The On The Bookshelf Podcast

interview--Marty Machowski with Advent devotional for family

"The Light Before Christmas" features two main human characters: Mia and her blind grandmother. Mia is puzzled about her grandmother's positive attitude, especially when at church they sing about "Light". Grandmother reveals the hymn refers to spiritual light, as from the Light of the World, Jesus Christ. She explains she was once "double blind" unable to see physically and spiritually, until she believed in Jesus as her Savior and her "spiritual eyes" were opened! With simple crafts and tie-ins with Christmas carols that use "light" imagery and symbolism, this book is just right for young readers in your family.

Wall Street Journal columnist on Iconic Pop Songs

Marc Myers interviewed dozens of composer, lyricists, performers and stars about these iconic recordings and their significance.

classic interview updated: Ace Collins with stories of Xmas songs & traditions

Ace Collins is a master storyteller, and he share how some of our favorite Christmas songs and carols came to be written.

interview--William Hazelgrove on How Fitzgerald wrote ”The Great Gastsby”

F. Scott Fitzgerald and his young wife Zelda rode the wave of a new era in American culture: the rise of Youth Culture and Celebrity as the Roaring Twenties began. They became the face of the era and suffered deeply by embodying its excesses. Fitzgerald turned all their relational ups and downs into short stories, novellas and his books. Sadly, his most intensely personal book was a terrible flop when it was released, and for years afterward the author was haunted by its failure. It cost him his marriage, his attempt at sobriety and he died young broken-hearted. But the story of his masterpiece was not over: during WWII millions of copies were sent to GIs and finally it was recognized for its insight into an era.

interview classic-for 25 years Joe Wheeler brought a new Xmas in My Heart

Joe was forced to retire several years ago after a traumatic fall, but his collections and books are still available. Here is a replay of his visit with me in 2010 for Christmas in My Heart #19 (he would complete 30 in that series)