Rita Dove discusses her book, “Through the Ivory Gate.” She describes the protagonist, Virginia King, and her exploration of her creativity. Dove goes on to discuss the plot and reads an excerpt about a doll. She also talks about the...
Rita Bregman and Barbara Michelman discuss their book, “On Amethyst Glass.” They begin by explaining how they came to collaborate on their poetry and how they decided to write a book together. Martinson asks Bregman to read a passage from the...
Carolyn Mary Kleefeld discusses her book, “The Alchemy of Possibility: Reinventing Your Personal Mythology.” She begins by explaining how she borrowed elements from many different cultures to create her own system for personal betterment. She...
Wilton Barnhardt discusses his novel, “Gospel.” He begins by explaining that his book is about a professor who is working in England to find the missing gospel of Matthias. He talks about how Americans are treated while traveling abroad. He...
Los Angeles Region (Calif.) - Biography; Los Angeles Region (Calif.) - Politics and government; Los Angeles Region (Calif.) - History; Los Angeles Region (Calif.) - Social life and customs
D.J. Waldie discusses his book, “Where We Are Now: Notes From Los Angeles.” He begins by explaining how the book is a compilation of essays on the meaning of place in Los Angeles. He stresses the importance of building community within Los...
Women murderers - Fiction; Mothers and daughters - Fiction; Foster children - Fiction; Young women - Fiction
Janet Fitch discusses her book, “White Oleander.” She explains that the book follows the protagonist, Astrid, who is the only child of a single mother. Ingrid, Astrid’s mother is an eccentric poet who murders a man for rejecting her. The...
Rod McKuen discusses his book, “Intervals.” He begins by explaining that the book is a collection of his newest poetry. He explains that the poems are an exploration of his life and his thoughts on love, family, and his career. In this...
New York (N.Y.) - Fiction; Los Angeles (Calif.) - Fiction; City and town life - Fiction; Brooklyn Dodgers (Baseball team) - Fiction
Heather Woodbury discusses her play, “Tale of 2cities.” She begins by explaining that the play traces the impact of the Dodgers’ 1957 move from Brooklyn to Los Angeles. The play is in six acts, which are separated into two parts. The story...
African Americans - Biography - Anecdotes; Inspiration - Anecdotes; Social values - United States - Anecdotes; Spiritual life - Anecdotes; African Americans - Conduct of life - Anecdotes
Eric Copage discusses his book, “Soul Food.” He begins by explaining that the book is a compilation of inspirational stories, poems and fables written by and for African Americans. Some of the authors include, Nikki Giovanni, Oprah Winfrey,...
Hollywood (Los Angeles, Calif.) - Fiction; Motion picture industry - Fiction
Michael Tolkin discusses his novel, “The Return of the Player.” He begins by detailing the plot of his newest novel, which follows the character Griffin Mill, who was introduced in one of his earlier novels, “The Player.” The plot of...
African American families; African American poets - Biography; Poets, American - 20th century - Biography; Poets, American - 20th century - Family relationships; Jordan, June, 1936-2002 - Family; Jordan, June, 1936-2002 - Childhood and youth
June Jordan discusses her book, “Soldier.” She begins by explaining that the book is a collection of poems about her childhood. She discusses the difficulties she faced as the child of immigrants and growing up with the burden of their...
Ron Cutler discusses his book, “The Secret Scroll.” He begins by explaining that the book is about an American archeologist who discovers a scroll written by Jesus Christ. He goes on to explain the research he did before he began writing the...
Family secrets - Fiction; Gender identity - Fiction; Fathers and daughters - Fiction
Felicia Luna Lemus discusses her book, “Like Son.” She begins by explaining the plot of the novel, which follows the story of Frankie, a gay woman who has undergone a sex change to become a man. Frankie’s story starts when her blind,...
Southern States - Poetry Book; African American families - Poetry
Janice Harrington discusses her book, “Even the Hollow My Body Made is Gone.” She begins by explaining that her work received the 2008 Kate Tufts Discovery Award. She then discusses her career as a librarian before becoming a writer and...
Tom Sleigh discusses his book, “Space Walk.” He begins by sharing his thoughts on being awarded the 2008 Kingsley Tufts Award. He explains that the book is a compilation of his poetry dealing with growing up during the Cold War era. He goes on...
Wanda Coleman discusses her book, “A War of Eyes and Other Stories.” She says in life, there is a constant war against barriers. Coleman states that she has had to fight society and has had to fight in order to be a part of society. She...
San Francisco (Calif.) - Biography; San Diego (Calif.) - Biography; Inner cities - California - San Diego; African Americans - California - San Diego - Social conditions; African American families - California - San Diego; African Americans -...
Cupcake Brown discusses her book, “A Piece of Cake.” She begins by explaining that the book is a memoir of her life. Her story starts when she was eleven years old and her mother dies unexpectedly. She is then subjected to a series of abusive...
Motherless families - Fiction; Bronx (New York, N.Y.) - Fiction; Runaway wives - Fiction; Maternal deprivation - Fiction; Fathers and daughters - Fiction; African American families - Fiction; African American girls - Fiction
Veronica Chambers discusses her book, “When Did You Stop Loving Me?” She begins by explaining the plot of her novel which follows Angela who is abandoned by her mother and is left in the care of her father, a struggling magician with a strong...
Helen Scully discusses her book, “In the Hope of Rising Again.” She begins by explaining the plot of her novel which follows three generations of a family in Mobile, Alabama. The book takes place during major historic time periods such as, the...
School improvement programs - California; Problem youth - Education - California; Youth with social disabilities - Education - California; West Valley Leadership Academy (Canoga Park, Calif.)
Paul White discusses his book, “White’s Rules.” He begins by explaining that he is a teacher “of reject kids.” White runs the West Valley Leadership Academy, which is a public charter school in Canoga Park, California. The kids that are...
