Best KMUW Podcasts (2024)

M.L. Rio's new novella, "Graveyard Shift," centers on five friends who work the late shift in a college town. It’s atmospheric and eerie, but at less than 150 pages, it leaves true Rio fans wanting more.By Suzanne Perez

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The Hidden World of Syllable Stress 29:24

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4d ago29:24

29:24

We continue our fascination with rules we don't know we know with a look at the importance of where we put the stress when we say words out loud.By Fletcher Powell, Kathy Petras & Ross Petras

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‘His Three Daughters’ does a whole lot with just a little 2:23

5d ago2:23

2:23

Fletcher Powell says a new movie does a whole lot with just a little.By Fletcher Powell

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Lauren Elkin on her novel, 'Scaffolding' 20:45

23m ago20:45

20:45

Beth Golay recently spoke with "Scaffolding" author, Lauren Elkin, about exploring grief, desire, love and fidelity.By Beth Golay

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‘There are Rivers in the Sky,’ explores the transcendent power of water — and humanity 1:41

2h ago1:41

1:41

In her newest novel, “There Are Rivers in the Sky,” Elif Shafak weaves characters and storylines together with a single raindrop that falls, freezes, evaporates and reappears across time.By Suzanne Perez

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Let's Hop Across the Pond 29:23

1d ago29:23

29:23

Jump in your estate car and head to the chemist, this week we're looking at some British equivalents of American English words.By Fletcher Powell, Kathy Petras & Ross Petras

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‘I Saw the TV Glow’ is stunning and difficult 2:26

1d ago2:26

2:26

KMUW's Fletcher Powell says "I Saw the TV Glow" is as stunning as it is difficult.By Fletcher Powell

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Melissa Petro on her book, 'Shame on You: How to Be a Woman in the Age of Mortification' 22:35

9d ago22:35

22:35

Beth Golay recently spoke with "Shame on You" author Melissa Petro about her experience with shame and the unique ways women experience different forms of shame in her book.By Beth Golay

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Marcus Kliewer's 'We Used to Live Here' will get your fall reading off to a scary start 1:40

4d ago1:40

1:40

Marcus Kliewer’s debut novel began life as a serialized short story on Reddit, where it won an award for Scariest Story of 2021. It's a deliciously twisty haunted house tale with nods to Shirley Jackson and Jordan Peele.By Suzanne Perez

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Getting an A on the SAT 29:22

6d ago29:22

29:22

The letter of the day is "A"! We're getting you (or your kids) ready for the SATs with some tricky vocabulary from the beginning of the alphabet.By Fletcher Powell, Kathy Petras & Ross Petras

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‘Good One’ is worth the trip 2:23

8d ago2:23

2:23

Fletcher Powell says it's worth a bit of a drive to see one new movie.By Fletcher Powell

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Colm Tóibín on his new book of essays, 'On James Baldwin' 29:48

9d ago29:48

29:48

On what would have been James Baldwin's 100th birthday, KMUW's Beth Golay spoke with Colm Tóibín about his new collection of essays, "On James Baldwin."By Beth Golay

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Coco Mellors on her new novel, 'Blue Sisters' 22:28

11d ago22:28

22:28

KMUW's Beth Golay speaks with author Coco Mellors about family, grief and addiction in her novel 'Blue Sisters'.By Beth Golay

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We Simply Must Talk About Modal Verbs 29:23

19d ago29:23

29:23

Must, could, should, shall, might, may... We dig into the weird, wiggly, weaselly world of modal verbs.By Fletcher Powell, Kathy Petras & Ross Petras

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‘War Game’ plays out an ominous scene 2:27

27d ago2:27

2:27

Fletcher Powell says what's at stake in a new documentary could hardly be more important.By Fletcher Powell

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Amanda Jones on being 'That Librarian' 21:10

17d ago21:10

21:10

When school librarian, Amanda Jones, spoke out against censorship at a public library board meeting in Livingston Parish, Louisiana, she had no idea she would later see her own image in a targeted attack on social media.By Beth Golay

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'That Librarian' tells the story of a school librarian who fought back against book banning 1:39

19d ago1:39

1:39

'That Librarian: The Fight Against Book-Banning in America' tells the story of Louisiana school librarian Amanda Jones, who sued harassers for defamation when they attacked her on social media. Jones has led the fight against efforts to censor books in school and public libraries.By Suzanne Perez

