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What did horses have to do with women's equality in America? Award-winning author Eliza McGraw joins the Speaking of Writers Podcast, part of the Keeneland Library Lecture Series, to discuss her fascinating new book, Astride: Horses, Women, and a Partnership That Shaped America. Discover the remarkable women who challenged convention—and changed history—from the saddle. Listen now! #SpeakingOfWriters #KeenelandLibrary #ElizaMcGraw #Astride #HorseHistory #Women'sHistory #AmericanHistory #EquestrianHistory #Books #Podcast

The past has a long reach — and Scott Morgan is about to find out just how far. Author and veteran journalist Neal Lipschutz joins Steve Richards on Speaking of Writers to talk about his new mystery thriller, Long Arm of the Past. A suspicious death leads Scott Morgan to hire former NYPD homicide detective Delmore Kerbich — the very man who once investigated Scott and his family. Corporate conspiracies, clandestine investigations, buried secrets and a secret romance collide as multiple mysteries race toward their explosive resolutions. We also talk about Neal's extraordinary journalism career, including his years as a deputy editor-in-chief and standards and ethics editor at The Wall Street Journal, and how that experience shaped his approach to writing suspense fiction. Listen now to Speaking of Writers with Neal Lipschutz. #SpeakingOfWriters #NealLipschutz #LongArmOfThePast #Mystery #Thriller #Suspense #CrimeFiction #MysteryAuthor #AuthorInterview #BookPodcast #ScottMorganMystery #NewMystery #MysteryReaders

Was George S. Patton really one of America's greatest generals? On this episode of Speaking of Writers, Steve Richards talks with historian and author James Ellman about his provocative new book, Patton Reconsidered: General George S. Patton Jr. as a Wartime Commander. Ellman strips away the famous helmet, pistols and larger-than-life persona to examine Patton's actual record as a wartime commander — from Kasserine Pass and Sicily to France, Bastogne and the final campaign in Germany. They also explore Patton's leadership style, his treatment of soldiers, his clashes with authority, his relationship with Eisenhower, his postwar political views, and the question at the heart of the book: Does the historical record actually justify the Patton legend? Listen to the full conversation and decide for yourself. #PattonReconsidered #GeorgeSPatton #JamesEllman #MilitaryHistory #WorldWarII #WWIIHistory #AmericanHistory #HistoryPodcast #HistoryBooks #SpeakingOfWriters #SteveRichards #GeneralPatton #WW2 #MilitaryHistoryPodcast

What can the election of 1860 teach us about America today? Historian Jonathan Earle joins Speaking of Writers to discuss his new book, He Has the People: Abraham Lincoln and the Election of 1860. We go behind the scenes of one of the most consequential presidential campaigns in American history—from Lincoln's unlikely Republican nomination to his battle against Stephen Douglas and William Henry Seward, the Democratic Party's collapse, the impact of John Brown's raid, and the deepening crisis over slavery. Earle's research draws on the writings of campaign journalist Murat Halstead and previously unused documents from Lincoln's campaign organization, offering a fresh look at the people and political machinery behind Lincoln's victory. A fascinating conversation about Abraham Lincoln, American politics, presidential campaigns, political polarization, and the election that preceded the Civil War. 🎧 Watch and Listen now to Speaking of Writers with Steve Richards. #SpeakingOfWriters #JonathanEarle #HeHasThePeople #AbrahamLincoln #ElectionOf1860 #AmericanHistory #CivilWarHistory #PresidentialHistory #HistoryPodcast #BookPodcast #AuthorInterview #PoliticalHistory #Lincoln #HistoryBooks

Alfred Hitchcock remains one of the most influential filmmakers in cinema history—but how much of what we believe about Hitchcock is history, and how much is mythology? On Speaking of Writers, Steve Richards sits down with British filmmaker and author Tony Lee Moral to discuss A Century of Hitchcock: The Man, the Myths, the Legacy. Tony revisits Hitchcock's extraordinary career, his groundbreaking approach to suspense, his creative collaborators, and the controversies that have shaped his reputation—including the long-running narratives surrounding Tippi Hedren and biographer Donald Spoto. It's a fascinating conversation about filmmaking, memory, biography, evidence, reputation, and what it means to reassess a legendary artist in the post-#MeToo era. #SpeakingOfWriters #TonyLeeMoral #AlfredHitchcock #ACenturyOfHitchcock #Hitchcock #FilmHistory #Cinema #ClassicHollywood #FilmScholar #BookPodcast #AuthorInterview #MovieHistory #TippiHedren #DonaldSpoto #MasterOfSuspense

