KCRW's BOOKWORM
"Umberto Eco"
"Nicole Krauss"
"Bret Easton Ellis"
"Identity" (Series of 10)
This is where the big guns of literature come out to bat. Or to talk. KCRW'S Bookworm is a major literary podcast show. It features serious, detailed discussions on literary matters, featuring big-name authors. One of their longest, most fascinating series was the recent 10-part series on Identity. Each episode of slightly less than 30 minutes focussed on one aspect of Identity. Hispanic identity, Asian identity, mixed-race identity, and similar aspects of the complex search for an unique 'face' in a world of rapidly blurring differences. Authors featured ranged from relative unknowns like Maxine Hong Kingston, Don Lee, Nina Marie Martinez, to heavy hitters like Camille Paglia, Alan Hollinghurst, Margaret Atwood, and the current Booker shortlisted John Banville...The discussions are always interesting, 'provocative book-talk' to quote their own tag line, and well worth the listening.
THE RADIO ADVENTURES OF DR. FLOYD
This one's a bit more of an acquired taste. I wouldn't recommend it for everyone, and at times, if I'm not in the mood, even I press 'next' on my iPod, or remote, to bypass the latest episode. But if you're in the mood for some light, chatty, even whacky talk about Science Fiction, often without any definite point, then this pod show is reasonably good TP. If you're not interested in SF, though, you're not going to like it, so I'd only recommend it for true beanies.
THE SECRETS: THE PODCAST FOR WRITERS
Like Dr. Floyd above, but less irritating in tone and style, The Secrets is a series of under-15 minute episodes offering advice on various aspects of the writing craft. It's a great series if you're a wannabe writer, and especially if you're a blogger. (Which, I'm starting to think, should now be accepted as a legit professional appelation. As in, 'Hi, I'm Tim, the architect, so what do you do?' 'Oh, I'm a blogger.') Anyway, despite it's suggestive title, there are really no earth-shattering secrets revealed on this show. But it's always informative and entertaining. And again, there's usually a tidbit or two of special interest for writers (or editors, or publishers, or even just readers) of SFFH. In fact, one of their feature podcasts is a special focus on SF/Fantasy news.
THE WEEK IN WHEDON
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