Enjoy this guide to the best books read by our Bibliofiles and KCUR staffers in 2019. The books that matter most as we look back on the year aren't always the books that were published this year. It's the ones we actually read. This collection of compelling reads is mostly recent, but runs the gamut, providing lots of options as you make your own reading list for 2020. Bonus: find out which of our panelists is a "Jo" and which is an "Amy" (as interpreted through the lens of Little Women). Kaite

Segment 1: He came to Kansas City as the youngest concertmaster in the country in the 1950s; he died this year, leaving a poweful legacy behind. Before calling Kansas City his home for 64 years, Romanian-born Tiberius Klausner's life intersected dramatically with 20th century geopolitics. His obituary tells quite the tale of a talented young Jewish man born in Romania, with World War II on the horizon. He fell in love with gypsy violin music, and his violin got him out from behind the iron

How to impress this holiday season without driving yourself nuts. Our expert Kansas City hosts include a restaurateur who feeds people like they're her personal dinner guests and a bartender who makes strangers feel like friends. Chrissy Nucum , owner, KC Pinoy Susan Avery , bartender, Cafe Europa

Segment 1: Morgan Orozco is a sixteen-year old who's playing an active part in local government. Sick of waiting for adults to do something about climate change, this high schooler is taking matters into her own hands. Morgan Orozco , Sustainability Advisory Board member, City of Lawrence; vice chair, Kansas High School Democrats Segment 2, beginning at 23:16: A tale of mice, friendship and what's really important. Charlie Mylie is out with his first children's book, Something For You . But

Segment 1: Why attracting artists is a goal for a new affordable-housing complex. Pendleton Arts Block is a new project unfolding in the historic Northeast, providing affordable housing with an eye toward attracting artists. Because of competitive grant funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the effort to transform this block is happening on a national stage. This is a discussion about what affordable housing means for artists, and for the ecosystem of a city. David

Segment 1: Kansas City does have something named for Martin Luther King, Junior. A month after Martin Luther King's name was voted off of a major boulevard, a cleaning effort is underway at a long-neglected park named after the civil rights icon. The park's been dedicated to King since 1978. Donald Rankins , site administrator, Martin Luther King Jr. Square Park Michelle Tyrene Johnson , Race, Identity & Culture reporter, KCUR Segment 2: A new study from MU reveals three types of arrogance,

Segment 1: What it's like to be the first woman in charge at the Kansas City Fire Department. As Donna Maize takes over as Fire Chief, she makes Kansas City history and achieves a lifelong dream. Donna Maize , fire chief, Kansas City Fire Department Segment 2, beginning at 18:30: How a paywall is changing everything for the Shawnee Mission Post. As newspapers struggle for subscribers across the country, a news site in Johnson County has only grown since asking readers to pay. Jay Senter , editor

Segment 1: A Kansas City native's take on being a Saturday Night Live cast member in 2019. On a visit home, Heidi Gardner discusses her roots in Kansas City, her most popular characters and what it's like to respond to today's news with humor. Heidi Gardner , cast member, Saturday Night Live Segment 2, beginning at 25:30: Episode 4, Season 2, My Fellow Kansans . We continue sharing weekly installments of this podcast from the Kansas News Service. In this episode, we take a hard look at the

Segment 1: What aspiring Foreign Service Officers from Kansas City are taking away from the impeachment hearings. Recent congressional hearings have put Foreign Service Officers in the spotlight. How do their jobs now look to those hoping to one day be like them? Mia Richardson , volunteer, Peace Corps in North Macedonia Jack Still , junior, William Jewell College Segment 2, beginning at 34:48: When your bike is also your traveling companion. A local biker, who documents her solo bike trips on

Yes, Kansas City is known for its chicken — whether it's fried , barbecued or one ingredient of many . What about the other birds out there, though? On the Friday before Thanksgiving, KCUR's food critics took a moment to consider not just turkey but also grouse, quail, pheasant and duck. Especially duck. "Pheasant, quail and squab should all be on this list," said Mary Bloch. "But duck seems to be more favored." "I like to refer to ducks as beef that fly," said wild game expert James Worley.