Chris Bohjalian joins Speaking of Writers to talk about his new novel, The Amateur. The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Midwives and The Flight Attendant takes listeners inside his 26th novel—a gripping story about one devastating accident and the consequences that follow. In 1978, teenage golf prodigy Mira hits a ball toward a practice net. When the ball tears through the net and kills a young caddy, Mira's life changes forever. But The Amateur is about much more than an accident. Chris Bohjalian explores guilt, responsibility, class divisions, privilege, sexual abuse, secrets, memory, trauma and resilience through the voice of a woman looking back on the event decades later. Chris also discusses why he considers The Amateur his “Midwives for the 21st century,” creating Mira's voice, the challenges of writing across gender and time, his fascination with courtroom drama, and the art of constructing a novel readers can't put down. The Amateur was selected by the New York Times Book Review as one of “The Novels Everyone Will Be Talking About in 2026” and by Oprah’s Book Club as one of “Six Stories That’ll Set the Tone for the Summer.” #ChrisBohjalian #TheAmateur #SpeakingOfWriters #AuthorInterview #BookPodcast #Books #NewBooks #OprahsBookClub #NewYorkTimesBookReview #LiteraryThriller #PsychologicalThriller #BookRecommendations #Midwives #BookLovers #Reading #BookClub

Legendary sportscaster Tom Hammond joins Speaking of Writers to discuss a lifetime behind the microphone—from the Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup to the Olympics and the NFL. A must-listen for racing fans, sports lovers, and anyone inspired by remarkable careers. This is part of our Keeneland Library Lecture Series. #TomHammond #HorseRacing #KentuckyDerby #SportsPodcast #SportsBroadcasting #Olympics #BreedersCup #TripleCrown #AuthorInterview #SpeakingOfWriters #KeenelandLibrary

William Kent Krueger joins Steve Richards on Speaking of Writers to talk about God’s Country, the latest Cork O’Connor mystery. Cork is preparing for a family trip into the Boundary Waters when ominous visions begin warning him about what lies ahead. Then his friend Cordell Bishop disappears. Cork's search leads him toward violence, dangerous criminals, a hidden stash, and ultimately some of the most difficult moral choices of his life. William Kent Krueger discusses the creation of God’s Country, the evolution of Cork O’Connor, writing suspense, the power of wilderness, and the complicated relationship between justice and revenge. The conversation also explores Krueger's acclaimed career, including Ordinary Grace, This Tender Land, and The River We Remember. #WilliamKentKrueger #GodsCountry #CorkOConnor #Mystery #CrimeFiction #MysteryBooks #BookTube #BookRecommendations #AuthorInterview #NewBooks #NewRelease #SpeakingOfWriters

Ben Reeves joins Speaking of Writers to discuss his extraordinary debut novel, Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt. What happens when Death begins to understand life? Ben Reeves' novel introduces Travis, Death in the modern world—a quiet, gentle figure whose job is to accompany people through their final hours. Travis never interferes with fate. But everything changes when he meets Dalia, a midwife, and her eight-year-old daughter Layla. Through this unexpected relationship, Travis begins to discover what it means to be truly alive—and what can be lost when life ends. In this conversation, Steve Richards talks with Ben Reeves about creating Death as a narrator, the relationship between birth and mortality, grief, love, time, the beauty of ordinary moments, and the challenges of writing a story about death that ultimately becomes a celebration of life. #BenReeves #EverythingWasBeautifulAndNothingHurt #SpeakingOfWriters #AuthorInterview #BookPodcast #Books #BookLovers #NewBooks #DebutNovel #LiteraryFiction #Fiction #BookRecommendations #DeathAndLife #Reading #Readers #BookClub

What if growing up meant facing your darkest companion—and learning to live anyway? Award-winning author Erica Kent joins Speaking of Writers to discuss her unforgettable novel Black Dog, a powerful story of addiction, resilience, and hope. #SpeakingOfWriters #EricaKent #BlackDog #BookPodcast #AuthorInterview #LiteraryFiction #AddictionRecovery #ComingOfAge #ContemporaryFiction #1980s #BostonBooks #Bookstagram #ReadersOfInstagram #AmReading #Podcast

