance Between Us and A Dream Called Home, and the novels Across a Hundred Mountains, Dancing with Butterflies, and the historical epic A Ballad of Love and Glory. She amplifies undocumented voices as co-editor of Somewhere We Are Human: Authentic Voices on Immigration, Survival, and New Beginnings. She has earned numerous accolades, such as the American Book Award, the Premio Aztlan Literary Award, the Luis Leal Award, and the Hummingbird Award in Literary Arts. Her most recent book, Migrant Heart: Essays About Things I Can’t Forget, was published in English and Spanish in May 2026. ERIKA L. SÁNCHEZ is the daughter of Mexican immigrants. Her debut poetry collection, Lessons on Expulsion, was a finalist for the PEN America Open Book Award. Her debut young adult novel, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter was a #1 New York Times bestseller, a National Book Awards finalist, and Tomás Rivera Award winner. Time has recognized it as one of the best YA novels of all time. It is now is being made into a MGM Orion film directed by America Ferrera. She is an executive producer on the project. I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter has also been adapted to the theater at Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago, Seattle Rep Theater, Greenway Court Theater in Los Angeles, and Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Also, her novel has been banned across the country due to its "controversial" themes. Most recently, Sánchez published a critically acclaimed memoir-in-essays titled Crying in the Bathroom with Viking Books. It won the Chicago Review of Books Nonfiction award and has been optioned for television. Sánchez was a Fulbright Scholar, a Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent fellow from the Poetry Foundation, a Princeton Arts Fellow, a recipient of the 21st Century Award from the Chicago Public Library Foundation, and a recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in poetry. Sánchez earned a BA from UIC and an MFA from the University of New Mexico. Her books have been translated and published in Korea, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, Brazil, France, Mexico, Poland, Turkey, and Italy. She’s appeared on WGN, PBS, NPR, Good Morning America, Telemundo, Univision, and MSNBC. Erika holds an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from New School University. She lives in Chicago with her family.

This week, two of Chicago's leading poets—Mayda del Valle and Eve L. Ewing—discuss how to use poetic forms to tell stories, reveal characters, and express memory. Mayda del Valle is the Poet Laureate of the City of Chicago, and Eve L. Ewing is an award-winning poet and scholar. This program was part of the 2026 American Writers Festival. Co-hosted by the American Writers Museum and Chicago Public Library, the American Writers Festival is a free literary event featuring in-depth conversations with diverse writers from across genres and backgrounds. This conversation took place June 7, 2026 and was recorded live at the Harold Washington Library Center. AWM PODCAST NETWORK HUB In this episode, both Mayda and Eve read their poems aloud, some of which are published and some that have not been published yet. For the published work, they read from these collections: A South Side Girl's Guide to Love & Sex: Poems by Mayda del Valle As a child of Puerto Rican migrants on Chicago's Southside, Mayda del Valle's poetry utilizes part Spanish and English, part hip-hop and salsa, part Nas and Sonia Sanchez, part Shakespeare and John Leguizamo. It is inherited history as well as traditions remixed and invented. Electric Arches by Eve L. Ewing Electric Arches is an imaginative exploration of black girlhood and womanhood through poetry, visual art, and narrative prose. Blending stark realism with the fantastical, Ewing takes us from the streets of Chicago to an alien arrival in an unspecified future, deftly navigating boundaries of space, time, and reality with delight and flexibility. 1919: Poems by Eve L. Ewing The Chicago Race Riot of 1919, the most intense of the riots comprising the nation's Red Summer, has shaped the last century but is not widely discussed. In 1919, Ewing explores the story of this event—which lasted eight days and resulted in 38 deaths and almost 500 injuries—through poems recounting the stories of everyday people trying to survive and thrive in the city. Ewing uses speculative and Afrofuturist lenses to recast history, and illuminates the thin line between the past and the present. More about the poets: MAYDA DEL VALLE is a Chicago-born poet, and interdisciplinary artist. A former Grand Slam Champion at the Nuyorican Poets Café, she became the youngest poet and first Latinx winner of the National Poetry Slam. She has appeared on Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry and was an original cast member of the Tony Award-winning Def Poetry Jam on Broadway. She is a 2024 Letras Boricuas Fellow and in January of 2026, began her tenure as the second Poet Laureate of the City of Chicago. She is currently developing Herencia, a multimedia performance exploring Puerto Rican migration to Chicago's South Side. DR. EVE L. EWING is a writer, scholar, and cultural organizer from Chicago. She is the award-winning author, most recently, of Original Sins: The (Mis)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism, an instant New York Times and USA Today bestseller. She has also published the poetry collections Electric Arches and 1919, the nonfiction work Ghosts in the Schoolyard: Racism and School Closings on Chicago's South Side, and a novel for young readers, Maya and the Robot. She is the co-author (with Nate Marshall) of the play No Blue Memories: The Life of Gwendolyn Brooks. She has written several projects for Marvel Comics, most notably, Ironheart, Black Panther, and Exceptional X-Men, and is currently writing X-Men United. Ewing is an associate professor in the Department of Race, Diaspora, and Indigeneity at the University of Chicago. She is also proud to be a co-owner of Build Coffee & Books. Her work has been published in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The New York Times, and many other venues.

