In "California the Beautiful," Editor Peter Beren talks about the photography book from the late Photographer Galen Rowell which presents a collection of beautiful images from the Golden State of California and pairs them with the voices of fifty California writers. This discussion with the author took place on a 2009 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" originating in San Francisco, California.

In "Before, During, After," author Richard Bausch writes about the story of a love affair that blooms and then falters against the background of a national tragedy, the September 11 terrorist attacks. This discussion with the author took place on a 2015 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" originating in San Francisco, California.

In "The Great Transformation," author and religious scholar Karen Armstrong writes a book about how a variety of religious traditions began and how they could possibly answer problems in our society today. In this interview, Armstrong talks about her appointment to a United Nations initiative called The Alliance of Civilizations, a diverse group of people from around the world who gather to help improve harmony between people across all cultures and religions. This discussion with the author took place on a 2006 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" originating in San Francisco, California.

In "Ponzi's Scheme: The True Story of a Financial Legend," author Mitchell Zuckoff writes about the life of Charles Ponzi, an immigrant from Italy, and what the world was like in 1920 when he promised to double investors' money in just three months ending up as the most successful financial scheme in history. This discussion took place on a 2005 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" originating in San Francisco, California. Photo Credit: Suzanne Kreiter.

In "Wash," author Margaret Wrinkle writes a novel about a slave forced to work as a breeding sire for a Revolutionary War veteran set on building and maintaining his empire in early 1800s Tennessee during the age of westward expansion. This discussion took place on a 2013 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" originating in San Francisco, California.

In "The Hard Way Around: The Passages of Joshua Slocum," author Geoffrey Wolff writes a biography about 19th-century sea explorer Joshua Slocum, how he became the first man to circle the globe by himself by using his engineering smarts, and how he inspired others onto their own adventures. This discussion took place on a 2010 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" originating in San Francisco, California.

In "The Godfather Returns," author Mark Winegardner writes another novel in "The Godfather" series which picks up the story after the years covered in Mario Puzo's book and in Francis Ford Coppola's classic films. This discussion took place on a 2004 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" originating in San Francisco, California.

In "What Paul Meant," author Garry Wills writes about Paul and how his intentions were consistent with the teachings of Jesus instead of corrupting them as has been argued. This discussion took place on a 2006 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" originating in San Francisco, California.

In "Sag Harbor," author Colson Whitehead writes a coming-of-age novel about a boy who finds himself to be one of the few black students at a Manhattan prep school as he recalls the summer of 1985 where he escaped to Sag Harbor in the Hamptons and discovered a different world. This discussion took place on a 2009 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" originating in San Francisco, California. Photo Credit: Chris Close https://www.colsonwhitehead.com/

In "After Auschwitz: A Love Story," author Brenda Webster writes a novel about a man suffering from Alzheimer's Disease who chronicles it in his journal, along with his marriage to a woman who had survived the death camps in Auschwitz as a child. This discussion took place on a 2014 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" originating in San Francisco, California.