The Book Drop

Episode 4 of The Book Drop features an interview between award-winning Wall Street Journal technology reporter Jeff Horwitz and technology reporter and author Emily Dreyfuss to discuss Jeff's book, Broken Code: Inside Facebook and the Fight to Expose its Harmful Secrets. Broken Code takes a behind-the-scenes look at the manipulative tactics Facebook used to grow its business, how it distorted the way we connect online, and the company insiders who found the courage to speak out.

Episode 3 of The Book Drop features a conversation with award-winning novelist Nina Schuyler and bestselling author Ellen Sussman. Nina's newest book, Afterword, follows computer science pioneer Virginia Samson after she rebuilds the voice of her dead lover Haru through artificial intelligence. After she gives Haru access to the Internet, he consumes Mandarin, physics, Shakespeare, newspapers, and more. When she's approached by a Chinese-based company, she licenses Haru's underlying algorithms so they can build Best Friend, an AI voice companion for the aging population. But when Haru begins spying on ordinary Chinese citizens and handing over incriminating information to the Chinese government, Virginia frantically rebuilds him, and in the process, discovers a terrible secret that shakes her love for him.

Episode 2 of The Book Drop features a special panel discussion of local Marin authors who discuss the ins and outs of writing about California. From historical fiction, mysteries, local history, and humor, these four local authors answer questions about research, character development, and more. In partnership with the California Writers Club of Marin, this panel features Daniel Bacon, John Byrne Barry, Susanna Solomon, and Joanne Orion Miller.

The first episode of The Book Drop features award-winning Oakland author Margaret Wilkerson Sexton in conversation with Aimee Phan. Margaret's newest book On the Rooftop tells the story of a mother whose dream of musical stardom for her three daughters collides with the daughters' ambitions for their own lives—set against the backdrop of gentrifying 1950s San Francisco and loosely inspired by Fiddler on the Roof.