All About Books
267 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 days ago - ★★★★ - 18 ratingsA weekly book review and discussion program hosted by Pat Leach. Updated on Thursdays.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
“This is Nebraska – Books that Tell Our Story”
August 03, 2022 14:00 - 16 minutes - 14.9 MBWhat book would you suggest to someone who’s never visited Nebraska to help them understand our state and its people? This week’s “All About Books” explores that question with special guest Ron Hull, Senior Advisor to Nebraska Public Media. It’s the first in a series called “This is Nebraska – Books that Tell Our Story”
A look back at Willa Cather's 1922 novel "One of Ours"
July 27, 2022 14:00 - 16 minutes - 14.7 MB100 years ago, Willa Cather wrote the novel “One of Ours” which won the Pulitzer Prize for Literature. This week “All About Books” welcomes Cather scholar Becky Faber to discuss the significance of the novel in its era and how modern readers might relate to it today.
"Poet Warrior: A Memoir" by Joy Harjo
July 20, 2022 14:00 - 8 minutes - 8.15 MBJoy Harjo, the first Native American to serve as U.S. poet laureate. Her new memoir “Poet Warrior” reveals how she came to write poetry of compassion and healing while finding truth and demanding justice.
“The People of Lincoln” by Randy Bretz
July 13, 2022 14:00 - 15 minutes - 14.3 MBWhat’s the difference between a city and a community? What makes a place home? These topics are explored through the stories of people living in the Capitol City. It's all in a new book written by longtime Lincoln resident Randy Bretz. He’s the guest on this week’s “All About Books” where he introduces his book, “The People of Lincoln: The Framework of Community.”
“The Five Wounds” by Kirstin Valdez-Quade
July 06, 2022 14:00 - 8 minutes - 7.53 MBSeveral generations of a family in rural New Mexico have both deeply layered relationships as well as their struggles. In the novel “The Five Wounds” by Kirstin Valdez-Quade shows the fragility and resilience of family.
“A Life in Light: Meditations on Impermanence” by Mary Pipher
June 29, 2022 14:00 - 14 minutes - 13.6 MBBest-selling Nebraska author Mary Pipher didn’t plan on writing another book, until the Covid lock down forced an inspiration upon her. All About Books host Pat Leach sat down with Pipher to learn about her latest work which deals with loss and change over time while always seeking the light. Learn about “A Life in Light: Meditations on Impermanence” with Lincoln author Mary Pipher.
“75 Years on 4 Strings” by UNL Professor Hans Sturm
June 22, 2022 14:00 - 18 minutes - 17.2 MBHe was a self-taught musician from Syria who astonished the music world with his innovative technique on the double bass. With his new style, Francois Rabbath could play with ease what should have been impossible. UNL Professor of Double Bass and Jazz Studies Hans Sturm is the guest on this week’s All About Books where he’ll talk about his biography of Rabbath “75 Years on 4 Strings”
“Pastoral Song” by James Rebanks
June 15, 2022 14:00 - 9 minutes - 8.35 MBJames Rebanks and his family have been farmers in England’s Lake District for generations. In his book “Pastoral Song” he tells how the global transformation of agriculture has impacted the environment and even the human relationship to the land. Learn about how this farmer is trying to restore the life that vanished from his small farm on
“At the Corner of Fantasy and Main” by Matt Mason
June 08, 2022 14:00 - 13 minutes - 12.4 MBNebraska State Poet Matt Mason joins “All About Books” host Pat Leach this week to introduce his new collection “At the Corner of Fantasy and Main” Disneyland is the touchstone for these poems where midlife and memories come together.
The One Book-One Lincoln finalists.
June 01, 2022 14:00 - 15 minutes - 13.9 MBThe 3 finalists for this year’s community reading event “One Book- One Lincoln” were announced this week. David Smith, the facilitator for the selection committee, joins Pat Leach to introduce each title and share why it’s a book definitely worth reading with others this summer.
“Matrix” by Lauren Groff
May 25, 2022 14:00 - 8 minutes - 7.73 MBBased on the life of a real woman cast out of the court of Eleanor of Aquitaine, Marie de France winds up in England in charge of an impoverished abbey. Lauren Groff’s latest novel, “Matrix” reveals the power of female creativity in a corrupted 12th century.
“Shadow Migration: Mapping a Life.” by Suzanne Ohlmann
May 18, 2022 14:00 - 16 minutes - 15.3 MBSuzanne Ohlmann was raised in Seward Nebraska, then traveled far away only to keep returning during her careers in singing and then nursing. As an adopted newborn, she had a shadow she needed to deal with. Hear an interview with Suzanne Ohlmann about this lifelong journey detailed in her book, “Shadow Migration: Mapping a Life.”
