Bookworm

Latest Episodes:

Christian Kracht: Imperium Jul 16, 2015

Show notes

Christian Kracht's Imperium: A Fiction of the South Seas is a satirical parable that sees fanaticism as the root of German culture and imperialist culture in general.

Amy Gerstler: Scattered at Sea Jul 09, 2015

Show notes

Amy Gerstler's new book of poems is an exploration of getting lost, the unknown, mortality and remembrance.

Vendela Vida: The Diver's Clothes Lie Empty Jul 02, 2015

Show notes

Vendela Vida's new novel is a story of identity, a recurring mystery in her work. We get to the bottom of why identity is her obsession.

Aleksandar Hemon: The Making of Zombie Wars Jun 25, 2015

Show notes

This darkly nihilistic book masquerading as a comedy is as much a commentary on society as it is the story of a bad script-writer.

Alan Cheuse: Prayers for the Living Jun 18, 2015

Show notes

The "voice of NPR book reviews" takes a singular opportunity – the discussion of his own novel with KCRW's bookworm, Michael Silverblatt.

Maggie Nelson: The Argonauts Jun 11, 2015

Show notes

The Argonauts is a work of "auto-theory" in which theory is put to the test against life experience.

Atticus Lish: Preparation for the Next Life Jun 04, 2015

Show notes

Atticus Lish's debut novel won the 2015 PEN/Faulkner Award for First Fiction, demonstrating that he waited 40 years to become a natural.

Valeria Luiselli: Faces in the Crowd May 28, 2015

Show notes

Valeria Luiselli's first novel reminds us of what it's like to be young and in love with literature.

Per Petterson, Ethan Nosowsky and Geir Berdahl on Publishing May 21, 2015

Show notes

We talk to author Per Petterson, editor Ethan Nosowsky, and publisher Geir Berdahl about the what it takes to bring a book to life and about the changing world of publishing.

Thomas McGuane: Crow Fair May 14, 2015

Show notes

Thomas McGuane's new book of stories is a demonstration model of his verbal surprises and his deep insight into his characters.