Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky.
Links to assorted local theater & book venues
The Quirky Science World of Mary Roach
The author of several non-fiction works that examine specific areas of life that are rarely covered elsewhere, Mary Roach brings a sharp eye and excellent research skills to explain how things work, how they don’t work, and the various things that happen in between. The author of eight books, she has appeared on Bookwaves and Bookwaves/Artwaves four times, with a fifth to air in October 2026. These are two earlier interviews.
Part One: Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void. What’s life like for astronauts? What is it like to be in Zero-G, or to find yourself doing a space walk? What kind of food do they eat, and what are astronauts and technicians really like? In this interview recorded in the KPFA studios on August 24, 2010, she discusses all these topics, as well as a look back to her earlier book, Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife. This interview has not aired in over fifteen years.
Part Two: Fuzz: When Nature Breaks The Law. “Fuzz” deals with such issues as animals killing humans, pests in the fields, attempts to control invasive species, animal burglaries (watch out, Yogi Bear!), and even birds destroying flowers in the Vatican. In this interview, she discusses many of these issues and adds some information that never found its way into her book. Recorded by computer on September 16, 2021.
An interview recorded on September 15, 2026, about Mary Roach’s latest book, Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy, will air in October 2026.
Review of “The Cook,” at Berkeley Rep Peets Theatre through October 11, 2026.