This week, two scholars discuss "Social Change, Faith, and the Making of Latino Chicago." Felipe Hinojosa, author of Apostles of Change: Latino Radical Politics, Church Occupations, and the Fight to Save the Barrio and Lilia Fernández, author of Brown in the Windy City: Mexicans and Puerto Ricans in Postwar Chicago, explore the intertwined histories of Latino faith, politics, and community formation in postwar Chicago and beyond. This episode is presented in partnership with the Newberry. This program is also presented in conjunction with the AWM's special exhibit American Prophets: Writers, Religion, and Culture, a powerful exhibit that takes you on the ultimate exploration through spirituality and storytelling. Travel through vibrant spaces that trace the many paths of American faith, from sacred rituals to songs of devotion. Discover rare artifacts and creative works from literature, film, music, and comedy along the way. This isn’t just an exhibit—it’s a shared journey of reflection, inspiration, and connection through the stories that move us all. This program was part of the 2026 American Writers Festival. Co-hosted by the American Writers Museum and Chicago Public Library, the American Writers Festival is a free literary event featuring in-depth conversations with diverse writers from across genres and backgrounds. This conversation took place June 7th, 2026 and was recorded live at the Harold Washington Library Center. AWM PODCAST NETWORK HUB About Apostles of Change by Felipe Hinojosa: Unraveling the intertwined histories of Latino radicalism and religion in urban America, this book examines how Latino activists transformed churches into staging grounds for protest against urban renewal and displacement. About Brown in the Windy City by Lilia Fernández: The first history to examine the migration and settlement of Mexicans and Puerto Ricans in postwar Chicago. Lilia Fernández reveals how the two populations arrived in Chicago in the midst of tremendous social and economic change and, in spite of declining industrial employment and massive urban renewal projects, managed to carve out a geographic and racial place in one of America’s great cities. About the writers: LILIA FERNÁNDEZ is professor of history at University of Illinois Chicago, where her current research continues to examine Latino history in the Chicago area, focusing on cross-ethnic interactions among Latinos, their labor politics, class dynamics, activism, and strategic articulations of a panethnic identity. FELIPE HINOJOSA, John and Nancy Jackson Endowed Chair in Latin America and Professor of History at Baylor University, is currently working on a book on the Latinx civil rights movement and its role in shaping American democracy in the post-World War II era. Founded in 1887, THE NEWBERRY is one of Chicago’s most historic cultural institutions. Curious people from all over visit to research topics of interest, discover their family history, take classes, or learn something new and unexpected. The Newberry fosters a deeper understanding of our world by inspiring research and learning in the humanities and encouraging conversations about ideas that matter to diverse audiences. Their mission is rooted in a growing and accessible collection of rare and historical materials that spans more than six centuries of human experience. Learn more and explore here.

