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Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues   Margaret Atwood:  “Maddaddam,” 2013   Margaret Atwood 2013. Photo: Jean Malek Margaret Atwood, in conversation with Richard Wolinsky, recorded in the KPFA studios June 10, 2003 while on tour for the novel “Oryx and Crake.” One of the most distinguished authors writing today, Margaret Atwood is best known for her novel “The Handmaid’s Tale,” and well as several other novels, short stories, poems, essays and political commentary. In this interview from 2013, she discusses her speculative fiction Maddaddam trilogy “Oryx and Crake,”  ‘Year of the Flood” and “Maddadam,” along with her work on a collection of speeches and essays, “Negotiating with the Dead: A Writer on Writing.” This is the last of eight interviews with Margaret Atwood conducted between the years 1989 and 2013, and has not aired in over a decade.     Walter Mosley: The Easy Rawlins and King Oliver Suspense Novels, 2025 Walter Mosley in conversation with Richard Wolinsky, recorded March 5, 2025 discussing his two recent novels, “Been Wrong So Long It Looks Like Right,”  a Joe King Oliver novel, and “Farewell, Amethystine,” an Easy Rawlins novel, now out in trade paperback. Today, Walter Mosley is one of America’s leading authors. He is best known for his series of mystery novels featuring the characters of Easy Rawlins and Mouse. To date, there are now twenty non-series novels by Walter Mosley, the most recent titled Touched, published in 2023, Along with three Fearless Jones novels, six Leonid McGill mysteries, three Socrates Fortlow books, three books in the Crosstown to Oblivion series, three books in the King Oliver series, plus two graphic novels, two plays, and six works of non-fiction. Always Outnumbered became a television film in 1998 starring Laurence Fishburne, and a TV miniseries titled The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray, based on Walter Mosley’s book, starring Samuel L. Jackson, on Apple+. At present, an adaptation of his novel The Man in My Basement is in post-production. Walter Mosley’s follow-up Easy Rawlins novel, Grey Dawn, was published in September 2025. The next King Oliver novel, Hanging and Burning, will be published in October 2026. A stand-alone novel, Ghalen: A Romance in Black, will be published in May, 2026.   The post Bookwaves/Artwaves – April 23, 2026: Margaret Atwood – Walter Mosley appeared first on KPFA.

Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues   Patrick Dooley: Artistic Director, Shotgun Players Patrick Dooley, Artistic Director of Shotgun Players theatre company, in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky. Patrick Dooley founded Shotgun Players in 1992, which originally produced plays in the basement of LaVal’s Pizza Parlor in Berkeley, California. Surviving with multiple venues over the years, Shotgun bought the Ashby Stage in 2004, where the company has resided ever since. Originally from rural Virginia, Patrick came to Berkeley to visit his brother, wound up being invited to act in a play at LaVal’s, and within a short time decided to create a theatre company, which has now lasted over thirty years. Surviving the pandemic, and with a very loyal audience, Shotgun has continued to sell out many of its shows, creating a uniquely Berkeley community theatre. In the interview, he discusses his own history with theatre the origins of Shotgun Players (including what the name means) , his views on such issues as the age of the audience and the subscription model, as well as the rest of the 2026 theatrical season.   Review of “The Monsters” at Berkeley Rep Peets Theatre through May 3, 2026.     The post Bookwaves/Artwaves – April 16, 2026: Patrick Dooley, Artistic Director Shotgun Players appeared first on KPFA.

Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues   Mary Roach:  “Gulp: Adventures in the Alimentary Canal,” 2013 Mary Roach in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky, recorded May 2, 2013 while she was on tour for Gulp: Adventures in the Alimentary Canal. 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. In this book, Mary Roach investigates the science of eating, saliva, stomach mechanics, and elimination, tackling “taboo” questions about how the body processes food.      Gemma Whelan: “Painting Through The Dark,” 2023 Gemma Whelan, whose latest novel is titled “Painting Through The Dark,” in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky, recorded on April 5, 2023. A staged reading of “Painting Through The Dark” will be presented at the Magic Theatre in Fort Mason Center in San Francisco on April 12, 2026. ‘Painting Through the Dark” concerns a young ex-nun in Ireland, Ashling, who comes to America in 1981, specifically San Francisco, in order to get away from her family and from the control of the Catholic Church in Ireland. A dedicated painter, after spending time attempting to get a job at a local gallery, she takes a position with a family in a rural home outside Mendocino. This is Gemma Whelan’s second novel. Her first, “Fiona: Stolen Child,” was published in 2011. Gemma is an award-winning director, screenwriter, and educator. She was the founding Artistic Director of Wilde Irish Productions in the San Francisco Bay Area, and of Corrib Theatre in Portland, Oregon. Her short film The Wake was the winner of the Silver Knight Award at the Golden Knight Film Festival, Malta; her feature screenplay Eye of the Storm won the Robert and Ellen Little Screenwriting Award; and her screenplay Wedding Bells won the American Gem Short Screenplay award and was optioned by Fox Broadcasting.   Review of “Flex” at San Francisco Playhouse through May 2, 2023. The post Bookwaves/Artwaves – April 9, 2026: Mary Roach – Gemma Whelan appeared first on KPFA.

Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues   Tracy Kidder (1945-2026):  Pulitzer Winning Non-Fiction Author Tracy Kidder (1945-2026), Pulitzer Prize winning author of literary non-fiction, in conversation with Richard Wolinsky, recorded in the KPFA studios during the book tour for “Strength in What Remains: A Journey of Remembrance and Forgiveness, ” which focuses on the extraordinary true story of Deo, a young man who arrives in America from Burundi in search of a new life. Tracy Kidder, who died of lung cancer on March 24, 2026 at the age of eighty, was best known for his literary journalism, for turning non-fiction narratives into literary masterpieces. The author of eleven books, he won the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction and the National Book Award for Nonfiction in 1982 for The Soul of A New Machine, which looked at the tech environment during the birth of the modern computer. His 1990 book, Among Schoolchildren, a close look at American education, focusing on twenty students in a Massachusetts elementary school, won several literary awards. In the years after the interview, Tracy Kidder went on to write three more non-fiction books. His final book to date, Rough Sleepers: Dr. Jim O’Connell’s Urgent Mission to Bring Healing to Homeless People was published in 2023. Paul Farmer, the subject of Tracy Kidder’s 2003 book “Mountains Beyond Mountains”, died in February, 2022.   Joseph Kanon: Spy Thriller Novelist Joseph Kanon, in conversation with Richard Wolinsky, recorded June 17, 2017 during the book tour for the spy thriller “Defectors.” Over the course of the last thirty years, Joseph Kanon has established himself as one of the best spy novelists around, in the vein of John Le Carre, Alan Furst, Graham Greene and Eric Ambler. His latest novel, “Defectors,” is about what happens after a Soviet mole defects to Russia. What is their life like? What happens then? Set in the early 1960s, “Defectors,” through copious research, sets up what life must have been like for people like Kim Philby and other Russian spies forced to leave the West to survive. Joseph Kanon’s most recent novel, “Shanghai” was published in 2024.   