UPDATED: In 2020, a Book Tour Means Never Having to Leave Your Kitchen
To promote The Fabric of Civilization, I've been doing lots of podcasts and Zoom talks from a makeshift studio in my kitchen. I use block-printed fabric I bought in India as a backdrop to cover the doors to my washer and dryer. You can get an idea of how it looks from these screen shots of a Zoom talk where I'm sharing my screen and one where I'm answering questions, or check out the videos.
Podcasts have replaced radio interviews as the book tour's bread and butter publicity, and I've been doing loads of them. (Even actual radio interviews turn into podcasts once they're archived.) They're generally a satisfying experience, because hosts have read the book and you can have a real conversation. Check these out:
a16z with Sonal Chokshi: "Textiles as Tech, Science, Math, Culture… or Civilization" Tech-oriented podcast hosted by the Andreesen Horowitz venture capital firm.
The Woven Road with Meadow Coldon: "The Fabric of Civilization, Interview with Virginia Postrel" Podcast hosted by "an inquisitive, knitting archaeologist in exploring the rich fiber art traditions from across history and around the world."
init with Dave Birnbaum: "Textiles and Tech" Podcast about the "tactile internet."
The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg: "Hipster Luddites" Podcast from a free-thinking conservative
EconTalk with Russ Roberts: "Virginia Postrel on Textiles and the Fabric of Civilization" Economics podcast
Think with Krys Boyd: "How Textiles Stitched The World Together" Dallas public radio KERA
The Reason Interview with Nick Gillespie: "Virginia Postrel: When Calico Was Treated Like Cocaine" Wide-ranging interviews with a libertarian slant. Here's a short video based on that interview:
Virtual Memories Show with Gil Roth: "Virginia Postrel" Podcast "about books and life," focused on writers, artists, and comics creators
Cato Daily Podcast with Caleb O. Brown: "The Fabric of Civilization: How Textiles Made the World" The libertarian think tank's podcast, often focused on books
Ipse Dixit with Brian Frye: "Virginia Postrel on the History of Textiles" Podcast usually focused on legal scholarship
Constant Wonder: "Fabric of Civilization" BYU Radio
The Curious Task with Alex Aragona: "Virginia Postrel—How Do Textiles Shape Society?" Philosophy, politics, economics, and other ideas from a classical liberal perspective.
The Bookmonger with John J. Miller: "The Fabric of Civilization by Virginia Postrel" Short interviews about books, produced by National Review.
Alain Guillot: "Virginia Postrel, How Textiles Made the World" Personal development, personal finance, entrepreneurship