Unlocking the Art of Public Speaking Introduction We had the pleasure of interviewing Laurie LeFever, an adjunct professor of public speaking with over 20 years of experience. Laurie shared her journey from Brooklyn to New Jersey, her passion for teaching, and...
Tune in to our chat with the brilliant Carla Gutierrez, Emmy and Eddie-nominated documentary editor behind gems like RBG and Julia. This time, she’s stepped into the director’s chair for Frida, a breathtaking documentary on the life of iconic Mexican painter Frida...
Curious about what it takes to run one of the most popular venues in New Jersey? Join us for this episode to meet Anthony Morrison, the general manager of the historic Wellmont Theater in Montclair, New Jersey. With a rich history dating back to 1922, the Wellmont has...
In this episode of Lost in Jersey, we sit down with documentary filmmaker Julie Cohen, known for award-winning films RBG, Every Body, Julia; Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down, The Sturgeon Queens, and My Name is Pauli Murray, most directed alongside frequent...
See the 2025 awarding winning films before everyone else. What are the hottest new films coming out? Tune in to our latest episode with that highlight films that will be all the talk of award season 2025! October 18 to 27, the 2024 Montclair Film Festival will...
Get insight into the artistic inspiration and process of Kevin Scott Cosme, the talented artist behind the beautiful poster for the 2024 Montclair Film Festival. Learn about his unique creative process, that’s sprinkled with a bit of voodoo and hear about his...
Author Anastasia Rubis shares her debut novel, ORIANA, which she published at 64. She reveals her 11-year journey of rejections, editing, graduate school, and what ultimately helped her cross the publishing line. In ORIANA, she explores the extraordinary life of journalist Oriana Fallaci (description below).
In our conversation, Rubis opens up about perseverance and chasing dreams no matter your age and shares how Oriana’s fierce determination became a role model for her own tenacity. Whether you’re an aspiring writer, a historical fiction fan, or need a little nudge to follow your dreams, this episode is for you!
We give the book 4 stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Get Oriana: A Novel of Oriana Fallaci by Anastasia Rubis Book Description: When a Hollywood producer comes to Oriana Fallaci at the end of her life to propose a movie, the story unfolds of her gutsy career rise as a journalist, her tragic love, and her greatest regret.
Oriana was born a rebel. She fought beside her father at age fourteen in Italy’s Resistance against the Nazis and overcame poverty, the lack of a university education, and relentless sexism in the newsroom. By 1973, when she moved to New York, Oriana Fallaci was hailed by Newsweek as the greatest interviewer of her day. She catapulted to fame for her bold and provocative interviews with Kissinger, Arafat, Meir, Robert Kennedy, Indira Gandhi, the Shah of Iran, and other world leaders—not to mention the most prominent celebrities and artists of her day.
That same year, she did what no journalist is supposed to do: she fell in love with one of her subjects, Alexander Panagoulis, the Greek poet and hero. She was 44, he was 34; they lived in different countries. It didn’t matter. Oriana had finally found what she longed for, a full life. But can a woman ever have it all, or does life always exact a price?
Oriana is the first biographical novel about the brilliant and fearless Italian journalist whom Christiane Amanpour has called her role model—and who holds a place alongside Mike Wallace and Barbara Walters as a master interviewer. It is the story of a trailblazer who broke through the glass ceiling of journalism, a woman who wasn’t afraid to speak truth to power, and who revolutionized her field all while struggling to carve out a space for love and family.
