PULITZER PRIZE WINNING AUTHOR BARBARA KINGSOLVER

IN 2023, Southwest Virginia author Barbara Kingsolver won the Pulitzer Prize for her novel Demon Copperhead. In this interview, you'll hear how the title character reflects the challenges of drug addiction in his family and in his own life. The boy is loveable and resilient with a grand dream to see the ocean.

Barbara talks about how many of the region's challenges were pressed upon the area by external forces and reminds us that addiction is a disease -- and not a moral failing. And she announces her plan for giving back to Lee County and addressing a need that , had it been met in the world of fiction, could have changed the trajectory of Demon Copperhead's life. Details here: https://hgwrr.org/

How is Barbara using the power of writing in the face of today's challenges to education and health care? What are her plans for another book? A movie? And what's the latest with her family?

Mentioned in this episode:

WEHC Fundraiser-The Martha Bassett Show-April 11, 2026

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