KUCI: Get the Funk Out

Chris Hunter, co-founder of KOIA, joined Janeane on KUCI 88.9fm!

DANIEL STONE, National Geographic writer shares the true adventures of David Fairchild in his new book, The Food Explorer - The True Adventures of the...

DANIEL STONE
National Geographic writer shares the true adventures of David Fairchild, a late-nineteenth-century food explorer who traveled the globe and introduced diverse crops like avocados, mangoes, seedless grapes--and thousands more--to the American plate
ABOUT THE BOOK
In the nineteenth century, American meals were about subsistence, not enjoyment. But as a new century approached, appetites broadened, and David Fairchild, a young botanist with an insatiable lust to explore and experience the world, set out in search of foods that would enrich the American farmer and enchant the American eater. Daniel Stone, a staff writer for National Geographic, shares this little known story in his new book, The Food Explorer: The True Adventures of a Globetrotting Botanist Who Transformed What America Eats. Stone takes readers on David Fairchild’s exciting culinary journey, from Java to Baghdad, Corsica and Bavaria, and many stops in between. Along the way, Fairchild was arrested, caught diseases, and bargained with island tribes. He also found love marrying Marian Bell, the daughter of Alexander Graham Bell. But his culinary ambition came during a formative era, and through him, America transformed into the most diverse food system ever created.

Daniel Stone shares some of the things that Fairchild introduced to America, including:
· Avocados, which he brought from Chile
· Kale, the superfood of our time, which began as low-class food in Croatia
· The Meyer lemon and Florida’s famous oranges, which originated in China.
· Egyptian cotton, a botanical creation in Egypt as a result of America’s Civil War.
· The cherry blossom tree from Japan, which has forever brightened America’s capital.
· Mangoes, of which Fairchild collected more than 30 varieties, some still growing today.
With stories taken directly from Fairchild’s unpublished journals and letters, as well as never-before-seen photographs from remote parts of the world, THE FOOD EXPLORER is as rich and satisfying as a ripe Georgia peach (which, by the way, came from China).
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Daniel Stone is a staff writer for National Geographic and a former White House correspondent for Newsweek and The Daily Beast. A native of Los Angeles, he holds degrees from UC Davis and John Hopkins University.

2/19/18 - Bestselling author and History Channel host, Brad Meltzer, joins Janeane to talk about his latest book, I Am Harriet Tubman

ABOUT THE BOOK
I am Harriet Tubman by Brad Meltzer, Christopher Eliopoulos
Harriet Tubman's heroic and pivotal role in the fight against slavery is the subject of the fourteenth picture book in this New York Times bestselling biography series
This friendly, fun biography series focuses on the traits that made our heroes great—the traits that kids can aspire to in order to live heroically themselves. Each book tells the story of one of America's icons in a lively, conversational way that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers and that always includes the hero's childhood influences. At the back are an excellent timeline and photos. This volume focuses on Harriet Tubman's brave heroism as part of the movement to abolish slavery. As one of the key players in the Underground Railroad, she helped enslaved African Americans escape and find freedom.
Four years ago, #1 New York Times bestselling author and History Channel host Brad Meltzer was frustrated that his three children were looking up to princesses and reality stars. From his love of history, he knew there were better heroes for his kids. Right there, the Ordinary People Change the World series was born. The result is one of the most successful children's picture book series
in the last decade.
Flash forward four years later, where sales for this picture book series are stronger than ever! With over 2 million copies
of these books in print, the sales have seen a massive spike over the past year. Indeed, since the Presidential election, Meltzer’s books (about appropriate heroes for kids) have SKYROCKETED. I AM MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. sold out for a month at Amazon, Barnes & Noble. Everywhere.
The incredible Harriet Tubman is the latest subject in Meltzer’s bestselling picture book series, in I AM HARRIET TUBMAN
(Illustrated by Chris Eliopoulos). This volume focuses on Harriet Tubman's brave heroism as part of the movement to abolish slavery. As one of the key players in the Underground Railroad, she helped enslaved African Americans escape and find freedom.
The series focuses on the traits that made our heroes great--the traits that kids can aspire to in order to live heroically
themselves. Each book tells the story of one of America's icons in a lively, conversational way that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers and that always includes the hero's childhood influences. At the back are an excellent timeline and photos.
ABOUT
Brad Meltzer is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of adult thrillers (including The Inner Circle, The President’s Shadow
and The House of Secrets). His two nonfiction gift books, Heroes for My Son and Heroes for My Daughter, were New York Times
Bestsellers as well, and he has won the prestigious Eisner Award for his comic book work, Justice League of America.
Brad is also the host of the History Channel TV shows Brad Meltzer's Decoded and Brad Meltzer’s Lost History. He lives in Florida with his wife and their three children

