♪ MUSIC REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM THE HEALY FOUNDATION, TAOS, NM.

HELLO, I'M LORENE MILLS AND WELCOME TO REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

OUR GUEST TODAY IS BELOVED NEW MEXICO AUTHOR HAMPTON SIDES, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>>HAMPTON: IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK WITH YOU, LORENE.

>>LORENE: IT'S WONDERFUL TO BE BACK WITH YOU.

WE'LL TALK, OF COURSE, ABOUT YOUR LATEST BOOK, WHICH IS CALLED THE WIDE, WIDE SEA AND WHAT'S THE SUBTITLE?

>>HAMPTON: IMPERIAL AMBITION, FIRST CONTACT, AND THE FATEFUL FINAL VOYAGE OF CAPTAIN JAMES COOK .

SO IT'S A NAUTICAL TALE OF WOE AND FIRST CONTACT.

>>LORENE: AND DOOM.

>>HAMPTON: THERE'S A FAIR AMOUNT OF THAT.

>>LORENE: IT'S A WONDERFUL BOOK, BUT I THINK YOU BURST ONTO, YOU HAD A BOOK CALLED GHOST SOLDIERS , I DON'T HAVE A COPY OF, THIS BOOK IS FOUNDATIONAL.

IT'S CALLED BLOOD AND THUNDER AND IT'S CALLED AN EPIC OF THE AMERICAN WEST.

WHAT IS THIS BOOK ABOUT AND WHY DOES EVERYONE, EVERY WESTERNER, EVERY AMERICAN NEED TO READ THIS?

>>HAMPTON: WELL, THANKS FOR THE KIND WORDS, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT.

BUT IT IS A BOOK ABOUT REALLY THE CONQUEST OF THE AMERICAN WEST, YOU KNOW, MANIFEST DESTINY, BUT IT'S TOLD PRIMARILY THROUGH THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE CONTROVERSIAL AMERICAN PIONEER AND FRONTIERSMAN KIT CARSON, A LIGHTNING ROD.

AND I SEEM TO BE DRAWN, AS WITH CAPTAIN COOK, TO THESE HEROIC CHARACTERS WHO HAVE BECOME CONTROVERSIAL IN MODERN TIMES FOR THEIR ROLE IN COLONIALISM, IMPERIALISM.

THAT SEEMS TO BE A THING THAT I'M DRAWN TO, BUT ANYWAY, THANKS FOR BRINGING THAT BOOK UP.

>>LORENE: WELL, ALSO, IT AFFECTS US HERE.

WE'VE GOT KIT CARSON NATIONAL PARK, THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF KIT CARSON STUFF RIGHT HERE IN NEW MEXICO.

>>HAMPTON: YES AND THAT'S HOW I STUMBLED UPON IT AND AT THAT TIME I HAD MOVED HERE AND DECIDED TO RAISE MY KIDS IN THIS WONDERFUL PLACE.

AND I WANTED A BOOK TO SOMEHOW COME TO UNDERSTAND THIS STRANGE, FASCINATING, BEAUTIFUL, BUT ALSO VIOLENT PLACE AND THAT'S THE STORY I CAME UP WITH, IT KEPT ME BUSY FOR YEARS.

>>LORENE: WELL, I LOVE IT, I ACTUALLY REALLY RECOMMEND IT.

TWO OTHER ONES, THIS IS ONE OF YOUR FIRST ONES, RIGHT?

>>HAMPTON: THREE BOOKS, TWO BOOKS AGO NOW.

>>LORENE: TWO BOOKS AGO, GOOD, GOOD, GOOD.

IT'S CALLED ON DESPERATE GROUND AND THE TITLE IS FROM, IS IT A PHILOSOPHY OF WAR, TELL ME ABOUT THE BOOK ON DESPERATE GOUND AND WHAT THE TITLE CAME FROM.

>>HAMPTON: IT'S A BOOK ABOUT THIS EPIC BATTLE THAT HAPPENED DURING THE KOREAN WAR, THE FORGOTTEN WAR.

IT'S A STORY MAINLY OF THE MARINES GETTING TRAPPED IN THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTH KOREA IN 30 BELOW ZERO WEATHER AND HOW THEY SURVIVED THIS ORDEAL.

THE CHINESE PHILOSOPHER, SUN TZU, HAD AN EXPRESSION, HE TALKED ABOUT NINE DIFFERENT KINDS OF GROUND, YOU KNOW, SITUATIONS THAT YOU MIGHT FIND YOURSELF IN BATTLE.

THE WORST KIND, I THINK IT WAS THE NINTH KIND, WAS CALLED DESPERATE GROUND AND IT WAS BASICALLY DESCRIBING THE EXACT SITUATION THAT THOSE MARINES FOUND THEMSELVES IN ALL THOSE YEARS AGO.

>>LORENE: IT WAS CALLED, I THINK, THE WORST BATTLE IN US HISTORY, THE CHOSIN FEW, C-H-O-S-I-N.

THEY WERE OUTNUMBERED 10 TO 1.

