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Bookwaves/Artwaves presents in-depth interviews with authors of fiction and narrative non-fiction, delving deeply into political and social issues, literary technique, and the life of the author, along with interviews devoted to theatre and film, and archive interviews from Bookwaves and Probabilities. Hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Language: en-us Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Bookwaves/Artwaves – January 22, 2026: Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Legendary American Author
Thursday, 22 January, 2026
Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (1922-2007): Author of “Slaughterhouse-Five” and other novels. Kurt Vonnegut (1922-2007), interviewed on September 23, 1991 by Richard Wolinsky and Richard A. Lupoff while on tour for his collection of essays, “Fates Worse Than Death,” recorded for the “Probabilities” radio program It’s hard to describe the impact Kurt Vonnegut has had over the years on American culture and politics. His science fiction novel “Slaughterhouse-Five” brought the world’s attention to the fire-bombing of Dresden during World War II. His several other novels tackled a wide variety of themes including free will, the absurdity of human existence, and the impact of technology on society. His other novels include God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, Cat’s Cradle, Breakfast of Champions, Slapstick, Player Piano and others. During the latter years of his life, he wrote essays and opinion pieces. This was the last interview of any kind to occur in the off-air studio in KPFA’s old offices on Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley. The new radio station on Martin Luther King Jr Way was already operational but we were able to squeeze in this last one in the old building. Complete 31-minute Radio Wolinsky podcast. Mavis Gallant (1922-2014): Anti-Fascist ‘New Yorker’ Short Story Writer. Mavis Gallant (1922-2014, noted anti-Fascist short story writer for the New Yorker magazine, in conversation with Richard Wolinsky and Richard A. Lupoff on Ocrober 6, 1993 while on tour for her collection, Across The Bridge. Mavis Gallant, who died in 2014 at the age of 91, was a Canadian short story writer who spent most of her life in France. During her lifetime, she had 118 stories in the New Yorker, which made her one of that magazine’s most published writers. Along the way she did write two novels, but it was because of her shorter fiction that she was very much a writers’ writer. A very private person, she only rarely gave interviews – but she did go on a book tour for her short story collection, Across the Bridge, and it’s then, on October 6, 1993, that Richard A. Lupoff and Richard Wolinsky had a chance to speak with her. Wikipedia notes that her subject was frequently fascism, in particular about what she called “the small possibilities in people” which leaned them toward fascism. In a roundabout way, she discusses that in this interview. New York Review Books Classics has published several volumes of her stories, most notably The Collected Stories, which features fifty two examples of her best work, and Paris Stories, curated by Michael Ondaatje. Across the Bridge is available in an e-book edition from Amazon. The post Bookwaves/Artwaves – January 22, 2026: Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Legendary American Author appeared first on KPFA.
