There are many joys that come along with womanhood, but there are plenty of challenges as well. 'You Know Nothing' is a collection of very short stories from Yasmina Din Madden that focuses mostly on the challenges. The stories are insightful, funny, heartbreaking — and readers may occasionally feel like they’re looking in a mirror. Yasmina Din Madden joins us on this episode to talk about her eclectic collection. Then, in 1933, Eleanor Roosevelt published an article titled 'I want you to write to me,' a call that was answered with droves of letters from American people struggling through the Great Depression. Musicology professor Marian Wilson Kimber came across these letters, music and poetry sent to the First Lady in the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library. We speak with Wilson Kimber and UI archivist Kate Orazem about this peek into the lives of Iowans during the Great Depression.
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Mary Oliver's poetry has touched millions of readers. She passed away in 2019, but a new documentary tells her story. On this episode, we talk with filmmaker and former University of Iowa professor Sasha Waters about her film 'Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World.' She shares her experience working on the film and discusses Mary Oliver's legacy. The film is screening in Iowa City through Aug. 13, and will be released on PBS on Aug. 25. Then, we meet musician Ari Dubin, founder the Rolling Hills Music Festival. This new classical music festival looks to celebrate musicians in Central Iowa and takes place August 6-9 in Ames. -
Any time is a great time to visit an Iowa State Park, but if you go now through the end of October, you can discover hidden gems with the Iowa State Parks Passport. On this episode, we learn about the Iowa State Parks Passport, which encourages Iowans to explore historic landmarks and scenic overlooks around the state. We also talk with William Bortz about his new poetry collection. Then, we meet Anne Harris Carter, the new director of the African American Museum of Iowa.
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On this episode, it's summer school! We talk about the summer slide with University of Iowa expert Leah Zimmermann. The University of Iowa launched a literacy hub to help caregivers develop literacy skills whether at home or on the move. We also hear from Kathleen Locher, an elementary teacher librarian in Iowa City. She shares how a book that hadn’t been checked out in a decade has had a profound impact on her students. We hear poems read by rising fourth-grade Poetry Invaders Lina Ahmed, Sadie Linder, Kate Fina and Etta Schons. Then, Iowa State’s University Museums announced its new director, David Schmitz. We talk with him about how he found a passion for supporting other artists and plans for the future at University Museums.
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Elizabeth Wehrle of Montezuma went into the hospital in February and this week she gets to go home. In March, she received a first-of-its-kind lifesaving surgery, a quadruple organ transplant. On this episode, we talk with Wehrle and Dr. Ankit Bharat of Northwestern Medicine, the lead surgeon for this groundbreaking procedure. We hear about the health issues that led to these transplants, what this surgical advancement means and what goes into the decision to perform a surgery that hasn’t been done before. Then, we talk with Suzanna de Baca, Iowa author of 'You Were Never Lost: Poems From The Tallgrass Prairie.' De Baca didn’t expect to write about grief, but when back at the place where she spent her childhood with a friend who died, poetry and nature helped her cope.
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At its peak in the late 1950s, there were over 4,000 drive-in movie theaters in the U.S., with nearly 70 in Iowa. Today, there are four drive-in theaters operating in the state. On this episode, we hear from operators of three of the remaining theaters. Then, we talk with Iowa's new poet laureate, Paul Brooke.
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Iowa alum and author Tayari Jones set out to write a very different story for her much-anticipated novel 'Kin' following the widely acclaimed 'An American Marriage.' She joins the show to shares how she was derailed when these characters came to her. Then, the new National Youth Poet Laureate is Cedar Falls senior Daniel Daniel Umemezie. He joins the show with Rachel Morgan, the editor of the 'North American Review' who helped started the Cedar Valley Youth Poet Laureate program.
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A new documentary, 'Kamal’s,' follows a Muslim chef and his Catholic wife as they build a life together in Grinnell, blending Middle Eastern traditions with Midwestern ingredients. We talk with filmmaker Nich Perez, along with Kamal Hammouda and Laura Fendt, the couple at the heart of the film and co-founders of The Iowa Kitchen. Later in the episode, April is National Poetry Month, and Iowa poets are reaching audiences far beyond the Midwest.
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The Violins of Hope all have connections to Jewish musicians and the Holocaust. These instruments are now touring in Iowa, keeping history alive. Plus, Emily Bright shares her new poetry collection 'This Ground Beneath Our Feet.'
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You may not know who Morgan Sackett is, but chances are good that his fingerprints are all over a TV show or a movie that you love. Also, a conversation with an Iowa City-based poet and fiber artist.
