Books

Today on The Sound of Books with Fred Kasten, the new novel from award-winning author Susan Straight — Between Heaven and Here.

The Tennessee Williams New Orleans Literary Festival is the big event in town this week, and The Reading Life is there.

We present festival guests, including first-time novelist and Oprah pick Ayana Mathis, author of The Twelve Tribes of Hattie; playwright John Biguenet, whose new work is Mold; and Elena Passarello, the first woman to win the Stanley and Stella Shouting Contest, and author of a book of essays entitled, appropriately enough, Let Me Clear My Throat.

This week on The Reading Life, Susan gives listeners an advance look at The Tennessee Williams New Orleans Literary Festival with actor, writer, and theater professor Thomas Keith, who edits Williams' work for New Directions. He will talk about his long reading of Williams' plays and memoirs.

Then, former Louisiana State Poet Laureate Brenda Marie Osbey, also appearing at the Festival, will give us a look behind the making of her new collection, History and Other Poems.