"The Wrong End of the Telescope" by Rabih Alameddine
May 11, 2022 14:00 - 7 minutes - 6.52 MBWinner of this year’s Pen/Faulkner award for Fiction, author Rabih Alameddine’s latest novel sees a Lebanese doctor arriving at a Syrian refugee camp to help. It's a portrait of ordinary people trapped in horrific circumstances. Hear a review of “The Wrong End of the Telescope”
“The Doctors Blackwell" by Janice Nimura
May 04, 2022 14:00 - 16 minutes - 14.9 MBIn 1849 Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman in America to receive a medical degree. A few years later her younger sister Emily also earned her M.D. Together, the sisters started the first hospital staffed entirely by women. A new biography details these and other accomplishments, “The Doctors Blackwell.” Author Janice Nimura joins host Pat Leach.
“Now Is the Time for Trees" by Dan Lambe
April 27, 2022 14:00 - 11 minutes - 10.9 MBTrees are not only beautiful, they help keep our homes cool in the summer and improve air quality. They’re key to fighting the negative effects of climate change. Dan Lambe, CEO of the Arbor Day Foundation joins Pat Leach this week to talk about the book, “Now Is the Time for Trees: Make an Impact by Planting the Earth’s Most Valuable Resource”
“Eat Your Woolly Mammoths!" by James Solheim
April 20, 2022 14:00 - 13 minutes - 12.4 MBFrom the unbelievable to the barely digestible, Nebraska author and illustrator James Solheim’s upcoming book is a treat for young readers hungry for something fun. “Eat Your Woolly Mammoths!: Two Million Years of the World's Most Amazing Food Facts, from the Stone Age to the Future” Hear an interview with the author.
An interview with author B.J. Hollars and his son Henry.
April 13, 2022 14:00 - 14 minutes - 19.9 MBB.J. Hollars and his six-year-old son, Henry, struck out on a 2,500-mile road trip retracing the Oregon Trail. They ate at truck stops, camped out in a tent and leaned about the country, our history and each other. B.J. and his son Henry stopped by the studio to tell All About Books host Pat Leach about their adventures and their book, Go West, Young Man”
A look at the epidemic of loneliness“Seek You” by Kristen Radtke
April 06, 2022 14:00 - 7 minutes - 6.87 MBSomething you can readily find in the largest urban cities as well as the smallest rural towns- is loneliness. Writer and illustrator Kristen Radtke looks at the silent epidemic and the friction between people’s inner lives and public selves. It's in her new book, “Seek You”.
"Lincoln" from the Postcard History Series. E. Zimmer & J. McKee
March 30, 2022 14:00 - 17 minutes - 15.8 MBLong before cameras were found in every cell phone, if you wanted show your friends what you were up to, you mailed a penny postcard. The post card may be disappearing but two local historians have put together a book featuring Nebraska’s capital city from their large collection old postcards. Ed Zimmer and Jim McKee talk about their new book, “Lincoln” from the Postcard History Series
“A World on the Wing" by Scott Weidensaul.
March 23, 2022 14:00 - 8 minutes - 7.69 MBThanks to recent advances in research, our understanding of the navigation and physical feats performed by migratory birds has exploded. These amazing far-traveling birds from around the world are showcased in the book, “A World on the Wing: the Global Odyssey of Migratory Birds” by Scott Weidensaul.
“Painting Time” by Maylis de Kerengal
March 16, 2022 14:00 - 9 minutes - 8.78 MBPaula is a young artist enrolled at a famous school in Brussels where students learn the painstaking techniques to paint realistically the grain of wood or the look of old marble. This week a review of the novel, “Painting Time” by Maylis de Kerengal. A story of technical painting and a young woman who brings her skills and craft to unique jobs around the world.
“Oh William!” by Elizabeth Strout
March 09, 2022 15:00 - 7 minutes - 7.23 MBA successful writer agrees to help her ex-husband on a road trip to deal with a family secret. “Oh William!:a Novel” by Elizabeth Strout confronts the mystery of people even in our close relationships.
"Relcamation" by Lisa Tschauner
March 02, 2022 15:00 - 15 minutes - 14.3 MBNebraska author Lisa Tschauner (shawn ur) joins Pat Leach to talk about her novel “Reclamation.” It’s the story of two Nebraska college students who take a gap year to travel overseas only to be caught up in crime abuse and human trafficking.
“The Future We Choose" by Figueres and Rivett-Carnac
February 23, 2022 15:00 - 7 minutes - 7.16 MB“The Future We Choose: the Stubborn Optimist’s Guide to the Climate Crisis.” The book offers two scenarios for the planet’s destination in 30 years. One, should we fail to meet the Paris Agreement’s climate targets, and the other the transformation of the world to have net-zero emissions. Contained is an argument to meet the climate crisis head-on and what needs to happen.
