Books

A few weeks ago, University Press Books in Berkeley announced it would shut for good after nearly 50 years in the business. Now, the remaining East Bay independent bookshops  are turning to the community to hold on. 

Book tours have been canceled since shelter-in-place began, so we’re bringing Bay Area author readings to you as part of our "New Arrivals" series. This one is from Sacramento author Shelley Blanton-Stroud reading from her new novel, "Copy Boy."

Book tours have been canceled while we're sheltered-in-place, so we’re bringing Bay Area author readings to you as part of our "New Arrivals" series. This one is from San Francisco author Jaimal Yogis reading from his new children’s picture book, "Mop Rides the Waves of Life."

While we're sheltered in place, we’re bringing Bay Area author readings to you as part of our "New Arrivals" series. This one features San Francisco author Anne Raeff reading from her new book, "Only the River."

While we're sheltered in place, we’re bringing Bay Area author readings to you as part of our "New Arrivals" series. This one features Berkeley’s Johanna Silver, the former garden editor of Sunset Magazine whose book Growing Weed in the Garden came out in March. 

It's about time for this summer's philosophical reading list -- and our 500th episode.

While we're sheltered in place, we’re bringing Bay Area author readings to you as part of our "New Arrivals" series. This one features Oakland-based author Monica Sok reading from her new book of poetry, "A Nail the Evening Hangs On."

While we're sheltered in place, we’re bringing Bay Area author readings to you as part of our "New Arrivals" series. Today, we're featuring San Anselmo-based author Kate Milliken reading from her  new novel, "Kept Animals."

While we're sheltered in place, we’re bringing Bay Area author readings to you as part of our "New Arrivals" series. Today, we're featuring Oakland author Melanie Abrams reading from her new book, "Meadowlark."

While we're sheltered in place, we’re bringing Bay Area author readings to you in a series we’re calling "New Arrivals." Today, we're featuring San Francisco author Katie Flynn reading from her new novel, "The Companions."

While we're sheltered in place, we’re bringing Bay Area author readings to you in a series we’re calling "New Arrivals." Today, we're featuring San Francisco author Juli Delgado Lopera reading from her bilingual, coming of age novel "Fiebre Tropical."

While we're sheltered-in-place, we’re bringing Bay Area author readings to you in a series we’re calling "New Arrivals." Today, we're featuring San Francisco author Beth Lisick reading from her new novel, "Edie on the Green Screen."

Book release parties have been canceled while we're sheltered-in-place, so we’re bringing Bay Area readings to you in a series we’re calling "New Arrivals." Today, we're featuring San Francisco author Cara Black reading from her new book, "Three Hours in Paris."

Bay Area book release parties have been canceled while we're sheltered-in-place, so we’re bringing the readings to you in a series we’re calling "New Arrivals." Today, we're featuring San Francisco author C Pam reading from her new novel, "How Much of These Hills Is Gold."

Bay Area book release parties have been canceled while we're sheltered-in-place, so we’re bringing the readings to you in a series we’re calling "New Arrivals." Today, we're featuring San Francisco author Wendy Liu reading from her new book "Abolish Silicon Valley." 

While we're sheltered-in-place, we’re bringing Bay Area author readings to you in a series we’re calling "New Arrivals." Today's reading is from "Why We Swim" by Berkeley author Bonnie Tsui.

Every day brings an avalanche of anxiety-inducing news: The spread of novel coronavirus, the reaction of the markets, the stress on the healthcare system, and the pending November elections.  Singularly, each event is worrying. Collectively, it is hard to take it all in. Where can we find a moment of respite from all the news? Host Grace Won talks with a group of authors, artists and experts to hear how they are using art, music and literature to cope in these challenging times. What are you listening to, reading or watching to calm your nerves?

Guests:

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?