Undone by the loss of his brother Eddie, Alex Van Halen looks back in a new memoir Though Alex had been the guitarist in the family, when they formed Van Halen, it quickly became clear who would play: "[Ed] made that instrument sing." Alex's new memoir is Brothers. Tonya Mosley
How culture wars divided one small progressive church in Philadelphia Journalist Eliza Griswold says complaints about homophobia, white privilege and diversity are splintering progressive organizations — including one particular church. Her book is Circle of Hope. Terry Gross
'Being is bliss' in Timothy Egan's 'The Good Rain' — and still is three decades later This is the KUOW Book Club, and we’re wrapping up "The Good Rain" by Timothy Egan. I'm your club guide, Katie Campbell. Katie Campbell
Singer/songwriter Randy Newman looks back on his decades-long music career Ken Tucker reviews Robert Hilburn's biography of Newman, A Few Words in Defense of Our Country. Plus, we listen back to a 1998 archival interview with the Grammy Award-winning artist. Ken Tucker
After John le Carré's death, his son had the 'daunting' task to revive George Smiley Nick Harkaway grew up hearing his dad read drafts of his George Smiley novels. He picks up le Carré's beloved spymaster character in the new novel, Karla's Choice. Sam Briger
How the 'Wolves of K Street' took over Washington, D.C. A recent book makes the case that corporate interests have always had a friend in the White House.
What if a 'Blood Test' predicted you'd commit murder? In Charles Baxter's new novel, a small-town insurance salesman buys a blood test that can predict romantic entanglements, promotions — and more. It's a screwball satire of all-American zaniness. Maureen Corrigan
Oscar winner Shirley MacLaine looks back at her 'Wall of Life' In her new book "The Wall of Life: Pictures and Stories from This Marvelous Lifetime," each of MacLaine's photos comes with a single paragraph.
Egan's 'The Good Rain' is still a prescient exploration of the PNW more than 30 years later This is KUOW's book club, and we just read through the first half of Timothy Egan's "The Good Rain." Katie Campbell
What do women and female orcas have in common? A lot in midlife Seattle author Angela Garbes has found a distinctly Pacific Northwest way to talk about female middle-age: a conversation about orcas. Katie Campbell
