Best Dawn Walter Podcasts (2025)

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Episode 346: Easy Rawlins Returns: Walter Mosley Insights on His Latest Novel, Gray Dawn 43:09

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1h ago43:09

43:09

In this episode of Diverse Voices Book Review, host Hopeton Hay welcomes back the acclaimed author Walter Mosley for an insightful discussion about his latest novel, GRAY DAWN, the 17th installment in the Easy Rawlins series. In the interview, Walter Mosley discusses the origins and development of his character Easy Rawlins, emphasizing the importa…

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Episode 345: The 2025 Texas Book Festival Author Lineup 26:30

4h ago26:30

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On the latest episode of Diverse Voices Book Review, host Hopeton Hay welcomed Texas Book Festival’s Literary Director Hannah Gabel and Chief Operations Officer Dalia Azim for an inside look at the upcoming festival, set to take place November 8–9 in downtown Austin. With more than 300 authors slated to appear, the Texas Book Festival 2025 Authors …

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Episode 344: Exploring East Texas: Joe Lansdale on Writing, Inspiration, and the Hap and Leonard Series 37:00

4d ago37:00

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Joe Lansdale, author of HATCHET GIRLS, his 14th Hap and Leonard mystery novel. In this podcast episode, Joe Lansdale discusses his prolific writing career, the inspiration behind the Hap and Leonard series, and how his personal experiences and the unique setting of East Texas shape his storyte…

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Episode 343: Black Existential Freedom: A Conversation with Nathalie Etoke 1:03:21

9d ago1:03:21

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Nathalie Etoke, author of BLACK EXISTENTIAL FREEDOM. Published in 2022, BLACK EXISTENTIAL FREEDOM explores how Black freedom transcends political and economic success and lies in affirming one's humanity in the face of systemic dehumanization. Etoke draws on historical experiences, Black cultu…

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Episode 342: Robert Justice Novel Addresses Wrongful Convictions 32:46

17d ago32:46

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Diverse Voices Book Review host interviewed Robert Justice, author of the novel A DREAM IN THE DARK. Published in 2024, A DREAM IN THE DARK is his second novel in a planned trilogy focused on wrongful convictions. Justice shared how his novel incorporates themes of deferred dreams, systemic injustice, and jazz motifs, drawing on real-life wrongful …

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Episode 341: 1968: A Tumultuous Year in the LBJ Presidency 26:42

19d ago26:42

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In October 2018, Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Kyle Longley, author of LBJ's 1968: Power, Politics, and the Presidency in America's Year of Upheaval. 1968 was an unprecedented year in terms of upheaval on numerous scales: political, military, economic, social, cultural. In the United States, perhaps no one was more undone …

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Episode 340: Fast Food and the Black Community 47:58

23d ago47:58

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Naa Oyo Kwate, author of WHITE BURGERS, BLACK CASH: Food from Black Exclusion to Exploitation. In the interview, they discussed the fast-food industry and its impact on health disparities in the Black community. They also explored the complex relationship between Black communities and fast foo…

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Episode 339: Best Of: Manisha Sinha's Expansive View of the History of Reconstruction 49:39

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In May of 2024, Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed historian Manisha Sinha, author of THE RISE AND FALL OF THE SECOND AMERICAN REPUBLIC: Reconstruction, 1860-1920. In the interview, Manisha explained her idea that Reconstruction is a defining moment in the history of American democracy. She also asserts that Reconstruction was …

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Episode 338: Carrie Moore Writes Stories Centered in the Black South 44:07

1M ago44:07

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Carrie R. Moore, author of the story collection MAKE YOUR WAY HOME. In the interview, Moore explained that her story collection pays "homage to the diversity of the Black South...There are mountains, there are beaches, there are cities, there are small towns, and I really just wanted to write …

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Episode 337: Tochi Onyebuchi's Harmattan Season Is Hard-Boiled Fantasy Noir Novel 38:26

2M ago38:26

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Tochi Onyebuchi, author of the novel HARMATTAN SEASON. Set in a dust-choked West African city, tensions rise between French occupiers and indigenous factions. The protagonist, private eye Bouba, caught between two cultures, uncovers secrets that challenge his identity and past. Blending noir g…