Brooke Fenn shares with host Janeane how she will #BlazeItForward!

Brooke Fenn is a 36 year old Single Mom of 2, and lover of Jesus. She was an Interior Designer for 15 years, and spent the last 7 doing it at a corporate level. This past October, when her Father and Business Partner discovered AR Workshop in Arizona, he immediately knew this was what she should be doing. God moved Mountains and even though she just discovered the Company in October with the help of her amazing Family and Friends she opened AR Workshop San Juan Capistrano on December 7th.
https://www.arworkshop.com/sanjuancapistrano/

Greg Wells, producer of The Greatest Showman original soundtrack, joined Janeane 2/19/18 live on KUCI 88.9fm!

Greg Wells, producer of The Greatest Showman original soundtrack joins Janeane 2/19/18. Wells is a multiple Grammy-nominated record producer, songwriter, musician, and mixer based in Los Angeles.
Shout out to Universal Audio for introducing me to Greg and their recording gear and plugins were Greg's go-to tools when he was working on the soundtrack. Thank you so much!
Universal Audio works with A-list producers and engineers who use and consider UAD plugins and UA gear vital for their productions. One of the most interesting projects so far in 2018 is the global success of The Greatest Showman: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, produced by Greg Wells with Justin Paul and Benj Pasek.
The musical The Greatest Showman, starring Hugh Jackman, is one of the largest word-of-mouth hit in Hollywood history. The family-friendly original musical about P.T. Barnum has made $113 million in the first five weekends and it rose to the top of the charts shortly after its December 2017 release.
ABOUT GREG WELLS
Greg Wells is a multiple Grammy-nominated record producer, songwriter, musician, and mixer based in Los Angeles. Few producers in music can rival the pedigree and resume of Greg Wells. His credits include Adele, Twenty One Pilots, Katy Perry, Pharrell Williams, The All-American Rejects, Timbaland, OneRepublic, MIKA, Deftones, and Keith Urban among others. Most recently, Greg produced and mixed The Greatest Showman; Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, holding the #1 spot on the Billboard Top Albums chart for three consecutive weeks and Certified Gold in under 2 months. As a fluent guitarist, bassist, drummer, and keyboard player, Greg has mastered the balance between being hands-on and drawing out an artist’s own sound regardless of genre. For Wells, the goal is to shine the best light on the artist and help them be as true to themselves as possible. It is this diversity, versatility, and musical fluency that continues to make him one of the most talented and sought-after producers, songwriters, and musicians in the industry.
"This Is Me" won Best Original Song at the Golden Globe Awards.

2/19/18 - Down the Up Staircase Three Generations of a Harlem Family by Bruce D. Haynes and Syma Solovitch Columbia University Press. Bruce Haynes j...

