Bay Area Book Festival Podcast

A.H. Kim, Emily B Rose, Taleen Voskuni, Dani Trujillo, Anita Gail Jones, moderated by Jeneé Darden Join an engaging discussion on the art of crafting love stories with a diverse panel of acclaimed authors, whether their novels are shelved with literary fiction or romance. Panelists A.H. Kim ( Relative Strangers, a contemporary Korean retelling of Sense and Sensibility ), Emily B Rose ( Call of the...

Traci Chee, Sarah Lariviere, Darcie Little Badger, Sandra Proudman, Brittany Williams, moderated by Laura Gao Daniel Sometimes, the darkness can illuminate the imagination—especially in these beautifully wrought novels for teen readers. New York Times bestselling author Traci Chee 's gut-wrenching fantasy Kindling tells the tale of postwar "kindlings," a corps of elite, magic-wielding warriors who...

Faith Adiele, Bill Hing, Tessa Hulls, Lauren Markham, moderated by Tasneem Raja   Immigrant narratives span time, place, and genre to reach deeper universal truths. Four writers join in conversation to explore the many facets of immigrant narratives. Migration and immigration narratives are foundational to how we understand and celebrate culture, and these four panelists grapple with this central...

Greg Sarris in conversation with Jane Ciabattari Join Greg Sarris, acclaimed author and tribal leader, in an engaging conversation with literary critic and interviewer Jane Ciabattari as they explore his latest work, The Forgetters . Don't miss this insightful conversation between two literary luminaries about a book that is as thought-provoking as it is unforgettable.

Naomi Klein in conversation with Brooke Warner Join award-winning author, professor, filmmaker, and activist Naomi Klein in conversation about her latest book,  Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World . Doppelganger offers a unique and dynamic perspective on the absurdity and complexity of our current political moment. Klein uses her own experience of being mistaken for "Other Naomi" (Naomi Wol...

Grace Loh Prasad, Sylvia Brownrigg, Leta McCollough Seletzky, Tarek El-Ariss, moderated by Piper Kerman Moderated by Piper Kerman ( Orange Is the New Black ), four panelists share their process and experience of memoir as the telling of a true story, but also as a work of imagination. Our esteemed panelists, Grace Prasad ( The Translator's Daughter ), Sylvia Brownrigg ( The Whole Staggering Myster...

José Vadi, Brontez Purnell, Priscilla Wathington, Adrienne Chung, MC'd by Sam Sax Come hear some of the Bay Area's most dynamic poets with new collections of poetry and memoir. Panelists include Brontez Purnell, whose Ten Bridges I've Burnt is a wrenching, sexy, and exhilaratingly energetic memoir in genre-defying verse; Priscilla Wathington, whose debut chapbook, Paper & Stick, draws from her exp...

Amy Tan and Jonathan Lethem, moderated by Jane Ciabattari Honoring the fiftieth anniversary of the National Book Critics Circle, this panel presents a beautiful range of voices representing some of the best and most beloved fiction writers of our times. First books by Jonathan Lethem (Motherless Brooklyn) and Amy Tan (The Joy Luck Club) won NBCC awards. The esteemed panelists will read from recent...

John King, Eric Porter, moderated by Bianca Taylor Discover the Bay Area's architectural gems through a narrative lens, as they unveil the intricate interplay of cultural, social, and technological forces. This panel showcases the authors of two captivating reads: John King, author of Portal, a vivid exploration of the Ferry Building's rich history and symbolic significance, and Eric Porter, autho...

J.K. Fowler of Bay Area Book Festival in conversation with Steve Wasserman of Heyday Books The arts are widely underfunded at a time when we need meaning and connection more than ever. What can we do as writers, creatives, and community members? Support the Bay Area Book Festival 

Nancy Jooyoun Kim, Ritu Mukerji, Jason Powell, moderated by Heather Young Moderated by thriller author Heather Young ( The Distant Dead ), this panel brings together novelists whose books center elements of crime, whether they're shelved in mystery or literary fiction. Writer and firefighter Jason Powell's debut novel, No Man's Ghost, explores the psyches of those who fight fires and those who set...

Aida Salazar, Nikki Grimes, Mason Deaver, Dashka Slater, moderated by Mychal Threets From 2021 to 2023, PEN America's Index of School Book Bans recorded 5,894 instances of book bans across 41 states and 247 public school districts. The bans show no sign of slowing down, and they're disproportionately aimed at authors of color, LGBTQ+ authors, and women. Books about racism, sexuality, gender, and h...

