Martyn Burke and Katrin Ciaffa on A Novel Idea

Burkebook RHPeabody winning filmmaker, journalist, and author Martyn Burke joins Suzanne Lang in conversation on his latest novel The Gossip Columnist, set in Nazi era Berlin.

Ciaffabook LHAlso featured is Katrin Ciaffa, translator of Hannelore Krollpfeiffer’s We Lived in Berlin: A Story from the End of the War. Krollpfeiffer is a journalist who was a young woman in Berlin at the end of WWII.

(Photo: Katrin Ciaffa, pictured left, with Hannelore Krollpfeiffer - courtesy of the author).

A Novel Idea, Saturday, January 3rd at 5am and Sunday, January 4th at 10am. Streaming at krcb.org.

A Novel Idea

December 20, 2025

Steven Rowley and Julia Mary Gibson on A Novel Idea

Suzanne Lang talks with NYTs best selling author Steven Rowley on his latest book, The Dogs of Venice. Julia Mary Gibson joins Suzanne and talks about her novel The Copper Stone. It’s A Novel Idea, every first, third, and fifth Saturday at 5:00am, and first, third, and fifth Sundays at 10:00am on…
December 06, 2025

Benjamin Wood and Ian Leslie on A Novel Idea

Suzanne Lang talks with Booker Prize nominated and Merseyside writer Benjamin Wood on his book Seascraper. Plus, Ian Leslie joins Suzanne to talk about the quintessential Mersey boys in his book, John and Paul, a Love Story in Songs. It’s A Novel Idea, every first, second, and third Saturdays at…
November 29, 2025

Janet Kintner and Tina Davidson on A Novel Idea

In this episode, Suzanne Lang talks with Janet Kintner, who was appointed judge at the age of 31 and at a time when few women were even on the bench, let alone young and pregnant. Kintner’s memoir is A Judges Tale, A Trailblazer Fights for Her Place on the Bench. We also visit composer Tina…
November 15, 2025

Janet Burroway and Joan Frank on A Novel Idea

Simone in Pieces is a tour de force in fiction writing by literary powerhouse Janet Burroway, who joins Suzanne Lang in conversation. Also featured is the ever-fascinating Joan Frank with her works Late Work, A Literary Autobiography of Love, Loss, and What I Was Reading and the novel Juniper…
November 01, 2025

Christine Walker and Reyna Marder Gentin on A Novel Idea

Christine Walker joins Suzanne Lang in conversation on her century spanning novel, Tap Dancing at the Bluebird. Also featured is Reyna Marder Gentin on her book Jessica Harmon Has Stepped Away, a mother/daughter story including literary prizes, road trips, and ultimately, independence. It’s A Novel…
October 18, 2025

Stan Lai and Souleymane Bachir Diagne on A Novel Idea

Taiwanese theater artist Stan Lai joins Suzanne Lang in conversation about his book CreativtRy: Asia’s Iconic Playwright Reveals the Art of Creativity, a best seller in Chinese which Lai completely rewrote in English and maps out the creative process which can contribute to any life endeavor.…
Mar 02, 2025

CJ Cook on A Novel Idea

CJ Cook is an art collector, historian, publisher, rescuer of lost artists, and lover of the South Pacific. Suzanne Lang talks with CJ Cook on Edithe…
Oct 20, 2024

Iris Jamal Dunkle on A Novel Idea

Voices of writers, voices of creative, accomplished women have gotten lost in the fog of other people’s fame, and mostly by the conventions and…
Mar 03, 2019

Michael Morey – March 3, 2019

Author and independent historian Michael Morey’s book, Fagen: An African American Renegade in the Philippine-American War, unpacks American…
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Dec 02, 2018

Thomas E. Cochrane – December 2, 2018

Oil makes the world go round and geologist Thomas E. Cochrane delivers candid and lively remembrances of his life and experience in the American…
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Oct 24, 2018

Susan Hand Shetterly – October 7, 2018

Seaweed. It plays a vital role in ocean ecology, and also in our health and diet, and in our local and global economies. Seaweed Chronicles: A World…
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Sep 30, 2018

Gregory Couch – October 1, 2018

Gregory Crouch joins Suzanne M. Lang in conversation on his epic western history of California wealth and the Comstock Lode, bringing focus to one of…
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Aug 05, 2018

Jonah Raskin – August 5, 2018

Jonah Raskin has a large and ranging body of non-fiction books and articles and now has come out with a detective fiction of a different order, Dark…
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Jul 29, 2018

Bruce Holbert – July 30, 2018

San Francisco’s City Lights Bookstore, the landmark independent bookstore founded in 1953 by poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Peter D. Martin, recently…
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Jul 01, 2018

Brad Herzog – July 1, 2018

A timely encore presentation of Rosemary Manchester in conversation with Brad Herzog, collaborator on Carolyn Goodman’s memoir, My Mantelpiece: a…
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Apr 01, 2018

Bruce Holbert – April 1, 2018

To celebrate the release of Bruce Holbert’s third novel, Whiskey, here is a reprise of two previous conversations between Bruce and Suzanne M Lang on…
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Nov 13, 2017

Jeffrey Miller – January 31, 2016

This episode of KRCB’s A Novel Idea is an “encore” presentation of a favorite broadcast, originally broadcast in 2010, featuring Andre Codrescu and…
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Nov 13, 2017

Eva Rutland – March 6, 2016

To honor Black History Month and International Women’s Day (March 8th) we present Rosemary Manchester with an encore presentation of a show featuring…
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Nov 13, 2017

Abby Geni, Lewis deSoto – April 3, 2016

Big Nature, Big California The Farallon Islands, remote and mysterious, is the setting of Abby Geni’s novel of nature and mystery, The Lightkeepers.…
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Nov 13, 2017

Wendy E. Simmons – July 4, 2016

Wendy E. Simmons is a world traveler. Not a novice. Not a pushover. Her trip to North Korea challenged every bit of her perceptions of herself and…
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Nov 13, 2017

Kenneth Wishnia – August 7, 2016

Mystery writer Kenneth Wishnia joins Suzanne Lang in conversation on his latest novel, The Fifth Servant, which is set in 1592 Prague, where a young…
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Nov 13, 2017

William Luvaas – September 4, 2016

William Luvaas, NEA grant recipient who has been recognized for his short stories and novels alike, joins Suzanne Lang in conversation on his third…
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Nov 13, 2017

Meg Waite Clayton – October 2, 2016

New York Time’s bestselling author Meg Waite Clayton joins Suzanne M. Lang in conversation about The Race for Paris, Clayton’s compelling novel of…
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Nov 13, 2017

Heather Lyn Mann – April 3, 2017

15,000 nautical miles, six years, and a world of insight ….Heather Lyn Mann joins Suzanne Lang in conversation about Heather’s journey as expressed…
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Nov 13, 2017

Peter Afrasiabi – October 1, 2017

Top intellectual property and entertainment lawyer Peter Afrasiabi joins Suzanne Lang in conversation on his recent book Burning Bridges, America’s…
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Nov 13, 2017

J. Jaye Gold – October 29, 2017

J. Jaye Gold has been a hustler and gambler in his life, but sought a new way of being in his that lead him on a journey around the globe, and
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