A podcast posted every Sunday featuring extended interviews and discussions from Bookwaves, Art-Waves, and Bookwaves Artwaves Hour programs on KPFA, and newly digitized and edited archive interviews from the pre-digital Probabilities series dating back to 1977. Literature, theater, film, the visual arts: in-depth interviews from a progressive and artistic viewpoint, with long-time KPFA/Pacifica host Richard Wolinsky.
Julie Powell (1973-2022) was the best-selling author of “Julie & Julia,” which was based on her blog posts in which she duplicated all of Julia Child’s recipes in the classic Mastering the Art of French Cooking. She was interviewed by Richard Wolinsky on December 16, 2009 while she was on tour for her second (and it turned out, her last) book, Cleaving: A Story of Marriage, Meat and Obsession.
Emma Rice is the artistic director of the Wise Children theatre company, and is former artistic director of the acclaimed Kneehigh Theatre. Her latest work, an adaptation of Emily Bronte’s classic novel, “Wuthering Heights,” is at Berkeley Rep through January 1st. She talks about the adaptation, and about her work during the Covid shutdown with host Richard Wolinsky. (photo: Suki Dhanda)
Lisa Ramirez, playwright, “The Book of Sand” at the Oakland Theater Project, November 11 – December 4th, and Associate Artistic Director of the Oakland Theater Project, in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky.
Helen Benedict, co-author (with Eyad Awwadawnon) of “Map of Hope and Sorrow: Stories of Refugees Trapped in Greece,” in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky. Helen Benedict is the author of seven novels and five books of non-fiction. Her latest book, “Map of Hope and Sorrow,” co-written by Eyad Awwadawnon, a Syrian refugee who was planning to get a law degree in Damascus, is partly an oral history of refugees coming to Greece after escaping from their home countries, and partly a look at the refugee camps of Greece.
George Saunders, author of the short story collection, Liberation Day, in conversation with Richard Wolinsky. George Saunders is the highly acclaimed author of several short story collections, including “Tenth of December,” “CivilWarLand in Bad Decline,” along with the Booker Prize winning novel, “Lincoln in the Bardo.” Recorded October 10, 2022.
Clive Barker, noted horror and dark fantasy author, in conversation with the Probabilities crew, Richard A. Lupoff, Lawrence Davidson and Richard Wolinsky, recorded January 9, 1987 while he was on tour for his fantasy novel, “Weaveworld.” Digitized, remastered and edited in October 2022. Hosted by Richard Wolinsky.
Jesse Green, New York Times theatre critic, and co-author of “Shy: The Alarmingly Outspoken Memoirs of Mary Rodgers,” in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky. Mary Rodgers was the daughter of Richard Rodgers and the book is an enormously entertaining look at life in the world of Broadway, though she pretty much knew anyone who was anyone in New York.
Cory Doctorow, science fiction author and internet activist, in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky, recorded February 9, 2013 while on tour for the novel “Home Land, ” a sequel to “Little Brother.”
Glenn Frankel, author of “The Searchers: The Making of an American Legend,” recorded on April 10, 2013, in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky. “The Searchers,” as Glenn Frankel explains at the start of the interview, is one of America’s iconic movies. Directed by John Ford, and starring John Wayne, it explores several themes in this country’s life, including racism and so-called manifest destiny.
Vauhini Vara, author of the novel, “The Immortal King Rao,” in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky. Recorded via zencastr September 8, 2022. Vauhini Vara studied at the Iowa Writers Workshop, worked as tech reporter at The Wall Street Journal and wrote for the business section of The New Yorker. She is a contributing writer at Wired