>>HAMPTON: THEY ALSO CALLED THEMSELVES THE FROZEN CHOSEN.

>>LORENE: YES, THEY DID.

>>HAMPTON: ALMOST ALL OF THEM GOT FROSTBITE, MANY OF THEM DIED OF HYPOTHERMIA.

IT WAS A SURVIVAL STORY WRAPPED INSIDE A WAR STORY.

I MEAN, ALL WAR STORIES ARE SORT OF SURVIVAL STORIES, BUT THIS, YOU KNOW, THE THIRD COMBATANT IN THIS CONFLICT WAS WINTER, OLD MAN WINTER.

SO YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO WRITE SOMETHING ABOUT THESE AMAZING MEN WHOSE WAR IS LARGELY FORGOTTEN IN THIS COUNTRY AND THEY WERE DYING OUT AND HAVE BEEN, SADLY, DEPARTING THE SCENE.

>>LORENE: IT WAS CALLED, IN KOREA, THE HERMIT KINGDOM IS WHAT KOREA WAS CALLED THEN.

IT WAS CALLED THE FORGOTTEN WAR AND YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL QUOTE, I DON'T KNOW WHO IT'S FROM, "GOD CREATED WAR SO THAT AMERICANS COULD LEARN GEOGRAPHY."

>>HAMPTON: MARK TWAIN.

>>LORENE: MARK TWAIN.

>>HAMPTON: WELL, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE SAYS, SOMETIMES IT'S APOCRYPHAL, LIKE MARK TWAIN HAS SUPPOSEDLY SAID THAT, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, I DID FACT-CHECK IT, AND HE DID AND IT WAS A BRILLIANT WAY TO DESCRIBE WHAT THESE MEN WERE GOING THROUGH BECAUSE THEY'D NEVER EVEN HEARD OF KOREA WHEN THEY GOT THEIR MARCHING ORDERS TO GO TO THIS PENINSULA ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PLANET.

YEAH, THAT BOOK KEPT ME BUSY, I GET TO KNOW SO MANY OF THESE VETERANS OF THE WAR, AND IT WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE.

>>LORENE: IT WAS GENERAL SMITH, YOU SAY IS THE REAL HERO OF THE STORY, WHO SAID, "RETREAT, HELL, WE'RE ATTACKING IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION."

>>HAMPTON: YEAH, MARINES DON'T LIKE THE WORD RETREAT.

THEY COME UP WITH ALL THESE EUPHEMISMS FOR IT, IN THIS CASE, THEY HAD TO RETREAT, BUT DO IT IN A VERY ORDERLY FASHION.

AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, THEY ALSO CALL IT A RETROGRADE MANEUVER OR THEY CALL IT AN ADVANCE TO THE REAR.

>>LORENE: OH MY GOODNESS.

>>HAMPTON: BUT YEAH, IT'S A BOOK ABOUT A RETREAT IN A SENSE, BUT A VERY DIGNIFIED, A VERY STRATEGICALLY PLANNED, CHOREOGRAPHED RETREAT TO SAVE THE LIVES OF MORE THAN 10,000 MEN WHO WERE TRAPPED IN THIS SITUATION.

>>LORENE: WHO WAS THE GENERAL WHO SAID, "WE'RE SURROUNDED, THAT MAKES IT SIMPLE?"

>>HAMPTON: THAT'S A FAMOUS MARINE NAMED CHESTY PULLER, WHO WAS ALSO AT THE CHOSIN RESERVOIR.

AND HE SAID, "THEY'RE TO THE EAST, THEY'RE TO THE WEST, THEY'RE TO THE NORTH, THEY'RE TO THE SOUTH, THE CHINESE ENEMY.

THAT MAKES IT SIMPLE, THEY CAN'T GET AWAY FROM US NOW."

>>LORENE: I KNOW WE LAUGH, THESE ARE DESPERATE SITUATIONS.

WHEN I THINK OF THIS VERY BOOK, ON DESPERATE GROUND , THAT'S THE LAST, IT'S DO OR DIE AT THAT POINT, IT'S DO OR DIE.

YOU HAVE BEEN A CHAMPION OF WHAT'S CALLED NARRATIVE HISTORY, IS THAT WHAT IT IS, GRIPPING NON-FICTION ADVENTURE STORIES, EPIC EXPEDITIONS OF DISCOVERY AND WAR.

WHEN WE READ THIS BOOK, I MEAN, I LOOK AT THE WIDE, WIDE SEA OR BLOOD AND THUNDER, ANY OF THEM, I GO ON AN EXPEDITION WITH YOU.

I'M LEARNING HISTORY, I'M LEARNING GEOGRAPHY, I'M LEARNING INTANGIBLES LIKE COURAGE AND HEROISM, INTEGRITY.

>>HAMPTON: I HOPE SO, AND THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT.

