GO Between the Covers

Ghanaian American award-winning author Yaa Gyasi joins us to discuss her novel Transcendent Kingdom, a stunning follow-up to her acclaimed national bestseller Homegoing. This book is a powerful, raw and deeply moving story about a family of Ghanaian immigrants ravaged by depression, addiction and grief.

Our host Ann Bocock sits down with Yaa Gyasi to talk about her experience living in Huntsville, Alabama with her Ghanaian family and how the pull of these two worlds influenced her to become a writer. From religion to the importance of place and belonging, she discusses the parallels between her life and that of her main character, Gifty.

Gyasi also dives into the racial disparities of mental health and the devastating toll mental illness can have on a family. She shares how Transcendent Kingdom was different from her popular debut novel, Homegoing, and why she chose to focus this book on a tumultuous mother-daughter relationship. Get all the details on this week’s episode of GO Between the Covers!

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Award-winning journalist and Pulitzer Prize nominee Chip Jones joins us to discuss his book, The Organ Thieves: the Shocking Story of the First Heart Transplant in the Segregated South. With nearly thirty years of reporting experience, Jones has worked at the Richmond Times-Dispatch, The Roanoke Times, Virginia Business magazine, and many more. He was also the former communications director of the Richmond Academy of Medicine, where he first discovered this heart-stopping story.

Our host Ann Bocock sits down with Chip Jones to talk about the horrifying case of Bruce Tucker, a black man whose heart was removed without his family’s knowledge or permission. Jones breaks down the racial inequalities during the 1960s and how that sheds light on the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Jones also describes the state of America at that time, when we were not only racing to the moon but racing to perform the first successful heart transplant. He dives into the competition among doctors and how their opportunistic attitudes led to many unethical practices. Get all the details on this week’s episode of GO Between the Covers!

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Emmy award–winning journalist and anchor of NPR’s Latino USA Maria Hinojosa joins us to discuss her book, Once I was You: A Memoir of Love and Hate in a Torn America. She tells the eye-opening story of immigration in America through her decades of reporting and personal experiences, painting an astonishing picture of a country in crisis.

Our host Ann Bocock sits down with Maria Hinojosa to talk about her intimate experience growing up as a Mexican American on the south side of Chicago. She shares what her family went through to cross the border and why she strives to correct the narrative on immigration. Hinojosa drives home why it’s so important to share diverse stories and see ourselves in each other.

From being the first Latina in many male-dominated newsrooms to now having 30 years of reporting experience, Hinojosa says that her memoir is very much an American woman’s book. She shares her experience with sexual assault, moments of imposter syndrome and the many facets of her life. Get all the details on this week’s episode of GO Between the Covers!

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New York Times bestselling author Alice Hoffman joins us to talk about her book Magic Lessons, a prequel to the beloved novel Practical Magic. This book follows the story of Maria Owens, the matriarch of the amazing Owens women, accused of witchcraft in Puritanical Salem, Massachusetts.

Our host Ann Bocock sits down with Alice Hoffman to find out where her love of magic came from and what type of research she did for her spellbinding prequel. Hoffman also discusses the history of magic in different cultures, the difficulties of being a woman in the 1600s and the social prejudices of the time that are still heavily prevalent today.

With over two decades of writing experience and more than thirty works of fiction, Hoffman talks about her very own magic library and what type of books she’s been collecting. She later reveals who her favorite character is and if Magic Lessons will see the big screen. Get all the details on this week’s episode of GO Between the Covers!

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USA Today bestselling author Hank Phillippi Ryan joins us to discuss The First to Lie, her psychological thriller about an investigative reporter squaring off with a major pharmaceutical company. This revenge story full of dark family secrets pits the newsroom against corporate sabotage.

Our host Ann Bocock sits down with Hank Phillippi Ryan to explore the intricate art of lying. As an on-air investigative reporter for Boston’s WHDH-TV, she is no stranger to keeping secrets for the sake of a great story. Ryan details how closely her stories resemble her undercover work and the ethical tightrope she has to navigate. With more than a dozen spin-chilling thrillers, she’s won the most prestigious awards in the genre: five Agatha’s, three Anthony’s, the Daphne and the coveted Mary Higgins Clark Award.

Ryan also explains how evoking fear and suspense is more effective than violence and vulgarity, and reveals her very own secret to writing – never knowing the ending! Get all the details on this week’s episode of GO Between the Covers!

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Bestselling author and master storyteller James Patterson joins us to discuss Walk in My Combat Boots, a book he co-wrote with retired U.S. Army Ranger Matt Eversmann. Together, they gather firsthand accounts from veterans, most of whom served in Iraq or Afghanistan, to deliver an authentic depiction of life in the military. Many of the soldiers profiled are children of career military men and were spurred into action by the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Our host Ann Bocock sits down with James Patterson to discuss the importance of talking about the military and understanding what it means to put your life on the line for your country. He highlights how decorated war hero Matt Eversmann was able to help soldiers tell their stories, from the time they served to the challenges they faced returning from war.

Patterson also reveals how he manages to write so many books in a year and why education is at the core of his philanthropic work. He talks about the impact of rising poor literacy rates during the pandemic and how he’s involved in helping this issue. Get all the details on this week’s episode of GO Between the Covers!

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GO Between the Covers Season 2 premieres on Monday, February 7th! Make sure to subscribe for new episodes every week.

On our first episode, we have the legendary James Patterson! He discusses Walk in My Combat Boots, a book he co-wrote with retired U.S. Army Ranger Matt Eversmann. Together, they gathered firsthand accounts from veterans to deliver an authentic depiction of life in the military. He also discusses his philanthropic work with child literacy and reveals how he manages to write so many books in a year.

Some other upcoming guests include New York Times bestselling author Alice Hoffman (Practical Magic, Magic Lessons), Pulitzer Prize nominee Chip Jones (The Organ Thieves), author of the Flight Attendant Chris Bohjalian (The Red Lotus, Hour of the Witch), and many more.

GO Between the Covers is a weekly podcast produced by South Florida PBS.

New York Times bestselling author Robert Kolker talks about his new book Hidden Valley Road, Inside the Mind of An American Family. This haunting true story follows the Galvin family, an extraordinary mid-century family of twelve children, six of them diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Our host Ann Bocock sits down with Robert Kolker to discuss his experience with the 10 surviving members of the Galvin family and the extensive research he did on schizophrenia, a chronic mental illness that distorts how people interpret reality. He reveals the shame and stigmas surrounding the illness in the late 60s and early 70s and the lack of resources available for this struggling family.

Kolker also shares how every family member had a unique way of coping with their hardships and how he strived to give everyone an individual voice in his novel. Get all the details on this week’s episode of GO Between the Covers!

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Bestselling author J. Ryan Stradal discusses his newest novel, a family drama called The Lager Queen of Minnesota. It depicts how midwestern values, hard work, fate and some world-class beer helped a group of women succeed in a man’s world of beermaking.

Our host Ann Bocock sits down with J. Ryan Stradal to talk about the strong resilient women in his life and how his mother is a source of inspiration for his books. He also explains the misrepresentation of the Midwest in media and his goal to accurately portray his hometown.

While doing research for his novel, Stradal toured through Midwestern breweries and talks about the female brewmasters he met along the way. In addition to his family drama, Stradal wrote Kitchens of the Great Midwest and discusses the unifying role of food in his books. Get all the details on this week’s episode of GO Between the Covers!

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Amy Jo Burns tells us about her most recent novel Shiner, a vibrant and intricate story about myths, miracles, moonshiners and faith healers. It follows strong Appalachian women who fight for their dignity and take back their life stories from hoggish men whose power is largely an illusion.

Our host Ann Bocock sits down with Amy Jo Burns to discuss the running theme of trauma in Shiner and her memoir Cinderland, and how keeping trauma a secret has impacted her life and those of her characters. Burns explores the complexities of womanhood and grapples with the profound question: why do women punish themselves?

Focused on elements not commonly seen in novels, Burns dives into her research on snake handling and the art of moonshining. She also discusses the importance of Appalachia as the backdrop of her novel and shares what she’s been up to during the pandemic. Get all the details on this week’s episode of GO Between the Covers!

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