Disconnected by Travon Toussiant

On Episode 117 of the GSMC Book Review Podcast I spoke with Travon Toussiant about his new YA SciFi novella, Disconnected. The story is dystopian and takes place in an alternate Chicago where technology has been banned from development and use by private citizens; all technology is controlled and monitored by the government.

Source

Born to shape the world with a finesse never seen, Fabian Goldsmith took up the task of liberating his state from the claws of the evil TomPowwel government. In the course of his journey towards breaking the shackles of political and technological oppression of his people, he meets the no-nonsense Joanna Stuart, the daughter of the missing STFA vice president. She reminds him so much of Margaret Thatcher, but he is determined to win her heart and conquer the terrible government at the same time.

Too busy with the search for her dad, Joanna's love life is a mess as she rarely has time for a date, nor the time for love. This takes a twist when she looks into Fabian's eye and honours his request to see her. Her attraction to him is unexpected and she tries to avoid him as much as possible. Little does she know she would get more than she bargained for in her adventure with him. (Source)

Genres:

• Young Adult
• Science Fiction
• Dystopian
• Romance

What I enjoyed:

• The setting and how Chicago is clearly a place close to Travon's heart.
• The idea behind the story and the way that Joanna's and Fabian's backstories fit into that story.

Quote:

• "Chicago was once known as a center of science, technology, and innovations in the US and the entire world. The popular steel-framed skyscraper was born here in this beautiful city, as was the zipper, the automatic dishwasher, and the popular Ferris Wheel. The first ever man made nuclear reaction took place at our University here in Chicago. It was also considered as the most influential city in terms of architectural creations of the twentieth century. What ruins the city is now, Joanna said aloud to her empty room."

Where you can find Travon online:

• Twitter: @TravonToussian1
• Instagram: @travontoussiant
• Amazon Author Page: Travon Toussiant
• GoodReads: Travon Toussiant
• BookBub: @TravonToussiant
• YouTube: Travon Toussiant

Author Bio:

(Source)

Travon is a #1 Amazon Bestselling young teenage author of You Wanna Play Trilogy. He was born September 25, 2001, in Chicago, IL at Saint Joseph Hospital. The Unexpected is his first book he has ever written. He lives in Chicago, IL and has written short stories: The Women Who Thought Her Life Was Perfect, and Before It's Too Late. Travon has earned many medals in sports and honor roll certificates in school, he has graduated from John B. Murphy Elementary School. Travon was inspired by his grandmother Stella saying "Travon you should write a book." It gave him the idea to go for it. Travon gone through so many tragic scenes in his life that pushed him more to achieve. Up until now, his life has been looking very pleasant for him. (Source)

Would you like to win a copy of Disconnected? It's easy! Just go to one of our social media pages: Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, and comment on Episode 117: Interview with Travon Toussiant. It's that simple: just comment on this episode and you will automatically be entered to win a copy of Disconnected! You can enter the giveaway through October 21 and winners will be announced October 22. US only. 

The Oyster Thief by Sonia Faruqi

I've said it before but I'll say it another million times: I love interviewing authors! On Episode 115 of the GSMC Book Review Podcast I chatted with Sonia Faruqi about her new book The Oyster Thief.

Source

Coralline is a mermaid who is engaged to the merman of her dreams. But when an oil spill wreaks havoc on her idyllic village life, her little brother falls gravely ill. Desperate to save him, she embarks on a quest to find a legendary elixir made of starlight.

Izar, a human man, is on the cusp of an invention that will enable him to mine gold and diamonds from the depths of the ocean. His discovery will soon make him the richest man on earth—while threatening merpeople with extinction. But then, suddenly, Izar finds himself transformed into a merman and caught in a web of betrayal and intrigue. Meeting Coralline in the ocean, he decides to join her on her quest for the elixir, hoping it will turn him human again.