I WANT IT TO BE AN IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE, I WANT YOU TO FEEL LIKE YOU'RE, AT A CERTAIN POINT, FORGET THAT YOU'RE READING A BOOK, AND YOU'RE THERE, AND YOU'RE WITH THESE SOLDIERS OR YOU'RE WITH THESE EXPLORERS OR YOU'RE WITH THESE NAVIGATORS AS THEY GO ON THEIR EXPLORATION AROUND THE WORLD OR WHATEVER.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, WHEN I'M DOING THE RESEARCH FOR THESE BOOKS, TO GO PHYSICALLY TO THE PLACES I'M WRITING ABOUT TO TRY TO DESCRIBE THEM BECAUSE I REALLY WANT YOU, THE READER, TO GO WITH ME IF I'M DOING MY JOB RIGHT ON THESE JOURNEYS.

>>LORENE: BUT IN THE KINGDOM OF ICE AND ON DESPERATE GROUND , IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO THE SOUTH PACIFIC.

I MEAN, THESE ARE, IT'S A HARDSHIP FOR YOU TO GO THERE, EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE DOWN PARKAS AND, YOU KNOW, MOUNTAIN BOOTS.

>>HAMPTON: THAT'S ONE BOOK I COULD NOT GET TO THE BATTLEFIELD BECAUSE IT'S IN NORTH KOREA AND IT'S IN A SENSITIVE PART OF NORTH KOREA.

I DID GO TO SOUTH KOREA AND GOT UP INTO THOSE MOUNTAINS VERY CLOSE TO THE BORDER WHERE SOME OF THE ACTION TAKES PLACE, BUT YEAH, IT DID GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT OF, IT WAS A LITTLE BIT FRUSTRATED THAT I COULDN'T WALK THAT BATTLEFIELD, WHICH IS WHAT I NORMALLY DO WITH ALL MY OTHER BOOKS.

WHATEVER I'M WRITING ABOUT I TRY TO BE THERE.

>>LORENE: THE NORTH KOREANS WERE NOT SYMPATHETIC TO YOUR ARTISTIC MISSION.

>>HAMPTON: NO, NOT AT ALL.

>>LORENE: WERE YOU UNDER SURVEILLANCE ALL THE TIME?

>>HAMPTON: YOU GO ALONG THE DMZ AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE BEING WATCHED, YOU SEE THE CAMERAS, YOU REALIZE THAT THIS BATTLE WAS PART OF A WAR THAT NEVER REALLY ENDED, NOT OFFICIALLY.

THERE WAS AN ARMISTICE, BUT ALL THE REALLY PRESSING ISSUES THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE NEGOTIATED IN A REAL TREATY, THEY DIDN'T GET TO.

THAT'S WHY IT'S STILL SUCH A SCARY PLACE, IT'S ON EDGE, IT COULD ERUPT ANY TIME.

AND THE CURRENT LEADER OF NORTH KOREA IS A DIRECT DESCENDANT OF THE LEADER, KIM IL SUNG, THAT WE SAW IN THE KOREAN WAR.

SO, IN A WEIRD AND KIND OF EERIE WAY, NOTHING'S CHANGED.

CHINA IS STILL KIND OF THE ENEMY, I SUPPOSE YOU SAY, RUSSIA IS STILL THE ENEMY, WE STILL HAVE THIS TENUOUS SITUATION, IT'S IN THAT WEIRD WAY, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO, IT'S VERY CURRENT, SADLY.

>>LORENE: YEAH.

I'M JUST GLAD YOU GOT TO GO TO A LOVELY PLACE IN ADDITION TO EVERYTHING.

IN BLOOD AND THUNDER , YOU WERE ALL OVER THE WEST, THAT WAS EASY, THAT WAS COMFORTABLE.

>>HAMPTON: AND I'M RETURNING TO THE WEST.

MY CURRENT BOOK THAT I'M RESEARCHING NOW.

>>LORENE: THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTION.

>>HAMPTON: IS A BOOK ABOUT A LOT OF EVENTS THAT HAPPENED IN THE COLORADO TERRITORY DURING THE CIVIL WAR, BUT IT'S FOLLOWING THREE, FOUR MAIN CHARACTERS THROUGH A SERIES OF EVENTS THAT CULMINATE IN SOMETHING CALLED THE SAND CREEK MASSACRE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MOST DIABOLICAL, ONE OF THE MOST, LIKE ONE OF THESE SEISMIC EVENTS THAT SHOOK THE WEST AND CHANGED THE HISTORY REALLY OF THE PLAINS INDIANS, PARTICULARLY THE CHEYENNE AND ARAPAHO.

SO I'M WORKING ON THAT ONE NOW, SO BACK IN THE WEST.

>>LORENE: WHO WERE THE TWO SIDES IN THAT MASSACRE?

>>HAMPTON: WELL, THE U.S. ARMY OR AT LEAST THE COLORADO VOLUNTEERS, THEY LIKED TO GLORIFY IT BY CALLING IT A BATTLE, BUT IT WAS NOT A BATTLE.

