Community of Writers Podcasts

My guest this week is Dr. Nolan Higdon. Today on Bibliocracy Radio I check in again with Nolan Higdon, an activist and scholar on whose perspectives I rely as a result of reading his important work in media literacy and media criticism. Dr. Nolan Higdon is the author of multiple books and articles and academic papers, all with helpfully instructive titles which invite consideration of his analysis of a recent American Association of University Professors (AAUP) report on AI,and his own recent post “AI in Schools: IAAUP report on AI.” We further discuss our own union’s sell-out to Big Tech and the impacts economic, social, and pedagogical of the further corporatization of higher education. Read his Truth Dig article Randi Weingarten’s AI Betrayal. And see his Substack: https://nolanhigdon.substack.com/

Music: Hot Nights by DreamAudio

The views expressed in this program are those of its presenter and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the values of the Community of Writers or its Board of Directors.

My guest this week is Trevor Griffey. While Bibliocracy Radio is largely devoted to the celebration of book culture and reading, I’ve also frequently and increasingly devoted episodes featuring public policy and political experts, writers, and activists like scholar, teacher, and union advocate Trevor Griffey.  How to respond to this news from the New York Times? “The American Federation of Teachers, the second-largest U.S. teachers’ union, said on Tuesday that it would start an A.I. training hub for educators with $23 million in funding from three leading chatbot makers: Microsoft, OpenAI and Anthropic.”

Music: Hot Nights by DreamAudio

The views expressed in this program are those of its presenter and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the values of the Community of Writers or its Board of Directors.

My guest this week is Robin Romm, author of a breakout 2007 collection of stories, The Mother Garden, a celebrated memoir,The Mercy Papers and, now, a new collection titled Radical Empathy. She’s been awarded an O. Henry Prize in short fiction. Her journalism and nonfiction has appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times, Wired, and Slate. Today she's joining me to read from and discuss the ten stories collected in Radical Empathy, some of which appeared originally in Sewanee Review, ZYZZYVA, The Missouri Review and other top-notch literary journals. Romm's fiction draws favorable comparison to the work of Grace Paley and Amy Hempel for its empowering, funny, sly, insightful and sincerely honest characterizations and worldview.

Music: Hot Nights by DreamAudio

The views expressed in this program are those of its presenter and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the values of the Community of Writers or its Board of Directors.

I’m pleased to host American Library Association President Sam Helmick on the work of that organization and the upcoming ALA Banned Books Week 2025, October 5 - October 11. This year’s theme: “Censorship is so 1984. Read for Your Rights.”

Music: Hot Nights by DreamAudio

The views expressed in this program are those of its presenter and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the values of the Community of Writers or its Board of Directors.

My guest this week is Oscar Villalon, editor in chief of ZYZZYVA journal. Together we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the esteemed West Coast literary journal founded by Howard Junker, and which has printed so much important poetry and prose, art, photography and more. Villalon has lately made big changes to the journal yet kept true to its mission. Oscar Villalon is a journalist and former book reviewer with a long career in the literary arts, and his own work has been published in The Believer, Virginia Quarterly Review, Alta, Lit Hub,and more. To subscribe or otherwise learn more about one of the essential cultural outfits in the West, see its website: www.zyzzyva.org. 

Music: Hot Nights by DreamAudio

The views expressed in this program are those of its presenter and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the values of the Community of Writers or its Board of Directors.

My guest this week is poet, prose writer, nature writer and photographer Charles Hood. In his newest book he has written a nature guide, travel adventure and, most movingly, a memoir in scenes of confession and revelation, self-discovery and joy. Out now from Heyday, it’s a collection of 18 essays gathered, with photographs, as Double Hyenas and Lazarus Birds: A Sideways Look at the Pacific Ocean and Everything In It. Recently retired from teaching, his previous books include Nocturnalia, A Consideration of Nature at Night, and A Salad Only the Devil Would Eat: The Joys of Ugly Nature. In addition to traveling the world to study nature, he is also the author of the poetry collections South x South and Partially Excited States. Praise for Hood arrives from no less than Jonathan Franzen, who writes: “Among nature writers now working, Charles Hood is my favorite.” 

Music: Hot Nights by DreamAudio

The views expressed in this program are those of its presenter and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the values of the Community of Writers or its Board of Directors.

The views expressed in this program are those of its presenter and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the values of the Community of Writers or its Board of Directors.

This week I share an edited version of readings by two more contributors to the latest Santa Monica Review. Taped in front of a live audience at a spring issue launch celebration, writers Dawna Kemper and Miles Parnegg read their work. Kemper has been published widely, including in ZYZZYVA, Ecotone, and The Kenyon Review. She is a frequent SMR contributor. Parnegg’s work has appeared in Blue Mesa Review and Citric Acid. He is a recent graduate of the UC Irvine Writing Program. In this special performance edition of Bibliocracy, Kemper reads “Harmony” and Parnegg reads  “Crossing.”

Music: Hot Nights by DreamAudio

The views expressed in this program are those of its presenter and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the values of the Community of Writers or its Board of Directors.

The views expressed in this program are those of its presenter and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the values of the Community of Writers or its Board of Directors.

This week an edited version of readings by two contributors to the latest Santa Monica Review. Taped in front of a live audience at a spring issue launch celebration, writers Stephen D. Gutierrez and Sean Bernard share from their recent work. Gutierrez reads sections from his novella Captain Chicano Draws a Line in the American Sand and Bernard reads from his short story “Big Sur,” featured in the spring 2025 issue of the Santa Monica Review. Both writers have impressive publication histories. Check out their respective websites and visit the SMR site for more on the journal.

Music: Hot Nights by DreamAudio

The views expressed in this program are those of its presenter and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the values of the Community of Writers or its Board of Directors.

The views expressed in this program are those of its presenter and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the values of the Community of Writers or its Board of Directors.

Welcome to the Podcast feed for the 2025 Summer Workshops in Olympic Valley. This week, we will upload daily craft talks, panels and readings as they happen. Be sure to subscribe to our feed to receive all recordings automatically. A full schedule of events can be found here.

Music: Hot Nights by DreamAudio

The views expressed in this program are those of its presenter and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the values of the Community of Writers or its Board of Directors.

Welcome to the Podcast feed for the 2025 Summer Workshops in Olympic Valley. This week, we will upload daily craft talks, panels and readings as they happen. Be sure to subscribe to our feed to receive all recordings automatically. A full schedule of events can be found here.

Music: Hot Nights by DreamAudio

The views expressed in this program are those of its presenter and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the values of the Community of Writers or its Board of Directors.