Writer's Voice with Francesca Rheannon

In this episode of Writer’s Voice, host Francesca Rheannon sits down with Joe Shute and Brandon Keim for two conversations about:

Joe Shute discusses his latest book, Stowaway: The Disreputable Exploits of the Rat, which dives into the history, biology, and misunderstood nature of rats.

Brandon Keim shares insights from his book Meet the Neighbors: Animal Minds and Life in a More-Than-Human World, exploring animal intelligence, personhood, and our complex relationships with the non-human creatures with whom we share the planet.

Writers Voice— in depth conversation with writers of all genres, on the air since 2004.

Connect with Us: Follow us on social media to stay up-to-date on the latest episodes and news. Find us on Facebook at Writers Voice with Francesca Rheannon, on Instagram @WritersVoicePodcast or find us on X/Twitter@WritersVoice.

Key words: Joe Shute, Brandon Keim, Stowaway, Meet the Neighbors, animal intelligence, rats, animal personhood, wildlife, nature, environmental crisis, rats and humans, animal democracy, Fiona Presley, rat behavior, Writer’s Voice podcast, Francesca Rheannon.

Joe Shute’s book, Stowaway, uncovers the surprising and often overlooked qualities of rats, including their empathy, intelligence, and importance in human history.

Brandon Keim’s book, Meet the Neighbors, explores the emerging science of animal intelligence and how understanding animal minds can reshape our relationships with the natural world.

In this episode of Writer’s Voice, host Francesca Rheannon speaks with historian Jacob Mikanowski about his book Goodbye Eastern Europe: An Intimate History of a Divided Land.

Mikanowski explores the rich, complex, and often overlooked history of Eastern Europe—a region shaped by centuries of empires, revolutions, and diverse cultures. From the enduring impact of the Ottoman Empire to the shifting borders of Poland, Hungary, and the Baltics, Mikanowski sheds light on how these lands became the cradle of both cultural richness and conflict.

Then we remember activist, rabbi and champion of revolutionary love, Michael Lerner. He died August 28. We play our 2020 interview with Lerner about his book, Revolutionary Love: A Political Manifesto to Heal and Transform the World.

Writers Voice— in depth conversation with writers of all genres, on the air since 2004.

Connect with Us: Follow us on social media to stay up-to-date on the latest episodes and news. Find us on Facebook at Writers Voice with Francesca Rheannon, on Instagram @WritersVoicePodcast or find us on X/Twitter@WritersVoice.

Key words: Eastern Europe history, Jacob Mikanowski, Michael Lerner, Francesca Rheannon, podcast, history, politics

Jacob Mikanowski is a historian, a freelance journalist and a critic. His writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Guardian, The New York Times and elsewhere.

Read An Excerpt

We revisit a powerful conversation with Rabbi Michael Lerner about his 2020 book, Revolutionary Love: A Political Manifesto to Heal and Transform the World. Lerner discusses how love can be the foundation for radical social change, focusing on kindness, empathy, and environmental stewardship. He passed away August 28, 2024.

In this episode of Writer’s Voice, we talk with Clayton Page Aldern about The Weight of Nature, his groundbreaking new book on the impacts of climate change on our brains — from PSTD to brain-eating amoebas.

Aldern explains how climate-induced stressors are shaping our mental health — harming our judgment, leading to rises in neurodegenerative diseases, and even eroding our capacity to tell truth from lies.

Clayton Aldern is a neuroscientist turned environmental journalist and senior data reporter for Grist. His climate change data visualizations have appeared in a variety of forums, including on the US Senate floor in a speech by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse.

Writers Voice— in depth conversation with writers of all genres, on the air since 2004.

Connect with Us: Follow us on social media to stay up-to-date on the latest episodes and news. Find us on Facebook at Writers Voice with Francesca Rheannon, on Instagram @WritersVoicePodcast or find us on X/Twitter@WritersVoice.

