KGNU Radio Book Club

In this episode, author Claire Boyles talks more about some of the characters in her novel Appraisals, especially Paul, a billionaire who is buying up land and water rights in Weld County. She also talks about her experience as a writer, including the difference between writing screenplays and writing a novel. 

The August 2026 selection for the Radio Book Club is Appraisals by author Claire Boyles. The book follows four generations of women tied to a family farm in Weld County, Colorado. The story is set against the backdrop of the 2008 financial crash and talks about land and family and what it takes to hold onto both. 

In this podcast episode author David Heska Wanbli Weiden talks about the real place that is Wisdom Corner, and about life on the Rosebud Reservation. He also talks about the importance of Native American writers telling the stories of Native American communities, especially in the light of current efforts to whitewash history.

The July selection for the Radio Book Club is Wisdom Corner, the latest novel by David Heska Wanbli Weiden and the long-anticipated sequel to his bestselling debut, Winter Counts.In Wisdom Corner, we once again meet protagonist Virgil Wounded Horse, who is trying to leave behind his past as a hired vigilante on the Rosebud Indian Reservation. But the murder of a close friend and respected community member draws him back into a life he had tried to leave behind. The book explores the terrible legacy of Native American boarding schools, and how the American justice system has failed tribal communities.  

Listen to more of our conversation with author T. A. Barron where he talks about the origins of the names of creatures from the vampire squid from hell to the aquatic salamander called the hellbender, also known as the Allegheny alligator. We also hear about the fertility benefits of eating truffles and T.A. Barron's spiritual encounter with an ancient redwood tree.