The quest pushes Coralline and Izar together, even though their worlds are at odds. Their pasts threaten to tear them apart, while a growing attraction adds to the danger. Ultimately, each of them faces an impossible choice. Should Coralline leave her fiancé for a man who might betray her? And Izar has a dark secret of his own—one that could cause him to lose Coralline forever. (Source)

Genres:

• Fantasy
• Science Fiction
• Romance
• Adventure 

What I enjoyed:

• I loved that it was a mixture of genres. The above water world had elements of science fiction while the under water world was fantasy. There was adventure, humor, and romance. In addition there is a strong theme of ocean conservation which flows seamlessly throughout the story, never feeling overbearing or heavy handed.
• Sonia created a beautiful, intricate and extremely well thought-out underwater world. Every time I started to wonder how something could work underwater, my question would be answered by some aspect of the story.
• The story is multi-layered and connected. I really liked how well Sonia tied the elements and characters together.

Quotes:

• "'Humans are a menace,' Trochid said. 'Our only solace is that they cannot disrupt our lives any more than they already do.'
  'Why not?' Coralline asked.
  'Because they're fire, and we're water. Fire vaporizes water, and water vanquishes fire.'"
• "'You think that by doing what other healers have done, you will become as good as them. But success is an outcome not an imitation but of authenticity - of not abiding by the rules but changing them. The questions are more important the answers.'"
• She shivered uncontrollably, feeling as vulnerable as a turtle without a shell. She considered the ocean itself a shell - like a roof over the head, it formed a dense layer of protection, as well as separation, from humans."

Where you can find Sonia online:

• Website: http://www.soniafaruqi.com/
• Facebook: @faruqisonia
• Twitter: @sonia_faruqi
• Instagram: @sonia_faruqi
• Amazon Author Page: Sonia Faruqi
• GoodReads: Sonia Faruqi
• BookBub: @soniafaruqi
• Email: info@ at soniafaruqi dot com 

Author Bio:

Source

Sonia pushes the boundaries of imagination in her debut novel The Oyster Thief, an underwater odyssey. She is also the author of critically acclaimed Project Animal Farm, about the world’s food system. A skilled storyteller and speaker, she lives in Toronto, Canada. (Source)

Would you like to win a copy of The Oyster Thief? It's easy! Just go to one of our social media pages: Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, and comment on Episode 115: Interview with Sonia Faruqi. It's that simple: just comment on this episode and you will automatically be entered to win a copy of The Oyster Thief! You can enter the giveaway through October 14 and winners will be announced October 15. US only.

River of Secrets by Roger Johns

Episode 111 of the GSMC Book Review Podcast has me sitting down for another author interview. This time I spoke with Roger Johns about River of Secrets, the second book in the Wallace Hartman Mysteries.

Source

Herbert Marioneaux, a Louisiana politician infamous for changing his mind on hot-button issues, has been murdered and his body posed to send a message. Baton Rouge homicide detective Wallace Hartman has to figure out who’s sending that message. DNA points to Eddie Pitkin, a social justice activist who also happens to be the half-brother of Wallace’s childhood best friend. But even with the combative history between Pitkin and Marioneaux, murder seems out of character for Pitkin, whose usual MO is to confront the wealthy and powerful with their inconvenient past. As Wallace digs deeper, she unearths a possible alibi witness, along with evidence of a deeply troubled relationship that points the finger of suspicion at Marioneaux’s son.

While Eddie’s supporters are convinced of his innocence, his enemies are equally certain of his guilt. Under pressure from all directions, Wallace pursues her investigation into the dark heart of the political establishment as Baton Rouge falls under the shadow of escalating violence. When it appears a police department insider may be sabotaging her efforts by leaking information about the case, and after menacing messages are left for her and her loved ones, Wallace is forced to untangle a trail of old and disturbing secrets unaided by those she most needs to trust. (Source)

 I really enjoyed this book. It's suspenseful, with plenty of twists and turns that kept me trying to figure things out throughout the story. Wallace is a main character it is easy to root for, and I look forward to more books with her to see where her story continues to take her. The book has moments that are uncomfortable because they are so true to life with the current situation of polarity in our country. While those scenes were difficult to read at times because of the accuracy, they add a level of depth and authenticity to the story and it's location.