IT WAS A TERRIBLE MASSACRE OF AS MANY AS 200 TO 300 CHEYENNE AND ARAPAHO WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

THERE WERE ALMOST NO MEN THERE, THE WARRIORS WERE OFF HUNTING BUFFALO AND THEY HAD BEEN TOLD TO GO THERE AND THAT IF THEY STAYED THERE, THEY WOULD HAVE TO FLY AN AMERICAN FLAG AND A WHITE FLAG OF TRUCE AND THEY WOULD BE SAFE.

THEY WERE SITTING DUCKS AND IT'S A HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE EVENT.

THE CHARACTERS WHO TAKE PART IN THIS OR MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE CHARACTERS WHO RESIST IT AND DEFY THEIR ORDERS AND SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER, THAT'S REALLY WHAT I'M FOCUSED ON IS THE HEROIC CHARACTERS.

IT'S A BIG EVENT, AND IT'S WAY OUT ON THE PLAINS IN SOUTHEASTERN COLORADO IN A REALLY DESOLATE PLACE THAT HAS RECENTLY BECOME A NATIONAL HISTORIC MONUMENT.

THERE'S A LOT OF RECKONING THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON IN COLORADO TO DEAL WITH THIS INCIDENT AFTER ALL THESE YEARS.

>>LORENE: WELL, I CAN'T WAIT, I MEAN, THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT - SOLDIERS, I THOUGHT, WAS COMMON LIKE A BASIC MORAL GROUND THAT YOU DON'T KILL BABIES, CHILDREN, AND WOMEN.

>>HAMPTON: WELL, THEY VIOLATED ALL THOSE RULES.

IT'S ALSO ABOUT THE FOUNDING OF DENVER, THE GOLD RUSH, SOME BATTLES THAT HAPPENED HERE IN NEW MEXICO, YOU KNOW, THE GLORIETTA BATTLE.

>>LORENE: OH, YEAH.

>>HAMPTON: ALL OF THIS INVOLVES THESE SAME SOLDIERS AND THESE SAME MEN THAT YOU FOLLOW THROUGH THESE SERIES OF EVENTS.

SO THAT'S WHAT I'M WORKING ON NOW.

>>LORENE: GREAT, GREAT AND THE RESEARCH, VISITING THE PLACES IS MUCH EASIER THAN, SAY, THE SOUTH PACIFIC.

>>HAMPTON: ABSOLUTELY.

I'LL COME SEE YOU WHEN I'M DONE WITH IT.

>>LORENE: DEFINITELY, JUST GIVE ME TIME TO READ IT BEFOREHAND.

WELL, WE'RE SPEAKING TODAY WITH HAMPTON SIDES.

I'VE INVITED HIM HERE BECAUSE HE'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE AUTHORS, ESPECIALLY TO PROMOTE HIS NEW BOOK, THE WIDE, WIDE SEA , BUT ALSO, I'VE INVITED YOU TO SPEAK ABOUT THE SANTA FE INTERNATIONAL LITERARY FESTIVAL, WHICH IS BEING HELD MAY 16TH THROUGH 18TH IN SANTA FE AND AT THE SANTA FE CONVENTION CENTER.

ONE OF THE GIFTS THAT THIS PROGRAM HAS HAVING STATEWIDE REACH IS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIVE IN SANTA FE CAN FIND OUT ABOUT IT AND FIND OUT SOME OF THEIR VERY FAVORITE AUTHORS OF ALL TIME WILL BE HERE.

SO CAN YOU GIVE US A HIT PARADE, WHO'S COMING.

>>HAMPTON: YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THIS FESTIVAL IS ONLY, THIS WILL BE THE FOURTH YEAR, I BELIEVE, IT'S STILL A KIND OF BRAND NEW THING AND YET IT HAS BECOME ONE OF THE TRULY PREEMINENT LITERARY FESTIVALS IN THE COUNTRY, IF NOT THE WORLD.

EXTRAORDINARY AND IT'S JUST WHAT AN ASSET THAT WE HAVE HERE IN SANTA FE AND NEW MEXICO FOR THIS.

>>LORENE: AND THE FOUNDERS WERE CLAIRE HERTEL, MARK BRYANT, OH, MY GOSH.

>>HAMPTON: CARMELLA PADILLA.

>>LORENE: CARMELA, OF COURSE.

>>HAMPTON: AND, YOU KNOW, I'M AN ADVISOR TO IT, I'VE BEEN A FRIEND OF THE FESTIVAL FROM THE VERY BEGINNING AND WHY WOULDN'T I, YOU KNOW, AS A WRITER LIVING HERE, THE IDEA THAT WE CAN BRING THE VERY BEST WRITERS OF ALL GENRES HERE ONCE A YEAR AND, YOU KNOW, SHARE THEIR IDEAS AND LISTEN TO SOME OF THE VERY GREATEST VOICES IN LETTERS IS JUST AN EXTRAORDINARY THING.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE OF THOSE WEIRD THINGS WHERE PEOPLE SAY NOW YOU FEEL LIKE IT'S ALWAYS BEEN HERE OR IT SHOULD HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HERE.