"Velvet Was the Night" by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
February 17, 2022 18:43 - 7 minutes - 6.86 MBA secretary in 1970’s Mexico City leads a dull life compared to the beautiful art student who lives next door. The novel “Velvet Was the Night” moves into classic noir territory when the neighbor goes missing under mysterious circumstances. Hear a review of the new work by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
"On Juneteenth" by Annette Gordon-Reed
February 09, 2022 15:00 - 7 minutes - 7.28 MBAnnette Gordon-Reed grew up in Texas. In her book “On Juneteenth” she brings together American history, her family chronicle and a historian’s view of the path for the nation that started in Galveston Texas on June 19th, 1865.
“Red Comet” by Heather Clark
February 02, 2022 15:00 - 7 minutes - 7.09 MBThis week on “All About Books” a monumental biography of the writer Sylvia Plath that focuses on her literary and intellectual achievements. “Red Comet: the Short Life and Blazing Art of Sylvia Plath” by Heather Clark
“Rhinos in Nebraska” by Alison Pearce Stevens
January 26, 2022 15:00 - 12 minutes - 11.4 MBInspired by her work at the University of Nebraska State Museum, Dr. Alison Pearce Stevens has written a book about the Ashfall Fossil Beds suitable for younger readers. Hear an interview with the author of “Rhinos in Nebraska” a new book of engaging science writing interesting to older readers too.
“Libertie” by Kaitlyn Greenidge.
January 19, 2022 15:00 - 7 minutes - 7.11 MBA novel based on the life of one of the first female African American doctors in the country, “Libertie” by Kaitlyn Greenidge. It’s the story of a young girl born in Reconstruction-era Brooklyn attempting to find a place where she can fully be herself.
“Last Night at the Telegraph Club” by Malinda Lo
January 12, 2022 15:00 - 7 minutes - 6.81 MB17-year old Lilly is a Chinese American girl growing up in San Francisco’s China Town. In the novel “Last Night at the Telegraph Club” 1950’s America during the Red Scare is not a safe place for a Chinese girl like Lily to fall in love with another girl. Hear a review of Malinda Lo’s new novel
“A Town Called Solace” by Mary Lawson
January 05, 2022 15:00 - 6 minutes - 5.75 MBEach of the 3 characters is in a different stage of life and each is struggling with loss. “A Town Called Solace” by Mary Lawson is a novel that patiently follows small-town lives.
"Yellow Bird" by Sierra Crane Murdoch
December 29, 2021 15:00 - 7 minutes - 6.86 MBA finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, it’s the true story of a murder on a South Dakota Indian reservation, and the unforgettable native woman who becomes obsessed with solving it. “Yellow Bird: Oil, Murder, and a Woman's Search for Justice in Indian Country” by Sierra Crane Murdoch
“Zorrie” by Laird Hunt,
December 22, 2021 15:00 - 8 minutes - 7.59 MBIt’s a poetic novel of rural, small town life. “Zorrie” by Laird Hunt, is the life story of woman born in Depression-era Indiana and a powerful portrait of longing and community of the American Midwest
Holiday gift ideas for adult readers
December 15, 2021 15:00 - 14 minutes - 13 MBLast week we presented book suggestions for kids, this Thursday it’s gift ideas for adult readers. Special guest Leslie Huerta of "Francie & Finch" book store has recommendations for:history, fiction, detective, science and cook books.
Holiday Gift ideas for young readers with Vicky Wood
December 08, 2021 15:00 - 12 minutes - 11.5 MBThe gift of books to children can have a lasting positive impact. This week's program welcomes Youth Services Coordinator for Lincoln Public Libraries, Vicky Wood, who returns with book recommendations for young people. Learn about great holiday gifts ideas for toddlers to middle schoolers.
“The Lincoln Highway: a Novel” by Amor Towles
December 01, 2021 15:00 - 8 minutes - 8.22 MBIn the summer of, 1954, 18-year-old Emmett Watson is driven home to Nebraska by the warden of the juvenile work farm where he served fifteen months. With only a younger brother left, he plans for them to go to California and start over. Fate and friends from the work farm have other plans for Emmett. “The Lincoln Highway: a Novel” by Amor Towles
“China Room” by Sunjeev Sahota
November 17, 2021 15:00 - 8 minutes - 8.05 MBThe novel tells the story of family connections across time and place- from 1929 rural India to modern Britain. How a place, or objects in a room, can hold stories of the past waiting to be discovered by a new generation. Hear a review of “China Room” by Sunjeev Sahota
“Cokie: A Life Well Lived.” by Steve Roberts
November 10, 2021 15:00 - 15 minutes - 14.1 MBCokie Roberts was a fixture on NPR and television for 40 years. She was author of 5 bestselling books and inspiration for generations of young female journalists. On “All About Books.” Host Pat Leach talks with Steve Roberts, Cokie's husband of 53 years about his book remembering her friendships and daily acts of generosity. “Cokie: A Life Well Lived.”