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Episode 336: Madeliene Thien's Young Protagonist Explores the Lives and Ideas of Timeless Thinkers 44:28

2M ago44:28

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Madeleine Thien, author of the novel THE BOOK OF RECORDS. The novel tells a time-bending, seven-year philosophical journey of a young girl named Lina, who is taught by her father and neighbors about the lives of three historical figures. They live in a surreal enclave, where Lina and her fathe…

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Episode 335: Denise Mina Thriller Explores Forensic Scientist Choices 27:36

2M ago27:36

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Denise Mina, author of THE GOOD LIAR. The story follows a blood spatter expert who faces ethical dilemmas similar to historical cases where discredited forensic techniques led to wrongful convictions. THE GOOD LIAR publishes on Tuesday, July 29, 2025. Denise Mina is the author of twenty novels…

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Episode 334: Paul Thomas Chamberlin Peels Back Mythology Around World War II 52:51

2M ago52:51

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed historian Paul Thomas Chamberlin, author of SCORCHED EARTH: A Global History of World War II. In the interview, we discussed how World War II fits into a larger story of the rise and fall of empires, the creation and destruction of colonial systems, and the reconfiguration of imperial power. T…

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Episode 333: Rachel Howzell Hall Thriller Fog and Fury 29:26

3M ago29:26

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Diverse Voices Book Review host interviewed Rachel Howzell Hall, author of the new thriller FOG AND FURY. Set in northern California, FOG AND FURY features a disgraced former Los Angeles police detective, Alyson "Sonny" Rush, whose first case with her godfather's private detective agency throws her personal life into turmoil. Her life is further co…

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Episode 332: Ivy Pochoda's Novel Ecstasy Tackles Female Oppression and Marital Patriarchy 38:38

3M ago38:38

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Ivy Pochoda, author of ECSTASY. Based on a Greek tragedy by Euripides, Pochoda explained how she wanted to address difficult truths about female oppression and marital patriarchy. As described on her website, "Ecstasy is a riveting, darkly poetic, one-sitting read about empowerment, desire, an…

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Episode 331: Dana Williams Recounts Impact of Toni Morrison on Black Writers As Editor 39:41

3M ago39:41

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Dana A. Williams, author of TONI AT RANDOM: The Iconic Writer's Legendary Editorship. In the interview, Dr. Williams discussed Toni Morrison's path to becoming a book editor, some of the Black writers she edited at Random House including Angela Davis and Toni Cade Bambara, and what inspired he…

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Episode 330: Naomi Xu Elegant Debut Novel Gingko Seaso 37:12

3M ago37:12

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Naomi Xu Elegant, author of the debut novel GINGKO SEASON. Set in Philadelphia, Elegant examines the friendships and the love life of a neurotic young woman in her 20s. The novel also is a homage to Philadelphia, where the author lived while attending the University of Pennsylvania. In the int…

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Episode 329: Peniel Joseph Relates How 1963 Transformed America's Civil Rights Revolution 33:02

3M ago33:02

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Diverse Voices Book Review contributor Amanda Moore interviewed Dr. Peniel Joseph about his new book, FREEDOM SEASON: How 1963 Transformed America’s Civil Rights Revolution. Through a captivating study of leading activists during the Civil Rights movement, Joseph creates an authentic narrative about individuals who endeavored to change a nation and…

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Episode 328: Rickey Fayne's Debut Novel Weaves a Multigeneration Tale from Slave Ship to Contemporary Times 59:28

3M ago59:28

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Rickey Fayne about his debut novel, THE DEVIL THREE TIMES. Covering eight generations of a Black family in West Tennessee, from the slave ship to contemporary times, Fayne creates a narrative rich with historical context, emotional depth, and Black folklore. In the interview, he talked about h…

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Episode 327: Abigail Leonard Examines the First Year of Parenthood 35:48

4M ago35:48

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Diverse Voices Book Review contributor Amanda Moore interviews international reporter and news producer Abigail Leonard about her new book, “Four Mothers, An Intimate Journey through the First Year of Parenthood in Four Countries.” With a close examination of the lives of women in Japan, Finland, Kenya and the United States, Leonard writes an insig…