Myriam Gurba and Ingrid Rojas Contreras Mean, and the recent essay collection, Creep , a finalist for a National Book Critics Circle award in criticism. Rojas Contreras's dazzling debut memoir, The Man Who Could Move Clouds, explores her Colombian identity and reckons with the bounds of reality through an oral history that challenges Western notions of history and memory. The two authors will be i...

Charlie Jane Anders, Aya de León, Sim Kern, Rebecca Roanhorse, moderated by Keya Chatterjee Climate fiction is a unique way to approach the climate crisis through both real and imagined endings and beginnings. This panel, moderated by author and activist Keya Chatterjee, explores why writers are drawn to climate fiction (Cli-Fi), and what they hope to achieve through the genre. Charlie Jane Anders...

Sonya Renee Taylor, moderated by Cinnamongirl Kailynn and Cinnamongirl Symone An empowering conversation with one of the world's most inspirational activists and thought leaders writing and speaking today. You'll want to bring your daughters, sons, their friends, and  your friends to hear the radically powerful message of Sonya Renee Taylor , revolutionary founder of The Body Is Not an Apology , a...

Rebecca Roanhorse and Dani Trujillo, moderated by Kristina M Canales   A not-to-be-missed conversation between Indigenous horror writers Rebecca Roanhorse and D.H. Trujillo, both of whom are featured in Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology. This groundbreaking book celebrates Indigenous resistance by highlighting themes of magic, tradition, ancestry, family, and cultural re...

Viet Thanh Nguyen, Piper Kerman, Alka Joshi, moderated by Laura Warrell Turning a beloved book into a compelling film or series is a journey filled with creative collaboration, financial considerations, script development, casting decisions, and years of meticulous preparation. For the authors at the center of these adaptation journeys, it also involves roadblocks, setbacks, near misses, and plot...

R.O. Kwon, Brontez Purnell, Sam Sax, moderated by Lucy Jane Bledsoe Join us for a captivating panel discussion moderated by author Lucy Jane Bledsoe (author of Tell the Rest and No Stopping Us Now ) and featuring three acclaimed writers—R.O. Kwon, Brontez Purnell, and Sam Sax—as they delve into the rich and complex terrain of sexuality, desire, and queerness in literature. From candid reflections...

Sara Calvosa Olson in conversation with Terria Smith Sara Calvosa Olson is a food writer and editor exploring the intersections of storytelling, Indigenous food systems, security, sovereignty, reconnection, and recipe development. Olson's maternal ancestry is from the Karuk tribe whose lands are part of northwest California, and her new book,  Chími Nu'am: Native California Foodways for the Contem...

Joan Baez in conversation with Greg Sarris Ground-breaking Mexican-American musician, artist, and activist Joan Baez joins accomplished writer, professor, and tribal leader Chairman Greg Sarris in a conversation about writing, creating, and legacy. Sarris is co-executive producer of Joan Baez: I Am A Noise , a deeply personal, profound, and haunting documentary that follows Baez on her 2018 Fare T...

Christina Gerhardt, Manjula Martin, Rosanna Xia, Jade S. Sasser, moderated by Maddie Oatman Join this essential and urgent conversation that examines the changing physical and cultural landscapes of the climate crisis. This panel centers one of the most pressing issues of our times and brings together in conversation four panelists who have written in depth aboutclimate change and its impacts on b...

Steve Phillips, Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson, Maurice Mitchell, moderated by Lateefah Simon In 2024, the threat of authoritarianism is greater than ever before. Yet our nation also has the potential to become a genuine multiracial democracy. How can we help tip the scale? Steve Phillips is a national political leader, bestselling author, and columnist. He is the author of The New York Times bestselle...

Ramona Ausubel, Mary Otis, and Margaret Wilkerson Sexton, moderated by Jasmin Darznik Relationships between mothers and daughters can be fraught or fruitful—especially for fiction writers. Bring your mom, or your daughter—you might find common ground through some fabulous new fiction in this session. Buy the books here  With the support of California College of the Arts MFA Writing program

Anthony Cody and Paisley Rekdal, moderated by Tess Taylor Many of us, when faced by stacks of dusty old documents, might leave the work to the archivists—or consign the mess to the recycling bin of history. In this session, we'll hear from those who instead look at archives and envision poetry. Poet Paisley Rekdal vividly documents how the heroic narrative of the transcontinental railroad is inter...

Katy Hays, Marcie R. Rendon, and Brendan Slocumb, moderated by Laurie R. King Not even the rarified realms of art are safe in the imaginations of these writers, where intrigue lurks even in the concert hall or the museum. Buy the books here  With support from the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria