California Sun Podcast

Bay Area author Sylvia Brownrigg embarked on a captivating journey to uncover family secrets, set against the backdrop of California's allure of reinvention. In her new memoir, " The Whole Staggering Mystery ," a lost package sparks an exploration that intertwines identity, hidden family histories, and the enduring influence of the past on the present. Through her evocative storytelling, Brownrigg...

Max Podemski is an urban planner, writer, and illustrator who currently serves as a transportation planner for the city of Los Angeles. In his new book, " A Paradise of Small Houses, " he traces the evolution of American housing types, from the Philadelphia row house and Chicago workers cottage to the California bungalow. Podemski argues that California's rich history of desirable multifamily hous...

The California wine industry is under siege. A global wine glut, younger generations turning away from alcohol, and a contentious battle over the future of Napa County wineries have left the enemy inside the gates. As if this weren't enough, Justice Department investigators have subpoenaed dozens of wine industry figures, including a member of the Board of Supervisors, and in January the head of N...

Though Haiti may seem distant, it is arguably as relevant to us as Ukraine or Israel. The Caribbean country serves as a global example of failed governance rooted in tribal strife. Amy Wilentz, a prominent voice in bringing attention to the horrors endured by the people of Haiti, has been covering the nation since the 1980s. A long-time resident of Southern California, she is a recipient of a Nati...

Bonnie Portnoy, granddaughter of celebrated California impressionist Tilden Daken, is the author of a new biography of his life, " The Man Beneath the Paint ." Portnoy unveils the mysteries of an artist whose life was as colorful as his paintings of California's natural landscapes, filled with daring adventure, personal tumult, and a relentless pursuit of artistic expression.

Dr. Susan Partovi, a pioneer in street medicine, recounts her journey of providing compassionate care to the homeless on L.A.'s Skid Row in our conversation and in her recent memoir, " Renegade, M.D. " With a career spanning decades, Dr. Partovi offers a unique perspective on results-based healthcare for the most marginalized. Her approach, shaped by early experiences and a commitment to treating...

Andrew Cockburn's cover story for the March issue of Harper's Magazine, titled " The Pentagon's Silicon Valley Problem, " illuminates the longstanding and increasingly intricate relationship between Silicon Valley's tech leaders and the Pentagon. Cockburn, the Washington editor of Harper's and a distinguished figure in journalism, argues that the traditional "military-industrial complex" has evolv...

James Brosnahan is one of California's most distinguished litigators, with a career that spans the Robert Kennedy Justice Department, 55 years in private practice in California, and more than 150 jury trials. His cases have mirrored the issues of our times, tackling challenges like refugees, gender battles, sexual taboos, terrorism, government misconduct, wrongful imprisonment, free speech, legal...

The Berkeley Institute for Young Americans, part of the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley, examines the evolving generational dynamics of millennials and Gen Z. The institute serves as a hub for exploring the aspirations and challenges of young people, offering unique perspectives on their impact in the workplace and across cultural and political landscapes. Joining us on the podcast...

Harold Bronson discusses his memoir " Time Has Come Today: Rock and Roll Diaries 1967-2007 ." The book chronicles Bronson's journey in the music industry from writing for UCLA's Daily Bruin to co-founding Rhino Records. He covers four decades of rock history, highlighting the shift from fun and rebellion to business. Bronson's story is rooted in California, where he developed his passion for music...

Matthias Gafni, an investigative reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, delves into the darkest corners of the streets of San Francisco. For a recent project , he attempted to attribute names, faces, and families to 24 overdose deaths during a particularly harrowing week in 2023. They were not mere statistics but individuals with stories: a recent immigrant dreaming of a new life; a star studen...

This Sunday, Feb. 4, will mark the 50th anniversary of Patty Hearst's kidnapping, a saga that remains a captivating and perplexing chapter of California history. For those who lived through it, this event was more than a headline; it epitomized an era. Yet, regardless of how vividly we recall the saga, the full truth has remained elusive. Roger Rapoport helps bridge the gaps in our understanding i...

Daniel Sokatch, a prominent figure in the Jewish community in California and across America, has served as CEO of the San Francisco-based New Israel Fund since 2009 and previously led in the Jewish Federation of San Francisco. His role became crucial on Oct. 7 when Hamas's attack on Israel reverberated around the world, including in American Jewish communities. Sokatch emerged as a voice of reason...