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Episode 326: Twain Scholar Shelley Fisher Fishkin Explores Huckleberry Finn’s Character Jim 39:40

5M ago39:40

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Shelley Fisher Fishkin, author of JIM: The Life and Afterlives of Huckleberry Finn's Comrade. In the interview she highlights the irony in Twain's portrayal of Jim, contrasting Huck's limited understanding with Twain's deeper critique of society. Fishkin emphasizes the need for teachers to be …

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Episode 325: Jesse Q. Sutanto's Latest Cozy Mystery Featuring Vera Wong 29:34

5M ago29:34

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Jesse Q. Sutanto, author of the mystery novel VERA WONG'S GUIDE TO SNOOPING (on a DEAD MAN). This is the second book in the series featuring Vera Wong, a 61-year-old tea shop owner in San Francisco. Vera, based on Sutanto's mother, investigates a murder involving a missing person social media …

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Episode 324: Preston Lauterbach Explores Black Musicians Who Made Elvis Presley 39:22

5M ago39:22

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Preston Lauterbach, author of BEFORE ELVIS: The African American Musicians Who Made the King. In the interview Lauterbach highlighted the influence of African American musicians on Elvis Presley. He noted that Elvis's first hit, "That's All Right," was originally recorded by Arthur Crudup, and…

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Episode 323: Historian Linda Gordon Investigates Social Movements Impact On America 30:36

5M ago30:36

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Diverse Voices Book Review contributor Amanda Moore interviewed New York University Professor Linda Gordon about her new book, SEVEN SOCIAL MOVEMENTS THAT CHANGED AMERICA. Professor Gordon writes a captivating account of historical events that have shaped American society. By exploring the transformative nature of individual and collective activism…

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Episode 322: The Northern Ireland U.S. Civil Rights Connection 45:54

5M ago45:54

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Forest Issac Jones, author of GOOD TROUBLE: The Selma, Alabama and Derry, Northern Ireland Connection 1963-1972. Jones discovered the connection between the Catholic Civil Rights Movement in Northern Ireland and the Black Civil Rights Movement during a 2021 visit to Belfast. He highlights the …

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Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Edge of Tomorrow and Snowpiercer 1:30:40

6M ago1:30:40

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Hosted By: Thomas Adams and Nick Hoffman Theme Song By: Kyle King Twitter: @DecadePod Facebook: Back To The Decade Email us at [email protected] Thomas Adams & Nick Hoffman

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X-Men: Days of Future Past, Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain America: The Winter Soldier 1:20:46

6M ago1:20:46

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Hosted By: Thomas Adams and Nick Hoffman Theme Song By: Kyle King Twitter: @DecadePod Facebook: Back To The Decade Email us at [email protected] Thomas Adams & Nick Hoffman

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Paddington and The LEGO Movie 54:04

6M ago54:04

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Hosted By: Thomas Adams and Nick Hoffman Theme Song By: Kyle King Twitter: @DecadePod Facebook: Back To The Decade Email us at [email protected] Thomas Adams & Nick Hoffman

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Episode 321: Kimberly Lau Examines the Manifestation of Race in European Fairy Tales 44:55

6M ago44:55

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Kimberly J. Lau, author of Specters of the Marvelous: Race and the Development of the European Fairy Tale. In stories retold for generations, wondrous worlds and magnificent characters have defined the genre of European fairy tales with little recognition of yet another defining aspect—racism …

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Episode 320: Fernando Flores's Dystopian Tale Brother Brontë 50:35

6M ago50:35

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Fernando A. Flores, author of the novel Brother Brontë. Set in Texas in 2038, it is a dark tale of a future where books are burned, the libraries are closed, and your neighbor may turn you in for having books. In the interview, Flores said, "...for those of us who have traveled to the valley b…

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Episode 319: Keith Clark Highlights the Importance of Black Literary Trail Blazers James Baldwin, Ernest Gaines, and Ann Petry 48:37