Genres:

• Mystyery
• Suspense/Thriller

What I enjoyed:

• Roger describes Wallace as a woman who is on "the cusp of middle age." As a woman of similar description, I appreciate seeing a smart. likeable, very human main character of this demographic represented.
• All of the twists and turns. As the case evolves there continue to be developments that can either potentially exonerate or convict the main suspect. Things are never easy and as I said in the interview, I'm really glad I'm not an investigator who has to wade through all of that type of confusing evidence.
• Wallace's development throughout the story. She has some complicated issues in her life and her past and she is working on coming to terms with them. Even as she makes progress there are circumstances that make those issues even more complicated. I am intrigued to see where she goes throughout the series.

Quotes:

• "Colley Greenberg, her mentor when she became a detective, had taught her how to do this. Study everything you see. Hold the scene in your mind's eye, and then try to run the tape backward. Some of their colleagues laughed it off as voodoo lessons, but it worked. More than once, it had shown that possibilities that at first seemed attractive were, in fact, remote or impossible, or vice versa."
• "'Never as a chronic malcontent what would make them happy,' Carol told her. 'It'll always be something that can't be delivered and that will always be your fault.'"
• "'Wallace, you know the secret code of the political class in Louisiana. Don't say it if you can nod it. Don't not it if you can wink it.'"

Where you can find Roger online:

Website: https://rogerjohnsbooks.com/

Facebook: Roger Johns

Twitter: @RogerJohns10

Amazon Author Page: Roger Johns

GoodReads: Roger Johns

Author Bio:

(Source)

Roger Johns is a former corporate lawyer and retired college professor with law degrees from Louisiana State University and Boston University. During his nearly two decades as a professor, he served on the editorial staffs of several academic publications and he won numerous awards and recognitions for his teaching and his scholarly writing. Roger was born and raised in Louisiana. He and his wife Julie now live in Georgia. (Source)

Are you a fan of mysteries? Want to know more about Wallace Hartman? You should definitely enter our giveaway! Entering is easy: Just go to our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram page and comment on Episode 111: Interview with Roger Johns. That's it! Commenting will automatically enter you to win a copy of River of Secrets. The giveaway is open until September 30, and winners will be announced on October 1. US only. 

To hear the interview with Roger, please click here.

Dr. Brainchild and Radar: A Popcorn Discovery by Cole W. Williams

Episode 105 of the GSMC Book Review Podcast has me chatting with Cole W. Williams about her new children's picture book Dr. Brainchild and Radar: A Popcorn Discovery. The book tells the story of how the microwave was invented. The details of the invention are true, but rather than using Percy Spencer (the inventor)  as the main character, Cole instead created Dr. Brainchild, who invents the microwave with trusty lab assistant Radar.

Source

Kids of all ages will be inspired to explore and create by "Dr. Brainchild & Radar: A Popcorn Discovery" Join the fun as Dr. Brainchild and Radar discover how a little bit of creativity, some wacky inventions, and a whole lotta science can transform the ordinary into something EXTRA tasty! Boy, girl, wolf, or anything in-between--it doesn't matter so long as YOU are there! Science is for everyone, so come along and enjoy the ride! (Source)

This book is so much fun. It's for readers aged 6-9, but heck I'm definitely out of that age range and I loved it. I also learned how the microwave was invented, which is something I'd never really thought of before. I think readers of most ages will enjoy the story.

Genres:

• Children's Book
• Picture Book
• Science

What I enjoyed:

• Dr. Brainchild is gender neutral, never referred to by specific pronoun. I love that each person reading the book can picture themselves as Dr. Brainchild because the character isn't automatically a male or a female.
• That the book makes science accessible. There are some big words and concepts in this book, but it's easy to follow and those bigger ideas are presented in such a way as to encourage learning and growth.
• I learned how the microwave was invented! And that the first one was HUGE. Not something you'd have in your average kitchen.