Key words: Clayton Aldern, neuroscience, brain science, climate change, global warming, book show, podcast, brain health, PTSD, climate anxiety, Clayton Page Aldern, The Weight of Nature, neurodegeneration, environmental stressors, ALS, Alzheimer’s

Read An Excerpt from The Weight of Nature

In this episode, we talk with celebrated Haitian American writer Edwidge Danticat, author of Brother, I’m Dying and her latest essay collection, We’re Alone.

Danticat shares intimate insights into her writing process, the legacy of colonialism and the immigrant experience. She discusses Haiti’s ongoing struggles, her personal connection to the country, and how the global refugee crisis continues to impact marginalized communities.

Tune in to explore how Danticat bears witness to history through her poignant essays on family, resilience, and the power of storytelling.

We also play a portion of our 2010 interview with Tracy Kidder about his book Mountains Beyond Mountains. It’s about the late great doctor and humanitarian Paul Farmer’s work in Haiti.

Writers Voice— in depth conversation with writers of all genres, on the air since 2004.

Connect with Us: Follow us on social media to stay up-to-date on the latest episodes and news. Find us on Facebook at Writers Voice with Francesca Rheannon, on Instagram @WritersVoicePodcast or find us on X/Twitter@WritersVoice.

Key words: Edwidge Danticat, We’re Alone, Haitian American writer, Haiti, colonialism, immigration, refugee crisis, writing process, Tracy Kidder, Paul Farmer, book show, podcast.

– “Writing helps me find out what I think and allows me to connect with the voices of the past—whether they are other writers or storytellers from my family.” — Edwidge Danticat

– “Every day is a renewal, a commitment to begin again. That’s what it means to be human.” — Edwidge Danticat

In this episode, host Francesca Rheannon sits down with philosopher Peter Godfrey-Smith to discuss his latest book, Living on Earth: Forests, Corals, Consciousness, and the Making of the World.

Godfrey-Smith offers a fresh perspective on how life forms, from the simplest bacteria to complex animals, have actively shaped our planet. This episode dives deep into the evolutionary history of choice and how understanding our impact on the world can guide better decisions for the future.

Tune in to explore how organisms aren’t just products of evolution but key players in creating the environment we inhabit today.

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Writers Voice— in depth conversation with writers of all genres, on the air since 2004.

Connect with Us: Follow us on social media to stay up-to-date on the latest episodes and news. Find us on Facebook at Writers Voice with Francesca Rheannon, on Instagram @WritersVoicePodcast or find us on X/Twitter@WritersVoice.

Key words: Peter Godfrey-Smith, philosophy, science, evolution, podcast, podcast, book recommendations, author interview, book podcast, book show

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In this episode of Writer’s Voice, host Francesca Rheannon explores the intricate dynamics of giving, receiving, and creating community with food entrepreneur and activist Lola Milholland. She shares insights from her memoir, Group Living and Other Recipes, which reflects on her upbringing in a communal household, the lessons of shared living, and the profound role that food plays in connecting people.

We also revisit our conversation with Chuck Collins about his novel, Altar to an Erupting Sun, set in an intentional community in western Massachusetts.

Writers Voice— in depth conversation with writers of all genres, on the air since 2004.

Connect with Us: Follow us on social media to stay up-to-date on the latest episodes and news. Find us on Facebook at Writers Voice with Francesca Rheannon, on Instagram @WritersVoicePodcast or find us on X/Twitter@WritersVoice.

Key words: Lola Milholland, communal living, organic food, memoir, Chuck Collins, climate activism, fiction, podcast, podcast, book recommendations, author interview, book podcast, book show

Read the Transcript

Don’t miss an episode of Writer’s Voice. Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform for more in-depth conversations with writers of all genres or use our RSS feed.

Milholland discusses the philosophy that when we receive something, it’s not meant to be hoarded but to be passed on, even if just in spirit. This idea of giving and receiving as a cycle, akin to inhaling and exhaling, is central to building and sustaining vibrant communities.

