NPR will be turning to best-selling Chinese authors this week to gain some insight into the people’s perspectives on the People’s Republic during its controversial 60 years of rule. Today’s story, the first of the three parts, focuses on Jian Rong’s, Wolf Totem which I happened to pick up not too long ago, fascinated by the subject of Beijing intellectuals electing to go live with the nomadic people of Inner Mongolia and learning from their cultural adoration for the wolf. Listen to the story and join in the conversation, here.

John Straley, Alaska Writer Laureate from 2006-2008, will join us at the Downtown Library, Saturday January 24th at 7pm as part of a 20th Anniversary Celebration of the Downtown Library Facility. Straley will read from and discuss his two latest works, The Big Both Ways (Novel) and the poetry collection, The Rising and the Rain.  A short Q&A and book signing will follow and copies of both books will be available for purchase. For more information call Jonas: 586-0436 or Carol: 586-0434

To get a taste for what’s to come here are a few links to great podcasts available through The University of Alaska Podcasts and the interview show, It’s A Mystery.

What is This Thing Called Voice?

Straley leads a panel discussion at the Kachemak Bay Writer’s Conference in Homer, AK in June 2008.

Gray Area:  Liars, Storytellers and Private Detectives

Recorded on October 17, 2008, at the Alaska Visionaries, Seekers, Leaders and Dreamers conference presented by the Alaska Historical Society and the University of Alaska Anchorage.

Elizabeth Foxwell speaks with John Straley

From the interview program It’s A Mystery, Straley talks about the influence of Theodore Roethke and other aspects of his “Alaska noir” mysteries with PI Cecil Younger. Scroll to the bottom of the page to find the mp3 file.

StoryCorps is a national non-profit oral history project that aims to bring families, friends and neighbors closer together by listening to each other’s stories. StoryCorps will be in Juneau from January 5-30.

The Juneau Public Libraries will be a partner, along with the Alaska Public Radio Network, KTOO, Alaska State Library, Sealaska Heritage Institute and the downtown Juneau Public Library will be one of the three recording sites for the interviews. Interviews will also be recorded at KTOO studios and at the Sealaska Heritage Institute.

A StoryCorps interview is a 40-minute conversation between two people who know each other. StoryCorps staff will be present with you and your partner throughout the interview process to help you have a comfortable and meaningful experience, and to handle all technical aspects of the recording. You will receive a broadcast-quality audio CD, and with your permission, copies will go to the Library of Congress, to the University of Alaska Fairbanks Rasmuson Library Oral History Program, The Juneau Public LIbrary and KTOO. Interviews may air on KTOO and also on National Public Radio. Visit www.storycorpsalaska.net to see sample questions, listen to clips and learn more about the StoryCorps Alaska Initiative.

To sign up to do an interview please call 800-850-4406. The Juneau Public Libraries will not handle any of the sign ups. There are a limited number of appointment slots available, so act today! Tell your story. Pass it On.

Set aside some time soon to Listen to Stories, and be sure to check out this Barrow Couple’s love story. To get a feel for how these pieces come together to form a larger national story, listen to a themed Sampler.

Check back in January to hear interviews with StoryCorps participants and staff.

Book Tour is a Web feature and podcast from National Public Radio presenting leading contemporary authors of both fiction and nonfiction as they read from and discuss their current work.  Subscribe to the feed here, or listen to the one that caught my attention, Poking fun at The ‘Stuff White People Like.