Welcome to Talking Culture! In this weekly interview series from 97.9 The Hill WCHL, you’ll hear from writers, performers, musicians and individuals involved in advancing and promoting cultural arts in our community.

Talking Culture is proudly sponsored by Duke Arts. Duke Arts Presents “Music NEAR the Gardens, The Pinhook Edition,” a special edition of Duke’s long running summer concert series, Music in the Gardens. This five concert series celebrating The Pinhook’s legacy in the local music scene, runs every Wednesday at 7:00 PM through June 25th at Duke’s East Campus. Full schedule at DukeArts.org.

This week, Aaron welcomes Stephanie Elizondo Griest, a professor of creative nonfiction at UNC whose new book is “Art Above Everything: One Woman’s Global Quest to Understand the Sacrifices and Glories of a Creative Life.” Inspired by Griest jokingly referring to herself as an “art monk” who sacrificed other basic comforts in her devotion to art, Griest reached out to female artists worldwide to ask: what is it that makes art “enough,” to justify the sacrifices they’re willing to make on its behalf? The answers she got – and the journeys she took around the world to get them – form the basis of this book, which Aaron compares favorably to other creative-nonfiction classics like “Reading Lolita in Tehran.”

Visit StephanieElizondoGriest.com for more information about Griest and the book.

Griest will be reading from “Art Above Everything” and discussing the project at Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill on Tuesday, June 10, the day of the book’s official release. The talk starts at 6 p.m., but Griest will be signing copies starting at 5:30.

Visit FlyleafBooks.com for more information about Tuesday’s reading.

97.9 The Hill WCHL and Chapelboro.com are your headquarters for local news and local voices in Chapel Hill-Carrboro. Every weekday morning, 97.9 The Hill’s Aaron Keck chats with government officials, UNC scholars, business and nonprofit leaders, area musicians, and others in our community as they share their thoughts, their experience, and their expertise on the central issues of today. Click here to listen back to all of Aaron’s conversations – and tune in to “This Morning with Aaron Keck” at 7:30 a.m. on 97.9 The Hill to hear those conversations live.

Listen:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Related Stories
‹
UNC Volleyball Beats Wake Forest, NC State to Begin ACC Play
Carolina earned home wins against in-state rivals Wake Forest and NC State at Carmichael Arena during the weekend, sending the Tar Heels off to a 2-0 start in ACC play this season. Against the Demon Deacons on Friday, the Tar Heels led from the start in a three-set sweep. A 5-0 run late in the […]
Late Rally Helps UNC Field Hockey Avoid Second Straight Loss at Boston College
UNC rallied from a 1-0 deficit in the last nine minutes of play at Boston College Sunday, scoring twice late to steal a 2-1 win and avoid its second straight loss of the season. Battled together. Won together. Heels on top!#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/XUi0CQIeNz — Carolina Field Hockey (@UNCFieldHockey) September 28, 2025 UNC entered the […]
Art’s Angle: The Latest Mess
The storm brewing around Carolina football is familiar in some ways, but potentially more volatile than others we’ve experienced.
UNC Men's Soccer Earns Road Draw at No. 12 Virginia
Through driving rain, UNC played to a 0-0 draw with No. 12 Virginia in Charlottesville Saturday night. The Tar Heels have now tied each of their four ACC matches so far, with two of those being scoreless draws. Virginia tripled Carolina’s total shot output 15-5, though only two of the Cavaliers’ shots were on target. […]
UNC Men's Basketball Has Played a Game in 40 of 50 States. Here's How It Can Fill Out the Map.
Few programs in men’s college basketball are as historically well-traveled as UNC. Throughout their more-than-century on the hardwood, the Tar Heels have traveled the length and breadth of the country, from a cozy community center in Hickory to the cavernous Ford Field in Detroit. There are other odd confines which are on record as having […]
UNC Field Hockey Drops First Game of 2025 Season at No. 13 Wake Forest
A double-overtime winner from No. 13 Wake Forest helped the Demon Deacons upset UNC 2-1 in Winston-Salem Friday evening. It’s the Tar Heels’ first loss this season and second loss in ACC play in three seasons under head coach Erin Matson. The game was a defensive struggle throughout, entering the fourth quarter in a scoreless […]
Chansky's Notebook: Overspending
There has been a change of leadership with UNC's Board of Trustees, but it appears they've gone from one spendthrift to another.
Chansky's Notebook: Perfect Timing
Let’s imagine what is going on behind the scenes at UNC and Clemson, who will meet in Chapel Hill on October 4.
On Air Today: 'Hot Wax,' with M.L. Rio
Aaron chats with acclaimed author M.L. Rio, a UNC alum who's discussing her latest novel "Hot Wax" at Flyleaf Books this week.
Strong 2nd Half Not Enough as UNC Women's Soccer Falls at No. 2 Notre Dame
Freshman Lauren Malsom recorded a brace with two goals at No. 2 Notre Dame Wednesday night, but it wasn’t enough to help UNC dig out of an early deficit and the Tar Heels fell 4-3. It’s the team’s second consecutive loss. Malsom’s first goal came in the 39th minute, by which time the Tar Heels […]
›