She reflects on growing up in a communal household where the guiding belief was, “We only deserve it if we share it.” She connects this to the concept of the gift economy, inspired by Lewis Hyde’s book The Gift, where the act of receiving is intrinsically tied to the obligation of passing something on.

Food is at the heart of Group Living And Other Recipes and Milholland’s current work as a food entrepreneur. She shares how food not only nourishes but also serves as a means of connecting people, fostering community, and maintaining cultural traditions. Recipes included in her book are gifts from her life’s journey, shared with readers to continue the cycle of giving.

Milholland discusses how communal living, co-housing, land trusts and other radical approaches to property and wealth can pave the way for more connected and sustainable communities.

Learn about the significant influence of Lola’s brother, Zach, who taught her the importance of care in cooking, and how her mother’s involvement with Organic Valley helped shape her views on food and community.

Milholland talks about her noodle company, Umi Organic, and its commitment to providing nutritious school lunches in Portland, Oregon.

Group Living Recipes, Photos, Music

We talk with cartoonist Ken Krimstein about the remarkable meeting of the minds between Albert Einstein and Franz Kafka in Prague, before either man was famous. His new graphic book is Einstein in Kafkaland: How Albert Fell Down The Rabbit Hole And Came Up With The Universe.

Join us as we explore how two seemingly disparate fields—physics and literature—intertwined in the lives of Einstein and Kafka, leading to some of the most profound and surreal discoveries of the modern age.

Then, we talk with veteran Hollywood talent agent Harry Abrams, who represented stars like Liam Neeson and Jennifer Lopez, about his memoir/how to book, Let’s Do Launch: A Hollywood Agent Dishes on How to Make Your Business and Career Take Off.

Writers Voice— in depth conversation with writers of all genres, on the air since 2004.

Connect with Us: Follow us on social media to stay up-to-date on the latest episodes and news. Find us on Facebook at Writers Voice with Francesca Rheannon, on Instagram @WritersVoicePodcast or find us on X/Twitter@WritersVoice.

Key words: Einstein, Kafka, Prague, Gravity, Relativity, Franz Kafka, Albert Einstein, Graphic Novels, Ken Krimstein, Philosophy, Physics, Literature, Harry Abrams, Hollywood agent, author interview, history, podcast

Read The Transcript

We welcome back graphic artist and author Ken Krimstein to discuss his latest book, Einstein in Kafka Land: How Albert Fell Down the Rabbit Hole and Came Up with the Universe.

Building on the success of a previous work, The Three Escapes of Hannah Arendt, Krimstein dives into a fascinating exploration of how Albert Einstein and Franz Kafka, two towering figures of the early 20th century, might have influenced each other’s groundbreaking work.

Listen to our interview with Krimstein about The Three Escapes of Hannah Arendt

Host Francesca Rheannon sits down with legendary Hollywood talent agent Harry Abrams, author of the memoir Let’s Do Launch: A Hollywood Agent Dishes on How to Make Your Business and Career Take Off. With over 60 years in the entertainment industry, Abrams shares his insights on what it takes to succeed in Hollywood, focusing on integrity, trust, and diversity.

He also discusses his early career at MCA, his challenging partnership with Noel Abramoff, and the importance of forgiveness and moral values in business.

Today, two stories of what in the modern world we’ve come to call “apartheid”—the practice of segregating a subjugated population and imposing oppressive laws on it.

First, we talk with UK historian Harry Freedman about his history of the first Jewish ghetto—that of Venice, Italy. It’s called Shylock’s Venice: The Remarkable History of Venice’s Jews and the Ghetto.

Then, we revisit our conversation with novelist Rebecca Sacks about her powerful novel, City of Thousand Gates. Its depiction of Israeli apartheid against the citizens of the Occupied West Bank sparks comparisons with the apartheid experienced by Jews in Venice centuries earlier.

Writers Voice— in depth conversation with writers of all genres, on the air since 2004.

Connect with Us: Follow us on social media to stay up-to-date on the latest episodes and news. Find us on Facebook at Writers Voice with Francesca Rheannon, on Instagram @WritersVoicePodcast or find us on X/Twitter@WritersVoice.

Key words: author interview, history, podcast, book podcast, Harry Freedman, Rebecca Sacks, Palestine, West Bank, Venice, ghetto, apartheid, fiction

Francesca interviews UK historian Harry Freedman about his book Shylock’s Venice. It chronicles the history of the first Jewish ghetto, established in Venice in 1516, and how it shaped the lives and culture of the Jews confined within its walls.

Freedman discusses how the ghetto became a center of Jewish intellectual life despite its squalid conditions, the role of Jewish moneylenders, and the complex portrayal of Jews through Shakespeare’s character Shylock.

He also touches on the Jewish enlightenment that flourished within the ghetto, the interactions between Jews and Christians in Venice, and the broader implications for Jewish identity during the Renaissance.

In the second part of the episode, Francesca revisits her 2021 conversation with novelist Rebecca Sacks about her novel City of a Thousand Gates.

Sacks’ book paints a vivid picture of life in the occupied West Bank, drawing parallels with the apartheid experienced by Jews in Venice centuries earlier. Through this lens, the discussion explores themes of segregation, oppression, and the resilience of marginalized communities.

In this episode of Writer’s Voice, we sit down with Dr. Seema Yasmin to discuss her prescient YA novel, Unbecoming. Dr. Yasmin, a physician, journalist, and director of the Stanford Health Communication Initiative, brings her multifaceted expertise to the conversation. Her new book, set in a dystopian near-future America, explores the challenges faced by two teenage girls, Leila and Noor, as they navigate a society where abortion has been heavily restricted.

Listen to a clip from the interview on YouTube

Then, we talk with Jordan Elgrably, editor of a new collection of stories from the Middle East, Stories From The Center of The World. The stories originally appeared in the Markaz Review.

Writers Voice— in depth conversation with writers of all genres, on the air since 2004.

Connect with Us: Follow us on social media to stay up-to-date on the latest episodes and news. Find us on Facebook at Writers Voice with Francesca Rheannon, on Instagram @WritersVoicePodcast or find us on X/Twitter@WritersVoice.

Key words: abortion, reproductive rights, Seema Yasmin, Jordan Elgrably, Middle East, fiction, podcast, podcast, book recommendations, author interview, book podcast, book show, history, writer’s voice

“If you look at maps of the U.S., you would think our American continents are the center of the world, but we are far away from the rest of the world… The moniker of center of the world probably applies better to the region we call the Middle East.” – Jordan ElGrably

Host Francesca Rheannon sits down with Jordan Elgrably, editor of the new anthology, Stories from the Center of the World: New Middle East Fiction. The collection opens a window into the rich and diverse literary traditions of the Middle East, a region often misunderstood and underrepresented in Western literature. Jordan discusses the geopolitical implications of the term “Middle East,” the intricate cultural mosaic of the region, and the powerful narratives that give voice to its people.

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. William Bronston, a renowned advocate for disability rights and social justice.

Dr. Bronston shares his incredible journey from a young medical student to a leading figure in the fight to protect the rights of people with disabilities. He discusses his experiences working at the Willowbrook State School, his efforts in the deinstitutionalization movement, and the transformative impact of the landmark Willowbrook case.

His book is Public Hostage: Public Ransom: Ending Institutional America.

“Willowbrook was a turning point, not just for the people who lived there, but for the entire movement towards equality and human dignity.” – Dr. William Bronston

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Listen to Bronston read an excerpt from Public Hostage, Public Ransom

Key Words: William Bronston, Willowbrook State School, deinstitutionalization, disability rights