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.
Noel Casler is a stand-up comic whose earlier career as a celebrity handler led him to work for six years on “Celebrity Apprentice.” In this interview recorded December 4, 2020 and originally posted two days later, he discusses what it was like to work with Donald Trump, and who Donald Trump was during those television years. Hosted by Richard Wollinsky.
Francine Prose, author of “1974, A Personal History” in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky.
The author of twenty novels and ten books of non fiction, Francine Prose is best known for such novels as “Lovers at the Chameleon Club, 1932,” “The Vixen,” “Household Saints” and “Mister Monkey.” This latest book, “1974” is a memoir about her time in San Francisco in the mid-1970s and her friendship with Anthony Russo, who. along with Daniel Ellsberg, was an activist responsible for revealing the Pentagon Papers to the world.
Author, satirist and musician Kinky Friedman (1944-2024) died in June, 2024 at the age of 79. In this wide-ranging interview recorded in September 1994, he talks about his double careers and lets loose his opinions about country music and Garth Brooks in this interview with Richard Wolinsky and Richard A. Lupoff.
Noted playwright Naomi Iizuka discusses her translation and adaptation of Shakespeare’s history play, Richard II, a play written in verse, into a theatrical piece in which the language is comprehensible to a modern audience while maintaining the essence of the story, the characterization, and the poetry. She goes on to talk about her work in television, and her work as a professor of theatre. Hosted by Richard Wolinsky.
Josh Costello, the Artistic Director of Aurora Theatre in Berkeley since 2019, in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky, discussing the state of Bay Area theatre today, including Aurora, and several other issues, along with looks at the past season and the upcoming one.
Erik Larson, best selling author of “The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War, in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky, recorded at Book Passage Bookstre on May 31, 2024.
The great Irish novelist and playwright Edna O’Brien died at the age of 93 on July 27, 2024 after a long illness. Her novels changed the face of Irish literature, starting with “The Country Girls,” which was banned in Ireland after its publication in 1960. This interview was conducted in 2000 while she was on tour for her novel, “Wild Decembers,” third in a thematic trilogy. Hosted by Richard Wolinsky.
John Barth (1930-2024), who died on April 2, 2024 at the age of 93, was America’s leading writer of metafictional and post-modern fiction. This interview was conducted by Richard Wolinsky and Richard A. Lupoff on November 12, 2001 in the KPFA studios, while on the book tour for the novel Coming Soon.
Noir/thriller/mystery authors Jonathan and Faye Kellerman discuss their one collaboration, “Double Homicide,” along with their careers, recorded October 28, 2004. Hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Photo: Jesse Kellerman.
Adam Gopnik discusses his book “At the Strangers’ Gate with host Richard Wolinsky, recorded in the KPFA studios, September 12, 2017. First posted October 19, 2017.
