WYSO’s coverage of non-fiction books offers deep dives into the world of real stories, bold reporting, and lived experience. From memoirs that illuminate personal journeys to investigative works that unpack political, environmental, or social challenges, these stories showcase how writers engage with the world around them.
Through author interviews, radio features, podcast episodes, and reviews, we explore titles that push conversations forward—about race, identity, justice, science, history, and resilience. We highlight local authors from Ohio and the Miami Valley alongside national voices featured on NPR programs like Fresh Air, Code Switch, and All Things Considered.
Whether you’re looking for your next book club pick, a thought-provoking essay collection, or a compelling oral history, this tag is your entry point into WYSO’s non-fiction bookshelf. The stories here celebrate authors helping us understand the past, make sense of the present, and imagine the future.
From quiet reflections to urgent calls to action, these books ask us to listen more closely—and to see the world differently.
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This Book Nook features Ohioan Mary Annette Pember discussing "Medicine River," her memoir about the Indian boarding schools that tried to erase their cultural heritages. -
Brian Alexander returns to the Book Nook for a continued discussion of "The Hospital: Life, Death, and Dollars in a Small American Town" with Vick Mickunas -
Vick Mickunas' 2020 interview with Jack Shuler -
Vick Mickunas' 2003 interview with Asra Q. Nomani -
Vick Mickunas' 2020 interview with Wendy Lesser -
Vick Mickunas' 2020 interview with Jean Guerrero -
Vick Mickunas' 2020 interview with Victor A. Pollak -
Vick Mickunas' 2020 interview with David Paul Kuhn -
Today we know them as The Beat Generation. Back in the 1950's they were the counterculture. Some of them became famous; Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs,… -
Over the 26 years that I have been talking to authors about their work I have spoken to many writers who had just published their first books. Many of… -
Dylan Taylor-Lehman returned to the program to discuss his history of the micronation Sealand. Perhaps you are perplexed, maybe you are wondering; what… -
The former South Boston crime boss Whitey Bulger was on the run for many years. The fugitive was at the top of the FBI's most wanted list until 9/11 when…
