In The Author's Voice

The May cover story for National Geographic Magazine is Genius.    Author and journalist Claudia Kalb delves into the issue exploring where geniuses come from.  And, what role does society play in their development or is genius simply a genetic lottery?  

WSIU's Jeff Williams recently talked with Kalb about those questions and more for this edition of In The Author’s Voice. 

Genius,  the May cover story for National Geographic Magazine, by Claudia Kalb, is currently on news stands and available on line at www.nationalgeographic.com.

This week (Thursday, April 27, 2017) the Mystery Writers of America holds its 71st Annual Edgar Awards in New York City.   Named after Edgar Allan Poe, the Edgar Awards honors the best in mystery fiction, non-fiction and television published or produced in 2016.   Southern Illinois based author Laura Benedict is a finalist in the Best Short Story category for her work "A Paler Shade of Death."  WSIU's Jeff Williams recently talked with Benedict about her nominated story and the Edgar Awards.

More information on the Edgar Awards is available here.

More with Laura Benedict...

Find out what's coming up next from Laura Benedict.

New York Times bestselling author Steve Berry is out today (Tuesday, April 4, 2017) with his new novel The Lost Order.  It’s the latest in his Cotton Malone series.   WSIU’s Jeff Williams talked with Berry about the story and the real life history of the Knights of the Golden Circle that forms the foundation of the tale…

The Lost Order is published by Minotaur Books.  In The Author's Voice is a series of original interviews from WSIU and is a listener supported service of Southern Illinois University.

Geo-biologist and research scientist Hope Jahren has spent her scientific career studying plants. Her new memoir Lab Girl chronicles her journey of scientific discovery from playing in her father’s lab as a child to her ground breaking research on trees and plants.  It’s an honest and frank look at the life of a research scientist.  WSIU's Jeff Williams recently talked with Jahren about her work, the book, and trees.

Lab Girl is available from Vintage Books.  You can follow  Hope Jahren on her blog – hopejahrensurecan write.com or learn more about her research at jahrenlab.com.

In The Author's Voice is a listener supported service of WSIU and Southern Illinois university. 

Thomas Nickell is an 18 year old classical pianist.  This past summer he appeared in recital in London and Italy.  He's also played with orchestras in Spain, Poland, and Japan.   On Sunday he makes is solo debut at Carnegie Hall where he will give the North American premiere of Britain's contemporary composer David Matthew's Piano Concerto, Op. 111, with the the Orchestra of the Swan.  

WSIU's Jeff Williams recently talked with Nickell about his music and his upcoming performance for this edition of In The Author's Voice.

Welcome to this Edition of In The Author's Voice.  In 1980 Jonathan Sanger's first feature film debuted.  That movie was The Elephant Man.   It starred John Hurt, Anne Bancroft, Anthony Hopkins and John Gielgud.  It also helped launch the career of director David Lynch.

Jonathan Sanger is out with a new memoir, Making The Elephant Man.   WSIU's Jeff Williams recently talked with Sanger about the book and his career.

Making The Elephant Man: A Producer's Memoir is published by McFarland and Company.   Jonathan Sanger has two new independent films out this year.  Chapter and Verse, about a reformed Harlem gangster, and Marshall, a film about the early law career of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.