Alice Walker (1944 - ) is primarily known as a novelist and short story writer, and is a major figure in both Black American and Feminist literature. In the first part of this program Walker reads a story from her new book "You Can't Keep A Good Woman Down" at the Woman's Building in San Francisco -- "Fame," a humorous story about a cantakerous older Black woman writer who is about to receive her 111th major award. Karla Tonella, who conducted the interview with Walker woven throughout the program, reads two of Walker's short stories: "A Letter of the Times" and "Coming Apart." The second part of the program continues Tonella's interview with Walker, and also features a recording Walker reading her story "The abortion," a powerful story that left its audience in stunned silence, at A Woman's Place bookstore in Oakland. In the interview segments, Walker talks about some of her characters, her own relocation from Atlanta to San Francisco, why she incorporates history and politics into her work, her favorite writers, her own creative struggle, and what she's working on now. Mixed with music. Contains some sensitive language.
This recording has been digitally preserved as part of Pacifica's American Women Making History and Culture: 1963-1982 grant preservation project, and is available for research and reference . Please contact the archives via telephone: 818-506-1077 or email: americanwomen at pacificaradioarchives dot org for information on how to obtain a copy of this program. Thank you.
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