Quotes:

• "Day after day the pair toiled over a machine of great power--the Magnetron. Dr. Brainchild sang to the machine while they worked, 'Polka dots and chicken and cheese, gorillas and gravy and do as you please...'"
• "Dr. Brainchild did cartwheels at the thought of a new experiment, and tap danced all the way into town."

Where you can find Cole online:

Website: https://www.colewwilliams.com/

Blog: http://thewritersblockmn.blogspot.com/

Facebook: @ColeWWilliams

Twitter: @ColeWWilliams

Instagram: colewwilliams

GoodReads: Cole W. Williams

Author Bio:

Source

Cole W. Williams is an author, poet, river enthusiast and biologist. (Source)

Have a budding scientist in your life? Want to read Dr. Brainchild and Radar: A Popcorn Adventure before its release date of September 30? Excellent news! You can enter to win a copy of this delightful book, and entering is easy! Just go  to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, and comment on Episode 105: Interview with Cole W. Williams. That's it! The giveaway goes through September 9 and winners will be announced September 10. US only.

A Footstep Echo by J.D. Sanderson

On Episode 101 of the GSMC Book Review Podcast I chatted with J.D. Sanderson about his debut novel A Footstep Echo. I mention in the episode that I haven't always been a fan of reading science fiction even though I've always loved watching it. One more reason for me to love hosting this podcast is that it's giving me the opportunity to read books I might not otherwise. A Footstep Echo is another example of that, and I'm so glad I read it!

Source

Who is the Mystery Girl? Bernard Abbey’s life was routine, stagnant, and lonely. That all changed the day she entered his life. To save him from being killed, a mysterious young woman transports Bernard to another point in time. As he comes to grips with what has happened, Bernard realizes his new friend is unable to speak. She cannot tell him who she is, where she came from, or how she can travel through time. Even worse, she’s unable to tell him what is chasing her. As she takes him back and forth in time, they cross paths with strangers who claim to know his new friend, each with a different story of her origin. The only thing he knows for certain is that the fate of humanity’s idyllic future is somehow connected with his new companion. (Source)

So, it's both Science Fiction AND time travel. Two things I really enjoy (even though I can easily get bogged down in the details and confuse myself...especially with time travel). What you don't get from the description is that Bernard is not your typical science fiction main character. J.D. doesn't specify his age, but Bernard is retired and not exactly a spring chicken. That doesn't stop him from embarking on quite the adventure with Mystery Girl. For the record, we do learn Mystery Girl's identity, but you'll have to read the book to find out what it is.

Genres:

• Science Fiction
• Time Travel

What I enjoyed:

•  Bernard and the fact that he is an unconventional main character. There are no shortage of somewhat curmudgeonly older gentlemen in literature, but they are often secondary characters. If they are the main character they don't often get to do much that is adventuresome.
• The storyline of Maverick the dog. I'm not going to tell you what it is, but it made me happy.
• Bernard is retired and works part time at the local library. Another character, Ruth, also works at the library. I have a soft spot in my heart for both libraries and librarians, so of course I love it when they show up in whatever I'm reading.
• The time travel, and even the science fiction! I didn't feel bogged down by the details or trying to understand the technical details. I let it inform the story without driving myself crazy trying to determine if it was plausible or not. If you want the answer to that question, you will need a different podcaster.

Quotes:

• "'How does it work?' Bernard asked. 'I mean, I don't see anyone getting into spaceships, putting on helmets, or flying in little blue boxes.'"
• "The biggest problem with time travel was that it was entirely possible for someone to use information from your future to alter your past."
• "As wondrous as the future was, it was humanity's oldest prejudices that had led to one of its biggest conflicts."

Where you can find J.D. online:

Facebook: @AuthorJDSanderson

Twitter: @ascifiwriter

Amazon Author Page: J.D. Sanderson

Goodreads: J.D. Sanderson

Author Bio:

J.D. Sanderson lives with his wife, daughter, and mini poodle in South Dakota. A lifelong fan of science fiction, J.D. has been writing professionally in one form or another for seven years. When he's not writing, you'll find him enjoying his favorite sci-fi movies and shows with his family or walking his dog. (Source)

Are you a fan of sci fi and time travel? Want to read Bernard's story and find out what happens to Mystery Girl? Enter our giveaway for a chance to win a copy of A Footstep Echo by J.D. Sanderson! Entering is easy: go to one of our social media pages and comment on the post for this episode (Episode 101). That's it! Just go  to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, and comment on the post for Episode 101: Interview with J.D. Sanderson! You have until September 1 to enter, and winners will be announced on September 3. Good luck!

To hear the interview with J.D. please click here.

Growing Up Greenpoint by Tommy Carbone

The subject was 1970s Brooklyn on Episode 94 of the GSMC Book Review Podcast as I spoke with author Tommy Carbone about his memoir, Growing Up Greenpoint: A Kid's Life in 1970s Brooklyn.

Source

In Growing up Greenpoint, Tommy Carbone captures what it was like to be a kid during the 1970s and 80s in Brooklyn. This funny, and sometimes emotional, memoir follows the years Tommy was educated not only in the classrooms of St. Stan’s, but on the streets of Greenpoint. It was there, playing street games with friends, being cornered by muggers, playing kissing games with the girls, spending time with family, and constantly seeking out the best snack foods in the neighborhood, where Tommy learned a lot about life; although he may not have known it at the time.

A simple conversation, years later, about the New York City Blackout of 1977 sparks Tommy to recall his youth in the city he loved. His stories will bring you into the action of what it was like to dodge cars during a ballgame, to take a hike to another borough in search of a particular burger, to the hours spent playing pinball in a corner candy store, and how special it was to build traditions with three generations of Polish and Italian relatives in Brooklyn’s garden spot.

The vivid descriptions of his antics of what it was like to grow up during those years will transport you to the sounds and smells of living in the city during those trying years. Reading this book, you’ll be entertained, and at the same time, you may shake your head wondering how Tommy ever survived - Growing up in Greenpoint. (Source)

This book is a lot of fun. Tommy experienced some pretty major events in the life of New York City, including the  blackout in 1977 and a fairly significant blizzard in 1978. While these were stressful events for the adults who had to deal with all of the logistical issues, they were actually quite the adventure for the kids in Tommy's neighborhood. My childhood was vastly different than Tommy's, so it was fun to read about growing up in an urban environment. It was also amazing how many parts of the book I resonated with despite the differences in our upbringings.

Genres:

• Memoir
• Nonfiction
  

What I enjoyed:

• Reading about a childhood so different from mine. I grew up in rural Montana, Tommy grew up in Brooklyn. As a child I knew Brooklyn existed because a friend's mom grew up there and his grandma would come to visit every year, but I had absolutely no concept of what living in an urban area was actually like. It was fun to see childhood through a different lens.
• All of the stories about food. I jokingly asked Tommy how he didn't end up weighing 300 pounds because it seemed like he did nothing but eat growing up. Again, his childhood food experiences were very different than mine, but I still found similarities in some of the stories he tells that involve both food and family. I also now think I need to try and egg cream...and I want to know why it has that name when it has neither egg nor cream...
• Reliving aspects of my own childhood, especially different types of technology (or lack thereof).

Quotes:

• "Looking back, the Greenpoint of my youth certainly had an impact on my personality, my outlook on life, and how I view the city - both good and bad - until this very day."
• "More recently I have resorted to telling people I was just generically from Brooklyn, leaving out the Greenpoint part. I'm not happy about that, so the next time I am asked, I might just give them a copy of this book"
• "This was our type of street food - pickles from barrels, slices from hole in the wall pizza joints, knishes from candy stores, leftover pretzels, sausages from butchers, and smoked fish off a clothesline."

