Nancy's Bookshelf

Two local academics have collaborated on a musical which opens at Theatre on the Ridge next Thursday. This week join Nancy for a conversation with Lynn Elliott, who wrote the book and lyrics, and Marcel Daguerre who wrote the music for their version of "Rode: the Musical."

As Nancy's Bookshelf enters its 11th year on North State Public Radio, we hear from two of Nancy's early guests. Both were Chico State professors at the time — one since retired, and the other is now a newly-appointed dean. This week join Nancy for a conversation with author Kate McCarthy, and celebrate Bastille Day with wine expert Marian Baldy.

Author and photographer Douglas Keister has a new book of architecture, Storybook Style: America's Whimsical Homes of the 1920s, which features five homes in Chico. He also writes novels, and his latest, The Sleepy Hollow Mystery, is the third in his Chick Corbett series. This week join Nancy for a conversation with prolific author Douglas Keister.

North Korea is frequently in the news these days, but how much do we know about our history with this country during the early 1950s? On the anniversary of the start of the Korean War, two local authors offer their perspectives: historian James Matray because he studied it; and Alan Guzzetti because he lived it. This week join Nancy for a look back at this forgotten war.

The latest book by Anderson author Bob Madgic is Ebby's Tale, the uplifting story of a rescued dog's journey from a shelter to the musical stage. Former Orland teacher Jane King illustrated her book about a fox in their family. This week join Nancy for a conversation with the authors of two books about canine family members.

There is much we don't know about California's buried past. Author Tony Platt wrote a book about the plundering of Native American graves. Local writer Rich Nidever researched the story of a Native American woman left on one of the channel islands of Southern California. This week join Nancy for a look at little-known stories from California's history.

The scientific names of birds can be more entertaining than you might think. Ornithologist Roger Lederer and former English professor Carol Burr teamed up to write a book called Latin for Bird Lovers. Anderson author Bob Madgic writes about the Sacramento River in his book, The Sacramento: A Transcendental River. This week join Nancy for a conversation with the authors of two books about nature.

Author Jordan Fisher Smith spent 21 years as a park ranger and wrote a memoir about working under the waterline of the long-delayed Auburn Dam. He will be speaking at the Lake Oroville Visitor's Center next Wednesday. This week join Nancy for a conversation with the author of Nature Noir: A Park Ranger's Patrol in the Sierra.

In his debut novel, The Secret Watcher of Summit Avenue, Mark Morlock creatively imagines the history of a Victorian house and its four generations. Author David Allee tells the story of a different Victorian house in his historical novel, The Good Serpent Orphanage. This week join host Nancy Wiegman for the stories of two turn of the century houses and their residents.

Part time TV weatherman Mike Graf writes adventures stories for kids filled with facts about plants and animals in our National Parks. This week join host Nancy Wiegman for an adventure in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks with the fictional Parker family.