The Women Books & More’s Podcast

What did it take for a woman to claim land in her own name—and build a life on it? Historian Gail M. Beaton joins Irene Rawlings on Women, Books & More to discuss her book, Colorado Women Homesteaders. Through diaries, letters, and photographs, she introduces us to women who built homes, earned a living, and found friendship in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Colorado. We talk about “p...

What happens when the life you worked hard to build no longer feels like your own? Writer Shari Caudron joins Irene to talk about her memoir The Second Story, aging, and the habits of pleasing and proving ourselves. Shari shares what happened when she turned the questions she’d spent years asking others on herself and why she first wrote the book without plans to publish it. If Shari’s story speak...

Who was Alice DeLamar—and how did one of America’s wealthiest and most independent women remain largely unknown? In this episode of Women, Books & More, Irene Rawlings talks with Nona Footz, co-author with Audrey Clare Farley of A Mansion of Her Own: The Mysterious Life of Heiress Alice DeLamar. Born into extraordinary wealth at the end of the nineteenth century, Alice could have followed the...

Why do we sometimes become most deeply attached to the people we cannot quite have? In this episode of Women, Books & More, Irene Rawlings talks with journalist and intimacy advocate Amanda McCracken about her candid new book, When Longing Becomes Your Lover: Breaking from Infatuation, Rejection, and Perfectionism to Find Authentic Love. Amanda explores limerence—the intense fixation on an ide...

Dolly Parton has written unforgettable songs, starred in beloved films and built a business empire—but one of her most meaningful accomplishments begins with a simple idea: every child deserves a book. In this episode of Women, Books & More, Irene Rawlings celebrates Dolly’s remarkable life, her joyful generosity and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which has placed millions of free books i...

What if one seemingly random moment changed the entire course of your life? In Chris Bohjalian’s gripping new novel, The Amateur, eighteen-year-old Mira Winston is a gifted golfer with a promising future. Then, on a hot summer day in 1978, a ball she hits tears through a practice net at an affluent Westchester country club and kills a teenage caddy named Kenny Foster. At first, everyone agrees it...

Many of us have stood in a museum before a beautiful portrait of a child and wondered: Who was she? Who did she grow up to be? In The Renoir Girls: A Hidden History of Art, War & Betrayal, journalist and author Catherine Ostler traces the astonishing lives of Irène, Alice and Elisabeth Cahen d’Anvers—three sisters born into a wealthy Jewish banking family in Belle Époque Paris and immortalized...

What happens when Death (the main character of this book) learns to love life? In Ben Reeves’s Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt, Death is a man named Travis Smith. He quietly accompanies people at the ends of their lives—not causing death but making the passage a little gentler. Then Travis meets eight-year-old Layla. Boisterous, curious and determined to be his friend, Layla draws the so...

Acclaimed nature writer Amy Irvine joins Irene Rawlings on Women, Books & More to discuss her powerful new memoir, Almost Animal. For more than twenty years, Amy has written about the American West and our relationship with the natural world. In this deeply personal conversation, she reflects on motherhood, identity, belonging, and the challenge of holding onto yourself while caring for others...

Bestselling author Chanel Cleeton joins Women, Books & More to discuss her new novel, An Infinite Love Story. Set during the early years of America's Space Race, the novel shines a light on the women whose courage, resilience, and sacrifices unfolded behind the headlines. Chanel shares the surprising inspiration behind the book, the extensive research that brought Cape Canaveral and the early...

Award-winning author David Heska Wanbli Weiden joins Women, Books & More to discuss Wisdom Corner, the eagerly awaited sequel to his acclaimed debut, Winter Counts. Host Irene Rawlings explores the return of Virgil Wounded Horse, whose search for justice on South Dakota's Rosebud Reservation becomes far more than a murder investigation. Their conversation examines contemporary Native life, the...

In this episode of Women, Books & More, Irene Rawlings talks with author Catherine Kurtz about her richly imagined historical novel, Feast. Set in nineteenth-century France, the story follows Minha, a young woman with an extraordinary sense of taste who discovers she can detect poison—an ability that draws her into the kitchens and intrigues of a grand château. Catherine shares the inspiration...

Bestselling author Kerri Maher, acclaimed for The Paris Bookseller, The Kennedy Debutante, and The Girl in White Gloves, joins Women, Books & More to discuss Summer of Love, her first novel not inspired by real historical figures. The phrase “California Dreamin’” (immortalized by The Mamas & the Papas' 1965 hit) has long symbolized the idealism of the era. In Summer of Love, Kerri Maher lo...

