Use an app instead of a receiver
Radio Talking Book is not just for listeners with visual disabilities. It can be an asset for people whose disabilities limit hand movements, making it difficult to read a book.
The sampling published monthly in Access Press doesn’t represent the full array of programming. Many more programs and books are available.
The service has phased out its longtime receivers. Enjoy programming anytime and anywhere on a hand-held mobile device, for either iOS or Android. Just visit the Apple App Store for iOS, or Google Play for Android, and download the Minnesota Radio Talking Book app. It’s quick, it’s easy, and provides a convenient way to tune in wherever and whenever.
Books broadcast on the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network are available for loan through the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library in Faribault. The catalog is at www.mnbtbl.org, click on the link Search the Library Catalog. Call the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library at 800-722-0550, Mon-Fri, 9 am – 4 pm CST for details. Persons living outside of Minnesota may obtain copies of books via an inter-library loan by contacting their home state’s Network Library for the National Library Service.
To find more information about Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network events go to the Facebook site, Minnesota Radio Talking Book. Audio information about the daily book listings is also on the National Federation for the Blind (NFB) Newsline. Register for the NFB Newsline by calling 651-539-1424.
The NFB-NEWSLINE service provides access to more than 500 magazines and newspapers, plus information on COVID-19 in the “Breaking News” section. To learn more, visit www.nfb.org/programs-services/nfb-newsline.
Donate to the State Services for the Blind at mn.gov/deed/ssbdonate
Listen to RTB’s live or archived programs online at www.mnssb.org/rtb
Chautauqua
Monday – Friday 6 a.m.
We Had A Little Real Estate Problem, nonfiction by Kliph Nesteroff, 2021. Humor is a form of resistance, which is why Native American performers contribute strongly to the stand-up comic tradition. Author Kliph Nesteroff introduces an aspect of Native American life that deserves broader exposure. Read by Jack Rossmann. 10 broadcasts; begins Mon, Oct. 11. – L
Downeast, nonfiction by Gigi Georges, 2021. Political scientist Gigi Georges presents stories of five young women in Maine. Each story reflects the challenges of rural America: often awash with substance abuse, offering few opportunities for education, and lacking decent-paying jobs. Read by Marylyn Burridge. Nine broadcasts; begins Mon, Oct. 25. – L
Past is Prologue Monday – Friday 11 a.m.
The Club, nonfiction by Leo Damrosch, 2019. From 1764 to 1784, a group of men met each week at London’s Turk’s Head Tavern for conversation and camaraderie. “The Club” included some of the most prominent personalities of the time, including Samuel Johnson and his biographer James Boswell. Read by Judith Johannessen. 19 broadcasts; begins Thu, Oct. 21.
Bookworm Monday – Friday noon
Varina, fiction by Charles Frazier, 2018. Young Varina Howell marries the much-older widower Jefferson Davis and becomes a fugitive in post-Civil War South. Read by Bonita Sindelir. 12 broadcasts; begins Thu, Oct. 7.
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, nonfiction by Neil Degrasse Tyson, 2017. Renowned astrophysicist Neil Degrasse Tyson explains complex scientific concepts in a basic, articulate fashion. Read by Stevie Ray. Five broadcasts; begins Mon, Oct. 25.
The Writer’s Voice Monday – Friday 1 p.m.
The Impossible First –nonfiction by Colin O’Brady, 2020. Crossing the 930 miles of Antarctica alone, unsupported, and unassisted took more than two months in a formidable landscape. Read by David Zierott. Ten broadcasts; begins Mon, Oct. 11.
Indianapolis, nonfiction by Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic, 2018. Days after delivering an atomic bomb to the Pacific Islands, the USS Indianapolis was struck by Japanese torpedoes. This is the story of the worst disaster in US naval history, and the fifty-year fight to absolve an innocent captain. Read by Greg Olson. 16 broadcasts; begins Mon, Oct. 25.
Choice Reading Monday – Friday 2 p.m.
The Stars Are Fire, fiction by Anita Shreve, 2017. Fires along the Maine coast led Grace Holland to discover her resilience, and new freedoms amid calamities. Read by Anne Obst. Eight broadcasts, begins Wed, Oct. 20. – L, S
Afternoon Report Monday – Friday 4 p.m.
