Steve Bertrand on Books: Melanie Benjamin

Steve Bertrand on Books: Bobby Finger

You might know Bobby Finger from his two earlier novels, The Old Place and Four Squares, or maybe you follow his podcast, Who? Weekly, where he and his cohost Lindsey Weber keep track of would-be celebrities so you won’t have to. His latest novel is We Are Gathered Here Today, where he returns to Texas for a funny and meaningful look at marriage: gay, straight, or whatever. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8471410/Bobby_Finger_2026-06-23-195210.64kmono.mp3 [https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8471410/Bobby_Finger_2026-06-23-195210.64kmono.mp3] RECENT POSTS STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-bobby-finger/ STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS: BOBBY FINGER [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-bobby-finger/] .cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-lisa-see/ STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS: LISA SEE [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-lisa-see/] .cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-phil-melanson/ STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS: PHIL MELANSON [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-phil-melanson/] .cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-melanie-benjamin/ STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS: MELANIE BENJAMIN [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-melanie-benjamin/] .cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-djamel-white/ STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS: DJAMEL WHITE [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-djamel-white/] .cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} Click for More [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/]

Steve Bertrand on Books: Lisa See

New York Times bestselling author Lisa See’s latest book is Daughters of the Sun and Moon. Publisher’s Weekly calls it one of the best books of the summer. She talks with Steve about the little-known story of the 1870 massacre of Chinese immigrants in what was then a small, dusty and very dangerous Los Angeles. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8453685/Lisa_See_2026-06-15-210625.64kmono.mp3 [https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8453685/Lisa_See_2026-06-15-210625.64kmono.mp3] RECENT POSTS STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-bobby-finger/ STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS: BOBBY FINGER [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-bobby-finger/] .cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-lisa-see/ STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS: LISA SEE [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-lisa-see/] .cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-phil-melanson/ STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS: PHIL MELANSON [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-phil-melanson/] .cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-melanie-benjamin/ STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS: MELANIE BENJAMIN [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-melanie-benjamin/] .cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-djamel-white/ STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS: DJAMEL WHITE [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-djamel-white/] .cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} Click for More [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/]

Steve Bertrand on Books: Phil Melanson

In this week’s podcast, Steve catches up with author Phil Melanson as he teaches in London. Phil is the author of Florenzer…it’s a great account of life in Medici Florence told through the lives of Lorenzo de Medici, Francesco Salviati and Leonardo de Vinci. The book is now in paperback. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8442199/Phil_Melanson_2026-06-10-014339.64kmono.mp3 [https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8442199/Phil_Melanson_2026-06-10-014339.64kmono.mp3] RECENT POSTS STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-bobby-finger/ STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS: BOBBY FINGER [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-bobby-finger/] .cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-lisa-see/ STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS: LISA SEE [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-lisa-see/] .cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-phil-melanson/ STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS: PHIL MELANSON [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-phil-melanson/] .cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-melanie-benjamin/ STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS: MELANIE BENJAMIN [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-melanie-benjamin/] .cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-djamel-white/ STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS: DJAMEL WHITE [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-djamel-white/] .cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} Click for More [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/]

Steve Bertrand on Books: Melanie Benjamin

Chicago writer Melanie Benjamin has made a career out of writing historical fiction with stories that largely center around women. Put another way, Melanie has given us fictional accounts of our non-fiction world. In her latest, The Windsor Affair, she looks into the abdication of King Edward Vlll. It’s a story that’s been told many times, but not like this. The Windsor Affair focuses on the rivalry between Wallis Simpson and Queen Elizabeth, the woman we would later know as the Queen Mum. Melanie talks with Steve about her writing, her love of Chicago, and more. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8424319/Melanie_Benjamin_2026-06-01-215319.64kmono.mp3 [https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8424319/Melanie_Benjamin_2026-06-01-215319.64kmono.mp3] RECENT POSTS STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-bobby-finger/ STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS: BOBBY FINGER [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-bobby-finger/] .cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-lisa-see/ STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS: LISA SEE [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-lisa-see/] .cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-phil-melanson/ STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS: PHIL MELANSON [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-phil-melanson/] .cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-melanie-benjamin/ STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS: MELANIE BENJAMIN [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-melanie-benjamin/] .cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-djamel-white/ STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS: DJAMEL WHITE [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-djamel-white/] .cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} Click for More [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/]

Steve Bertrand on Books: Djamel White

Djamel White is being called a powerful new voice in Irish literature. His debut novel, All Them Dogs, takes a look inside the crime underworld of west Dublin, focusing on a lost young man looking to be found. Unfortunately for him, his search for male guidance only brings more struggle. Djamel talks with Steve about the book and about his own struggles in west Dublin: dropping out of school, finding his way back with the help of the legendary Roddy Doyles foundation, and, now, the toast of Irish literature. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8410716/Djamel_White_2026-05-26-184516.64kmono.mp3 [https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8410716/Djamel_White_2026-05-26-184516.64kmono.mp3] RECENT POSTS STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-bobby-finger/ STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS: BOBBY FINGER [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-bobby-finger/] .cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-lisa-see/ STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS: LISA SEE [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-lisa-see/] .cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-phil-melanson/ STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS: PHIL MELANSON [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-phil-melanson/] .cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-melanie-benjamin/ STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS: MELANIE BENJAMIN [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-melanie-benjamin/] .cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-djamel-white/ STEVE BERTRAND ON BOOKS: DJAMEL WHITE [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/steve-bertrand-on-books-djamel-white/] .cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} Click for More [https://wgnradio.com/steve-bertrand-on-books/]