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Let's Hit the Beach 29:24

24d ago29:24

29:24

Grab your swimsuit! Or your bathing suit. That's up to you. We're heading to the beach for a look at the language of tides, waves, and other things beachy.By Fletcher Powell, Kathy Petras & Ross Petras

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‘Chronicles of a Wandering Saint’ tackles big questions with quiet humor 2:25

1M ago2:25

2:25

Fletcher Powell looks at a new movie that causes us to ask big questions in small, quiet ways.By Fletcher Powell

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Priscilla Morris on her novel, 'Black Butterflies' 31:04

25d ago31:04

31:04

Beth Golay recently spoke with "Black Butterflies" author, Priscilla Morris, about the impact of art during conflict, the challenges faced during the Siege of Sarajevo, the humanizing portrayal of war refugees in the novel, and more.By Beth Golay

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'Hum' offers an anxious ride through an AI-driven world 1:40

1M ago1:40

1:40

Author Helen Phillips says plot points in her latest novel, "Hum," are just slightly exaggerated versions of recent facts or statistics. And that's precisely what makes it so terrifying.By Suzanne Perez

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Now is the winter of our discontent made brat summer 29:01

1M ago29:01

29:01

With Charli XCX sparking a summer phenomenon, we take a look at the nature of slang: who uses it, why we use it, and how we need to be very careful with it.By Fletcher Powell, Kathy Petras & Ross Petras

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Joan Chen elevates a sweet coming-of-age story 2:09

1M ago2:09

2:09

KMUW's Fletcher Powell looks at a movie that he says speaks to both teens and parents.By Fletcher Powell

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Kristopher Jansma on his new novel, 'Our Narrow Hiding Places' 37:19

1M ago37:19

37:19

Beth Golay recently spoke with Kristopher Jansma about the hardship and lasting effects of generational trauma in "Our Narrow Hiding Places."By Beth Golay

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‘All Fours’ explores weighty themes, but in the end it’s more cringey than clever 1:41

1M ago1:41

1:41

Book reviewer Suzanne Perez says Miranda July's new novel, "All Fours," is a mid-life-crisis story that's part artistic discovery, part bizarre sexcapades — with a whole lot of kinky and sometimes grotesque episodes that are not for the faint-hearted.By Suzanne Perez

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Back-formations 29:24

1M ago29:24

29:24

Today we look at words that came from other words even though we think the second word should have come first.By Fletcher Powell, Kathy Petras & Ross Petras

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‘Cuckoo’ never quite comes together 2:25

2M ago2:25

2:25

Fletcher Powell says a new movie can't quite decide how far to go.By Fletcher Powell

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Chris Whitaker's ‘All the Colors of the Dark’ reads like poetry but tells a harrowing tale 1:40

2M ago1:40

1:40

At about 600 pages, Chris Whitaker's new novel, "All the Colors of the Dark," takes its time to paint detailed characters and a complex story over 25 years. But its dramatic plot and micro-chapters move the story along at a lightning pace.By Suzanne Perez

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Silly Rules (Or, the Unpredictability of the English Language) 29:25

2M ago29:25

29:25

Today, we look at language rules that are rules sometimes, and rules that don't make sense. Well, they make some sense. Whatever. They're rules, anyway.By Fletcher Powell, Kathy Petras & Ross Petras

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'Kneecap' is an unconventional, fantastically entertaining biopic 2:26

2M ago2:26

2:26

Fletcher Powell says an entertaining new biopic takes an unconventional approach.By Fletcher Powell

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Jessica Anthony on her new novel, 'The Most' 29:41

2M ago29:41

29:41

At first glance, Jessica Anthony’s novel, The Most, takes place on a single unseasonably hot day in November 1957. But as she tells KMUW’s Beth Golay, Anthony uses memory and perspective to explore the history of a marriage.