Where you can find Tommy online:

Website: http://www.tommycarbone.com/

Blog: http://tommycarbone.com/blog/

Facebook: @TommyCarboneAuthor

Twitter: @TommyCarbone212

Amazon Author Page: Tommy Carbone

GoodReads: Tommy Carbone

Author Bio:

Source

Tommy Carbone grew up in Greenpoint Brooklyn during the 1970s and early 80s.  He roamed the avenues, hung out in candy stores playing pinball, and dodged cars chasing spaldeens. Brooklyn was then, as it is now, the “4th largest city” in America.

He now writes from a one-room cabin, on the shore of a lake that is frozen for six months out of the year, and where moose outnumber people 3 to 1. (Source)

Do you want to read Growing Up Greenpoint? You are in luck because Tommy has been kind enough to provide 3 signed copies to give away! All you have to do is go to either our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram pages and comment on the post with Tom's interview. It's as simple as that: just comment on Episode 94 on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, and you'll automatically be entered to win Growing Up Greenpoint! The last day to enter is July 14th and winners will be announced on July 16th.

To hear the interview with Tommy, please click here.

Snakes & Ladders by Matty Dalrymple

On Episode 92 of the GSMC Book Review Podcast I had the pleasure of welcoming Matty Dalrymple back to the podcast. Matty was originally on back in November when she came to talk about her Ann Kinnear mystery series. This time we spoke about the new (second) book in her Lizzy Ballard series, Snakes & Ladders, which came out on June 19th. 

Source

Rock breaks scissors. Scissors cut paper. Paper covers rock. The rules are simple--except when it's people's lives at stake.

By the time Charlotte and Patrick Ballard discover the damage their daughter, Lizzy, can do with her mind, it’s already too late for Charlotte. They hide Lizzy away, trying to save others from the same fate, and trying to save Lizzy from life as a human lab rat. But they can't hide her forever.  Little do they know that respected Philadelphia businessman Gerard Bonnay is responsible for Lizzy's ability. And Bonnay is willing to eliminate anyone who gets in the way of his goal of turning that power to his own ends.

 ​As her protectors are picked off one by one, will Lizzy be able to escape from Gerard Bonnay’s deadly zero-sum game? (Source)

Source

Lizzy Ballard and her godfather Owen McNally are on the run after their fatal game of rock-paper-scissors with Vivantem’s head of research, Louise Mortensen, and her enforcer George Millard. They find themselves in the Red Rock Country of Arizona, and Lizzy finds a mentor in Philip Castillo, a psychic counselor with his own dark past.

While Lizzy works with Philip to try to control her deadly ability, Millard is hot on her trail, and Lizzy’s power will be no defense against the weapon he has chosen.

When Lizzy makes her way back to Philadelphia, Louise and George strike at Owen, and in a bid to protect her dwindling band of allies, Lizzy takes the fight to Louise’s turf.

​In this deadly game of snakes and ladders, will Lizzy be rewarded for her virtues or punished for her vices? (Source)

Genres:

• Suspense/Thriller
• Crime
• Science Fiction/Paranormal

What I enjoyed:

• I love Lizzy as a character. She is headstrong, smart, and mature, but also naïve and sheltered from her upbringing. It makes for an intriguing combination in a main character, especially one faced with the challenges Lizzy faces.
• The relationship between Lizzy and her godfather, Owen. Neither of them are prepared for the circumstances into which they are thrown, and they both cope the best way they know how. What they always have is each other, and while they don't always agree, they do always have each other's backs.
• That no character is all one thing. Even though I don't always like them, and I rarely like their actions, the bad guys have layers just like the good guys. The good guys make plenty of questionable choices. I like that Matty makes them human.

Quotes:

• "Control - that was why Lizzy was here. Because with control came the possibility of a normal life. A life filled with all the things that any other seventeen-year-old would take for granted, not the isolation and guilt she knew."
• "And as she talked, she felt as if the constriction she had felt for most of her life - like the thorns that had held her down on the Sugarloaf Trail as the angry biker railed at her - were plucked free, one hooked barb at a time."
• "Owen had a sudden, heart-breaking vision of what life might have been like if it hadn't been for Gerard Bonnay and Louise Mortensen: Patrick and Charlotte, flanking their daughter Lizzy and her date for the prom or homecoming or whatever dress-up dances kids went to these days, the proud parents beaming, the teenagers self-conscious and anxious to be on their way, and himself snapping pictures."

