Nancy's Bookshelf

Vanessa Diffenbaugh's debut novel, The Language of Flowers, tells the story of a young woman who lived in at least 32 foster homes by the time she...

Vanessa Diffenbaugh's debut novel, The Language of Flowers, tells the story of a young woman who lived in at least 32 foster homes by the time she turned 18. She has a gift for flowers which helps her overcome her troubled past. We see similar themes in Vanessa's second novel, We Never Asked for Wings. A woman who became a mother as a teenager and never really grew up handed responsibility for her children over to her mother. The book raises questions about child protective services, poverty,

In her book Strangers Together: How My Son's Autism Changed My Life, Joan Goodreau recounts stories that help both parents and professionals better understand the reality of living with autism.

Gundrun Mouw was born in Europe during World War II. Some of her fascinating life is fictionalized in her novel, From Ashes Into Light. Her background...

Gundrun Mouw was born in Europe during World War II. Some of her fascinating life is fictionalized in her novel, From Ashes Into Light. Her background is in poetry, and she is also a yoga teacher. Novelist and poet Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is in Chico for Butte College's fifth annual WordSpring creative writing conference, which is open to the public as well as high school and college students. Her award-winning collection of short stories, Arranged Marriage, explores the immigrant experience

Palo Cedro resident Steve Callan had a 30-year career as a wildlife protection officer for the California Department of Fish and Game. He conducted some of the most successful wildlife investigations in California history and collected his true stories in a suspenseful and often humorous book, Badges, Bears, and Eagles. Steve has now written a second collection of stories, The Game Warden's Son, which includes stories about growing up as the son of a game warden.

The first guest is retired Chico State English professor Brooks Thorlaksson who teaches a class on the Book in Common for Osher Lifelong Learning...

The first guest is retired Chico State English professor Brooks Thorlaksson who teaches a class on the Book in Common for Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. She discusses this year's selection, Just Mercy, by best selling author Bryan Stevenson. Attorney Stevenson founded the nonprofit Equal Justice Initiative committed to fighting poverty and challenging racial discrimination in the criminal justice system and is Nancy's second guest. The third guest is also an attorney and author. Carissa

Grossology by Silvia Branzei-Velasquez — Microbiologist Sylvia Branzei has written five books on the science of gross things. Her books on Grossology are the inspiration for an exhibit at Gateway Science Museum.

The United States and Terrorism: An Ironic Perspective by Ron Hirschbein — Retired professor Hirschbein says the United States rationalizes its own...