“The Splendid and the Vile” by Erik Larsen.
November 03, 2021 14:00 - 13 minutes - 12.4 MBWinston Churchill leading the British through the German blitz is well-known history, but a new book uses Churchill’s diaries to offer a fresh perspective of those dark days. Guest reviewer Carl Eskridge looks at, “The Splendid and the Vile” by Erik Larsen.
“The Secret to Super Human Strength” by Alison Bechdel
October 27, 2021 14:00 - 13 minutes - 11.9 MBArtist and writer Alison Bechdel has had a life-long obsession with every exercise craze of the last 50 years. In her new book, “The Secret to Super Human Strength” she examines physical self-improvement, ageing and transcendence.
“Piranesi” by Susanna Clarke
October 20, 2021 14:00 - 7 minutes - 7.22 MBThe setting of this novel is as strange as any you’ll find- a labyrinth of countless statues where sea tides fill rooms and then retreat. This is the otherworldly home of a solitary man. A look at the New York Times best-selling fantasy novel “Piranesi” by Susanna Clarke
"Nebraska History Moments" by David Bristow
October 13, 2021 14:00 - 15 minutes - 14.3 MBIf you can spare just a few minutes, you can learn something interesting about Nebraska history. That’s the idea behind a new release from the University of Nebraska Press. “Nebraska History Moments” a photo-filled book meant to be browsed. Author David Bristow is the guest on this week’s program.
"The Perfume Thief" by Timothy Schaffert
October 05, 2021 19:08 - 14 minutes - 13.1 MBIt’s a story of crime in an unlikely place- the high fashion world of Nazi occupied Paris. UNL English Professor Timothy Schaffert is the guest on this week’s "All About Books" as he talks with host Pat Leach about his new novel, ‘The Perfume Thief”
The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennet
September 28, 2021 21:11 - 6 minutes - 5.76 MBIn the novel “The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennett, twin sisters fleeing their small town life, head to New Orleans where one sister discovers she can pass as white. Here begins a fracture that will separate them in this story of sisterhood and black personal identity.
“The Only Wonderful Things" by Melissa Homestead
September 22, 2021 14:00 - 15 minutes - 14.2 MBMost Nebraskans are familiar with Willa Cather’s novels, but a new book by UNL Professor of English Melissa Homestead reveals new information on how Cather wrote her stories. Her book is, “The Only Wonderful Things: The Creative Partnership of Willa Cather & Edith Lewis”
The “Friend Zone” series by Abby Jimenez.
September 15, 2021 14:00 - 11 minutes - 10.7 MBWith Labor Day past, there’s little time left for summer reading. This week’s program features guest reviewer Kiersten Hill who looks at 3 modern Romance novels which are both funny and innovative. The “Friend Zone” series by Abby Jimenez.
“Carville's Cure: by Pam Fessler”
September 13, 2021 14:00 - 8 minutes - 7.57 MBIn rural Louisiana was a place locals called simply, Carville. It was the only Leprosy colony in the United States. There, for generations, afflicted people were isolated, often against their will. A review of, “Carville's Cure: Leprosy, Stigma, and the Fight for Justice” by Pam Fessler”
“Tomatoes for Neela” by Padma Lakshmi
September 01, 2021 14:00 - 12 minutes - 11.2 MBPreparing food is the time-honored way to help young people learn about their family and culture. Guest reviewer Dylan Teut Executive Director of the Plum Creek Literacy Festival, shares a children’s title, “Tomatoes for Neela” by Padma Lakshmi from TV's “Top Chef”
“Temporary” by Hillary Leichter
August 25, 2021 14:00 - 6 minutes - 6.06 MBA playful satire on life and work in the gig economy. The novel, “Temporary” by Hillary Leichter is a surreal trip through the anxieties of late-stage capitalism.
"The Seed Keeper” by Diane Wilson
August 18, 2021 14:00 - 11 minutes - 10.8 MBGuest reviewer Shirley Sneve introduces "The Seed Keeper” by Diane Wilson, a novel told through the voices of 4 generations of native women of the Northern Great Plains. It tells of the preservation of family and culture through hardships, aided by the safekeeping of traditional seeds.