Review of “The Goat or Who Is Sylvia”” at Shotgun Players Ashby Stage through April 28, 2026.     Book Interview/Events and Theatre Links updated April 23, 2026 Note: Shows may unexpectedly close early or be postponed due to actors’ positive COVID tests. Check the venue for closures, ticket refunds, and mask requirements before arrival. Dates are in-theater performances unless otherwise noted. Some venues operate Tuesday – Sunday; others for shorter periods each week. All times Pacific Time. Closing dates are sometimes extended. Book Stores Bay Area Book Festival  See website for highlights from the 110th Annual Bay Area Book Festival, May 31 – June 1, 2025. Book Passage.  Monthly Calendar. Mix of on-line and in-store events. Books Inc.  Mix of on-line and in-store events. The Booksmith.  Monthly Event Calendar. BookShop West Portal. Monthly Event Calendar. Center for Literary Arts, San Jose. See website for Book Club guests in upcoming months. Green Apple Books. Events calendar. Kepler’s Books  On-line Refresh the Page program listings. Live Theater Companies Actors Ensemble of Berkeley.  See website for readings and events. Actor’s Reading Collective (ARC).  See website for upcoming productions. African American Art & Culture Complex. See website for calendar. American Conservatory Theatre Hamnet, adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti, The Roya; Shakespeare Company and Neal Street Productions production. April 22 – May 24, Toni Rembe (Geary).  Awesome Theatre Company. See website for information. BATS Improv Improvised theatre. See website for schedule. BATS Bayfront Theatre, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco. Berkeley Playhouse. Cats, May 22 – June 21.  Berkeley Rep. The Monsters by Ngozi Anyanwu, March 27 – May 3, Peets Theatre. The Lunchbox, World Premiere Musical, May 17 – June 28, Berkeley Shakespeare Company See website for upcoming productions. Brava Theatre Center: See calendar for events listings. BroadwaySF: Hadestown, April 21 -26,  Orpheum.  Hells Kitchen, May 6 – 24, Orpheum. See website for complete listings for the Orpheum, Golden Gate and Curran Theaters. note: BroadwaySF is now ATG Tickets. Broadway San Jose:  Les Miserables, April 29 – May 3. Back to the Future, June 2 – 7. The Sound of Music, July 21-26, Center REP: Alanis Morisette’s Jagged Little Pill, The Musical, May 31 – June 28.xd Central Stage. See website for upcoming productions, 5221 Central Avenue, Richmond Central Works The Prince, Parts I & 2 by Gary Graves, July 18 – Sept. 26. Rotating. See website for schedule. Cinnabar Theatre. The Secret Garden, June 12 – 28. Club Fugazi. Dear San Francisco, ongoing. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Contra Costa Civic Theatre A Chorus Line, June 6 – 21, 2026. See website for other events and concerts. Golden Thread Arab Spring by Denmo Ibrahim (co-production with SFBATCO), June 19 – July12. Potrero Stage. Hillbarn Theatre: The Play That Goes Wrong by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer & Henry Shields, April 23 – May 17. Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. 2026 season: Sistahfriend by Phaedra Tillery-Boughton, Magic Theatre, May 15-17; African Stew by Dr. Lisa B. Thompson, Sept. 10-27. Magic Theatre; Soulful Christmas, December, Magic Theatre. Los Altos Stage Company. The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov, adapted by Tom Stoppard, April 16 – May 10. Lower Bottom Playaz  See website for upcoming productions. Magic Theatre. A Back with Two Beasts Productions presents Shades and Shadows, a world premiere play by William Brasse, April 30 – May 3. Marin Shakespeare Company: La Comedia of Errors, April 17 – May 10, As You Like It, June 19 – July 19, Julius Caesar, August 14 – Setpember 13, See website for schedule. Marin Theatre:  60th Anniversary Gala, April 19. Pictures from Home by Sharr White, May 7-31. Masquers Playhouse, Point Richmond. The Gods of Comedy by Ken Ludwig, April 24 – May 17. Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts Closed. SF Chronicle gift article. New Conservatory Theatre Center (NCTC) how to make an American Son By Christopher Oscar Peña, Walker Theatre, April 3 – May 10. Silent Movie written & directed by Stephanie Temple, April 24 – May 3, Tucker Theatre. New Performance Traditions.  See website for upcoming schedule Oakland Theater Project. The House of Bernarda Alba by by Federico Garcia Lorca, adapted by Chay Yew, May 22 – June 7. The Fre by Taylor Mac, June 18-28. Odd Salon: Upcoming events in San Francisco & New York, and streaming. Palace of Fine Arts Theater.  See website for event listings. Pear Theater. Anon(ymous) an adaptation of the Odyssey, by Naomi Iizuka, April 18 – May 3, God of Carnage by Yazmina Reza, June 12 – 28. See website for staged readings and other events. Playful People Productions. See website for classes and upcoming events. . Presidio Theatre. See website for complete schedule of events and performances. Ray of Light: Mean Girls The Musical. May 1 – 30. Urinetown, July 31 – August 29. New Venue: The Barbary Stage (formerly The Gateway), Jackson Square, SF. Ross Valley Players: See website for New Works Sunday night readings and other events. San Francisco Playhouse. Flex by Candrice Jones. March 26 – May 7.. SFBATCO.  See website for streaming and in- theater shows. San Francisco Shakespeare Festival. Shakespeare on Tour: Julius Caesar, through May. See website for more information. San Jose Stage Company: See website for events and upcoming season Shotgun Players.  The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia by Edward Albee, extended to May 3, and cannot extend further. South Bay Musical Theatre:  On The Twentieth Century, April 19-20. SPARC: See website for upcoming events. Stagebridge: See website for events and productions. Storytime every 4th Saturday. The Breath Project. Streaming archive. The Marsh: Calendar listings for Berkeley, San Francisco and Marshstream. Theatre Lunatico  See website for upcoming productions.. Theatre Rhino  La Cage aux Folles, May 7 – June 7. Streaming: Essential Services Project, conceived and performed by John Fisher, all weekly performances now available on demand. TheatreWorks Silicon Valley Come from Away,  April 15 – May 10, Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts.The Employee Dharma Handbook by Geetha Ready, world premiere, July 8 – Aug 2, Lucie Stern Theatre, Palo Alto. Word for Word.  See website for upcoming productions. Misc. Listings: BAMPFA: On View calendar for Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. Berkeley Symphony: See website for listings. Chamber Music San Francisco: Calendar, 2025 Season. Dance Mission Theatre. On stage events calendar. Fort Mason Center. Events calendar. Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Calendar listings and upcoming shows. San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus. See schedule for upcoming SFGMC performances. San Francisco Opera. Calendar listings. San Francisco Symphony. Calendar listings. Filmed Live Musicals: Searchable database of all filmed live musicals, podcast, blog. League of Livestream Theatre: See website for streaming plays. If you’d like to add your bookstore or theater venue to this list, please write [email protected]   . y. The post Bookwaves/Artwaves – April 2, 2026 – Tracy Kidder – Joseph Kanon appeared first on KPFA.

Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues   From the Probabilities Archive: E. Hoffman Price, Fantasy & Science Fiction Pulp Writer E. Hoffman Price (1898-1988), fantasy and science fiction author who published in various pulp magazines from the 1920s into the 1950s, in conversation with Probabiliaties hosts Richard Wolinsky, Richard A. Lupoff and Lawrence Davidson, recorded in early 1979 at Price’s home in Redwood City, California. E. Hoffman Price, who was born 1898 and died shortly before his 90th birthday in 1988, wrote fantasy and science fiction stories for the pulp magazines of the first half of the twentieth century, along with some non-fiction. Mostly forgotten today, though several of his stories are available in small press editions, his claim to fame is a single collaboration with the great horror writer H.P. Lovecraft, titled “Through the Gates of the Silver Key,” a sequel to Lovecraft’s story, “The Silver Key.” A contributor to Weird Tales, he was also friends with two other writers from the magazine, Seabury Quinn and Clark Ashton Smith, as well as with the longtime editor of Weird Tales, Farnsworth Wright. He also knew Otis Adelbert Kline, famous in his day for writing imitations of Edgar Rice Burroughs. In the interview, Price talks about his writing career, his friendships with H.P. Lovecraft, horror writer Seabury Quinn, adventure writer Otis Adelbert Kline, and horror master Clark Ashton Smith. The Probabilities radio show first went on the air on KPFA in 1977. Within a year, my co-host Lawrence Davidson was on the trail for old pulp writers and editors, egged on by science fiction and fantasy author Richard A. Lupoff, who officially joined the show a couple of years later. This interview, following on the heels of interviews with pulp science fiction author Stanton A. Coblentz and editor Charles Hornig, was conducted at Price’s house in Redwood City, California, most likely in the spring of 1979. Accompanying Dick, Lawrence and myself were Dick’s wife Pat Lupoff and science fiction fanzine editor Jim Purviance. Over two hours were recorded on multiple tapes, and parts of the transcription can be found in the book Space Ships Ray Guns Martian Octopods: Interviews with Science Fiction Legends. The interview was digitized and then remastered using AI technology first, and then edited for clarity and coherence. Some outtakes exist which I can forward by email via [email protected]. The unpublished memoir Price discusses in the interview, Book of the Dead: Friends of Yesteryear, Fictioneers and Others was eventually published posthumously, in 2001. The interview opens with a question by Richard A. Lupoff. Several collections of stories by E. Hoffman Price were published in 2017 by Wildside Press, and are available both digitally and in print. The interview was digitized, remastered and edited in March 2026. This interview was first heard in a very truncated version in 1979 and has not been aired until now. The complete 68-minute interview can be heard here.   Rob Nillson: Award-Winning Independent Film-maker Rob Nillson is a Bay Area based maverick filmmaker. The winner of the Camera d’Or at Cannes in 1979 for Northern Lights and the Grand Prize at Sundance for Heat and Sunlight in 1988, he continues to make independently distributed films. A documentary about the life and work of Rob Nillson, titled The Way Things Seem to Be, introduced by Rob Nillson and the documentary’s director, Zahn Petrov, gets its world premiere at the Christopher Smith San Rafael Film Center this coming sunday, March 29th at 12 noon, and for more information you can go to cafilm.org. This interview was part of a larger interview about the life and work of filmmaker David Schickele.     Review of “Assassins” at Oakland Theatre Project through April 5, 2026.e     Book Interview/Events and Theatre Links Note: Shows may unexpectedly close early or be postponed due to actors’ positive COVID tests. Check the venue for closures, ticket refunds, and mask requirements before arrival. Dates are in-theater performances unless otherwise noted. Some venues operate Tuesday – Sunday; others for shorter periods each week. All times Pacific Time. Closing dates are sometimes extended. Book Stores Bay Area Book Festival  See website for highlights from the 110th Annual Bay Area Book Festival, May 31 – June 1, 2025. Book Passage.  Monthly Calendar. Mix of on-line and in-store events. Books Inc.  Mix of on-line and in-store events. The Booksmith.  Monthly Event Calendar. BookShop West Portal. Monthly Event Calendar. Center for Literary Arts, San Jose. See website for Book Club guests in upcoming months. Green Apple Books. Events calendar. Kepler’s Books  On-line Refresh the Page program listings. Live Theater Companies Actors Ensemble of Berkeley.  See website for readings and events. Actor’s Reading Collective (ARC).  See website for upcoming productions. African American Art & Culture Complex. See website for calendar. American Conservatory Theatre  ||: Girls :||: Chance :||: Music :||. through April 19, Strand Theatre. Hamnet, adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti, April 22 – May 24.  Awesome Theatre Company. See website for information. BATS Improv Improvised theatre. See website for schedule. BATS Bayfront Theatre, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco. Berkeley Playhouse. Once, February 20 – March 29.  Berkeley Rep. All My Sons by Arthur Miller, Feb. 20 – March 29, Roda Theatre. The Monsters by Ngozi Anyanwu, March 27 – May 3, Peets Theatre. Berkeley Shakespeare Company See website for upcoming productions. Brava Theatre Center: See calendar for events listings. BroadwaySF: MJ The Musical, March 24 – April 5, Orpheum. Hadestown, April 21 -26,  Orpheum.  Hells Kitchen, May 6 – 24, Orpheum. See website for complete listings for the Orpheum, Golden Gate and Curran Theaters. note: BroadwaySF is now ATG Tickets. Broadway San Jose:  Beetlejuice, March 31 – April 5. Les Miserables, April 29 – May 3. Back to the Future, June 2 – 7. The Sound of Music, July 21-26, Center REP: Lost in Yonkers by Neil Simon, March 29 – April 19. Central Stage. See website for upcoming productions, 5221 Central Avenue, Richmond Central Works After Happy by Patricia Milton, Feb. 28 – March 29. Cinnabar Theatre. The Christians by Lucas Hnath, April 10-26, The Secret Garden, June 12 – 28. Club Fugazi. Dear San Francisco, ongoing. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Contra Costa Civic Theatre A Chorus Line, June 6 – 21, 2026. See website for other events and concerts. Golden Thread  Festival of Palestinian Art, April 9-19, Potrero Stage..See website for details and specifics. Hillbarn Theatre: The Play That Goes Wrong by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer & Henry Shields, April 23 – May 17. Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. 2026 season: Sistahfriend by Phaedra Tillery-Boughton, Magic Theatre, May 15-17; African Stew by Dr. Lisa B. Thompson, Sept. 10-27. Magic Theatre; Soulful Christmas, December, Magic Theatre. Los Altos Stage Company. The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov, adapted by Tom Stoppard, April 16 – May 10. Lower Bottom Playaz  See website for upcoming productions. Magic Theatre. Macbeth, translated and adapted by Migdalia Cruz. Extended through April 12. Marin Shakespeare Company: La Comedia of Errors, April 17 – May 10, As You Like It, June 19 – July 19, Julius Caesar, August 14 – Setpember 13, See website for schedule. Marin Theatre:  60th Anniversary Gala, April 19. Pictures from Home by Sharr White, May 7-31. Masquers Playhouse, Point Richmond. The Gods of Comedy by Ken Ludwig, April 24 – May 17. Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts Closed. SF Chronicle gift article. New Conservatory Theatre Center (NCTC)  Gods and Monsters based on the novel by Christopher Bram, written and adapted by Tom Mullen, March 6 – April 5. New Performance Traditions.  See website for upcoming schedule Oakland Theater Project. Assassins, March 29 – April 5. The House of Bernarda Alba by by Federico Garcia Lorca, adapted by Chay Yew, May 22 – June 7. The Fre by Taylor Mac, June 18-28. Odd Salon: Upcoming events in San Francisco & New York, and streaming. Palace of Fine Arts Theater.  See website for event listings. Pear Theater. Anon(ymous) an adaptation of the Odyssey, by Naomi Iizuka, April 18 – May 3, God of Carnage by Yazmina Reza, June 12 – 28. See website for staged readings and other events. Playful People Productions. See website for classes and upcoming events. . Presidio Theatre. See website for complete schedule of events and performances. Ray of Light: Mean Girls The Musical. May 1 – 30. Urinetown, July 31 – August 29. Ross Valley Players: See website for New Works Sunday night readings and other events. San Francisco Playhouse. Flex by Candrice Jones. March 26 – May 7.. SFBATCO.  See website for streaming and in- theater shows. San Francisco Shakespeare Festival. Shakespeare on Tour: Julius Caesar, through May. See website for more information. San Jose Stage Company: See website for events and upcoming season Shotgun Players.  The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia by Edward Albee, March 21 – April 19. South Bay Musical Theatre:  On The Twentieth Century, April 19-20. SPARC: See website for upcoming events. Stagebridge: See website for events and productions. Storytime every 4th Saturday. The Breath Project. Streaming archive. The Marsh: Calendar listings for Berkeley, San Francisco and Marshstream. Theatre Lunatico  See website for upcoming productions.. Theatre Rhino  Streaming: Essential Services Project, conceived and performed by John Fisher, all weekly performances now available on demand. TheatreWorks Silicon Valley Primary Trust by Eboni Booth, March 4 – 29, Lucie Stern Theatre, Palo Alto. Word for Word.  See website for upcoming productions. Misc. Listings: BAMPFA: On View calendar for Berkeley Art Museum

Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues   Terry McMillan: Best-Selling Author, “Waiting to Exhale,” 2001 Terry McMillan, best-selling novelist in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky, recorded February 13, 2001 while on tour for her novel, A Day Late and a Dollar Short. Terry McMillan’s novels focus on the lives, aspirations and journeys of discovery of African American women and their families. She hit the ground running with her first novel, Mama, in 1987, which she helped turn into a best-seller. She followed that with a series of novels that helped create a large fan base for her work. Among her best known novels are Waiting to Exhale and How Stella Got Her Groove Back, along with Disappearing Acts, all of which were adapted for film. A Day Late and a Dollar Short is a long novel that focuses on several family members going through a variety of crises and revelations. It was adapted into a television film in 2014 starring Whoopi Goldberg and Ving Rhames, which is now available streaming on Kanopy, the free library app, as well as on other streaming services. This interview leans hard into that novel, with side trips into discussions about black families and black culture in America. As of 2026, she has published ten novels and two works of nonfiction, and according to IMDb is working as a producer for a series of television films under the title Terry McMillan presents. Her most recent novel, It’s Not All Downhill from Here, was published in 2020. This interview was digitized, remastered and edited in March 2026 and has not been heard in over twenty years.     Poul Anderson (1926-2001): Science Fiction and Fantasy Legend, recorded 1978 Poul Anderson (1926-2001), noted science fiction and fantasy author, winner of seven Hugo Awards and three Nebula Awards, in conversation with the late Lawrence Davidson, recorded for the Probabilities radio program on KPFA on June 10, 1978. The late Poul Anderson, who died on July 31, 2001 at the age of 74, is considered one of the greatest science fiction and fantasy authors of the twentieth century. He even has an asteroid named in his honor. Known for his hard science writing, in particular his Polysotechnic League series as well as his Landry series and his Time Patrol series, he was also a master of fantasy. There were also historical novels and mysteries. His career began in 1947 at the age of 21 with stories in Astounding Science Fiction, and he became a professional writer a year later. One of his novels became a film, the Hugo nominated novel, The High Crusade, in 1994 about an alien spaceship landing in medieval England. It is currently not streaming in the United States though if you search, you can find a DVD copy. As with many of the writers of the pulp and paperback era, Poul Anderson is ripe for rediscovery. After Probabilities got its start in 1977, it was natural that the Orinda-based writer would become a guest on the show, This short conversation with co-host Lawrence Davidson, recorded June 10, 1978, was likely Davidson’s very first solo interview and came before the show’s focus turned to the history of modern science fiction. The interview was digitized, remastered and edited on February 22, 2026, using the Adobe Podcast app to remove noise and echo. This interview has not been heard on the radio since its initial airing. Poul Anderson Wikipedia page     Book Interview/Events and Theatre Links Note: Shows may unexpectedly close early or be postponed due to actors’ positive COVID tests. Check the venue for closures, ticket refunds, and mask requirements before arrival. Dates are in-theater performances unless otherwise noted. Some venues operate Tuesday – Sunday; others for shorter periods each week. All times Pacific Time. Closing dates are sometimes extended. Book Stores Bay Area Book Festival  See website for highlights from the 110th Annual Bay Area Book Festival, May 31 – June 1, 2025. Book Passage.  Monthly Calendar. Mix of on-line and in-store events. Books Inc.  Mix of on-line and in-store events. The Booksmith.  Monthly Event Calendar. BookShop West Portal. Monthly Event Calendar. Center for Literary Arts, San Jose. See website for Book Club guests in upcoming months. Green Apple Books. Events calendar. Kepler’s Books  On-line Refresh the Page program listings. Live Theater Companies Actors Ensemble of Berkeley.  See website for readings and events. Actor’s Reading Collective (ARC).  See website for upcoming productions. African American Art & Culture Complex. See website for calendar. American Conservatory Theatre  ||: Girls :||: Chance :||: Music :||. through April 19, Strand Theatre. Hamnet, adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti, April 22 – May 24.  Awesome Theatre Company. See website for information. BATS Improv Improvised theatre. See website for schedule. BATS Bayfront Theatre, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco. Berkeley Playhouse. Once, February 20 – March 29.  Berkeley Rep. All My Sons by Arthur Miller, Feb. 20 – March 29, Roda Theatre. The Monsters by Ngozi Anyanwu, March 27 – May 3, Peets Theatre. Berkeley Shakespeare Company See website for upcoming productions. Brava Theatre Center: See calendar for events listings. BroadwaySF: MJ The Musical, March 24 – April 5, Orpheum. Hadestown, April 21 -26,  Orpheum.  Hells Kitchen, May 6 – 24, Orpheum. See website for complete listings for the Orpheum, Golden Gate and Curran Theaters. note: BroadwaySF is now ATG Tickets. Broadway San Jose:  Beetlejuice, March 31 – April 5. Les Miserables, April 29 – May 3. Back to the Future, June 2 – 7. The Sound of Music, July 21-26, Center REP: Lost in Yonkers by Neil Simon, March 29 – April 19. Central Stage. See website for upcoming productions, 5221 Central Avenue, Richmond Central Works After Happy by Patricia Milton, Feb. 28 – March 29. Cinnabar Theatre. The Christians by Lucas Hnath, April 10-26, The Secret Garden, June 12 – 28. Club Fugazi. Dear San Francisco, ongoing. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Contra Costa Civic Theatre A Chorus Line, June 6 – 21, 2026. See website for other events and concerts. Golden Thread  See website for upcoming events and productions. Hillbarn Theatre: The Play That Goes Wrong by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer & Henry Shields, April 23 – May 17. Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. 2026 season: Sistahfriend by Phaedra Tillery-Boughton, Magic Theatre, May 15-17; African Stew by Dr. Lisa B. Thompson, Sept. 10-27. Magic Theatre; Soulful Christmas, December, Magic Theatre. Los Altos Stage Company. The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov, adapted by Tom Stoppard, April 16 – May 10. Lower Bottom Playaz  See website for upcoming productions. Magic Theatre. Macbeth, translated and adapted by Migdalia Cruz. March 18 – April 5. Marin Shakespeare Company: La Comedia of Errors, April 17 – May 10, As You Like It, June 19 – July 19, Julius Caesar, August 14 – Setpember 13, See website for schedule. Marin Theatre:  60th Anniversary Gala, April 19. Pictures from Home by Sharr White, May 7-31. Masquers Playhouse, Point Richmond. The Gods of Comedy by Ken Ludwig, April 24 – May 17. Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts Closed. SF Chronicle gift article. New Conservatory Theatre Center (NCTC)  Gods and Monsters based on the novel by Christopher Bram, written and adapted by Tom Mullen, March 6 – April 5. New Performance Traditions.  See website for upcoming schedule Oakland Theater Project. Assassins, March 29 – April 5. The House of Bernarda Alba by by Federico Garcia Lorca, adapted by Chay Yew, May 22 – June 7. The Fre by Taylor Mac, June 18-28. Odd Salon: Upcoming events in San Francisco & New York, and streaming. Palace of Fine Arts Theater.  See website for event listings. Pear Theater. Anon(ymous) an adaptation of the Odyssey, by Naomi Iizuka, April 18 – May 3, God of Carnage by Yazmina Reza, June 12 – 28. See website for staged readings and other events. Playful People Productions. See website for classes and upcoming events. . Presidio Theatre. See website for complete schedule of events and performances. Ray of Light: Mean Girls The Musical. May 1 – 30. Urinetown, July 31 – August 29. Ross Valley Players: See website for New Works Sunday night readings and other events. San Francisco Playhouse. Flex by Candrice Jones. March 26 – May 7.. SFBATCO.  See website for streaming and in- theater shows. San Francisco Shakespeare Festival. Shakespeare on Tour: Julius Caesar, through May. See website for more information. San Jose Stage Company: See website for events and upcoming season Shotgun Players.  The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia by Edward Albee, March 21 – April 19. South Bay Musical Theatre:  On The Twentieth Century, April 19-20. SPARC: See website for upcoming events. Stagebridge: See website for events and productions. Storytime every 4th Saturday. The Breath Project. Streaming archive. The Marsh: Calendar listings for Berkeley, San Francisco and Marshstream. Theatre Lunatico  See website for upcoming productions.. Theatre Rhino  Streaming: Essential Services Project, conceived and performed by John Fisher, all weekly performances now available on demand. TheatreWorks Silicon Valley Primary Trust by Eboni Booth, March 4 – 29, Lucie Stern Theatre, Palo Alto. Word for Word.  See website for upcoming productions. Misc. Listings: BAMPFA: On View calendar for Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. Berkeley Symphony: See website for listings. Chamber Music San Francisco: Calendar, 2025 Season. Dance Mission Theatre. On stage events calendar. Fort Mason Center. Events calendar.Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Calendar listings and upcoming shows. San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus. See schedule for upcoming SFGMC performances. San Francisco Opera. Calendar listings. San Francisco Symphony. Calendar listings. Filmed Live Musicals: Searchable database of all filmed live musical

Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues   Migdalia Cruz: Award-Winning Playwright Migdalia Cruz, an award-winning playwright and the translator/adaptor of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” at the Magic Theatre, in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky, discussing her play, her career, and her ideas about the nature of theatre. Migdalia Cruz is best known for her plays “Featherless Angels” and “Miriam’s Flowers” studied playwrighting with the legendary Irene Fornes before embarking on her own career. With fifty plays under her belt, she has been produced in numerous venues around the United States. She has also translated plays from Spanish. Growing up in the South Bronx, to Puerto Rican parents, she originally planned to study math but found that theatre was her real calling. Her focus is on social justice, and presenting voices of those who rarely have voices in the American arts. “Macbeth,” the Scottish play, has been reset in New York in the 1970s, and in Brooklyn for this production. The three witches become a major element of the play, and here both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are played by women. The interview was recorded by computer on March 3, 2026.   Review of “Paranormal Activity” at ACT Toni Rember (Geary) Theatre through March 22, 2026.   Review of “All My Sons” by Arthur Miller at Berkeley Rep Roda Theatre through March 22, 2026.     Book Interview/Events and Theatre Links Note: Shows may unexpectedly close early or be postponed due to actors’ positive COVID tests. Check the venue for closures, ticket refunds, and mask requirements before arrival. Dates are in-theater performances unless otherwise noted. Some venues operate Tuesday – Sunday; others for shorter periods each week. All times Pacific Time. Closing dates are sometimes extended. Book Stores Bay Area Book Festival  See website for highlights from the 110th Annual Bay Area Book Festival, May 31 – June 1, 2025. Book Passage.  Monthly Calendar. Mix of on-line and in-store events. Books Inc.  Mix of on-line and in-store events. The Booksmith.  Monthly Event Calendar. BookShop West Portal. Monthly Event Calendar. Center for Literary Arts, San Jose. See website for Book Club guests in upcoming months. Green Apple Books. Events calendar. Kepler’s Books  On-line Refresh the Page program listings. Live Theater Companies Actors Ensemble of Berkeley.  See website for readings and events. Actor’s Reading Collective (ARC).  See website for upcoming productions. African American Art & Culture Complex. See website for calendar. American Conservatory Theatre  Paranormal Activity, Feb. 19 – March 15, Toni Rembe. Awesome Theatre Company. See website for information. BATS Improv Improvised theatre. See website for schedule. BATS Bayfront Theatre, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco. Berkeley Playhouse. Once, February 20 – March 22.  Berkeley Rep. How Shakespeare Saved My Life written and performed by Jacob Ming-Trent .January 23 – March 1, Peets Theatre. All My Sons by Arthur Miller, Feb. 20 – March 29, Roda Theatre. Berkeley Shakespeare Company See website for upcoming productions. Brava Theatre Center: See calendar for events listings. BroadwaySF: The Notebook, February 10 – March 1, Orpheum. See website for complete listings for the Orpheum, Golden Gate and Curran Theaters. note: BroadwaySF is now ATG Tickets. Broadway San Jose:  The Book of Mormon, March 6-8. Beetlejuice, March 31 – April 5. Les Miserables, April 29 – May 3. Back to the Future, June 2 – 7. The Sound of Music, July 21-26, Center REP: Lost in Yonkers by Neil Simon, March 29 – April 19. Central Stage. See website for upcoming productions, 5221 Central Avenue, Richmond Central Works After Happy by Patricia Milton, Feb. 28 – March 29. Cinnabar Theatre. The Christians by Lucas Hnath, April 10-26, The Secret Garden, June 12 – 28. Club Fugazi. Dear San Francisco, ongoing. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Contra Costa Civic Theatre A Chorus Line, June 6 – 21, 2026. See website for other events and concerts. Golden Thread  See website for upcoming events and productions. Hillbarn Theatre: Songs for a New World, music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown, March 5 -22. Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. 2026 season: Sistahfriend by Phaedra Tillery-Boughton, Magic Theatre, May 15-17; African Stew by Dr. Lisa B. Thompson, Sept. 10-27. Magic Theatre; Soulful Christmas, December, Magic Theatre. Los Altos Stage Company. Treasure Island, A New Adventure by By A.J. Allegra, James Bartelle and Alex Martinez Wallace, March 13-22.. Lower Bottom Playaz  See website for upcoming productions. Magic Theatre. Macbeth, a new version by Migdalia Cruz. March 18 – April 5. Marin Shakespeare Company: One for All Solo Festival, hosted and curated by Josh Kornbluth, March 6-22. See website for schedule. Marin Theatre:  60th Anniversary Gala, April 19. Pictures from Home by Sharr White, May 7-31. Masquers Playhouse, Point Richmond. Improbable Fiction by Alan Aykbourn, Feb. 6 – March 1. Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts Closed. SF Chronicle gift article. New Conservatory Theatre Center (NCTC)  Gods and Monsters based on the novel by Christopher Bram, written and adapted by Tom Mullen, March 6 – April 5. New Performance Traditions.  See website for upcoming schedule Oakland Theater Project. Assassins, March 29 – April 5. The House of Bernarda Alba by by Federico Garcia Lorca, adapted by Chay Yew, May 22 – June 7. The Fre by Taylor Mac, June 18-28. Odd Salon: Upcoming events in San Francisco & New York, and streaming. Palace of Fine Arts Theater.  See website for event listings. Pear Theater. My Fair Lady, Feb 20 – March 8. See website for staged readings and other events. Playful People Productions. The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong, March 6 – 22. Presidio Theatre. See website for complete schedule of events and performances. The Children’s Theatre Association of San Francisco (CTA) presents Once Upon a Mattress, January 24 – February 28. Ray of Light: Mean Girls. May 2026. Ross Valley Players: See website for New Works Sunday night readings and other events. San Francisco Playhouse. M. Butterfly by David Henry Hwang. February 6 – March 14.. SFBATCO.  See website for streaming and in- theater shows. San Francisco Shakespeare Festival. Shakespeare on Tour: Julius Caesar, through May. See website for more information. San Jose Stage Company: See website for events and upcoming season Shotgun Players.  The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia by Edward Albee, March 21 – April 19. South Bay Musical Theatre:  On The Twentieth Century, April 19-20. SPARC: See website for upcoming events. Stagebridge: See website for events and productions. Storytime every 4th Saturday. The Breath Project. Streaming archive. The Marsh: Calendar listings for Berkeley, San Francisco and Marshstream. Theatre Lunatico  See website for upcoming productions.. Theatre Rhino  Left Field, written and directed by John Fisher, February 19 – March 15. Streaming: Essential Services Project, conceived and performed by John Fisher, all weekly performances now available on demand. TheatreWorks Silicon Valley Primary Trust by Eboni Booth, March 4 – 29, Lucie Stern Theatre, Palo Alto. Word for Word.  See website for upcoming productions. Misc. Listings: BAMPFA: On View calendar for Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. Berkeley Symphony: See website for listings. Chamber Music San Francisco: Calendar, 2025 Season. Dance Mission Theatre. On stage events calendar. Fort Mason Center. Events calendar.Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Calendar listings and upcoming shows. San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus. See schedule for upcoming SFGMC performances. San Francisco Opera. Calendar listings. San Francisco Symphony. Calendar listings. Filmed Live Musicals: Searchable database of all filmed live musicals, podcast, blog. League of Livestream Theatre: See website for streaming plays. If you’d like to add your bookstore or theater venue to this list, please write [email protected]   . The post Bookwaves/Artwaves – March 12, 2026: Playwright Migdalia Cruz, Adaptation/Translation, “Macbeth” appeared first on KPFA.

Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues   Malcolm Margolin (1940-2025), the long-time publisher of Heyday Books in Berkeley, who died on August 20, 2025 at the age of 84, in conversation with Richard Wolinsky in the KPFA Studios on November 21, 2014. Malcolm Margolin founded Heyday Books, the renownedy non-profit publishing house located in Berkeley, in 1974 and stayed until he retired in 2015. He was the author and editor of several books, most notably The Ohlone Way: Indian Life in the San Francisco – Monterey Bay Area, along with magazines and other periodicals. This interview was recorded November 21, 2014 upon the publication of his memoir/history, The Heyday of Malcolm Margolin: The Damned Good Times of a Fiercely Independent Publisher.  Malcolm Margolin retired in 2015 but continued to work until his death. His final book, Deep Hanging Out: Wanderings and Wonderment in Native California. was published by Heyday in 2021.   The post Bookwaves/Artwaves – February 19, 2026: Fund Drive Special: Malcolm Margolin appeared first on KPFA.

Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues   John Fisher: Artistic Director of Theatre Rhino John Fisher, Artistic Director of Theatre Rhino, and writer/dictor/actor in “Left Field,” which runs at Theatre Rhino from February 19th to March 15th , in conversation with Richard Wolinsky. Recorded February 4, 2026. Theatre Rhino is the longest running LGBTQ+ theatre company in America, and John Fisher has been its Artistic Director since 2002. His latest show, “Left Field” is about a gay man from San Francisco who, through a bizarre series of events, winds up as President of the United States. Written as a response to the Trump regime and its fascist agenda, “Left Field” is a comedy with serious overtones about a man who finds himself in the presidency with a completely opposite series of priorities. In this interview, John Fisher discusses the process of working on “Left Field,” and goes into detail about what an actor perceives on stage, and the changing Bay Area theatre audience.   Todd Haynes: Award-winning Independent Filmmaker Todd Haynes, independent filmmaker, in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky. Recorded February 27, 2025. The director of ten feature length films, Todd Haynes is an independent film-maker with his roots in New Queer Cinema. After coming to the attention of the film community with his short film, Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story, in which the “actors” were Barbie Dolls, he achieved fame with his first feature, Poison, which told three stories in different ways, all of which commented on the AIDS epidemic. He followed that with the much-lauded Safe, and then moved on to mainstream success with the lush melodrama, Far from Heaven. His later films include Velvet Goldmine, focusing on the glam rock era, I’m Not There, in which several actors portrayed Bob Dylan, Carol, Dark Waters, Wonderstruck, and his latest film, May December(Netflix). His documentary, Velvet Underground, is available on Apple Plus. Along the way there was a miniseries, Mildred Pierce, starring Kate Winslet, on HBO (streaming on MAX). All his films are available streaming. Todd Haynes will soon be filming a gay romance, “El Noche,” with Pedro Pascal, in the coming months.   Review of “The Mountaintop” by Katori Hall, directed by Michael Socrates Moran at Oakland Theatre Project through Feb. 15, 2026. Review of “The Cherry Orchard” by Anton Chekhov, directed by Carey Perloff, at Marin Theatre through Feb. 22, 2026.   The post Bookwaves/Artwaves – February 12, 2026: John Fisher – Todd Haynes appeared first on KPFA.

Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues   John Sayles: Novelist and Director, author “Crucible,” 2026 John Sayles and Maggie Renzi. Photo: Richard Wolinsky John Sayles, author of the novel “Crucible” and director of eighteen independent films, including “Lone Star,” Eight Men Out” and “The Secret of Roan Inish” in conversation with Richard Wolinsky. They are joined by Maggie Renzi, John Sayles’ producer on fourteen of his eighteen films. John Sayles is best known for his work as a director, screenwriter and actor, though this is his sixth novel. Among the films he directed are Lone Star, Sunshine State, Eight Men Out, Matewan, The Brother from Another Planet, Baby It’s You and Passion Fish. His acting credits include small roles in several films, and he wrote the screenplay for the films he directed. Maggie Renzi, his wife, produced fourteen of his eighteen films, and acted in several of them. She is currently producing John’s upcoming western film, to be shot in Spain in Summer, 2026. In the first part of the interview, John Sayles discusses the real-life events behind his novel, “Crucible,” set between the 1920s and 1940s in Detroit  and Brazil and focusing on Henry Ford, and the workers at his plants, and his attempt to create a rubber plantation and city in the jungles of Brazil. In the second part, he and Maggie Renzi talk about the making of his films, from his early days as a screenwriter to some of his later work, including the three films mentioned above and “Matewan,” along with difficulties in streaming rights.   Review of “How Shakespeare Saved My Life at ACT Berkeley Rep’s Peets Theatre through March 1, 2026.       The post Bookwaves/Artwaves – February 5, 2026: Filmmaker and Novelist John Sayles, 2026 appeared first on KPFA.

Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues   Hershey Felder: Pianist and Performer, “The Piano and Me” Hershey Felder discusses his world premiere stage show, “The PIano and Me,” playing at TheatreWorks Mountain View through February 8, 2026, with host Richard Wolinsky. Over the past three decades, Hershey Felder has been performing one-person plays with his piano accompaniment, focusing on a variety of different composers, including George Gershwin, Leonard Bernstein, Tschaikovsky, Beethoven, Chopin and others. He has also created film versions of these and others, which can be found at his website, hersheyfelder.net. “The Piano and Me” focuses on Hershey Felder’s own life, looking at his immigrant family who came to Canada after surviving the Holocaust, and his own education at the piano, from his first teachers to his more formal schooling, to the advent of his very first show, “George Gershwin Alone.” In the interview, Hershey Felder talks about how this show came into being, his preparation for each performance, his work in film, and his view of live theatre today. Recorded January 23, 2026. Complete 31-minute Radio Wolinsky podcast.   Delroy Lindo: Oscar Nominated Actor and Theatre Director, 2008 Delroy Lindo, actor and theatre director, in conversation with Richard Wolinsky in the KPFA studios in November 2008 while directing August Wilson’s play, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone at Berkeley Rep. Actor and director Delroy Lindo was born in London and moved to the United States at the age of 16, eventually coming to San Francisco where he studied acting at ACT at the age of 24. In his early career, he focused on the stage, winning a Tony nomination in 1988 his role in the original Broadway production of August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone. From there, he moved toward television and film, and performed in three Spike Lee films, including Do The Right Thing  and Malcolm X, along with Get Shorty, Romeo Must Die and other films. More recently, he received acclaim for his role in Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods in 2018 and has been nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Delta Slim in the Ryan Coogler film, Sinners. In the interview, he discusses his work directing Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, as well as his views on directing and acting, and the work of August Wilson. Review of the Streetcar Project’s production of Tennessee Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire” at ACT Toni Rembe Theatre through February 1, 2026.       The post Bookwaves/Artwaves – January 29, 2026: Hershey Felder – Delroy Lindo appeared first on KPFA.

Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues   Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (1922-2007): Author of “Slaughterhouse-Five” and other novels. Kurt Vonnegut (1922-2007), interviewed on September 23, 1991 by Richard Wolinsky and Richard A. Lupoff while on tour for his collection of essays, “Fates Worse Than Death,” recorded for the “Probabilities” radio program It’s hard to describe the impact Kurt Vonnegut has had over the years on American culture and politics. His science fiction novel “Slaughterhouse-Five” brought the world’s attention to the fire-bombing of Dresden during World War II. His several other novels tackled a wide variety of themes including free will, the absurdity of human existence, and the impact of technology on society. His other novels include God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, Cat’s Cradle, Breakfast of Champions, Slapstick, Player Piano and others. During the latter years of his life, he wrote essays and opinion pieces. This was the last interview of any kind to occur in the off-air studio in KPFA’s old offices on Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley. The new radio station on Martin Luther King Jr Way was already operational but we were able to squeeze in this last one in the old building. Complete 31-minute Radio Wolinsky podcast.     Mavis Gallant (1922-2014): Anti-Fascist ‘New Yorker’ Short Story Writer. Mavis Gallant (1922-2014, noted anti-Fascist short story writer for the New Yorker magazine, in conversation with Richard Wolinsky and Richard A. Lupoff on Ocrober 6, 1993 while on tour for her collection, Across The Bridge. Mavis Gallant, who died in 2014 at the age of 91, was a Canadian short story writer who spent most of her life in France. During her lifetime, she had 118 stories in the New Yorker, which made her one of that magazine’s most published writers. Along the way she did write two novels, but it was because of her shorter fiction that she was very much a writers’ writer. A very private person, she only rarely gave interviews – but she did go on a book tour for her short story collection, Across the Bridge, and it’s then, on October 6, 1993, that Richard A. Lupoff and Richard Wolinsky had a chance to speak with her. Wikipedia notes that her subject was frequently fascism, in particular about what she called “the small possibilities in people” which leaned them toward fascism. In a roundabout way, she discusses that in this interview. New York Review Books Classics has published several volumes of her stories, most notably The Collected Stories, which features fifty two examples of her best work, and Paris Stories, curated by Michael Ondaatje. Across the Bridge is available in an e-book edition from Amazon.     The post Bookwaves/Artwaves – January 22, 2026: Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Legendary American Author appeared first on KPFA.

Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues    Laura Truffaut: The Films of her father, Francois Truffaut (1932-1984) Laura Truffaut, daughter of the great French New Wave film-maker Francois Truffaut (1932-1984) in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky, discussing her father’s films and her memories of his film shoots. Berkeley Art Museum & Pacifc Film Archive is presenting a retrospective of nine films of Francois Truffaut, beginning with his first film, “The 400 Blows” and continuing to his final film, “Confidentially Yours,” from January 17 to February 28th, all introduced by Laura Truffaut. Francois Truffaut began his career as a critic for the influential French film magazine, “Cahiers du Cinema”, but within four years, following his article in the publication discussing his auteur theory of film criticism, he moved on to his first film, “The 400 Blows,” which blew everyone away at the Cannes Film Festival. Twenty-one films followed, until his untimely death from a brain tumor at the age of 52. Along the way he made several masterpieces, including Jules et Jim, Day for Night, Small Change, The Wild Child, and The Soft Skin, to name a handful which will be at BAMPFA.   The post Bookwaves/Artwaves – January 15, 2026: Laura Truffaut: The Films of Francois Truffaut appeared first on KPFA.

Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues   John Varley (1947-2025): Hugo & Nebula Award Winning Science Fiction Author John Varley (1947-2025), Hugo and Nebula Award winning science fiction novelist, who died on December 10, 2025 at the age of 78, in conversation with Richard Wolinsky, recorded in the KPFA studios July 17, 1992 while on tour for the novel “Steel Beach.” John Varley hit the ground running with his first short story, “Picnic on Nearside,” published in 1974 in the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. He was already considered the logical heir to Robert Heinlein by the time his novel, The Ophiuchi Hotline was published in 1977 and his short story collection, The Persistence of Vision a year later. He followed those books with a trilogy that included Titan, Wizard and Demon, then went to Hollywood for seven years. This Probabilities interview was recorded on July 17, 1992 when he returned to the field with his novel, Steel Dreams, first of two novels set in the Eight Worlds universe of his earlier work; the sequel, The Golden Globe, was published in 1998.. By the time of this interview, John Varley’s history with Hollywood would be over. You can find a PBS version of Overdrawn at the Memory Bank on Pluto TV, and two episodes from the TV show Paradox on You Tube. The film Millennium is not streaming. After The Golden Globe, John Varley wrote seven novels, most in a new series titled Thunder and Lightning. He returned to the Eight Worlds for his final novel, Irontown Blues, published in 2018. There would also be The John Varley Reader in 2004 and another collection in 2013. This interview has not aired in over thirty years.   Alan Furst: Best-selling Spy Novelist, 2002 Alan Furst, historical spy novelist, in conversation with Richard Wolinsky, recorded in the KPFA studios during the book tour for “Blood of Victory, September 26, 2002. This interview has not aired in over two decades. In this interview, he discusses his early career, resistance during World War II, and creating the unique atmosphere and characters in his books.His latest novel, Under Occupation, was published in 2019. Alan Furst’s career took off with his novel Kingdom of Shadows in 2000, the sixth book in his series of stand-alone novels about heros and villains in Europe in the years leading up to, and including World War II.  Suffused with atmosphere, his books feel as if you’re living with the characters in those haunted times. Of course, there is added resonance as we live through what might be similar times today. This is the second of five Bookwaves interviews with Alan Furst.   James Lapine discusses his collaborations with Stephen Sondheim.     Book Interview/Events and Theatre Links Note: Shows may unexpectedly close early or be postponed due to actors’ positive COVID tests. Check the venue for closures, ticket refunds, and mask requirements before arrival. Dates are in-theater performances unless otherwise noted. Some venues operate Tuesday – Sunday; others for shorter periods each week. All times Pacific Time. Closing dates are sometimes extended. Book Stores Bay Area Book Festival  See website for highlights from the 110th Annual Bay Area Book Festival, May 31 – June 1, 2025. Book Passage.  Monthly Calendar. Mix of on-line and in-store events. Books Inc.  Mix of on-line and in-store events. The Booksmith.  Monthly Event Calendar. BookShop West Portal. Monthly Event Calendar. Center for Literary Arts, San Jose. See website for Book Club guests in upcoming months. Green Apple Books. Events calendar. Kepler’s Books  On-line Refresh the Page program listings. Live Theater Companies Actors Ensemble of Berkeley.  See website for readings and events. Actor’s Reading Collective (ARC).  See website for upcoming productions. African American Art & Culture Complex. See website for calendar. American Conservatory Theatre  Paranormal Activity, Feb. 19 – March 15, Toni Rembe. Awesome Theatre Company. See website for information. BATS Improv Improvised theatre. See website for schedule. BATS Bayfront Theatre, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco. Berkeley Playhouse. Once, February 20 – March 22.  Berkeley Rep. How Shakespeare Saved My Life written and performed by Jacob Ming-Trent .January 23 – March 1, Peets Theatre. All My Sons by Arthur Miller, Feb. 20 – March 29, Roda Theatre. Berkeley Shakespeare Company See website for upcoming productions. Brava Theatre Center: See calendar for events listings. BroadwaySF: The Notebook, February 10 – March 1, Orpheum. See website for complete listings for the Orpheum, Golden Gate and Curran Theaters. note: BroadwaySF is now ATG Tickets. Broadway San Jose:  The Book of Mormon, March 6-8. Beetlejuice, March 31 – April 5. Les Miserables, April 29 – May 3. Back to the Future, June 2 – 7. The Sound of Music, July 21-26, Center REP: Lost in Yonkers by Neil Simon, March 29 – April 19. Central Stage. See website for upcoming productions, 5221 Central Avenue, Richmond Central Works After Happy by Patricia Milton, Feb. 28 – March 29. Cinnabar Theatre. The Christians by Lucas Hnath, April 10-26, The Secret Garden, June 12 – 28. Club Fugazi. Dear San Francisco, ongoing. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Contra Costa Civic Theatre A Chorus Line, June 6 – 21, 2026. See website for other events and concerts. Golden Thread  See website for upcoming events and productions. Hillbarn Theatre: Songs for a New World, music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown, March 5 -22. Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. 2026 season: Sistahfriend by Phaedra Tillery-Boughton, Magic Theatre, May 15-17; African Stew by Dr. Lisa B. Thompson, Sept. 10-27. Magic Theatre; Soulful Christmas, December, Magic Theatre. Los Altos Stage Company. Treasure Island, A New Adventure by By A.J. Allegra, James Bartelle and Alex Martinez Wallace, March 13-22.. Lower Bottom Playaz  See website for upcoming productions. Magic Theatre. Macbeth, a new version by Migdalia Cruz. March 18 – April 5. Marin Shakespeare Company: One for All Solo Festival, hosted and curated by Josh Kornbluth, March 6-22. See website for schedule. Marin Theatre:  60th Anniversary Gala, April 19. Pictures from Home by Sharr White, May 7-31. Masquers Playhouse, Point Richmond. Improbable Fiction by Alan Aykbourn, Feb. 6 – March 1. Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts Closed. SF Chronicle gift article. New Conservatory Theatre Center (NCTC)  Gods and Monsters based on the novel by Christopher Bram, written and adapted by Tom Mullen, March 6 – April 5. New Performance Traditions.  See website for upcoming schedule Oakland Theater Project. Assassins, March 29 – April 5. The House of Bernarda Alba by by Federico Garcia Lorca, adapted by Chay Yew, May 22 – June 7. The Fre by Taylor Mac, June 18-28. Odd Salon: Upcoming events in San Francisco & New York, and streaming. Palace of Fine Arts Theater.  See website for event listings. Pear Theater. My Fair Lady, Feb 20 – March 8. See website for staged readings and other events. Playful People Productions. The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong, March 6 – 22. Presidio Theatre. See website for complete schedule of events and performances. The Children’s Theatre Association of San Francisco (CTA) presents Once Upon a Mattress, January 24 – February 28. Ray of Light: Mean Girls. May 2026. Ross Valley Players: See website for New Works Sunday night readings and other events. San Francisco Playhouse. M. Butterfly by David Henry Hwang. February 6 – March 14.. SFBATCO.  See website for streaming and in- theater shows. San Francisco Shakespeare Festival. Shakespeare on Tour: Julius Caesar, through May. See website for more information. San Jose Stage Company: See website for events and upcoming season Shotgun Players.  The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia by Edward Albee, March 21 – April 19. South Bay Musical Theatre:  On The Twentieth Century, April 19-20. SPARC: See website for upcoming events. Stagebridge: See website for events and productions. Storytime every 4th Saturday. The Breath Project. Streaming archive. The Marsh: Calendar listings for Berkeley, San Francisco and Marshstream. Theatre Lunatico  See website for upcoming productions.. Theatre Rhino  Left Field, written and directed by John Fisher, February 19 – March 15. Streaming: Essential Services Project, conceived and performed by John Fisher, all weekly performances now available on demand. TheatreWorks Silicon Valley Primary Trust by Eboni Booth, March 4 – 29, Lucie Stern Theatre, Palo Alto. Word for Word.  See website for upcoming productions. Misc. Listings: BAMPFA: On View calendar for Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. Berkeley Symphony: See website for listings. Chamber Music San Francisco: Calendar, 2025 Season. Dance Mission Theatre. On stage events calendar. Fort Mason Center. Events calendar.Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Calendar listings and upcoming shows. San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus. See schedule for upcoming SFGMC performances. San Francisco Opera. Calendar listings. San Francisco Symphony. Calendar listings. Filmed Live Musicals: Searchable database of all filmed live musicals, podcast, blog. League of Livestream Theatre: See website for streaming plays. If you’d like to add your bookstore or theater venue to this list, please write [email protected]   . The post Bookwaves/Artwaves – January 8, 2026: John Varley – Alan Furst appeared first on KPFA.

Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues   Jack Arnold (1916-1992). Film Director (“Creature from the Black Lagoon” et al), 1980 Jack Arnold, who died at the age of 75 in 1992, was the 1950s master of the science fiction film. Among the films he directed were It Came From Outer Space, The Creature from the Black Lagoon, Revenge of the Creature, Tarantula, and The Incredible Shrinking Man. The Probabilities crew – Richard A. Lupoff, Lawrence Davidson and Richard Wolinsky – received a small stipend from a science fiction convention and flew to Los Angeles to interview Jack Arnold in his office at Universal Studios. The interview is undated but was recorded in around 1980, give or take a year. It Came from Outer Space, along with two film noirs, were released  in 1953, Creature from the Black Lagoon in 1954 and Revenge of the Creature in 1955. The first western, The Man from Bitter Ridge along with Tarantula and his work on This Island Earth also came from 1955. The rest of the westerns, along with The Incredible Shrinking Man and the Peter Sellers classic The Mouse That Roared, came between 1956 and 1959. After that, he directed a couple more A pictures, as he called them, but his primary work moved to television, and from then until his retirement in 1984, he was constantly working on projects for the small screen, interspersed with the occasional film. Remastered and re-edited by Richard Wolinsky in July 2021. Complete Interview     Book Interview/Events and Theatre Links Note: Shows may unexpectedly close early or be postponed due to actors’ positive COVID tests. Check the venue for closures, ticket refunds, and mask requirements before arrival. Dates are in-theater performances unless otherwise noted. Some venues operate Tuesday – Sunday; others for shorter periods each week. All times Pacific Time. Closing dates are sometimes extended. Book Stores Bay Area Book Festival  See website for highlights from the 110th Annual Bay Area Book Festival, May 31 – June 1, 2025. Book Passage.  Monthly Calendar. Mix of on-line and in-store events. Books Inc.  Mix of on-line and in-store events. The Booksmith.  Monthly Event Calendar. BookShop West Portal. Monthly Event Calendar. Center for Literary Arts, San Jose. See website for Book Club guests in upcoming months. Green Apple Books. Events calendar. Kepler’s Books  On-line Refresh the Page program listings. Live Theater Companies Actors Ensemble of Berkeley.  See website for readings and events. Actor’s Reading Collective (ARC).  See website for upcoming productions. African American Art & Culture Complex. See website for calendar. American Conservatory Theatre A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, Jan. 21 – Feb. 1, 2026, Toni Rembe (Geary). Paranormal Activity, Feb. 19 – March 15, Toni Rembe. Awesome Theatre Company. See website for information. Berkeley Playhouse. Once, February 20 – March 22.  Berkeley Rep. An Evening with David Sedaris, .Jan. 3 – 11, Roda Theatre. Berkeley Shakespeare Company See website for upcoming productions. Brava Theatre Center: See calendar for events listings. BroadwaySF: The Book of Mormon, Jan. 13 – Feb. 1. See website for complete listings for the Orpheum, Golden Gate and Curran Theaters. Broadway San Jose:  A Beautiful Noise, December 30 – January 4. See website for other events. Center REP: Lost in Yonkers by Neil Simon, March 29 – April 19. Central Stage. See website for upcoming productions, 5221 Central Avenue, Richmond Central Works After Happy by Patricia Milton, Feb. 28 – March 29. Cinnabar Theatre. My Fair Lady, January 23 – February 8, 2026. Club Fugazi. Dear San Francisco ongoing. Check website for Music Mondays listings. Contra Costa Civic Theatre A Chorus Line, June 6 – 21 See website for other events and concerts. Golden Thread  See website for upcoming productions. Hillbarn Theatre: What the Constitution Means to Me by Heidi Schreck, January 22 – February 8. Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. See website for upcoming productions. Los Altos Stage Company. Yoga Play by Dipika Guha. January 22 – February 15.. Lower Bottom Playaz  See website for upcoming productions. Magic Theatre. Macbeth, a new version by Migdalia Cruz. March 18 – April 5. Marin Shakespeare Company: Let The Wind Sweep Through: A Conference of Birds, Feb. 6-15. See website for schedule. Marin Theatre: The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov Jan . 29 – Feb. 22, 2026. Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts Upcoming Events Page. New Conservatory Theatre Center (NCTC)  Ruthless,  Dec. 5 – January 11, 2026. New Performance Traditions.  See website for upcoming schedule Oakland Theater Project. See website for upcoming 2026 season. Odd Salon: Upcoming events in San Francisco & New York, and streaming. Palace of Fine Arts Theater.  See website for event listings. Pear Theater. My Fair Lady, Feb 20 – March 8. See website for staged readings and other events. Playful People Productions. Next production: The Play That Goes Wrong. Presidio Theatre. See website for complete schedule of events and performances. The Children’s Theatre Association of San Francisco (CTA) presents Once Upon a Mattress, January 24 – February 28, Ray of Light: Mean Girls. May 2026. Ross Valley Players: See website for New Works Sunday night readings and other events. San Francisco Playhouse. Into the Woods. November 30 – January 17, 2026. SFBATCO.  See website for upcoming streaming and in- theater shows. San Jose Stage Company: See website for events and upcoming season Shotgun Players.  Sunday in the Park with George, November 15 – January 31. South Bay Musical Theatre:  Little Women, The Broadway Musical, January 24 – February 14, 2026. SPARC: See website for upcoming events. Stagebridge: See website for events and productions. Storytime every 4th Saturday. The Breath Project. Streaming archive. The Marsh: Calendar listings for Berkeley, San Francisco and Marshstream. Theatre Lunatico  See website for upcoming productions.. Theatre Rhino  Left Field, written and directed by John Fisher, February 19 – March 15. Streaming: Essential Services Project, conceived and performed by John Fisher, all weekly performances now available on demand. TheatreWorks Silicon Valley Hershey Felder: The Piano and Me, January 17 – February 8, Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts. Primary Trust by Eboni Booth, March 4 – 29, Lucie Stern Theatre, Palo Alto. Word for Word.  See website for upcoming productions. Misc. Listings: BAMPFA: On View calendar for Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. Berkeley Symphony: See website for listings. Chamber Music San Francisco: Calendar, 2025 Season. Dance Mission Theatre. On stage events calendar. Fort Mason Center. Events calendar. Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Calendar listings and upcoming shows. San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus. See schedule for upcoming SFGMC performances. San Francisco Opera. Calendar listings. San Francisco Symphony. Calendar listings. Filmed Live Musicals: Searchable database of all filmed live musicals, podcast, blog. If you’d like to add your bookstore or theater venue to this list, please write [email protected]   . The post Bookwaves/Artwaves – January 1, 2026: The Probabilities Archive. Jack Arnold (1916-1992), Science Fiction Film Director appeared first on KPFA.