Where you can find Matty online:

Website: http://www.mattydalrymple.com/

Blog: http://www.mattydalrymple.com/blog

Facebook: @matty.dalrymple

Twitter: @mattydalrymple

Amazon Author Page: Matty Dalrymple

GoodReads: Matty Dalrymple

BookBub: @MattyDalrymple

Author Bio:

Source

Matty Dalrymple is the author of the Ann Kinnear Suspense Novels The Sense of Death and The Sense of Reckoning, the Ann Kinnear Suspense Shorts, including Close These Eyes and May Violets Spring, and the Lizzy Ballard Thrillers Rock Paper Scissors and Snakes and Ladders. Matty lives with her husband, Wade Walton, their two Labrador Retrievers (Juno and Sophie), and their terrier (Griffin) in Chester County, Pennsylvania, which is the setting for much of the action in The Sense of Death and Rock Paper Scissors. They enjoy vacationing on Mt. Desert Island, Maine, where The Sense of Reckoning takes place, and Sedona, Arizona, the setting for much of Snakes and Ladders​.

 Matty is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, and the Brandywine Valley Writers Group. (Source)

If you love thrillers and suspense, especially with dashes of paranormal and science fiction, then Matty is someone you should definitely check out! Want to read Snakes & Ladders? Matty has been kind enough to provide 3 copies of his novel, and one of them could be yours! All you have to do is go to either our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram pages and comment on the post with Matty's interview. It's as simple as that: just comment on Episode 92 on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, and you'll automatically be entered to win Snakes & Ladders! The last day to enter is July 7th and winners will be announced on July 9th. (Giveaway is for US only)

To hear the interview with Matty, please click here.

Call Me Phaedra by Lise Pearlman

On Episode 88 of the GSMC Book Review Podcast I spoke with Lise Pearlman about her latest book, Call Me Phaedra: The Life and Times of Movement Lawyer Fay Stender. A former trial lawyer and judge, Lise now writes legal history about significant trials and the lawyers who worked on them. Call Me Phaedra is her fourth book.

Source

Who was Fay Abrahams Stender? A giant among Movement lawyers from the McCarthy Era to the 1970s intent on forcing society to change. Friends could easily picture her as the heroine of a grand opera. A child prodigy, she abandoned the concert piano to become a zealous advocate for society’s most scorned and vilified criminal defendants: from the Rosenberg espionage case during the Cold War to militant black clients, Black Panther Party leader Huey Newton and revolutionary prisoner George Jackson to prisoners in the “Dachau” of maximum security. Stender achieved amazing legal successes in criminal defense and prison reform, before she ultimately refocused with similar zeal on feminist and lesbian rights. In May 1979, an ex-felon invaded her home and shot her execution-style after forcing her to write a note saying she betrayed George Jackson. She barely survived. Wheelchair bound and under 24-hour police protection, she then became the star witness in her assailant’s prosecution. Awaiting trial in a secret hideaway in San Francisco, Fay told the few friends she let visit her there to “call me Phaedra,” a tragic heroine from Greek mythology. Shortly after the trial, like Phaedra, she committed suicide.

