Books

Jaimel Hemphill’s comic book hobby grew into a passion. He and his friends launched National Press Comics, a publishing company in Oakland with diverse characters and genres. He stopped by to talk comics and wound up sharing a funny wrestling story.

Sandip takes us to one of his favorite places, the Kolkata Book Fair, now in it’s 44th year!  

Mimi Lok is the executive director of the human-rights organization Voice of Witness, whose mission is to amplify unheard voices. Mimi carries the passion over her day job over to the world she imagines.

What should you have been be reading this summer—and how should you have been reading it? 

This weekend Downtown Berkeley will transform into a literary paradise for the Bay Area Book Festival. Cherilyn Parsons started the event in 2015 after being inspired by the LA Times book festival. 

In his memoir "Paper Sons," award-winning author Dickson Lam takes readers to the North Beach projects of San Francisco, where he grew up in the early 90s.

What have you read this summer that challenged your assumptions and made you think about things in new ways?

When we have conversations about war and refuge, we sometimes forget our children are listening. So how do you talk to kids about things like the war in Syria?

That’s what Union City children’s author Naheed Senzai tackled in her new novel for middle schoolers, Escape from Aleppo. The story follows 14-year old Nadia as she makes her way out of the devastation of war.

Writer Sandip Roy experiences a deeper meaning to the 'Lit fest’ circuit.   

It’s a Your Call tradition -- we get you ready to head to your independent bookstore with lots of gifts ideas for friends and family.  

What books should thoughtful people read this summer?

This week on KALW's showcase for the best stories from public radio podcasts and independent radio producers... 

In The Book Report series, KALW talks to local authors about the books they love. Today we hear about Tyler Vile's Never Coming Home from Amy Berkowitz, a writer living in San Francisco.

In the Berkeley Public Library last year, Board of Trustees Meetings were packed with library users who showed up to defend the library’s books.

The Book Report is a new series where we talk to local authors about the books they love. Today we hear about Kingsley Amis's Lucky Jim from Katherine Ellison, a writer living in San Anselmo. 

Click the audio player above to hear about the book. 

The Book Report is brought to you by KALW and the Litography Project, which is mapping the stories of San Francisco’s literary scene. Find more Litography stories here. 

When I first started working at The Booksmith, the local independent bookstore a couple blocks from my apartment, it was a lot like what I expected it to be. Book lovers browsed, regulars came in for their daily newspaper, and authors gave intimate readings. So it came as a surprise when one night all the shelves in the back were pushed aside, two hundred or so people filed in, and Baruch Porras-Hernandez welcomed the crowd enthusiastically with: “Are you guys ready for some porn? Let’s dive in!” 

What books should thoughtful people be reading this summer?

The Book Report is a series where we talk to local authors about the books they love. Writer Kevin Smokler shared his pick - The Fire Next Time, by James Baldwin - with Ninna Gaensler-Debs.

Summer is here – what philosophers, philosophies, or philosophical issues do you want to read up on? Heidegger's Being and Time may not be the obvious choice to take on vacation, but there are lots of readable, beach-friendly classics and non-classics to add philosophical depth to your summer reading.

The Book Report is a new series where we talk to local authors about the books they love. Writer Cara Black shared her pick - The Lover, by Marguerite Duras - with Ninna Gaensler-Debs.

On the April 29th edition of Your Call, we’ll talk about the state of independent booksellers. On Saturday, bookstores from Mendocino to Maine will celebrate Independent Bookstore Day, with special events and unique publications created to mark the day. The Bay Area has seen a resurgence in independent bookstores, with some local chains growing, while others have closed down. How is your favorite independent bookstore changing? It’s Your Call with Hana Baba, and you.

Guests:

Samantha Schoech, program director of Independent Bookstore Day on May 2