PAW is Princeton University’s editorially independent magazine by alumni, for alumni. On the monthly PAWcast we interview alumni, faculty, and students about their books, their work, and issues that matter to the Princeton community.
PAW Book Club: With ‘Mathey Girls,’ Melody Chu ’01 Reminds Us to Treasure Friendships
On this episode of the Princeton Alumni Weekly’s Book Club podcast, we talk author Melody Chu ’01 about her debut novel, Mathey Girls. Melody studied economics at Princeton and followed it up with Harvard Law School, but after a near death experience during pregnancy, she left her corporate law job to write.
The story in Mathey Girls draws from Melody’s pregnancy scare as well as other parts of her personal life, including her heritage as the daughter of Chinese immigrants from Taiwan and her experiences as a Princeton student and alumna. Other themes may ring familiar to alumni, like the imposter syndrome that haunts the protagonist, Esther, and the friendships forged at Mathey Hall — friends who stick by and support each other and the families they’ve built no matter what.
Find the transcript at paw.princeton.edu/pawcasts.
14 Aug 2026
PAWcast: Dr. Lucy McBride ’95 Wants a Sea Change in Healthcare
Have you ever walked out of a doctor’s appointment feeling rushed, unheard, or misunderstood? If so, you’ve experienced a symptom of a much larger ailment affecting our healthcare world. On this episode of the PAWcast, we talk with Dr. Lucy McBride, from the Class of ’95, a primary care physician in Washington D.C., who during the COVID pandemic began her transformation into a public voice, pushing for a data-driven, patient-centered, holistic approach to healthcare. She has a newsletter and a podcast, and now her many thoughts have bubbled over into a new book. Titled Beyond the Prescription: A Doctor’s Guide to Taking Charge of Your Health, it’s meant as a handbook, a guide for all of us seeking a healthy and fulfilling life. Sick or well, young or old, tiger or no.
23 Jun 2026
PAW Book Club: ‘Fun City Heist’ by Michael Kardos ’92
On this episode of the Princeton Alumni Weekly’s Book Club podcast, author Michael Kardos ’92 answers our questions about his latest comedic crime novel, Fun City Heist. It’s set in his old stomping grounds, the New Jersey shore, and he made the protagonist a drummer, like himself. As the story unfolds, readers watch beach bum Mo Melnick connect for the first time with his teenage daughter, get back together with his band, Sunshine Apocalypse, and eventually get roped into a bandmate’s plan to rob a beachfront amusement park. Find the transcript at paw.princeton.edu.
Who has been a guest on Princeton Alumni Weekly Podcasts
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
KATHY KIELY
Erik Medina
Jodi Picoult
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
11 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 33 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
34
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
81
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Guest appearances
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