This week, cartographers Stentor Danielson and Andy Woodruff discuss mapmaking and telling stories with maps, moderated by David Weimer, the Robert A. Holland Curator of Maps at the Newberry Library. Explore cartographic writing through Belt Publishing's "Cities in 50 Maps" series. Danielson is the author of Pittsburgh in 50 Maps, while Woodruff is the author of Boston in 50 Maps. Woodruff also served as cartographer for Cincinnati in 50 Maps. This program was part of the 2026 American Writers Festival. Co-hosted by the American Writers Museum and Chicago Public Library, the American Writers Festival is a free literary event featuring in-depth conversations with diverse writers from across genres and backgrounds. This conversation took place June 7, 2026 and was recorded live at the Harold Washington Library Center. AWM PODCAST NETWORK HUB About Boston in 50 Maps by Andy Woodruff Covering four distinct categories ("The Making of Boston," "The Lay of the Land," "Getting Around," and "People and Culture"), Andy Woodruff's newly created, original maps investigate all facets of Boston's past and present. In unraveling the many complex layers that comprise the "real" Boston, some explorations are expected: sports championships, universities, and pothole complaints. Others, such as the former cow paths that predated downtown streets, are decidedly more hidden. Entertaining and informative in equal parts, Boston in 50 Maps brings The Hub's history, urban plans, and lore to life. About Pittsburgh in 50 Maps by Stentor Danielson Whether you call it the Steel City, the City of Bridges, City of Champions, Hell with the Lid Off, or even the Paris of Appalachia, Pittsburgh's distinctive character is undeniable. Pittsburgh in 50 Maps considers the boundaries of the city's 90 distinct neighborhoods (plus Mister Rogers' Neighborhood), the legacy of the steel industry, and how immigration continues to shape the city. You'll also find the areas with the highest concentrations of bike lanes, supermarkets, tree cover, and fiberglass dinosaurs. Each colorful map offers a new perspective on one of America's most consistently surprising cities and the people who live here. About the speakers: STENTOR DANIELSON has been a map nerd since reading The Lord of the Rings in third grade. After spending their childhood in both western and eastern Pennsylvania, they earned a BA in Geography from Colgate University and a PhD in Geography from Clark University. Since 2009 they have lived in (or just outside) Pittsburgh while teaching geography and environmental studies at Slippery Rock University. Since 2015, they have run Mapsburgh, an online shop making paper cutout street maps and fantasy-style maps of real places. They currently share a house with one human partner, two feline bosses, and a classic mid-century Pittsburgh pink tile bathroom. DAVID WEIMER is the Robert A. Holland Curator of Maps and Director of the Hermon Dunlap Smith Center for the History of Cartography at the Newberry. He previously served as Librarian for Cartographic Collections and Learning at the Harvard Map Collection. Weimer has devoted his professional and scholarly work to guiding people into the history of maps and highlighting the interdisciplinary potential of maps. In 2020, he co-curated an exhibition on the tactile reading of texts that earned him the Biennial Disability History Association's Public Disability History Award. ANDY WOODRUFF is a freelance cartographer, creating everything from digital data visualization to printed hiking maps, who newly claims the title of "author" thanks to his work on map books for Belt Publishing.

This week, comedian and author Jenny Gorelick discusses her recent dating guide, The Book of Red Flags: Dating Signs They Aren't It, with fellow comedian Ton Johnson. For singles striving to mingle, The Book of Red Flags is a beacon on the modern dating darkness, detailing all the hilarious signs they aren't it. Content warning: this episode contains language and themes that may not be suitable for younger audiences, listener discretion is advised. This program was part of the 2026 American Writers Festival. Co-hosted by the American Writers Museum and Chicago Public Library, the American Writers Festival is a free literary event featuring in-depth conversations with diverse writers from across genres and backgrounds. This conversation took place June 7, 2026 and was recorded live at the Harold Washington Library Center. AWM PODCAST NETWORK HUB More about The Book of Red Flags: Whether they have a butt tattoo, own too many novelty T-shirts, or still Venmo their ex, this laugh-out-loud list of cautionary signs will affirm the reader in saying, "Thank you, next." Gorelick details absurd anecdotes and all-too-real jokes about the messy dating trends everyone seems to experience in The Book of Red Flags. This comedic and cathartic list is perfect for anyone who ignored their gut feeling or best friend’s warnings. Swipe left on red flags with confidence, and laugh so hard that it clears a path to "the one." Peppered with brutal honesty, real situations, and the author's trademark humorous touch, The Book of Red Flags will resonate with anyone who has played the dating game with frustrating results. Perfect gift for Galentine's Day with its beautiful packaging and quirkily appealing illustrations by Margalit Cutler. About the speakers: JENNY GORELICK is a comedian, actor, writer, two-time Emmy-nominated producer, and former Jersey girl based in New York. She's been called an "ever-charming host" and "crush-worthy comedian" by Time Out New York. Her essays have been featured in The New York Times's "Modern Love" column, Cosmopolitan, McSweeney's, and The New Yorker's "Shouts & Murmurs." Her Substack series, "Night Out," about partying and dating in NYC, boasts over 10,000 subscribers and a "2024 Featured Publication" designation. ANTON "TON" JOHNSON uses his comedy as a platform for the questions people won't ask and the things they won't say. Based in the Milwaukee area, Ton is quickly making a name for himself throughout the Midwest after winning several comedy competitions, participating in festivals, and opening for touring headliners such as Kool Bubba Ice, Chastity Washington, Dennis Banks, Rondell Sheridan, Kevin "Damn Fool" Simpson and many more!

This week, author Lauren Groff and editor John Stauffer discuss the craft and history of short stories, as well as their latest work. Moderated by author and professor Peter Coviello. Groff, a three-time National Book Award finalist, recently released Brawler: Stories, an "audacious collection [that] surprises readers with the vivid lives few of us notice (Kirkus). Stauffer is the editor of the Library of America's recent two-volume anthology The American Short Story: The Nineteenth Century. This program was part of the 2026 American Writers Festival. Co-hosted by the American Writers Museum and Chicago Public Library, the American Writers Festival is a free literary event featuring in-depth conversations with diverse writers from across genres and backgrounds. This conversation took place June 7th, 2026 and was recorded live at the Harold Washington Library Center. AWM PODCAST NETWORK HUB About The American Short Story: The Nineteenth Century: A landmark short story collection: More than 100 short stories by 51 different 19th-century writers redefine the great American literary form. Incudes both literary masterpieces—including classic stories by Poe, Hawthorne, Twain, James, and Wharton—and new rediscoveries. About Brawler: Stories: A stunning, fierce collection from a master of the short story and one of the most important writers of our time. Read alone, each story in Lauren Groff’s electric collection is an individual triumph, bold, agile, and packed with power. Read together, they hum in exhilarating resonance. Ranging from the 1950s to the present day and moving across age, class, and region—from New England to Florida to California—these nine stories reflect and expand upon a shared theme: the ceaseless battle between humans’ dark and light angels. About the speakers: LAUREN GROFF is a three-time National Book Award finalist and the New York Times bestselling author of the novels The Monsters of Templeton, Arcadia, Fates and Furies, Matrix, and The Vaster Wilds, and the celebrated short story collections Delicate Edible Birds and Florida. She has won the Story Prize and the Joyce Carol Oates Prize, and has been a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. In 2024 she was named one of the "TIME 100 most influential people." Groff's work regularly appears in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and elsewhere. Her work has been translated into thirty-six languages. She lives in Gainesville, Florida, where she and her husband run an independent bookstore, The Lynx. JOHN STAUFFER is the Kates Professor of English at Harvard and the author/co-author of 20 books and 100+ articles, including Picturing Frederick Douglass; GIANTS: The Parallel Lives of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln; Battle Hymn of the Republic; and Black Hearts of Men. He has co-curated several exhibitions: ONE LIFE, FREDERICK DOUGLASS (NPG); WAR/PHOTOGRAPHY (MFA Houston); DJANGO UNCHAINED; RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2; RECONSTRUCTION; BLACK PATRIOTS; GOD IN AMERICA; and LOVER OF MEN. He received three teaching awards at Harvard. His two-volume The American Short Story: The Nineteenth Century was published in January 2026 with Library of America. PETER COVIELLO is the author of six books, including Make Yourselves Gods, a finalist for the 2020 John Whitmer Historical Association Best Book Prize, and Long Players, a memoir selected as one of ARTFORUM’s Best Books of 2018. His newest book, Is There God After Prince?: Dispatches from an Age of Last Things, was selected for The Millions' "Most Anticipated" list for 2023. He is Professor and Head of English at the University of Illinois-Chicago.

This week, hear from three accomplished writers who blend suspense with humor to tell compelling stories. How do humor and suspense intersect to create compelling novels? These three funny masters of mystery discuss their latest works: Escape! by Stephen Fishbach, A Murder Most Camp by Nicolas DiDomizio, and My Name Was Gerry Sass by Tiffany Hanssen. Moderated by writer and editor Erica Floyd. This program was part of the 2026 American Writers Festival. Co-hosted by the American Writers Museum and Chicago Public Library, the American Writers Festival is a free literary event featuring in-depth conversations with diverse writers from across genres and backgrounds. This conversation took place June 7, 2026 and was recorded live at the Harold Washington Library Center. AWM PODCAST NEWTORK HUB About Escape! by Stephen Fishbach: A propulsive debut novel following a has-been reality TV star and a disgraced producer who get one last shot at redemption on a show set on a remote island, only to discover that the plot twists are beyond what they ever imagined. About A Murder Most Camp by Nicolas DiDomizio: The Guncle meets Every Time I Go On Vacation Someone Dies in this fun, twisty mystery following a spoiled nepo baby forced to work at a struggling summer camp who stumbles into a real-life murder mystery he has no choice but to solve. About My Name Was Gerry Sass by Tiffany Hanssen: The Sopranos meets Six Feet Under in My Name Was Gerry Sass, a thrilling debut crime novel about the killing of a hitman-for-hire, his daughter who wants revenge, and a priest who accidentally witnessed everything. About the writers: NICOLAS DiDOMIZIO holds a bachelor's degree from Western Connecticut State University and a master's degree from NYU. His debut novel, Burn It All Down, was published in 2021 and praised as "unforgettable" by James Patterson. He lives in upstate New York with his partner Graig and their shmooshy bulldog Rocco. STEPHEN FISHBACH is a bestselling novelist and Pushcart Prize-winning short story writer, though he's probably best known for losing Survivor twice. Through his corporate work, Stephen has tried to use media superpowers for positive social change. At MTV and Logo TV, he worked on campaigns that used those channels' broad reach to raise awareness about discrimination, marriage equality, and school violence. He also has worked as a speechwriter, and once wrote nine speeches about world peace that Stevie Wonder delivered during a concert at the United Nations. Stephen lives with his wife and two daughters in Washington, DC. ERICA FLOYD is the founder and owner of Lake Literary Center, a literary arts hub in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, offering writing workshops, author readings, literary events, books clubs, and open mics. She holds an MFA in creative writing from Antioch University Los Angeles and a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. A former magazine editor-in-chief and marketing director, her writing appears in Electric Literature, The Rumpus, Lunch Ticket, BusinessWeek, and nonfiction books. Floyd is currently writing a second novel, essays, and translations. She lives in rural Wisconsin, where she co-owns her family’s certified organic mushroom farm. TIFFANY HANSSEN is an on-air host at public radio station WNYC in New York City. During her decades-long career in broadcasting, she has produced award-winning national programs and worked at stations from Las Vegas to Washington DC. She is also a screenwriter and mom to two boys. And although she was born in Iowa and spent many years in Minnesota, she currently lives in Manhattan.

Three finalists for the 2026 Nebula Awards—Amy Chu, Somto Ihezue, and Annalee Newitz—discuss their craft, why they write, and the state of speculative fiction today. Moderated by Tananarive Due, Toastmaster of the 2026 Nebula Awards, which are given annually by the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association. Featured writers and their 2026 Nebula Award nominations include: Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz (Nebula Award for Best Novella) Carmilla Volume 3: The Eternal by Amy Chu (Nebula Award for Best Comic) "We Begin Where Infinity Ends" by Somto Ihezue (Nebula Award for Best Novelette) This program was part of the 2026 American Writers Festival. Co-hosted by the American Writers Museum and Chicago Public Library, the American Writers Festival is a free literary event featuring in-depth conversations with diverse writers from across genres and backgrounds. This conversation took place June 7, 2026 and was recorded live at the Harold Washington Library Center. AWM PODCAST NETWORK HUB About the writers: AMY CHU is a multi-genre writer for graphic novels and animation. Her most recent book is the Nebula Award nominated Carmilla: The Eternal (Dark Horse / Berger Books) the final chapter in the award-winning Carmilla the First Vampire trilogy. She teaches at the Kubert School and the School of Visual Arts, and is a board member of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. A frequent convention speaker, she has also judged the Harvey, Ringo and MoCCA awards. Amy holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a double bachelor’s degree in Architectural Design from MIT and East Asian Studies from Wellesley College. TANANARIVE DUE is an award-winning author who teaches Black Horror and Afrofuturism at UCLA. A leading voice in Black speculative fiction for more than 20 years, Due has won an American Book Award, an NAACP Image Award, and a British Fantasy Award, and her writing has been included in best-of-the-year anthologies. Her books include The Reformatory (winner of a Los Angeles Times Book Prize, Chautauqua Prize, Bram Stoker Award, Shirley Jackson Award, World Fantasy Award, and a New York Times Notable Book), The Wishing Pool and Other Stories, Ghost Summer: Stories, My Soul to Keep, and The Good House. She and her late mother, civil rights activist Patricia Stephens Due, co-authored Freedom in the Family: A Mother-Daughter Memoir of the Fight for Civil Rights. SOMTO IHEZUE is a writer and filmmaker. He is an MFA fellow in Creative Writing at the University of Maryland. His writes about boyhood, land, disruption, and joy in Igbo communities. His work has been a finalist for the Nebula Award, the Locus Award, the British Fantasy Award, the ALCS Tom-Gallon Trust Award, and has appeared in Clarkesworld, POETRY, Uncanny, Strange Horizons, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Sauúti, and others. He has received residencies and fellowships from the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts, Tin House, Clarion West, Sundress Academy for the Arts, Rabbit Island, and more. He was assistant editor of the Publishing Taught Me Anthology (SFWA & NEA) and co-editor of Will This Be a Problem? The Anthology. ANNALEE NEWITZ writes science fiction and nonfiction. They are the author of four novels: Automatic Noodle, The Terraformers, The Future of Another Timeline, and Autonomous, which won the Lambda Literary Award. As a science journalist, they are the author of Stories Are Weapons: Psychological Warfare and the American Mind, Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age and Scatter, Adapt and Remember: How Humans Will Survive a Mass Extinction, which was a finalist for the LA Times Book Prize in science. They are a writer for the New York Times and elsewhere, and have a monthly column in New Scientist. They have published in The Washington Post, Slate, Scientific American, Ars Technica, The New Yorker, and Technology Review, among others. They were the co-host of the Hugo Award-winning podcast Our Opinions Are Correct, and have contributed to the public radio shows Science Friday, On the Media, KQED Forum, and Here and Now. Previously, they were the founder of io9, and served as the editor-in-chief of Gizmodo.

This week, actress and humorist Annabelle Gurwitch discusses her new book The End of My Life Is Killing Me: The Unexpected Joys of a Cancer Slacker. In this deftly comedic and deeply contemplative memoir, the New York Times bestselling author faces life's biggest curveball only to find resilience in the most unlikely places. Gurwitch discusses the memoir-writing process and the importance of humor in hard times with comedian Chelsea Hood. This program was part of the 2026 American Writers Festival. Co-hosted by the American Writers Museum and Chicago Public Library, the American Writers Festival is a free literary event featuring in-depth conversations with diverse writers from across genres and backgrounds. This conversation took place June 7th, 2026 and was recorded live at the Harold Washington Library Center. AWM PODCAST NETWORK HUB More about The End of My Life Is Killing Me: After Annabelle Gurwitch received an out-of-the blue diagnosis of Stage 4 lung cancer, an existential dread set in. Precision medicine offered a temporary reprieve—but instead of turning into a cancer warrior, Annabelle declared herself a cancer slacker. Her motto: no runs, no ribbons, no religion. Told with her signature wit, warmth, and gimlet eye, Gurwitch draws inspiration from Greek mythology and TV comedies, Kermit the Frog and Samuel Beckett. She accidentally acquires an angel, embraces being in it "just for the sex," and finds herself on a European van tour selling merch for a heavy metal band. In this hilariously and deeply affecting meditation on mortality, the actress and activist illuminates life with chronic disease, inequities in care, and celebrates tiny victories, the crusty ends of baguettes, the discreet pleasure of sucking at a hobby, and the unshakable bond of female friendship. She upends the notion of living each day as if it were your last, as she discovers you can carpe too much diem, embracing, instead, the extraordinariness of the ordinary. About the speakers: ANNABELLE GURWITCH is an actress, activist, and New York Times bestselling author of six books and a two-time Thurber Prize finalist. Her essays and satire have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post amongst other publications. Her books include the New York Times bestseller I See You Made an Effort and You're Leaving When? a New York Times "Favorite Book for Healthy Living." Annabelle co-hosted the fan favorite Dinner & a Movie on TBS and was a regular commentator on NPR. She is a Jewish mother, lung cancer survivor and patient advocate, a terrible ukulele player, and an unrepentant cat lady who lives in Los Angeles. CHELSEA HOOD is a stand up comedian living in Chicago, IL by way of the comedy scenes in both Dallas, TX and Brooklyn, NY. You may have seen her on WGN, The CW Network's Eye Opener, or CW33's Nightcap. She was also featured on Stand Up Records' "Texas Mess" album recorded at SXSW. She was most frequently featured performer at Limestone Comedy Festival, one of eight chose as the Best of the Midwest at Gilda'

This week, acclaimed writers Daniel Kraus and Susan Orlean discuss the process of adapting books into film and television, as well as their latest releases. Kraus—who won the 2026 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction for his novel Angel Down—developed the story for the film The Shape of Water and co-wrote the novel with Guillermo del Toro. Kraus also recently adapted his hit novel Whalefall into a feature film coming out this October from 20th Century Fox. Orlean—whose book The Orchid Thief lead to the creation of the film Adaptation—is currently at work adapting her bestselling nonfiction book The Library Book for television. This program was part of the 2026 American Writers Festival. Co-hosted by the American Writers Museum and Chicago Public Library, the American Writers Festival is a free literary event featuring in-depth conversations with diverse writers from across genres and backgrounds. This conversation took place June 7th, 2026 and was recorded live at the Harold Washington Library Center. AWM PODCAST NETWORK HUB About the speakers: DANIEL KRAUS is a New York Times bestselling writer of novels, TV, and film. His latest novel, Angel Down, won the 2026 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction and was a New York Times Top 10 Book of 2025. His novel Whalefall won the Alex Award, was a Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist, and was named a Best Book of 2023 by NPR, The New York Times, Amazon, Chicago Tribune, and more. With Guillermo del Toro, he cowrote The Shape of Water, based on the same idea the two created for the Oscar-winning film. SUSAN ORLEAN is the author of nine books, including The Bullfighter Checks Her Makeup; My Kind of Place; Saturday Night; and On Animals. In 1999, she published The Orchid Thief, a narrative about orchid poachers in Florida, which was made into the Academy Award-winning film Adaptation starring Nicolas Cage and Meryl Streep. Her book, Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend won the Ohioana Book Award and the Richard Wall Memorial Award. In 2018, she published The Library Book, about the arson fire at the Los Angeles Public Library. It won the California Book Award and the Marfield Prize and was longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal. It is being adapted for television. Her memoir, Joyride, was published in October 2025. Orlean has been a staff writer for the New Yorker since 1992, and has also contributed to Vogue, Rolling Stone, Outside, and Esquire. She has written about taxidermy, umbrellas, origami, chickens, and a wide range of other subjects. She was a 2003 Nieman Fellow at Harvard University and a 2014 Guggenheim Fellow. She lives with her husband and son in Los Angeles.

This week, religion scholars Reza Aslan and Ilan Stavans sit down with Emily D. Crews to discuss their new anthology, A Nation Wrestles with God: American Prophets, Philosophers, and Firebrands, a historic collection of the radicals and freethinkers that sparked a country's journey through divinity—praising, challenging, and redefining the sacred. This book and conversation are presented in conjunction with the American Writers Museum's special exhibit American Prophets: Writers, Religion, and Culture, of which Stavans and Crews were advisors. American Prophets is now on display at the AWM. This program was part of the 2026 American Writers Festival. Co-hosted by the American Writers Museum and Chicago Public Library, the American Writers Festival is a free literary event featuring in-depth conversations with diverse writers from across genres and backgrounds. This conversation took place June 7, 2026 and was recorded live at the Harold Washington Library Center. AWM PODCAST NETWORK HUB More about A Nation Wrestles with God: Spanning more than 400 years of spiritual transformation and imagination, A Nation Wrestles with God collects diverse writers—poets, novelists, theologians, scientists, musicians, politicians, comedians, artists, mavericks, naturalists, futurists, and more—whose daring texts incited dialogue, even change, and continue to influence a growing nation. From the pre-colonial to the present day, these landmark stories, poems, essays, letters, speeches, songs, comic strips, and more awoke new generations to free religious thought. On the occasion of America's 250th year of independence, and during a time of deep ideological division, this sweeping anthology is an urgent reminder of the pluralities that strengthen and unite us. About the speakers: REZA ASLAN is a renowned writer, commentator, professor, Emmy- and Peabody-nominated producer, and scholar of religions. He is the author of numerous internationally bestselling books, including the #1 New York Times Bestseller Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth, currently in development at Fremantle Media with Pablo Larrain attached to direct. A former Truman Capote Fellow in Fiction at the Iowa Writers' Workshop and recipient of the prestigious James Joyce Award, Aslan has helped craft the mythologies for Hollywood's most acclaimed franchises, including Dune, Game of Thrones, and The Leftovers. In addition to his writing and production work, he has served as host and executive producer of CNN's Believer and Rough Draft with Reza Aslan, and co-hosts the podcast Metaphysical Milkshake alongside Rainn Wilson. His latest book, An American Martyr in Persia, was nominated for the PEN/Jacqueline Beograd Weld Award. Born in Iran, he lives in Los Angeles with his wife and their four children. EMILY D. CREWS is the Executive Director of the Martin Marty Center at the University of Chicago Divinity School. In collaboration with its staff and faculty co-directors, she sets the research and programming agenda of

This week, acclaimed journalist Randall Sullivan talks about writing baseball and his new book The First All-Star Game: Babe Ruth, FDR, and America at the Crossroads. He is interviewed by comedian Joe Kilgallon. This program took place at the 2026 American Writers Festival. Co-hosted by the American Writers Museum and Chicago Public Library, the American Writers Festival is a free literary event featuring in-depth conversations with diverse writers from across genres and backgrounds. This conversation took place June 6, 2026 and was recorded live at the American Writers Museum. AWM PODCAST NETWORK HUB About The First All-Star Game: 1933. America was still reeling from the crash. Breadlines stretched around city blocks, and shantytowns sprawled in the shadows of skyscrapers. American optimism was fading—and baseball was in trouble, too. Owners slashed budgets, fans stayed home, and even the mighty Babe Ruth seemed to have lost some of his magic. The election of Franklin D. Roosevelt offered hope, but just days before his inauguration, five shots rang out—missing the president-elect, killing the mayor of Chicago, and setting in motion a chain of events that would eventually bring together the world's best ballplayers for the first All-Star Game. It was a newspaperman's idea: The Game of the Century. Put the world's best players on one field and let the public decide who belonged there. At a moment when some feared the national pastime would not survive the decade, Chicago would host the ballgame as the highlight of the 1933 World's Fair. The city hoped to shed its reputation as a haven for gamblers and gangsters and help restore America's standing on the world stage. But abroad, dark clouds were gathering. Hitler was Germany's new chancellor, and Mussolini had consolidated his power. As visitors strolled the fairgrounds, Italian warplanes flew overhead, and a zeppelin sent by the German delegation circled the city emblazoned with a swastika. The First All-Star Game is the story of a nation and a sport at a crossroads, and a sweeping look back at baseball's early history and the America that shaped it. Deeply researched and filled with remarkable characters—legendary players like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Lefty Grove rubbing shoulders with Bonnie and Clyde, Al Capone, and Charles Lindbergh—Randall Sullivan explores the history of an American obsession and captures the moment when both the sport and the nation found renewal in a single spectacle of hope. About the speakers: RANDALL SULLIVAN was a contributing editor to Rolling Stone for over twenty years. He is the author of Graveyard of the Pacific, Dead Wrong, The Price of Experience, LAbyrinth, The Miracle Detective, and Untouchable. His work has been published in, among many other places, Wired, Esquire, Outside, Men's Journal, Washington Post, and the Guardian. He lives in Oregon. Described by the Chicago Tribune as having "a straight shooting, pull-no-punches style," JOE KILGALLON has performed at clubs and colleges all over America. He's been a personal opener for s

This week, we explore America at 250 years old, through lenses of migration, Black history, and queer liberation. Darius Bost and C. Riley Snorton discuss their book A Black Queer History of the United States. And Anna O. Law discusses her book Migration and the Origins of American Citizenship: African Americans, Native Americans, and Immigrants. Moderated by historian and author Valerie Gugala. This episode is the first of many to come from the 2026 American Writers Festival. Co-hosted by the American Writers Museum and Chicago Public Library, the American Writers Festival is a free literary event featuring in-depth conversations with diverse writers from across genres and backgrounds. This conversation took place June 7, 2026 and was recorded live at the Harold Washington Library Center. AWM PODCAST NETWORK HUB More about A Black Queer History of the United States: A sweeping and introductory Black queer history of the United States centering queer and trans contributions to the Black freedom movement from slavery to Black Lives Matter. Through storytelling and other narratives, Snorton and Bost show how the Black queer community has always existed, regardless of the attempts to stamp it out, and how those in it continue to fight for their rightful place in the world. More about Migration and the Origins of American Citizenship: Presents a story of constitutional development that traces the confluence of the logics of slavery and settler colonialism in historical legal rulings and public policy about U.S. migration and citizenship. The book examines the division of labor between the national and state/local governments that endured for over a century, reasons why that arrangement changed in the late nineteenth century, and what the transformation meant for people subject to those regimes of control. Drawing into one study the migration policy histories of groups of people that are usually studied separately, and combining the methodologies of political science, history, and law, Anna O. Law reveals the unmistakable effects of slavery and Native American dispossession in modern U.S. immigration policy. About the writers: DARIUS BOST is Associate Professor of Black Studies and Gender & Women’s Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He is the author of Evidence of Being: The Black Gay Cultural Renaissance and the Politics of Violence (University of Chicago Press). VALERIE GUGALA is a historian and public speaker with a profound love for reading, particularly books that have faced censorship throughout history. Valerie’s keen interest in American history provides a rich backdrop for her talks, where she delves into the stories that have shaped the nation’s cultural and political landscape. With over 25 years of experience, Valerie has captivated audiences across the Chicago area and beyond. Her engaging presentations and insightful perspectives have made her a sought-after speaker for a wide range of groups and organizations. p class="wp-block-parag