Set against a backdrop of sit-ins, protest marches, riots, police brutality, assassinations, death penalty trials and bitter splits among Leftists, this book makes for a compelling biography. Yet it delivers on a broader goal as well – an overview of the turbulent era in which Fay Stender operated under the watchful eye of the FBI and state officials. We not only relive Stender’s story, but that of a small cadre of committed Bay Area activists who played remarkable roles during the McCarthy Era, Civil Rights Movement (including Mississippi Freedom Summer), the Free Speech Movement, Vietnam War protests, and the rise of Black Power. Besides revolutionaries Huey Newton and George Jackson, Fay’s life intertwined with: Jessica Mitford (who dubbed Fay her “frenemy’), Bob Treuhaft, Charles Garry, Bob Richter, Stanley Moore, Tom Hayden, Jane Fonda, Stokely Carmichael, Cesar Chavez, Mario Savio, George Crockett, Joan Baez, Willie Brown, Ron Dellums, Jerry Rubin, Max Scherr, Jean Genet, Elsa Knight Thompson, Kay Boyle, Bobby Seale, David Hilliard, Angela Davis, Eldridge and Kathleen Cleaver, and Mike Tigar, among others.

By the fall of 1970, Stender had gained international press coverage as the most sought-after Movement lawyer in America. She had just achieved spectacular successes against all odds for two black revolutionary clients. The book also describes Stender’s ultimate failure to surmount class and racial differences to make her clients’ cause her own and how, as in a Greek tragedy, hubris led to her downfall. Fay’s tragic end served as a sobering lesson to her Movement friends of the personal risks many of them had run. For many, her death symbolized the end of an era. (Source)

In college I was a History Major with a Women's Studies Minor, and this book is everything I love about that combination. As you can tell from the description, Fay was a lawyer during times of incredible historical significance, and she was in the middle of a lot of it. She was a complicated woman who was larger than life, zealously dedicated to her work, and who often made what many would see as questionable decisions.

Genres:

·         History

·         Biography

What I enjoyed:

·         I loved reading about so many of the events I learned about in American History through the lens of Fay's work with and involvement in those events.

·         I learned so many new things about those same events and people.

·         Lise's background is as a lawyer and a judge so she brings those perspectives to her writing. While she does cover many of the legal aspects of the work Fay did I never felt bogged down by legal terms or minutiae. 

Quotes:

·         "Fay seemed particularly drawn to crossing class lines when making friends and tried harder than others to understand people from different social strata."

·         "Fay came to the realization that she had never made decisions, but acted on uncontrollable impulses, lurching from one course to the next. She believed in predestination, not free will."

·         "Fay revealed that in the past two years her identity had become almost anti-professional. She had abandoned the traditional lawyer-client relationship because it interfered with building her revolutionary clients' trust. Instead she considered [Huey] Newton and [George] Jackson close comrades with a shared goal."

·         "Fay now had a new mission...[She] had finally begun to realize that someone needed to address the arrogant sexism of revolutionary men."

Where you can find Lise online:

·         Website: https://www.lisepearlman.com/

·         Facebook: @LPAuthorAndSpeaker

·         GoodReads: Lise Pearlman

·         The Documentary: American Justice on Trial

Author Bio:

Source

Lise Pearlman appeared in Stanley Nelson’s acclaimed 2015 film       “The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution” as the country’s leading expert on the 1968 Huey Newton death penalty trial. Her first history book, The Sky’s The Limit: People v. Newton, The Real Trial of the 20th Century? [Regent Press 2012] won awards in the categories of law, history and multiculturalism. 

Pearlman was an undergraduate in the first class that included women at Yale University when Panther Party co-founder Bobby Seale was tried for murder in New Haven. She then moved to the Bay Area where she attended Berkeley Law School and then clerked for California Chief Justice Donald White before practicing law in Oakland. From 1989-1995, she served as the first Presiding Judge of the California State Bar Court. Pearlman has spent almost all her adult life in Oakland where the Newton trial took place and where she still resides.

Ms. Pearlman is currently co-producing and co-directing the companion documentary to her  2016 book American Justice on Trial: People v. Newton. (Source)

Want to read Call Me Phaedra? Lise has been kind enough to provide 3 copies of his novel, and one of them could be yours! All you have to do is go to either our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram pages and comment on the post with Lise's interview. It's as simple as that: just comment on Episode 88 on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, and you'll automatically be entered to win Call Me Phaedra! The last day to enter is June 16th and winners will be announced on June 18th.

To hear the interview with Lisa, please click here.