Well Read Season 6 Episodes

Episode 1

Interview with Todd Kessler, "The Good Dog"

Fri, Sep 9, 2016

In a Well Read first, we are turning over our time to the subject of children's books. Todd Kessler, co-creator and Executive Producer of one of the most successful series in the history of children's television - Blues Clues - is turning his attention to young readers. The author of Good Dog and Good Dog, Bad Cat discusses his goal to transform children's books, literacy and our concept of their understanding and learning abilities.

Episode 2

Interview with Robert Moor, "On Trails: An Exploration"

Fri, Sep 16, 2016

From a new literary voice, Robert Moor comes a groundbreaking exploration of how trails help us understand the world in his new book On Trails: An Exploration. From ants to elephants to hiking paths that span continents, Moor discusses how the wisdom of trails link together all species.

Episode 3

Interview with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, "Writings on the Wall: Searching for a New Equality Beyond Black and White"

Fri, Sep 23, 2016

NBA All-Star, global icon, and author Kareem Abdul-Jabbar joins Well Read to discuss his latest book: Writings on the Wall: Searching for a New Equality Beyond Black and White - a frank discussion about the socially relevant issues of our times.

Episode 4

Interview with Anuradha Roy, "Sleeping on Jupiter"

Fri, Sep 30, 2016

Traveling from India to the US, Man Booker long-list author Anuradha Roy discusses Sleeping on Jupiter. This unflinching novel by a spellbinding storyteller, weaves a deep and disturbing story based on religion, love, and violence in the modern world.

Episode 5

Interview with Maria Semple, "Today Will Be Different"

Fri, Oct 7, 2016

First garnering critical acclaim and her loyal fan base with her novel, Where'd You Go, Bernadette, Maria Semple is back with another humorous romp. Semple's Today Will Be Different is full of characters every reader can and will recognize from their own lives.

Episode 6

Interview with Ann Patchett, "Commonwealth"

Fri, Oct 14, 2016

Ann Patchett comes to the show with her newest book, Commonwealth - a brilliant and tender tale of the far-reaching ties of love and responsibility that bind us to one another. Full of rich characters intertwined in a complicated family dynamic full of explosive secrets. Then, Mary Ann Gwinn shares her must-read Patchett book list.

Episode 7

Interview with Amor Towles, "A Gentleman in Moscow: A Novel"

Fri, Oct 21, 2016

From the New York Times bestselling author of Rules of Civility-a transporting novel about a man who is ordered to spend the rest of his life inside a luxury hotel. Amor Towles' A Gentleman in Moscow is brimming with humor, a glittering cast of characters, and one beautifully rendered scene after another.

Episode 8

Interview with Tracy Kidder, "A Truck Full of Money"

Fri, Nov 4, 2016

Pulitzer Prize winning author Tracy Kelly brings us the inspiring story of Kayak.com founder Paul English, in The Truck Full of Money. Tracy Kidder casts a fresh, critical, and often-humorous eye on the way new ideas and new money are reshaping our culture. A Truck Full of Money is a mesmerizing portrait of an irresistibly endearing man who is indefatigable, original, and as unpredictable as America itself.

Episode 9

Interview with Larry Brilliant, "Sometimes Brilliant: The Impossible Adventure of a Spiritual Seeker and Visionary Physician Who Helped Conquer the Worst Disease in History"

Fri, Nov 11, 2016

Sometimes Brilliant is the adventures of a philosopher, mystic, hippie, doctor, groundbreaking tech innovator, and key player in the eradication of one of the worst pandemics in human history. Dr. Brilliant shares his story, of what happens when love, compassion and determination meet the right circumstances to effect positive change, is the kind that keeps hope and the sense of possibility alive.

Episode 10

Interview with Alexander McCall Smith, "Precious and Grace: No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency"

Fri, Nov 18, 2016

Alexander McCall Smith is the author of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, the Isabel Dalhousie series, the Portuguese Irregular Verbs series, the 44 Scotland Street series, and the Corduroy Mansions series. Joins Well Read to discuss the latest installment of the beloved and best-selling No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series: Precious and Grace.

Episode 11

Interview with Margot Livesey, "Mercury: A Novel"

Fri, Jan 6, 2017

A grieving optometrist is blind to the family drama and psychological deterioration playing out before his very eyes. Today author of "Mercury," Margot Livesey takes us inside a marriage broken by secrets and obsession and tells why she chose a magnificent horse to set off a chain reaction of deceit and crime. In Bookmarks, Mary Ann Gwinn gives us a reading list full of unbridled obsession: five books about horses and the people who love them.

Episode 12

Interview with Emma Donoghue, "The Wonder"

Fri, Jan 13, 2017

Obedience to God? Mental deficiency? Medical anomaly? What is the reason behind a young girl's claim she no longer needs food. That is the premise in the novel "The Wonder." Best known for her book "Room," Emma Donoghue tells us why she wrote a book about a girl starving in remote Ireland; how she crafts a story told in small spaces; and, why she chose both a nurse and a nun to help unravel the mystery of a fasting girl. Mary Ann gives her recommendations for more Emma Donoghue to add to your reading list in Bookmarks.

Episode 13

Interview with Dava Sobel, "The Glass Universe: How the Ladies of the Harvard Observatory Took the Measure of the Stars"

Fri, Jan 20, 2017

From New York Times bestselling author Dava Sobel comes The Glass Universe. This week on Well Read, Sobel shares the hidden history of the women whose contributions to the burgeoning field of astronomy forever changed our understanding of the stars and our place in the universe.

Episode 14

Interview with Jayne Ann Krentz, "When All the Girls Have Gone"

Fri, Jan 27, 2017

1-on-1 interview with author Jayne Ann Krentz, "When All the Girls Have Gone"; book recommendations in Bookmarks.

Episode 15

Interviews with Garth Stein and Mary Ann Gwinn, "Working with Words"

Fri, Feb 10, 2017

Special episode featuring interviews with author Garth Stein and with Mary Ann Gwinn about the craft and art of writing. Show also features clips from a variety of past guests on the subjects of writing, research, character development, etc.

Episode 16

Interview with Mark K. Shriver, "Pilgrimage: My Search for the Real Pope Francis"

Fri, Feb 17, 2017

1-on-1 interview with author Mark K. Shriver, "Pilgrimage: My Search for the Real Pope Francis"; book recommendations in Bookmarks.

Episode 17

Interview with Katie Kitamura, "A Separation: A Novel"

Fri, Mar 3, 2017

1-on-1 interview with author Katie Kitamura, " A Separation: A Novel"; book recommendations in Bookmarks.

Episode 18

Interview with Ian Rankin, "Rather Be the Devil"

Fri, Mar 31, 2017

International best-selling author Ian Rankin, fresh from his homeland of Scotland, talks about his latest tale for popular detective John Rebus in the new book "Rather Be the Devil." A must read about power, corruption, and bitter rivalries in the dark heart of Edinburgh.

Episode 19

Interview with Viet Thanh Nguyen, "The Refugees"

Fri, Apr 7, 2017

1-on-1 interview with author Viet Thanh Nguyen, "The Refugees"; book recommendations in Bookmarks.

Episode 20

Interview with George Saunders, "Lincoln in the Bardo: A Novel"

Fri, Apr 14, 2017

1-on-1 interview with author George Saunders, "Lincoln in the Bardo: A Novel"; book recommendations in Bookmarks.

Episode 24

Interview with Ann Cleeves

Fri, May 12, 2017