>>LORENE: IT SHOULD HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HERE.

>>HAMPTON: BECAUSE WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN A... >>LORENE: CULTURAL CAPITAL.

>>HAMPTON: CULTURAL CAPITAL, ARTISTIC CAPITAL, AND EVEN A LITERARY CAPITAL WHEN YOU THINK BACK ON ALL THE AMAZING WRITERS WHO EITHER LIVED HERE OR PASSED THROUGH HERE IN SIGNIFICANT WAYS.

D.H. LAWRENCE AND WILLA CATHER.

WE'RE A LITERARY PLACE AND SO NOW THAT IT'S BEEN, WHAT, FOUR YEARS, THIS WILL BE THE FOURTH YEAR, PEOPLE ARE ALMOST IMAGINING, WAS THERE EVER A TIME WHEN IT DIDN'T EXIST?

>>LORENE: WELL, THE OTHER THING IS THAT THE THREE CULTURES, WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON BEING A TRICULTURAL STATE, ANGLO, HISPANIC AND NATIVE AMERICAN, ALL OF THOSE SEPARATE CULTURES HAVE INCREDIBLE TRADITIONS OF STORYTELLING.

>>HAMPTON: ABSOLUTELY.

>>LORENE: IN ONE WAY, THEIR HISTORY, THEIR VALUES ARE ALL PASSED DOWN THROUGH STORIES.

>>HAMPTON: RIGHT.

>>LORENE: SO IT'S ONLY NATURAL THAT THESE CONVERGE.

>>HAMPTON: AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, LIKE IN THAT TRADITION, YOU KNOW, RUDOLFO ANAYA, LESLIE MARMON SILKO, SO MANY LIKE N. SCOTT MOMADAY, MAYBE THE GREATEST OF ALL THE NATIVE VOICES THAT I'M THINKING OF.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE FESTIVAL REALLY TRIES TO HIT ALL THOSE DIFFERENT NOTES.

IT'S NOT JUST BESTSELLER EAST COAST WRITERS FROM NEW YORK OR WHATEVER, THEY'RE FROM ALL TRADITIONS, ALL BACKGROUNDS, ALL CREEDS AND IT'S VERY DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE.

THIS YEAR, I'M JUST GOING TO HIT SOME OF THE HEADLINES, IT'S JUST EXTRAORDINARY.

WE HAVE AMY TAN, TERRY TEMPEST WILLIAMS, MICHAEL POLLAN, YOU KNOW, WHO WRITES ABOUT NATURE AND FOOD AND GARDENING.

>>LORENE: THE OMNIVORE'S DILEMMA .

>>HAMPTON: OH, YEAH, EXACTLY.

WHO ELSE?

>>LORENE: HOW TO CHANGE YOUR MIND IS ANOTHER ONE HE WROTE.

I'M SORRY, MICHAEL POLLAN.

>>HAMPTON: YOU NEED TO CHECK THE WEBSITES BECAUSE SOME OF THESE EVENTS ARE SOLD OUT OR VERY SOON WILL BE, BUT SOME OF THEM ARE NOT.

SO LET'S SEE, HEATHER COX RICHARDSON, THE POLITICAL WRITER.

>>LORENE: I READ HER EVERY DAY.

>>HAMPTON: INCREDIBLE.

JONATHAN EIG, WHO WROTE A PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING BIOGRAPHY OF MARTIN LUTHER KING.

I AM GOING TO BE THERE ON STAGE INTERVIEWING, I'M HONORED TO BE SORT OF IN CONVERSATION WITH ANOTHER GREAT NEW MEXICO WRITER, DEBORAH JACKSON TAFFA, WHO WAS A FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD.

I KNOW SHE'S BEEN ON YOUR SHOW.

>>LORENE: YES, YES.

>>HAMPTON: FOR HER BOOK, WHISKEY TENDER .

I GOT IT RIGHT HERE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO PUT IT UP.

>>LORENE: IT'S A WONDERFUL BOOK.

IT'S AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY, BUT IT READS LIKE A NOVEL.

>>HAMPTON: I KNOW.

WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT HOW SHE WROTE IT AND THE COMPLEXITIES OF HER FAMILY IDENTITY AND ALL THE SORT OF TRIBAL AFFILIATIONS THAT SHE HAS.

WHAT AN UPBRINGING, WHAT A LIFE SHE HAD AND THIS IS JUST HER COMING OF AGE AUTOBIOGRAPHY.

THEN SHE'S WORKING ON HER NEXT CHAPTERS OF HER LIFE.

SO THAT'LL BE ME AND HER TALKING ABOUT THAT, WHO ELSE DO WE HAVE, I MEAN, PERCIVAL EVERETT IS PROBABLY THE ROCK STAR.

HE WROTE THIS BOOK, JAMES , WHICH IS A REINTERPRETATION OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN TOLD FROM JIM'S POINT OF VIEW.

IT'S WON THE PULITZER PRIZE AND THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD.

