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.
Salman Rushdie discussing his memoir of his years in hiding from the fatwa, “Joseph Anton” with host Richard Wolinsky, recorded September 25, 2012. The recent attack on the famed author brought back memories of the fatwa issued by the Ayatollah Khomeini regarding the publication of the novel “The Satanic Verses.” The death threat forced Salman Rushdie into hiding for a decade, out of which he emerged and eventually resumed a normal life.
Joyce Carol Oates, author of “Blonde,” in conversation with Richard Wolinsky and Richard A. Lupoff, recorded May 3, 2000 in the KPFA studios. In this wide-ranging interview, she discusses her work on this retelling of the life of Marilyn Monroe (soon to be a film with Ana de Armas) as well as her writing career. This recording was recently digitized and has not been heard for twenty years.
Hershey Felder discusses his stage show, “Chopin in Paris,” playing at TheatreWorks Mountain View through September 11, 2022 with host Richard Wolinsky. Over the past 29 years, 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 and others.
Fourth in a series of interviews recorded for an abandoned documentary on George and Ira Gershwin. For seven years, cabaret performer and American Songbook master Michael Feinstein worked as an archivist for Ira Gershwin. In this interview from 1991, he discusses a then-recent recording of the 1927 Gershwin show, “Strike Up the Band,” and his work as an archivist. Hosted by Richard Wolinsky.
Jonathan Lethem: Career Retrospective, hosted by Richard Wolinsky. On March 3, 2016, Richard Wolinsky had a chance to sit down with Jonathan Lethem in front of a Berkeley audience as a benefit for KPFA. In this career retrospective, Jonathan Lethem talks about his best-known novels, including Chronic City, Motherless Brooklyn and Fortress of Solitude, and his early novels as well.
Christopher Moore, author of “Razzmatazz,” “Noir,” and other novels of comic fantasy and horror, in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky. Christopher Moore has eighteen novels to his credit, including Practical Demonkeeping, Bloodsucking Fiends, Fool and Secondhand Souls, many of which take place in San Francisco, where he now lives.
Harlan Coben is the author of several best-selling novels. In this interview recorded in 2016 at Book Passage Bookstore in Corte Madera, he discusses his career to that point, and his most recent novel at that time, “Fool Me Once.” Encore podcast originally posted April 21, 2016.
Susan Faludi talks with host Richard Wolinsky about her book, In The Darkroom, winner of the 2016 Kirkus Prize and a finalist for the 2017 Pulitzer Prize. This encore podcast was first posted on October 5, 2016. In The Darkroom remains Susan Faludi’s most recent book to date.
Peter Brook (1925-2022) visionary director, in conversation with Richard Wolinsky. Peter Brook, who died on July 2, 2022 at the age of 97 was one of the greatest theatrical directors of the twentieth century. Artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company for twenty years from 1962-1982, he transformed how the English speaking world looked at the plays of William Shakespeare. This interview was recorded while he was in San Francisco, working with his collaborator Marie Helene Estienne on “Battlefield,” a short theatrical piece based on themes from The Mahabarata. The interview was recorded April 24, 2017. Included in the podcast is a brief commentary on Peter Brook by actor and director Simon McBurney.
Garry Marshall (1934-2016) was a television producer (“Happy Days”) and film director (“Pretty Woman”). In this interview hosted by Richard Wolinsky conducted in 2012 while he was on tour for his memoir, he discusses his entire career, starting with writing for men’s magazines in the 1950s. Encore podcast first posted July 20, 2016. Recorded at Book Passage Bookstore in Corte Madera.
