Listen each Wednesday, January 16 through February 6, to hear Leslie VonHolten explore classic mysteries featuring the iconic Sherlock Holmes. BookBytes are heard at 7:45 a.m. during Morning Edition and again at 6:44 p.m. during All Things Considered.
A native of Wellsville in Southeast Kansas, Leslie's sense of home was strengthened while her family was stationed in Germany for the U.S. Army.
"It's funny," Leslie said, "but Baumholder is where I fell in love with Kansas. Not only because my family missed home, but also because I found myself promoting Kansas culture and fighting stereotypes. When we returned to Kansas, I was keen on sending my German friends flyers and mixed tapes from punk, hip hop, and art shows to prove to them how vibrant contemporary Kansas culture is. I'm still committed to grassroots, community-level culture to this day."
Leslie is a graduate of the University of Kansas with a bachelor’s degree in art history and English literature, and a master’s in public administration. The former director of programs for Humanities Kansas, today Leslie manages the new national security studies courses for KU's Graduate Military Programs.
In her spare time, she serves on the board of the Garden of Eden in Lucas and volunteers for as many literature-related projects as she can, including HPPR, the State Library of Kansas, and the Lawrence Public Library. She lives in Lawrence with her kids, dogs, and her husband Tim, an elementary school art teacher.
Leslie’s recommended reading:
A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle