Bookwaves/Artwaves – March 11, 2021: Jane Smiley – Jeanette Winterson

Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky.



Links to on-line and streaming local theater & book events (https://kpfa.org/episode/bookwaves-artwaves-march-11-2021/#EVENTLINKS)

Bookwaves



Jane Smiley, whose latest novel is “Perestroika in Paris,” in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky.



The author of sixteen adult fiction novels, two short story collections, five non-fiction works plus several young adult novels, Jane Smiley is the Pulitzer Prize winning author of “A Thousand Acres,” and more recently The Last Hundred Years Trilogy. She current teaches creative writing.



“Perestroika in Paris” is a departure from her other works. Clearly an adult novel, it focuses on several animals on the loose in Paris in 2008, including a horse named Perestroika (Paras), based in part on Jane Smiley’s own horse of the same name, a dog named Frida (based in part on Jane Smiley’s own German short-haired pointer) and an array of other creatures, all of whom communicate with one another, and create a bond with a young orphan named Etienne, who lives with his elderly grandmother near the Eiffel Tower.



As Jane points out in the interview, in an era when we are overwhelmed with angst in politics and during the pandemic, a book that takes us far away can often seem like a necessary relief.



Extended 39-minute Radio Wolinsky podcast. (https://kpfa.org/area941/episode/jane-smiley-2021-perestroika-in-paris/)





 

Bookwaves



Jeanette Winterson discusses her latest novel, “Frankissstein: A Love Story” which concerns Mary Shelley, modern A.I., Alcor life extension and gender issues. Hosted by Richard Wolinsky.



Jeanette Winterson is the author of several novels, including Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, and the memoir, Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? This interview was recorded in December, 2019.



:The complete 43-minute interview can be found as a Radio Wolinsky podcast. (https://kpfa.org/area941/episode/jeanette-winterson-frankissstein/)



 



Announcement Links



Bay Area Book Festival (https://www.baybookfest.org/) Following the Joy with LaRayia Gaston, Tuesday March 16, 7 pm; May 1-9: Virtual Festival; Kazuo Ishiguro, Sunday May 2, 2 pm.

Books Inc (https://www.booksinc.net/) Kazuo Ishiguro, Sunday March 14, 1 pm; Sara Desai, Tuesday March 16,  5 pm; Jenny Offill, Thursday March 18, 6 pm.

Book Passage. (https://www.bookpassage.com/) Kazuo Ishiguro with Pico Iyer, March 14, 1 pm. Julia Turshen, March 14, 4 pm. Orville Schell, March 20, 4 pm. Jacqueline Winspear, March 23, 6 pm.

The Booksmith  (https://www.booksmith.com/)   Arisa White, March 11, 6 pm; Babylon Salon, March 13, 5 pm. Naima Costa with Carolina de Robertis,  March 16, 6 pm.

Center for Literary Arts, San Jose. (https://www.clasanjose.org/) Book Club, March 14, zoom 4 pm; Laila Lalami, March 18, 7 pm.

Kepler’s Book (https://www.keplers.com/) s Donna Leon, March 16, 6 pm; Walter Isaacson, March 18, 6 pm.



American Conservatory Theatre (https://www.act-sf.org/) Act Out Loud, Virtual Play Reading Series: Trouble in Mind by Alice Childress, March 29 – April 4; Arms and the Man by George Bernard Shaw, April 12-16, The Matchmaker by Thornton Wilder, April 26 – May 2.

Aurora Theatre (https://auroratheatre.org/) Streaming now: The Flats, written by Lauren Gunderson, Cleaven Smith and Jonathan Spector, with Lauren English, Anthony Fusco and Khary L. Moye, directed by Josh Costello, Aurora Connects conversations every Friday, 4 pm. Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, adapted for audio, starts on April 9th.

Berkeley Rep (https://berkeleyrep.org/) 10-episode audio series: Place/Settings: Berkeley, all episodes available now.  What’s in a Play, (https://berkeleyrep.org/whatsinaplay/index.asp) Mondays 6:30 & 8 pm. Zoom, Registration required. June, 2021: Swept Away, a new musical.

Brava Theatre Center: (https://www.brava.org/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=https%3A//d31hzlhk6di2h5.cloudfront.net/20201027/72/27/90/b1/06aa7e5aaa3473a1c7496592_1280x212.jpg&utm_campaign=October%2028%2C%202020) Canta Brava: Celebrating Women in History, performance series, nightly, March 8-19, 7 pm.

California Shakespeare Theatre (https://calshakes.org/) (Cal Shakes) Lights Up Fundraiser, March March 26, 5:30 pm. Truth and Meaning at Play, Finn Lefever, April 2, 5:30 pm.

Central Works (http://centralworks.org/) Audio plays: Bystanders by Patricia Milton, streaming now. The Human Ounce by Nicole Parizeau, streaming now.  .

Cinnabar Theatre. (https://cinnabartheater.org/) Broadway Bash annual fund-raiser, March 13, 7 pm. Mac Beth, an update of Shakespeare’s play, adapted by Erica Schmidt, starts April 16.

Contra Costa Civic Theatre (https://ccct.org/) American Hero by Bess Wahl, March 15, 7 pm, zoom. Kitchen Table ConversationsL Director Alex Perez, March 16, 7 pm.

Curran Theater: (https://sfcurran.com/) Harry Potter and the Cursed Child set to resume May 30, 2021.

Custom Made Theatre (https://www.custo...