This Weekend’s Program (Jan 25-26, 2014)

Bob Edwards Weekend, January 25-26, 2014

HOUR ONE:

Doyle McManus, Washington columnist for the Los Angeles Times, joins Bob to discuss the latest political news.

The first time Sue Monk Kidd heard about Sarah Grimke she was intrigued.  In an act of rebellion against her wealthy, slave-owning family, Sarah traveled the country speaking out against slavery in the years before the Civil War.  A fictionalized Sarah is at the heart of Kidd’s new novel, The Invention of Wings.  Her first-person narrative is weaved together with that of Hetty “Handful” Grimke’, an enslaved girl given to Sarah for her 11th birthday.  This is Susan Monk Kidd’s third book. Her first novel, The Secret Life of Bees, was a huge best-seller and, like this new one, an Oprah Book Club pick.

HOUR TWO:

Dave Eggers calls Ishmael Beah “arguably the most read African writer in contemporary literature.”  Beah’s 2007 best-selling memoir, A Long Way Gone, was an account of his life as a boy soldier during the civil war in Sierra Leone.  Now he’s written a novel that explores the war’s aftermath and the world he left behind.  The core story in Radiance of Tomorrow revolves around two friends, Benjamin and Bockarie, who encounter a heap of obstacles as they try to retake their posts as teachers in their hometown after a devastating civil war. 

Bob talks to violinist Hilary Hahn about her new CD, In 27 Pieces: The Hilary Hahn Encores.  Hahn spent more than a decade commissioning new works by contemporary composers to play at the end of her concerts.  Encores, which are the performer’s way of rewarding an enthusiastic audience at the end of a concert, are short, intimate pieces between 2 and 5 minutes long.  Hahn wasn’t satisfied with the standard encore repertoire, and wondered what contemporary composers would do with the form.   She contacted composers from all over the world.  The result is a dazzling 2-CD collection of brand new encores, which she has been performing at her concerts.