Bestselling author Rob Hart joins Irene Rawlings on Women, Books & More to discuss his new thriller, Three Hitmen and a Baby, the latest novel in his Assassins Anonymous series. We talk about humor, suspense, memorable characters and the experiences that have shaped his writing. And…yes, the book is every bit as entertaining as the title suggests. Here’s the story: three former assassins—now t...

Summer is the perfect time to slow down, settle into a favorite chair, and lose yourself in a great book. In this episode of Women, Books & More, Irene Rawlings shares her favorite new novels for Summer 2026—from sweeping historical fiction and compelling family sagas to irresistible romance, unforgettable women, and page-turning mysteries. Featured authors include Liane Moriarty, Ann Patchett...

In this episode of Women, Books and More, host Irene Rawlings speaks with whitewater river guide and author Bridget Crocker about her memoir The River’s Daughter. Bridget shares stories from her life spent guiding on rivers around the world and reflects on how a life in extreme whitewater rafting shaped her understanding of fear, survival, trauma, and healing. We talk about what it’s like to grow...

On this episode of Women, Books & More, bestselling novelist Ellen Baker joins us to talk about her new novel, Summerland Cove, a moving work of contemporary women’s fiction set on the coast of Maine. Known for writing emotionally layered stories about family relationships, identity, memory, and belonging, Ellen Baker creates vivid settings that feel deeply connected to the characters themselv...

New York Times bestselling author Lisa See joins Irene Rawlings to discuss her latest novel, Daughters of the Sun and Moon, set in 1870s Los Angeles and inspired by the lives of three Chinese immigrant women who must carve out a living for themselves in a rough frontier town where violence was commonplace and anti-Chinese sentiment ran high. Drawing on her Chinese American heritage and a lifelong...

On this episode of Women, Books & More, host Irene Rawlings welcomes renowned travel expert Pauline Frommer, co-president of Frommer's and daughter of legendary travel pioneer Arthur Frommer, creator of the iconic Europe on $5 a Day travel guides. Pauline shares stories from her childhood travels with her father and offers practical advice for today’s travelers—from carry-on packing strategies...

Women, Books & More sits down with author Robert Edsel, whose groundbreaking research brought the true story of the Monuments Men to a global audience—and ultimately to the screen in George Clooney’s acclaimed film The Monuments Men, featuring an ensemble cast including Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Bob Balaban, Hugh Bonneville, and Cate Blanchett. The film The Monuments Men introduce...

This week, bestselling thriller author Douglas Preston joins us with his daughter—and new writing partner—Aletheia Preston to discuss Paradox, the gripping second novel in their Extinction series. In Paradox, a reclusive man is found dead under grisly and suspicious circumstances in the Colorado wilderness. CBI Agent Cash and Eagle County Sheriff Colcord investigate a trail of bizarre killings, my...

From marionberry pie and cioppino to funeral potatoes, lobster stew, and Spam musubi, this episode is a delicious road trip across America. Host Irene Rawlings talks with food journalist and editor Missy Frederick about EATERLAND: Recipes and Stories from Across the United States, the new cookbook celebrating iconic dishes, local restaurants, and the diverse food cultures that define American cuis...

When women get sick, the challenges often go far beyond the illness itself—from delayed diagnoses to insurance battles. So how do you navigate a system stacked against you? In this episode of Women, Books & More, Irene Rawlings talks with healthcare advocate and former benefits attorney Rebecca Bloom, author of When Women Get Sick. With over 25 years of experience, Rebecca shares practical adv...

Today on Women, Books & More, we’re joined by Adrian Miller—James Beard Award–winning food writer, historian, certified barbecue judge, and self-described Soul Food Scholar. In his latest book, Cooking to the President’s Taste: Asian Chefs in White House History, Adrian uncovers a little-known chapter of American history, exploring the influence of Asian chefs on presidential cuisine and what...

In this episode of Women, Books & More, host Irene Rawlings sits down with author Claire Swinarski to discuss her new novel, The Supper Club Saints. Swinarski shares the story behind the book: When Cass Simon leaves a cult-like “Mommune” and returns to her small Wisconsin hometown, she hopes for a fresh start—but instead must navigate family tensions, motherhood, and the complexities of sister...