6M ago48:37

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Diverse Voices Book Review host interviewed Keith Clark about his books Navigating the Fiction of Ernest J. Gaines: A Roadmap for Readers, The Radical Fiction of Ann Petry, and Black Manhood in James Baldwin, Ernest J. Gaines and August Wilson. Clark is a Professor of English and African and African American Studies at George Mason University. Dive…

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Episode 318: Lilliam Rivera Novel Explores Darkness in Illusory World of Glamour and Fashion 34:07

7M ago34:07

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviews Lilliam Rivera about her 2024 novel Tiny Threads, a dark thriller set in Vernon, California, in the fashion world. Rivera discusses the novel's blend of horror, fashion, and personal trauma. She explores the connection between fashion and violence, drawing from her experience as a fashion edito…

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Episode 317: Betsy Leondar-Wright Co-Authors Book That Examines How Inequalities Persist 43:08

7M ago43:08

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Betsy Leondar-Wright, co-author of Is It Racist? Is It Sexist? Two questions that seem simple on their face, but which invite a host of tangled responses. In this book, Jessi Streib and Betsy Leondar-Wright offer a new way of understanding how inequalities persist by focusing on the individual…

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Episode 316: Brea Baker Investigates Black Land Theft in Book Rooted 32:46

7M ago32:46

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Diverse Voices Book Review contributor Amanda Moore interviewed Brea Baker about her new book, "Rooted: The American Legacy of Land Theft and the Modern Movement for Black Land Ownership." Through a close examination of historical events, Brea explores the significance of land ownership and how generations of black families have been impacted by sy…

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Episode 315: Walter Mosley's Latest Novel Explores a Son's Search for His Father 53:03

7M ago53:03

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed legendary author Walter Mosley about his latest novel Been Wrong So Long It Feels Like Right, his third novel featuring New York private detective Joe King Oliver. In the novel, Oliver's 92-year-old grandmother asks him to find his father, her son, after she discovers she has a tumor that coul…

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Episode 314: Favorite Novels of 2024 40:53

7M ago40:53

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Diverse Voices Book Review hosts Hopeton Hay and Amanda Moore discuss their favorite novels of 2024 that were featured in author interviews. For Hopeton, his favorite novels were 54 Miles by Leonard Pitts, Jr., Guide Me Home by Attica Locke, and Kingdom of No Tomorrow by Fabienne Josaphat. Amanda's favorite novels were Flores and Miss Paula by Meli…

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Episode 313: Alex Segura Thriller Examines Conflict Between Art and Commerce 32:34

8M ago32:34

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Alex Segura, author of the thriller Alter Ego. In the story, Annie Bustamante, a celebrated filmmaker and comic book artist, gets a chance to work on her favorite superhero, The Lethal Lynx. Despite her excitement, she's wary of the offer, and her suspicions grow when she receives anonymous wa…

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Episode 312: History Professor Joe Trotter Jr. Explores Building the Black City 39:51

8M ago39:51

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Joe William Trotter, Jr., author of Building The Black City: The Transformation of American Life. Building The Black City explores the history of African Americans in cities across America from the colonial era to recent times. He emphasized the agency of African people in building their own i…

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Episode 311: The Damascus Events: An Interview with Eugene Rogan on the 1860 Massacre and the Ottoman Empire 33:34

8M ago33:34

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Eugene Rogan, a professor of modern Middle Eastern history at the University of Oxford and the director of the Middle East Center at St. Anthony's College, Oxford. Rogan discusses his book, The Damascus Events: The 1860 Massacre and the Making of the Modern Middle East." The conversation touch…

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Episode 310: Rafael Martinez Examines the Plight of Undocumented Youth Immigrants 31:25

9M ago31:25

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Diverse Voices Book Review contributor Amanda Moore interviewed Rafael A. Martinez, author of Illegalized: Undocumented Youth Movements in the United States. Martinez, an assistant professor at Arizona State University, writes a thought-provoking narrative about the obstacles that illegal immigrants face in the United States. By examining various c…

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Episode 309: Nikki Giovanni: An Interview from November 15, 2020 41:01

