On this episode of KJZZ's Word podcast about literature, we feature stories about a crime, a baseball historian with a century-old tale and science from an NPR correspondent. Plus, we have the winner of this year’s KJZZ Haiku Writing Contest.
Crime and humor with E.A. Aymar
A new crime novel titled, “When She Left,” is the latest from Arizona native, E.A. Aymar.
It’s peppered with humor and is a story of an affair gone rogue and a young couple who are forced to flee a family of criminals.
According to a publicity synopsis of the book, “23-year-old Melissa Cruz can’t help falling in love with dreamy-eyed photographer Jake Smith, even if it means betraying her boyfriend Chris Winters, a rising star in his family’s criminal organization. After barely escaping when Chris discovers the two of them together, Jake and Melissa find themselves on the run, with nowhere to turn and danger around every corner.”
Aymar has numerous credits to his name, and also runs a popular newsletter called “Crime Fiction Works,” featuring upcoming top crime fiction novels, interviews and monthly prizes for subscribers.
He will be at the upcoming Tucson Festival of Books.
Relive 1924 baseball with Gary Sarnoff
Gary Sarnoff is now the author of three books about baseball.
“Team of Destiny: Walter Johnson, Clark Griffith, Bucky Harris, and the 1924 Washington Senators” takes fans back 100 years to a storied season with the team, which has rebranded as the Washington Nationals.
The book “recounts the uplifting story of a team that surpassed all expectations and gave Washington fans a season to remember. Before the season began, legendary pitcher Walter Johnson announced the 1924 season would be his last. Sarnoff tells how, in the heat of a grueling pennant race, the surging Senators won the approval of the entire country who cheered on the underdogs and the 36-year-old Johnson,” according to release.
Sarnoff is the author of two previous baseball history books — “The Wrecking Crew of ’33: The Washington Senators’ Last American League Pennant” and “The First Yankees Dynasty: Babe Ruth, Miller Huggins and the Bronx Bombers of the 1920s.”
How science weaves into NPR correspondent's book
NPR science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce joins us to talk about her new book, “Transient and Strange: Notes on the Science of Life.”
It’s built around family anecdotes and, “is an original collection of powerful, emotionally raw, and unforgettable personal essays that probe the places where science touches our lives most intimately,” according to a release.
Greenfieldboyce began her career with NPR in 2005.
2024 KJZZ haiku contest winner announced
Our theme this year was: “What’s in store for ’24?”
We received 270 submissions with answers to that question involving:
- Politics
- Hopes for graduation.
- Taylor Swift.
- Upcoming travel plans.
- Nature.
You can read the winning poem and see other entries here.
Thanks to everyone who submitted a haiku and to those sustaining members of public radio who make monthly financial contributions.
If you haven’t had a chance to become one, that’s OK.
Now’s the perfect time to consider making a gift of $5, $10 or even $30 per month to fund fact-based journalism, in depth analysis and conversation as well as entertaining, original programming like Word on KJZZ.
Whatever amount is in your budget, is the right amount.
We’re on spring break during March, but we’ll return in April with another series of entertaining and thought provoking literary convos.
Thanks so much for listening!