Your Turn, nonfiction by Julie Lythcott-Haims, 2021. Becoming an adult involves more than just reaching a certain age. It also requires flexibility, problem-solving skills, and the ability to handle difficult situations without panicking or running for help. Read by Carol McPherson. 26 broadcasts; begins Mon, Oct. 4.
Night Journey Monday – Friday 7 p.m.
The Lullaby Man, fiction by Anni Taylor, 2020. Years ago, the Lullaby Man preyed upon young girls in Tallman’s Valley. Years later one of his victims, Abby Wakeland, finds the courage to tell the secret. Her mother is senior detective Kate Wakeland, who plans to uncover clues that have remained untold for years. Read by Jodi Lindskog. 14 broadcasts; begins Wed, Oct. 6. – V, L, S
Lie to Me, fiction by Jess Ryder, 2017. An old VCR tape leads Meredith Banks to question her life. She examines a murder scene from thirty years ago but learns that she’s not the only one searching. Read by Neil Bright. 12 broadcasts; begins Tue, Oct. 26. – V, L, S
Off the Shelf Monday – Friday 8 p.m.
The Night Watchman, fiction by Louise Erdrich, 2020. In 1953 the US government seeks to “emancipate” the North Dakota Chippewa from their land. Factory worker Thomas Wazhushk organizes members of his tribe to stand up for their rights. Read by Yelva Lynfield. 16 broadcasts; begins Wed, Oct. 6.
The Winters, fiction by Lisa Gabrielle, 2018. A young woman caught up in a whirlwind courtship with a US Senator realizes she never knew her new husband at all. Read by Therese Murray. 10 broadcasts; begins Thu, Oct. 28.
Potpourri Monday – Friday 9 p.m.
Scam Me If You Can, nonfiction by Frank Abagnale, 2019. Every year, millions of Americans become victims of fraud. Former con-man Frank Abagnale reveals methods used by the world’s most skillful con artists to steal billions of dollars each year from unsuspecting consumers. Read by Yelva Lynfield. 13 broadcasts; begins Mon, Oct. 18.
Good Night Owl Monday – Friday 10 p.m.
No One Can Pronounce My Name, fiction by Rakesh Satyal, 2017. Two Indian immigrants move into a Cleveland suburb, and form a friendship that brings to light their shared passions and fears. Read by Connie Jamison. 15 broadcasts, begins Wed, Oct. 6. – L, S
Make Russia Great Again, fiction by Christopher Buckley, 2020. Herb Nutterman, a White House chief of staff, is in prison for his deceitful actions. Spinning from calamity to calamity, Herb is rarely able to take a breath. Read by Eileen Barratt. Nine broadcasts; begins Wed, Oct. 27. – L, S
RTB After Hours Monday – Friday 11 p.m.
Ordinary Girls, fiction by Jaquira Diaz, 2019. Writer Jaquira Diaz charts her childhood in Puerto Rico and Miami, and her transition from girlhood to womanhood. Read by Karen Ray. 12 broadcasts; begins Mon, Oct. 4. – V, L, S
Believe Me, fiction by J.P. Delaney, 2014. Claire Wright, an out-of-work actress, takes a job snaring unfaithful husbands in affairs. But when a client is found dead, she is forced to go undercover to catch the murderer. Read by Michele Potts. Nine broadcasts; begins Wed, Oct. 20. – V, L, S
Weekend Program Books
Your Personal World, 1 p.m. Sat, presents The In-Betweens by Mira Ptacin (L), read by Beverly Burchett.
Rated R, 11 p.m. Sat, presents Cheaters Always Win by J.M. Fenster (L), read by Scott McKinney; followed by Revenge of the Crafty Corpse by Lois Winston (L), read by Therese Murray.
For the Younger Set, 11 a.m. Sun, presents Welcome to the Dark House by Laurie Faria Stolarz, read by Michelle Juntunen; followed by Crap Kingdom by D.C. Pierson, read by Jim Tarbox.
Poetic Reflections, noon Sun, presents Palominos Near Tuba City by Denise Sweet, read by Michele Potts; followed by A Doll for Throwing by Mary Jo Bang, read by Robb Empson.
The Great North, 4 p.m. Sun, presents The I-35W Bridge Collapse by Kimberly J. Brown; followed by Secret Partners by Tim Mahoney, both read by Jim Gregorich.
All times listed are Central Standard Time.
Abbreviations V – violent content, R – racial epithets, L – strong language, G – gory descriptions, S – sexual situations