What happens when a celebrated novelist loses his relevance, his marriage begins to crumble, and the person who seems to believe in him most is the young au pair caring for his children?That's the provocative setup for Teddy Wayne's new novel, The Au Pair.On Speaking of Writers, Teddy joins Steve Richards for a conversation about literary ambition, desire, masculinity, marriage, class, self-deception, the changing cultural power of the literary novel, and why some of the most dangerous fictions are the ones we tell ourselves.We also talk about the transition from novel to screenplay, The Winner, Hollywood, and the fascinating question of whether a writer can ever truly escape the stories he creates.📖 The Au Pair by Teddy Wayne — available from Harper.#SpeakingOfWriters #TeddyWayne #TheAuPair #BookPodcast #AuthorInterview #LiteraryFiction #LiteraryThriller #BookLovers #NewBooks #BookRecommendations #Authors #Writers #Reading #Fiction #HarperCollins

Acclaimed author Stephanie Soileau joins Steve Richards on Speaking of Writers to discuss her extraordinary debut novel, Should the Waters Take Us. Spanning four centuries of history, the novel follows generations of one Acadian family while exploring Louisiana's disappearing wetlands, the Deepwater Horizon-inspired oil disaster, cultural identity, family, resilience, and climate change. Stephanie discusses her twenty-year journey writing the novel, her extensive research into Cajun history and environmental justice, and the personal family experiences that inspired this unforgettable literary achievement. If you enjoy literary fiction, historical fiction, environmental fiction, or multigenerational family sagas, this is an interview you won't want to miss. #SpeakingOfWriters #StephanieSoileau #ShouldTheWatersTakeUs #LiteraryFiction #HistoricalFiction #BookPodcast #AuthorInterview #Louisiana #ClimateFiction #BookLovers

The incredible true story of the woman who changed horse racing forever. On this episode of Speaking of Writers, Steve Richards welcomes author Mark Shrager to discuss his compelling new biography, Diane Crump: A Horse Racing Pioneer's Life in the Saddle. Discover how Diane Crump became the first woman to compete in an official Thoroughbred race in America and the first woman to ride in the Kentucky Derby, overcoming discrimination, threats, and enormous obstacles to forever change the "Sport of Kings." A fascinating conversation about sports history, courage, women's rights, and one extraordinary athlete. Subscribe for more author interviews from the Keeneland Library Lecture Series. #SpeakingOfWriters #KeenelandLibrary #MarkShrager #DianeCrump #HorseRacing #KentuckyDerby #WomenInSports #SportsHistory #Biography #ThoroughbredRacing #HorseBooks #AuthorInterview #Podcast #BookPodcast #SteveRichards #WomenTrailblazers #HistoryPodcast #Equestrian #Books

What made Brian Epstein one of the most influential figures in music history—and why has so much of his story remained untold? On this episode of Speaking of Writers, bestselling Beatles biographer Philip Norman discusses MR. MOONLIGHT: Brian Epstein and the Making of the Beatles, a compelling new biography of the visionary manager who transformed four young musicians from Liverpool into a global phenomenon. Discover the untold story behind Beatlemania, the personal struggles Epstein endured, the mysteries surrounding his life and death, and the legacy that continues to shape popular music today. #SpeakingOfWriters #PhilipNorman #MrMoonlight #BrianEpstein #TheBeatles #Beatles #Beatlemania #JohnLennon #PaulMcCartney #GeorgeHarrison #RingoStarr #MusicBiography #RockHistory #ClassicRock #MusicBooks #AuthorInterview #Podcast #BookPodcast #BritishInvasion #Liverpool #MusicHistory

Bestselling author and barrister Simon Michael joins Speaking of Writers to discuss The French Vendetta, Book 11 in the acclaimed Charles Holborne series. We explore historical crime fiction, legal thrillers, wartime France, moral compromise, justice, and the inspiration behind one of today's most compelling historical mystery series. #SimonMichael #TheFrenchVendetta #CharlesHolborne #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalCrime #LegalThriller #CrimeFiction #MysteryBooks #BookPodcast #AuthorInterview #HistoricalMystery #WorldWarII #BookLovers #Readers #Podcast #SpeakingOfWriters #SteveRichards #Books #BookTube #SpotifyPodcasts