Down the Up Staircase tells the story of one Harlem family across three generations, connecting its journey to the historical and social forces that transformed Harlem over the past century. Bruce D. Haynes and Syma Solovitch capture the tides of change that pushed blacks forward through the twentieth century—the Great Migration, the Harlem Renaissance, the early civil rights victories, the Black Power and Black Arts movements—as well as the many forces that ravaged black communities, including Haynes's own. As an authority on race and urban communities, Haynes brings unique sociological insights to the American mobility saga and the tenuous nature of status and success among the black middle class.
In many ways, Haynes's family defied the odds. All four great-grandparents on his father's side owned land in the South as early as 1880. His grandfather, George Edmund Haynes, was the founder of the National Urban League and a protégé of eminent black sociologist W. E. B. Du Bois; his grandmother, Elizabeth Ross Haynes, was a noted children's author of the Harlem Renaissance and a prominent social scientist. Yet these early advances and gains provided little anchor to the succeeding generations. This story is told against the backdrop of a crumbling three-story brownstone in Sugar Hill that once hosted Harlem Renaissance elites and later became an embodiment of the family's rise and demise. Down the Up Staircase is a stirring portrait of this family, each generation walking a tightrope, one misstep from free fall.
About the Authors
Bruce D. Haynes is professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of California, Davis. He is the author of Red Lines, Black Spaces: The Politics of Race and Space in a Black Middle-Class Suburb (2001) and the coeditor of The Ghetto: Contemporary Global Issues and Controversies (2011).
Syma Solovitch is a freelance writer, developmental editor, and educator. This is her first book.

Brie Howard Darling of the band Fanny Walks the Earth joined Janeane on KUCI 88.9fm!

Caroline Taylor joined KUCI’s Janeane Bernstein to talk about her latest book, Loose Ends.

Author Caroline Taylor joins host Janeane to discuss her latest book, Loose Ends
Caroline Taylor's book, “Loose Ends,” just came out Dec. 7, and features two gutsy sisters fighting for their lives and freedom.

She can discuss many fascinating topics -- among them:
being a female thriller author in a mostly male-centric genre
her writing process (she doesn't use an outline, and her book is fairly complicated, so I found this really interesting!)
how her experiences abroad shaped the storyline for "Loose Ends"

Author Tom Malmquist joins host Janeane to talk about his latest book, We Are Still Alive

His bestselling, award-winning book In Every Moment We Are Still Alive is just beautiful, already an Indie Next Pick for February.
Based, on tragic events and loss in the writer's life, In Every Moment We Are Still Alive, is a powerful and engrossing novel.
https://www.theguardian.com/bo oks/2017/jun/08/in-every-momen t-we-are-still-alive-by-tom- malmquist-review
WE ARE STILL ALIVE
By Tom Malmquist
Translated by Henning Koch (A Man Called Ove)
Indie Next List for February 2018
An “Indies Introduce” Selection
Winner of Sweden’s Dagens Nyheter Culture Prize
Shortlisted for the Nordic Council Literary Award
The European bestseller published in the United States for the first time
“It is bound to invite comparison to Karl Ove Knausgaard’s My Struggle… Perhaps more so than Knausgaard, Malmquist demonstrates that he can relay life in an intense, heightened state. The result is exhilarating.”
–Financial Times
“Beautiful… arresting… A deeply personal account… As more books are published, we increasingly seek out those writers who promise to give us something more than fiction. We want books made out of lives… The value of Malmquist’s book is precisely that it retains a trace of true human presence – carefully preserved by the author.”—The Guardian
“By turns raw, unsettled, and touching, Malmquist’s book is an extended meditation on what it means to love and to mourn. A deeply emotional and affecting novel.” –Kirkus Reviews
“A unique form… infused with deep urgency. A great stylist, Malmquist’s immersive prose perfectly limns the demands of living within the chiaroscuro of deep grief.” –Foreword Reviews, starred review
“[A] heady debut novel… moving… (a) beautiful, raw meditation on earth-shattering personal loss.”
–Publishers Weekly
“Kafkaesque… remarkably credible.” –Booklist
A prize-winning debut novel chosen as an Indie Next List selection as well as an Indies Introduce pick, Tom Malmquist’s IN EVERY MOMENT WE ARE STILL ALIVE (Melville House; January 30, 2018; Hardcover; $25.99) is a story of loss, love, and family based on true events from the author’s life.
This autobiographical novel tells the true and gripping story of a man whose world come crashing down overnight: When Tom’s heavily pregnant partner is rushed to the hospital, doctors are able to save the baby, but are helpless to save her. And in one cruel, fleeting moment Tom gains a daughter but loses his soul mate.
Written in starkly beautiful prose that conveys the momentum of a man desperate to pull through, Malmquist writes how he, drowning in the grief of loss, finds hope and resilience in the greatest gift of all: his prematurely born newborn daughter.
Both tragic and redemptive, IN EVERY MOMENT WE ARE STILL ALIVE is an utterly human story: that of surviving a loved one. A study in the process of grief, Malmquist’s writing portrays the human suffering felt in day-to-day life, in remembering past memories, and in fantasizing about the future.
Translated from Swedish by Henning Koch (A Man Called Ove), IN EVERY MOMENT WE ARE STILL ALIVE has been called “one of the most powerful books about grief every written,” by the judges of the Nordic Council Literary Award. A bestseller in Europe for many months, Melville House is proud to bring this powerful novel to the United States for the first time.
The first novelist to every win Sweden’s prestigious Dagens Nyheter Culture Prize, Malmquist shares the story of the year that changed his life. Heartbreaking and inspiring, raw yet tender, this towering tour de force is a magnificent debut.
About the author: Tom Malmquist is a poet and sportswriter. He has written two highly acclaimed poetry collections. IN EVERY MOMENT WE ARE STILL ALIVE is his first novel. He lives in Sweden.