WE GOT ROCK STARS HERE, IT'S GOING TO BE QUITE AN EVENT, AND I'M SO PROUD TO BE AFFILIATED WITH IT AND TO SEE THIS GREAT EVENT JUST GET BIGGER AND BETTER EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

>>LORENE: WHAT I LIKE IS THE VARIETY OF OFFERINGS, BECAUSE YOU CAN GO TO A READING.

YOU'RE GOING TO CHOOSE AN AUTHOR, TERRY TEMPEST WILLIAMS, WHO I ADORE, SHE CAN READ FROM HER LATEST BOOK, SHE TAKES QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.

BUT THERE ARE ALSO, YOU CAN GO ON WALKS WITH SOME OF THE AUTHORS.

>>HAMPTON: THERE'S DINNERS.

>>LORENE: DINNERS WHERE A FEW OF THEM SPEAK, JUST SURROUNDED BY THESE LUMINARIES OF THE LITERARY WORLD.

>>HAMPTON: AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S EVEN MEDITATION SESSIONS WITH GREAT WRITERS LIKE, YOU KNOW, HENRY SHUKMAN, THERE'S ALSO, I THINK THERE'S EVEN A MEZCAL AND TEQUILA SAMPLING, YOU KNOW, A SIPPING OUTING TOO.

THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE.

>>LORENE: YES AND IT'S HERE IN SANTA FE, SO IF YOU LIVE OUT OF TOWN, MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS AND COME UP BECAUSE IT WILL BE KIND OF SHIMMERING WITH THE AMOUNT OF TALENT THAT'S HERE.

I MEAN, I JUST... >>HAMPTON: SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING IS THAT PEOPLE NOW ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY AND EVEN AROUND THE WORLD HAVE KIND OF GOTTEN WIND OF THIS THING, SO IT'S BECOME A DESTINATION EVENT.

YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY ARE LOCALS COMING HERE, BUT PEOPLE FROM LITERALLY ALL OVER THE WORLD ARE DECIDING TO COME HERE.

THEY'RE GOING TO THE RESTAURANTS, THEY'RE STAYING IN THE HOTELS, IT'S GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY.

IT'S A WIN-WIN FOR EVERYBODY, SO IT'S PRETTY EXCITING TO SEE.

>>LORENE: AND WHAT I LOVE IS THAT THIS FESTIVAL CELEBRATES THE POWER OF STORY AND I THINK THAT THERE IS AN UNKNOWN, UNNAMED GLAND IN THE HUMAN SOUL THAT CRAVES NARRATIVE, WE WANT SOMEONE TO TELL US A STORY.

I'VE SWITCHED TO LISTENING TO BOOKS ON TAPE BECAUSE SOMEONE IS TELLING ME A STORY AND IT'S JUST SO, YOU KNOW, IT JUST SO, THAT'S TRUE I DO LISTEN TO THEM AT A LITTLE BIT FASTER SPEED, YEAH, BUT I JUST LOVE TO JUST CURL UP AND JUST SPACE OUT AND HAVE SOMEBODY TELL ME A STORY.

>>HAMPTON: YEAH.

WELL, IN THESE EVENTS, OFTEN YOU CAN HEAR, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD REALLY HEAR A PIN DROP, IT'S SO QUIET IN THERE, PEOPLE ARE JUST SO MESMERIZED BY THESE SPEAKERS.

THEY'RE HUNGRY, AS YOU SAY, IT'S SOME KIND OF ORGAN OR GLAND IN US THAT HAS TO HEAR THESE STORIES AND REALLY SOAK IT UP AND IMMERSE THEMSELVES IN IT AND TRY TO EXPERIENCE THESE, I MEAN, THESE ARE SOME OF THE VERY BEST STORYTELLERS IN THE WORLD FROM ALL THESE DIFFERENT TRADITIONS.

PEOPLE SAY WHEN THEY COME OUT OF THIS FESTIVAL, THEY FEEL ENERGIZED, THEY FEEL READY TO GET BACK INTO THEIR WORK, READY TO GO BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITIES.

THERE'S JUST SOMETHING ALMOST LIKE GOING TO CHURCH ABOUT IT, IT'S REALLY GREAT.

>>LORENE: WELL, THERE IS AN ELEMENT OF PROSELYTIZING BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN TO SOME OF THOSE AUTHOR Q & AS, AND THE AUTHORS ARE SAYING, PICK UP A PENCIL AND PAPER AND WRITE WHAT YOU'RE AFRAID TO SAY AND THAT IS THE MOST LIBERATING, FREEING, YOU VANQUISH FEAR.

AND THOSE ARE THE BOOKS THAT ARE SO COMPELLING TO US.

WHEN THE AUTHOR HAS JUST SAID, "I'VE BEEN THROUGH HELL, BUT, YOU KNOW, LIKE WINSTON CHURCHILL SAID, IF YOU'RE GOING THROUGH HELL, KEEP ON GOING, YOU'LL GET OUT EVENTUALLY."