10M ago41:01

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Black cultural icon and poet Nikki Giovanni died on December 9, 2024, at the age of 81. On November 15, 2020, Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed her about her book of poetry and prose, Make Me Rain, which was just published the month before. In Make Me Rain, Giovanni calls attention to injustice and racism, celebrates Black cul…

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Episode 308: From Crime to Fantasy: Rachel Howzell Hall Discusses Her Genre-Bending New Novel 'The Last One 41:23

10M ago41:23

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Rachel Howzell Hall, author of the fantasy novel The Last One. Best known for writing crime fiction, Hall was approached by a publisher to write a fantasy novel series, which resulted in her new book. In the interview, Hall discussed how writing the fantasy novel required her to build an entir…

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Episode 307: Fabienne Josaphat's Historical Novel Explores Black Panthers 41:41

10M ago41:41

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Fabienne Josaphat, author of Kingdom of No Tomorrow. Kingdom of No Tomorrow is a historical novel that delves into a the Black Panther Party from 1968 to 1969 through the perspective of protagonist Nettie Boileau. She volunteers at the Black Panthers' Free Health Clinics in Oakland and develop…

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Episode 306: Leonard Pitts Jr. Explores Selma to Montgomery Civil Rights March in Novel 54 MILES 33:32

10M ago33:32

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Leonard Pitts Jr., author of the novel 54 MILES. Continuing with characters from his earlier work, THE LAST THING YOU SURRENDDER, set during World War II, "54 Miles" is a historical novel that unfolds during the crucial weeks of the Selma to Montgomery March in 1965 in alabama. The story revol…

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Episode 305: Wanda Morris Novel Centers on Conspiracy Back to Reconstruction 27:53

11M ago27:53

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Diverse Voices Book Review contributor Amanda Moore interviewed, Wanda Morris, the author of WHAT YOU LEAVE BEHIND. In her novel, a woman returns to her hometown to restart her career and her life, only to stumble upon a group of individuals whose ruthless ambitions threaten the lives of people in her community. Wanda Morris is the award-winning au…

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Episode 304: The Border Between Us: A Conversation with Rudy Ruiz on Family, Identity, and Storytelling 47:22

11M ago47:22

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Rudy Ruiz, author of the novel THE BORDER BETWEEN US. Set in Brownsville, Texas, the novel follows Ramon Lopez's life from fifth grade to college, exploring themes of family dynamics, immigration, and coming of age. Ruiz draws heavily from his own experiences, fictionalizing real events and ch…

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Episode 303: Ruben Reyes Jr. Debut Short Stories Collection Leans into Speculative Fiction 29:02

12M ago29:02

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Ruben Reyes, Jr., author of the short stories collection THERE IS A RIO GRANDE IN HEAVEN. THERE IS A RIO GRANDE IN HEAVEN, Reyes's first book, blends speculative fiction with themes of Salvadoran immigration. Reyes describes his book as speculative fiction about Salvadoran immigrants, ranging …

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Episode 302: Krimstein Graphic Narrative Explores Einstein and Kafka Formative Months in Prague 29:34

12M ago29:34

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Ken Krimstein, the author of the graphic narrative EINSTEIN IN KAFKALAND: How Albert Fell Down the Rabbit Hole and Came Up with the Universe. During the year that Prague was home to both Albert Einstein and Franz Kafka from 1911-1912, the trajectory of the two men's lives wove together in unca…

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Episode 301: Megan Kimble Examines The Impact of Urban Highways in Texas 35:17

1y ago35:17

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Megan Kimble, author of CITY LIMITS: Infrastructure, Inequality, and the Future of America’s Highways. CITY LIMITS examines the impact of urban highways on American cities. In the interview, Kimble discussed how highways were sold as progress in the 1950s and 60s, driven by car companies and o…

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Episode 300: Gabino Iglesias Novel Blends Horror and Crime Fiction 39:12

1y ago39:12

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Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Gabino Iglesias, author of the novel HOUSE OF BONE AND RAIN. In the interview, Iglesias explained how the novel was inspired in part by his personal experiences as a teen in Puerto Rico. The story follows a group of friends seeking revenge after a friend's mother is killed. Iglesias highlights…