Dawnie Walton, THE FINAL REVIVAL OF OPAL & NEV
Dawnie Walton talks with Zibby about how she made the pivot from her twenty-year career in journalism to writing her debut novel, The Final Revival of Opal & Nev. The two discuss the support system Dawnie found in her Iowa Writers Workshop peers, creating deep connections in our virtual era, and the Talking Heads concert footage that inspired her inventive new book.
Kwame Mbalia, TRISTAN STRONG DESTROYS THE WORLD
Sanjena Sathian, GOLD DIGGERS
Sanjena Sathian talks with Zibby about all of the elements that make up her debut novel, Gold Diggers: from discussing the research on the alchemical traditions that support the book's magic to the lived experiences of Asian Americans throughout American history, Sanjena and Zibby's conversation has almost as many layers as the novel itself.
Judy Batalion, THE LIGHT OF DAYS
"I feel a great duty to these women, even those that told their stories but hadn’t been widely heard and especially those that never got to tell their stories." Judy Batalion talks with Zibby about the extraordinary women of the resistance who fought “for justice and liberty and fairness” in Hitler’s ghettos. She discusses the incredible amount of work and research that went into her latest book, The Light of Days; and, shares her experience growing up a descendant of Holocaust survivors.
Courtney Maum, TOUCH
Isabel Wilkerson, THE WARMTH OF OTHER SUNS
Judith Finlayson on changing eating history
Cookbook author extraordinaire Judith Finlayson's latest book, You Are What Your Grandparents Ate, establishes the multigenerational connections between physical health and mental wellbeing. Calling on the research of British epidemiologist David Barker, Judith offers insight into how epigenetics can help you pay attention to trouble areas in your microbiome as well as advice on small changes that can lead to big results in your health and that of your future family.
Jessica Winter, THE FOURTH CHILD
Novelist Jessica Winter talks with Zibby about her incredible career trajectory (she’s currently an executive editor at The New Yorker!) and imparts her quarantine parenting wisdom. She also shares how writing her latest novel, The Fourth Child, helped her reckon with her Catholic upbringing and sort through her experience as a Buffalo, NY teen during the Spring of Life anti-abortion demonstrations.
Tamara Winfrey Harris, DEAR BLACK GIRL
Tamara Winfrey Harris joins Zibby to discuss her new book of heartwarming letters from Black women to help guide, protect, and inspire the next generation of young Black girls. The writers of the letters in Dear Black Girl range from celebrities like Brandy and former columnist Rochelle Riley to other women who simply responded to the request for letters, all of whom offer incredible advice and promote the universal practice of self-love.
Sherry Turkle, THE EMPATHY DIARIES
MIT Professor Sherry Turkle has long been revered for her research on society's relationship with technology. In her newest book, The Empathy Diaries, she blends her research with her own narrative as she analyzes the various roles empathy has played in her family history. Sherry talks with Zibby about how her relationship with her mom continues to evolve and the ways in which writing this book began to heal some of her old wounds.
Kathy Wang, FAMILY TRUST
Ilona Bannister, WHEN I RAN AWAY
"I discovered that the writing was helping me process everything that has happened. I didn't know that that's what I needed to do." Debut novelist Ilona Bannister has a heartfelt conversation with Zibby about how her experience on 9/11 served as the backstory for her book, When I Ran Away, and about the traumatic events that allowed her to fall into writing.
Lynn Steger Strong, HOLD STILL
Patric Richardson, LAUNDRY LOVE: FINDING JOY IN A COMMON CHORE
The Laundry Evangelist, Patric Richardson, teaches Zibby all of his tips and tricks on how to save your clothes and make doing the laundry more fun. From washing everything on a warm express cycle to hanging a disco ball in your laundry room, Patric is on a mission to extend the life of garments and turn an everyday chore into your new favorite hobby.
James Brown, APOLOGY TO THE YOUNG ADDICT
"In the end when all is said and done and it comes time for me to depart, I want my children to remember me and say, 'Hey, Dad had some problems, but he changed. He became a good father.'" James Brown talks with Zibby about how his latest book, Apology to a Young Addict, completes his trilogy of memoirs about his addiction, his family, and now his sobriety. The two talk about how addiction can impact kids growing up as well as the possibilities that opened up for James when he began to make a change.
Kwame Alexander, THE CROSSOVER
Dave Eggers, WE BECAME JAGUARS
"Generally speaking, kids are just so full of wonder and awe and enthusiasm for everything that they are, in a way, the best audience." NYT Bestselling Author and literary legend Dave Eggers talks with Zibby about the ins and outs many people don't know about the publishing process, how he began writing picture books, and The Young Editors Project which allows young children to help workshop picture books before they're published.