AND THEY GET TO THE OTHER SIDE AND THEY WRITE ABOUT IT AND PARTICULARLY, I THINK, FOR TEENAGERS WHO THINK THAT NO ONE HAS SUFFERED LIKE THEY HAVE SUFFERED, OH, MY GOSH, IT'S SO AWFUL.

YOU READ SOME OF THESE FAMOUS AUTOBIOGRAPHIES OR SOME BOOKS, FICTION THAT ARE BASED ON THEIR LIFE, AND YOU GO, YOU KNOW, I ACTUALLY HAVE IT PRETTY GOOD.

>>HAMPTON: YEAH AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, CIRCLING BACK TO HISTORY, YOU KNOW, WHAT I DO AND THERE'S SOME GREAT HISTORIANS AND NONFICTION WRITERS IN THE MIX.

YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO READ THESE BOOKS TO REALIZE THAT AS BAD AS THINGS ARE RIGHT NOW, AND THEY SEEM PRETTY DARN CHAOTIC AND CRAZY, AND THEY ARE, THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER TIMES IN HISTORY AND IN OTHER PLACES AROUND THE WORLD THAT PEOPLE HAVE SUFFERED AND EXPERIENCED EVEN MORE INTENSE, EVEN MORE CHALLENGING SITUATIONS POLITICALLY, ECONOMICALLY, WHATEVER.

>>LORENE: ANNE FRANK.

HOLED UP IN A GARRET, YOU KNOW, HAD TO BE IN HIDING, COULDN'T COUGH OR SNEEZE, AND YET HER BOOK GAVE COURAGE TO SO MANY PEOPLE.

>>HAMPTON: AND HER HOUSE HAS BECOME A PILGRIMAGE PLACE KNOWN AROUND THE WORLD.

ANYWAY, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE FESTIVAL, AND I HOPE YOU'LL GO TO IT AS WELL, AND ALL YOUR VIEWERS AND LISTENERS WILL TOO, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY SOMETHING SPECIAL THAT HAS TAKEN OFF AND REALLY BECOME A THING OF, YOU KNOW, TAKEN ON A LIFE OF ITS OWN.

INTERESTINGLY, ALSO, THE FESTIVAL HAS JUST BECOME A 501C3, IT'S A NONPROFIT NOW.

YOU CAN DONATE TO IT AS WELL, YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE IN ALL KINDS OF WAYS.

THEY TAKE VOLUNTEERS BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO PUT THIS THING ON, >>LORENE: IT'S AN ARMY OF VOLUNTEERS, ISN'T IT.

>>HAMPTON: ARMIES, IT TAKES A LOT.

THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PARTS AND A LOT OF EGOS, YOU CAN IMAGINE AND VANITIES SOME OF THESE WRITERS ARE, YOU KNOW THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS EASY TO DEAL WITH.

WE WRITERS CAN BE PRETTY... >>LORENE: NOT ONLY THE WRITERS, BECAUSE I'VE ALWAYS SAID, ZOOM IT, YOU KNOW, LET US YOU KNOW LET US WATCH AT OUR COMPUTER AND EVERYTHING, BUT BECAUSE ALL THE AUTHORS HAVE PUBLISHERS AND CONTRACTS, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET ALL THE ARTISTS ON THE PANEL TO HAVE THEIR PUBLISHERS SAY, "OH, SURE, JUST ZOOM IT FOR THE PUBLIC."

SO YOU REALLY HAVE TO BE THERE AND THEN ONCE YOU'RE THERE, YOU'RE KIND OF HOOKED BECAUSE IT'S SO INSPIRING.

ONE THING THAT THEY DO, THEY MEET WITH A LOT OF YOUNG WRITERS, THEY MEET WITH HIGH SCHOOL KIDS, THEY MEET WITH JUNIOR HIGH KIDS.

>>HAMPTON: YEAH, I'VE DONE A FEW OF THOSE THINGS, PUBLIC OUTREACH COMPONENT TO THE FESTIVAL, THEY WERE VERY CONSCIOUS OF THE FACT THAT SOME OF THESE FESTIVALS AROUND THE COUNTRY CAN BE VERY ELITIST, YOU KNOW, LIKE WE'RE JUST THE RICHEST OF THE RICH CAN EVEN AFFORD TO GO TO THESE EVENTS.

>>LORENE: AND TELL US YOUR PROBLEM THE RICHEST OF THE RICH.

>>HAMPTON: YEAH, WOE IS ME.

BUT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THEY DO IS GO TO A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AROUND, ESPECIALLY TRYING TO LOCATE CLASSES WHERE THEY'RE ASPIRING WRITERS, PEOPLE WHO HAVE IT IN THEIR, YOU KNOW, HEART AND MIND THAT THEY COULD BECOME WRITERS ONE DAY, AND TRY TO INSPIRE THEM, TRY TO ENCOURAGE THEM.

SO THAT'S ONE OF MANY LITTLE PROJECTS THAT THE FESTIVAL UNDERTAKES PRIOR TO THE FESTIVAL, YOU KNOW, AS IN THE WEEKS LEADING UP TO THE FESTIVAL ITSELF.

AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, IT'S LIKE YOU DON'T WANT TO JUST BUILD A WALL AROUND THIS THING AND MAKE IT FOR THE RICHEST OF THE RICH, YOU KNOW.

>>LORENE: YEAH, YEAH.

WELL, I'M SO EAGER TO SEE TERRY TEMPEST WILLIAMS AND HEATHER COX RICHARDSON, THE HISTORIAN, I READ HER EVERY DAY, "LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN."

>>HAMPTON: YEAH, I THINK SHE DID SELL OUT, BUT THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO SEE.

I THINK THERE'S KIND OF LIKE ANOTHER ROOM NOW WHERE YOU CAN, IF YOU CAN'T MAKE IT INSIDE, YOU CAN GO IN THIS SORT OF GREEN ROOM TYPE THING AND LISTEN, YOU KNOW, THE OVERFLOW CROWDS CAN LISTEN.

LET'S JUST SAY THERE'S A LOT GOING ON IN THE POLITICAL WORLD THESE DAYS, AND SHE'S GOING TO BE ENORMOUSLY POPULAR.

>>LORENE: BUT ALSO, SHE HAS SUCH CLARITY OF THOUGHT, AND SHE ARTICULATES SO WELL.

>>HAMPTON: JUST COMMON SENSE, TOO.

>>LORENE: COMMON SENSE AND NONPARTISAN.

THIS IS WHAT I'M OBSERVING, YOU CAN READ INTO WHAT YOU WANT, BUT HERE'S A LITTLE BACKGROUND, HERE'S A LITTLE HISTORY, AND I READ HER EVERY DAY.

>>HAMPTON: YEAH, HER BLOG, AND YOU KNOW.

SO, YEAH, IT'S A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY, SOME GREAT FICTION, SOME GREAT POLITICS AND CURRENT EVENTS, SOME GREAT HISTORY, BIOGRAPHY.

IT'S KIND OF AN EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES, REALLY, THIS YEAR.

>>LORENE: WELL, SPEAKING OF SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY, OUR GUEST TODAY IS HAMPTON SIDES.

THESE ARE BOOKS, SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE.

THIS IS CALLED THE WIDE, WIDE SEA , THE FOUNDATIONAL BLOOD AND THUNDER , AN AMAZING BOOK, THANK YOU.

ON DESPERATE GROUND , AND THE LAST ONE THAT I HAVE HERE IS IN THE KINGDOM OF ICE .

THIS SHOULD BE SUMMERTIME READING BECAUSE IT'S VERY, VERY COOL.

>>HAMPTON: IT WILL COOL YOU OFF.

>>LORENE: IT SURE WILL.

>>HAMPTON: AND WE WILL BE SIGNING BOOKS, BOTH DEBORAH AND I, AFTER OUR EVENT, WE'RE GOING TO BE SIGNING BOOKS THERE AT THE FESTIVAL AND HOPEFULLY MEETING SOME OF OUR FANS.

YOU CAN BUY AND GET A PERSONALIZED COPY OF ONE OF MY BOOKS.

>>LORENE: WELL, IT'S WONDERFUL BECAUSE THAT MEANS SO MUCH TO PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO TELL YOU THAT I LIKED YOUR BOOK.

AND IT'S GOOD FOR YOU TO KNOW THAT THIS WHOLE LINE OF 100 PEOPLE HAS ALL READ YOUR BOOK AND IS DYING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT.

>>HAMPTON: EARLY IN MY CAREER, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT THAT WAS, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY COMMUNICATION COMING FULL CIRCLE.

YOU HAVEN'T REALLY COMPLETED THE ACT OF WRITING UNTIL YOU HEAR BACK FROM YOUR READERS.

>>LORENE: RIGHT, YOU HAVE A VOLLEY OUT AND THEN HERE ARE THESE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE RETURNING YOUR SERVE AND THANKING YOU.

>>HAMPTON: AND APPRECIATING OR SOMETIMES THEY TELL YOU SOMETHING THEY DIDN'T LIKE, THAT'S FINE, TOO.

OR THEY GIVE YOU A CRITIQUE OR THEY FIND A LITTLE ERROR ON A MAP OR ON PAGE 400 OF YOUR BOOK, GOOD TO KNOW.

>>LORENE: IT'S GOOD TO KNOW, YOU FIX IT FOR THE NEXT TIME.

I AM SO HAPPY WE'VE HAD THIS INTERVIEW, OUR GUEST TODAY IS HAMPTON SIDES.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>>HAMPTON: THANKS, GOOD TO BE BACK.

>>LORENE: I'LL SEE YOU AT THE LITERARY FESTIVAL AND ON YOUR NEXT BOOK.

>>HAMPTON: DEFINITELY, GOOD TO BE WITH YOU.

>>LORENE: AND I'M LORENE MILLS, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU, OUR AUDIENCE, FOR BEING WITH US TODAY ON REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM THE HEALY FOUNDATION, TAOS, NM.

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