Ned Johnson, co-author with William Stixrud, of the Self-Driven Child joined Janeane 2/15/18 on KUCI 88.9fm!

William Stixrud & Ned Johnson
Child experts share how to combat the chronic stress plaguing kids today
American kids are grappling with an epidemic of anxiety and depression. Chronic stress is taking a toll during the formative years when children are “sculpting” their developing brains. What we are doing as parents and as a society isn’t working and something needs to change. THE SELF-DRIVEN CHILD offers a revolutionary new approach to parenting, based on decades of clinical experience and the latest developments in brain research. William Stixrud, a revered clinical neuropsychologist, and Ned Johnson, the founder of one of the most sought-after tutoring companies in the country, show how we are raising our kids in a brain-toxic environment. The result is a generation of highly scheduled, tightly wound teens who feel like imposters, lack direction, and often unravel in high school or their freshman year of college. American children are robbed of agency when countless studies reveal that a low sense of control is deeply damaging.
Johnson offers advice to parents, such as:
· When parents work harder than their kids to solve their problems, their kids get weaker, not stronger.
· Home should be a “safe base” where kids can recover from the stress of schoolwork and extracurricular activities.
· If you let your child make decisions for herself while she’s young, her brain will build the circuits that are necessary for resilience.
· Allow your child time to do things he enjoys. When you see your child focused on building a Lego castle, he is conditioning his brain to associate intense enjoyment with highly focused attention, practice, and hard work.
· Daydreaming, imagination, and fantasy are essential elements of a healthy mental life. Let your kids “do nothing” sometimes.
· If a teacher is assigning too much homework, speak with the teacher and tell them, “This isn’t working for my child.” You’d be surprised by how willing teachers can be to make adjustments if homework has become a real problem.
· College is a brain-toxic environment. Not all high school seniors are ready to go straight on to college. Talk to your child. If you both decide he needs to take a gap year, that’s in no way a sign of failure -- it’s a demonstration of maturity.
Stixrud and Johnson demonstrate that the best thing we can do for children is to help them develop the skills to make difficult choices, to own their mistakes, to learn ‘Plan-B thinking’ and make independent course corrections when things don’t go as planned. It’s not the kids who have never gone off track who run into trouble; it’s those who have never been allowed to take the wheel.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
William Stixrud, Ph.D., is a clinical neuropsychologist who teaches at Children's National and the George Washington University School of Medicine. An expert on learning and executive disorders and the effects of stress, sleep deprivation, and technology overload on the developing brain, he has been a frequent keynote speaker at conferences, has been widely cited in major media. A proponent of transcendental meditation, he is on the board of the David Lynch Foundation.
Ned Johnson is the founder of PrepMatters, a leading tutoring and test-prep service in Washington, D.C. He is the coauthor of Conquering the SAT: How Parents Can Help Students Overcome the Pressure and Succeedand is a sought-after speaker and a teen coach for study skills, parent-teen dynamics, and anxiety management. His work has been featured on NPR and NewsHour and in U.S. News & World Report, Time, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Newsweek.