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The Etymology Olympics 29:24

2M ago29:24

29:24

With the world's greatest sporting event upon us, we look at the origins of some sports-related words.By Fletcher Powell, Kathy Petras & Ross Petras

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‘Swan Song’ shows a ballet that’s about a lot more than just dancing 2:27

2M ago2:27

2:27

Fletcher Powell says a new movie opened his eyes in ways he couldn't have expected.By Fletcher Powell

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Juliet Grames on her new novel, 'The Lost Boy of Santa Chionia' 27:54

2M ago27:54

27:54

Beth Golay recently spoke with Juliet Grapes about her new novel, "The Lost Boy of Santa Chionia." The book is a mystery packed with intricate family secrets, interconnected family trees, danger, and vivid country-Italian culture.By Beth Golay

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Amazon’s ‘Creature Feature’ collection offers six perfect little morsels of horror 1:38

2M ago1:38

1:38

The Amazon Originals 'Creature Feature' collection includes six short stories from some of today's best horror novelists, including Grady Hendrix, Josh Malerman and Paul Tremblay.By Suzanne Perez

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Is This a Fossil? Or Just Some Dumb Old Rock? 29:23

2M ago29:23

29:23

A listener question prompts us to think about words like rehabilitate, revamp, and nonplussed, and whether we can be plussed about habilitating and vamping, or if we're just talking nonsense.By Fletcher Powell, Kathy Petras & Ross Petras

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The success of ‘Oddity’ hinges on one great decision 2:22

2M ago2:22

2:22

KMUW's Fletcher Powell says a single great decision can make a movie.By Fletcher Powell

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Kevin Barry on his new novel, 'The Heart in Winter' 20:08

2M ago20:08

20:08

In Kevin Barry's The Heart in Winter, an Irish immigrant living in Butte, Montana, falls in love with another man’s mail order bride.By Beth Golay

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J. Courtney Sullivan’s ‘The Cliffs’ is a moving novel about digging up family secrets — and ghosts 1:40

2M ago1:40

1:40

Book reviewer Suzanne Perez says J. Courtney Sullivan's new novel, "The Cliffs," isn’t a ghost story, per se, but the characters dig up and deal with the ghosts of their past.By Suzanne Perez

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The Ambiguity of English (Is the Name of My Jazz Band) 29:24

2M ago29:24

29:24

This week, we're talking ambiguous words and ambiguous phrases– sometimes we think we know what we're saying and sometimes we're really wrong.By Fletcher Powell, Kathy Petras & Ross Petras

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‘Cottontail’ is a deeply personal look at loss 2:20

3M ago2:20

2:20

Fletcher Powell says he admired a new movie's perspective.By Fletcher Powell

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Ben Shattuck on his new story collection, 'The History of Sound' 27:32

2M ago27:32

27:32

Beth Golay recently spoke with author Ben Shattuck about the quality of audiobooks, his story being adapted into a movie and more.By Beth Golay

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Hampton Sides on Captain James Cook and 'The Wide Wide Sea' 32:20

2M ago32:20

32:20

Beth Golay visits with Hampton Sides about his new book, "The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook".By Beth Golay

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‘Pearce Oysters’ explores the personal toll of history's most disastrous oil spill 1:38

3M ago1:38

1:38

"Pearce Oysters," a new novel by Jocelyn Takacs, offers a better understanding of the interdependence of nature and man, and readers come away with a deeper respect for those who make their livings on the coast.By Suzanne Perez

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It's a Dead Language, I Always Say 29:24

2M ago29:24

29:24

Latin may be dead, but we still use it every day. This week we look at some common Latin phrases and what they actually mean.By Fletcher Powell, Kathy Petras & Ross Petras

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‘Axel F’ shows Eddie Murphy’s still got it, at least a little bit 2:20

3M ago2:20

2:20

Fletcher Powell says a new movie is at least a *tiny* cut above what you might think you're getting.By Fletcher Powell

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Liz Moore on her new novel, 'The God of the Woods' 16:35

3M ago16:35

16:35

Beth Golay recently spoke with author Liz Moore about her new novel, "The God of the Woods."By Beth Golay

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Liz Moore’s ‘The God of the Woods’ is the can’t-put-it-down summer read you’ve been craving 1:39

3M ago1:39

1:39

Author Liz Moore weaves so much into her new 500-page novel, "The God of the Woods," including class struggles and family secrets. But it never feels confusing or overplotted.By Suzanne Perez

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Cranberry Morphemes 29:23

3M ago29:23

29:23

We know what a berry is, we know what a cranberry is, but what the heck is a "cran?" We enter the sometimes murky world of the cranberry morpheme...By Fletcher Powell, Kathy Petras & Ross Petras

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