Matt Mahan, the 66th mayor of San Jose, advocates for addressing a select number of specific issues rather than engaging in what he perceives as performative politics that aims to solve every problem for all constituents. During his first year as mayor, he has made some progress in tackling housing and homelessness. A Watsonville native and Harvard alumnus, Mahan's background includes heading stud...

In his new book " Welcome to the O.C. ," Rolling Stone's chief television critic, Alan Sepinwall, provides an oral history of a cultural phenomenon that became an example of unpredictable success. Despite many shows featuring attractive casts and glamorous California settings, "The O.C." managed to stand out — and change the formula for television teen dramas. Its story offers insights into the cu...

As we usher in the new year, we talk with David Kipen about his latest work, " Dear California: The Golden State in Diaries and Letters ." The anthology is a heartfelt ode to California, skillfully interweaving its diverse strands — from historic letters to contemporary tweets — creating a dialogue that transcends time. It reflects on California's evolving landscapes and captures the quintessence...

Ryan Bedsaul explores how Anthony Bourdain's on-screen work, especially "Parts Unknown," helped him connect to and navigate the vast, enigmatic city of Los Angeles. In this week's podcast and in his recent article for Current Affairs , Bedsaul reflects on his experiences of living in Los Angeles and how Bourdain's work has reoriented his attitude toward the city, and impacted his engagement with i...

John King, urban design critic for the San Francisco Chronicle, explores how San Francisco's Ferry Building mirrors the city's evolution and broader urban American challenges in his book new " Portal ." More than a historic transportation hub, the Ferry Building's journey from glory to neglect and resurgence symbolizes San Francisco's shifting narrative. King delves into the interplay of preservat...

Jonathan Taplin, a film producer, scholar, and director emeritus of the Annenberg Innovation Lab, is a vocal critic of excessive techno-optimism. In his book, " The End of Reality : How Four Billionaires are Selling a Fantasy Future of the Metaverse, Mars, and Crypto," he argues that the California-centric billionaires Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Marc Andreessen are diverting publ...

The narrative in Katya Cengel's new memoir " Straitjackets and Lunch Money " is set in motion by her volunteer work at a juvenile detention facility in the Bay Area in 2012. The experience served as a catalyst, unearthing memories of her own past. In 1986, at the age of 10, Cengel was hospitalized in the now defunct psychosomatic unit of Stanford Children's Hospital, battling an extreme eating dis...

Conor Friedersdorf, a California-based staff writer for The Atlantic, joins us to discuss his recent article, " A Uniquely Terrible New DEI Policy ." In it, he dissects controversial new diversity, equity, and inclusion mandates at California's community colleges, the largest higher education system in the U.S. These policies are not only sparking lawsuits but also raising questions about academic...

Robert M. Sapolsky, a Stanford neurobiologist and MacArthur "genius" fellow, challenges our deeply ingrained beliefs about free will. Building on his seminal 2017 work " Behave ," which explored the dynamics of nature and nurture, Sapolsky's latest book, " Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will ," suggests that science, medicine, and philosophy may actually support determinism over free w...

Brian Conrad, the director of undergraduate studies in mathematics at Stanford University, recently broke down the proposal to overhaul of California's math curriculum in an article for the Atlantic. After reading the entire 1,000-page framework, Conrad criticized what he described as the document's reliance on questionable research and challenged its recommendations to do away with middle school...

Rosanna Xia, a Los Angeles Times environmental reporter and Pulitzer Prize finalist, joins us to unravel a crisis that's reshaping California's iconic 1,200-mile coastline. But this isn't just a Golden State issue; it's a global wake-up call. Xia's frontline reporting and her new book " California Against the Sea ," reveals that we're at a crossroads: either we hurtle headlong into environmental d...

Evelyn McDonnell is a storyteller, writing about a storyteller. Her tribute to Joan Didion,   " The World According to Joan Didion , " places each of us at the moment we first became aware of the California author. The book delves into Didion's roles as a woman, mother, spouse, and consumer, even as she remains a bit of a political enigma. All these facets contribute to the complex landscape of Di...