KPFA - Radio Wolinsky

David Shields, author of “Other People: Takes & Mistakes,” in conversation with Richard Wolinsky.

David Shields ia an essayist, novelist, short story writer and film maker.Among his works are “Black Planet,” “How LIterature Saved My Life,” and “I Think You’re Totally Wrong: A Quarrel.” In his latest book, a collection of over thirty essays and stories, he examines what it means to know another person, whether we can actually know anyone else. In this interview, he discusses in depth his feelings about Bill Murray, David Letterman and other artists, as well as some characteristics of Donald Trump.

David Shields website.

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Colm Toibin, author of “House of Names,” in conversation with Richard Wolinsky.

“House of Names” is a retelling of the story of the House of Atreus, the classic Greek tragedy of Agamemnon, Clytemnestra, Electra and Orestes, which formed the basis of plays by Sophocles, Euripedes and Aeschylus, as well as influenced playwrights from Shakespeare to Eugene O’Neill.

Colm Toibin is the author of several novels, including “Brooklyn,” recently made into an award-winning film. In this interview he also discusses “Brooklyn” and the upcoming film “Return to Montauk” which recently played at the Berlin Festival, as well as some of the current political resonances of “House of Names.” A shorter version of this interview aired on the KPFA program Bookwaves.

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Gore Vidal, in conversation on March 11, 1998 with Richard Wolinsky and Richard A Lupoff.

Gore Vidal, who died in 2012 at the age of 86, was known for many things: a novelist, an essayist, a political pundit, screenwriter, playwright, actor and historian. Richard Wolinsky first had a chance to interview him in 1990 when he came to Berkeley to participate in a Pacifica Foundation event. That interview can be found as a Radio Wolinsky podcast.

The second interview, on March 11, 1998, occurred while Gore Vidal was publicizing his latest novel at the time, a comic science fiction fantasy novel, The Smithsonian Institution. The interview conducted by co-hosts Richard Wolinsky and Richard A. Lupoff, was focused first on the book, and then on the politics of the time, including the demonization of the Clintons over health care, and then on Gore Vidal’s own history as a social critic. The interview has not been heard since its original broadcast nearly two decades ago.

Digitized and re-edited in 2017 by Richard Wolinsky. A shorter version of this interview aired on KPFA as an Arts-Waves program. There were two more interviews, another co-hosted with Richard A. Lupoff in 2000, and a final solo interview in 2006. Both will eventually be posted on Radio Wolinsky.

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Andrew McCarthy, author of the young adult novel “Just Fly Away,” travel writer and actor/director, in conversation with Richard Wolinsky.

Andrew McCarthy who has had a long career, starting out as an actor in such films as “Pretty in Pink,” “Less Than Zero” and “Weekend at Bernie’s”, went on to become a noted travel writer and successful television director, tries his hand at a young adult novel written from the perspective of a fifteen year old girl having difficulty with the discovery that she has an eight year old brother conceived by her father during a one-night stand.

In this interview, he talks about the novel and his history as both a travel writer, actor and director, talks about the Trump travel slump and explains what it takes to work on series television.

A shorter version of this interview aired on KPFA’s Bookwaves program

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Donna Seaman, author of Identity Unknown: Rediscovering Seven American Women Artists in conversation with Richard Wolinsky.

The art world has not been kind to women artists. Being taken seriously, getting exhibited, getting remembered after their deaths: none of this happens automatically. Donna Seaman, book critic for Booklist, takes a look at seven twentieth century American woman artists whose work has been somewhat forgotten in the years since their deaths: Louise Nevelson, Gertrude Abercrombie, Lois Madou Jones, Ree Morton, Joan Brown, Lenore Tawney and Christina Ramberg.

In this discussion, Donna Seaman talks about each of these artists and how they related to the world and to art. She also talks about the recent controversy over the Bull sculpture on Wall Street, on sexism in the arts, and on the pull between artistic freedom and stylistic fads.

A shorter version of this interview aired as a Bookwaves program.

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