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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons hosts the most downloaded sports podcast of all time, with a rotating crew of celebrities, athletes, and media staples, as well as mainstays like Cousin Sal, Joe House, and a slew of other friends and family members who always happen to be suspiciously available.
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“Tangles” & the Hidden History of Hanford Nuclear Site with Kay Smith-Blum (E184)
Bookish Flights: Books, Author Interviews & Must-Read Recommendations
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In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Kay Smith-Blum. Kay is a former fashionista and Seattle School Board President, spends her days debunking the tropes of the mid-20th-century history. An odd dream and the recent upheaval over leaking radioactive waste tanks at the Hanford Nuclear site compelled her to write Tangles. Smith-Blum, a sunrise writer, has lived in Seattle for four decades. She works out her writer’s block in her sons’ gardens and the nearest lap pool.
Key Highlights:
- The extensive 8.5-month research process behind Tangles, including oral testimonies, archival histories, and peer-reviewed scientific research.
- The fascinating but troubling history of the Hanford Nuclear Plant, where workers were told their jobs were top secret and essential to the war effort.
- How officials repeatedly raised the “safe” level of radioactive waste in the water supply to downplay risks to surrounding communities.
- The long-term dangers and ethical concerns surrounding nuclear waste disposal.
- Her book flight includes dual-timeline historical fiction.
Connect with Kay Smith-Blum:
Books and authors mentioned:
- Leon Uris books
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles
- The Witch Elm by Tana French
- Happy-Go-Lucky by David Sedaris
- Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Book Flight
- Keeping Faith by Jodi Picoult
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Horse by Geraldine Brooks
Join us for the BFF Book Club Holiday Party! 🎄✨
We’re closing out the year with The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce and a cozy virtual celebration on December 16th at 5 PM PST. Bring a festive drink, a book that captivated you in 2025, and get ready for fun conversation + a bookish giveaway for attendees!
👉 RSVP here: https://www.bookishflights.com/read/fall2025
✨ Find Your Next Great Read! We just hit 175 episodes of Bookish Flights, and to celebrate, I created the Bookish Flights Roadmap — a guide to all 175 podcast episodes, sorted by genre to help you find your next great read faster.
Explore it here → www.bookishflights.com/read/roadmap
Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!
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