The Last Act + Wild Hxmans on Life Elsewhere

After chatting with Brad Parks for a few moments, you’ll quickly understand why he is an international bestselling author. Parks has that special raconteur’s gift which he uses to full effect in his novels. The Last Act, Brad’s latest crime thriller delivers twists and turns right up until the last page. Tommy Jump is an out-of-work stage actor approached by the FBI with the role of a lifetime: Go undercover at a federal prison, impersonate a convicted felon, and befriend a fellow inmate, a disgraced banker named Mitchell Dupree who knows the location of documents that can be used to bring down a ruthless drug cartel. . . if only he’d tell the FBI where they are. Brad Parks joins Life Elsewhere to talk about The Last Act, the fast-paced conversation covers the background to his new novel, and gives a glimpse into the curious mind of the author.

Toward the end of last year a sound-file arrived, unannounced in our mailbox. This was the latest work of Christian Kjellvander with his album, Wild Hxmans, where he replaces the U with an X. The 42-year-old Swedish singer-songwriter speaks of farewells and departures, of escape and the sensation of arriving in a new world. The multifaceted songs are carried by Christian’s wondrous voice, with echoes of Leonard Cohen, Neil Young and David Sylvian, yet distinctly his own. For the program, we chose Halle Lay Lu Jah to entice you to learn more about this enigmatic artist. Enjoy.

The Podcast is available at NPR One, Apple Podcasts & Mixcloud

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