Longtime friend and editor of Bookworm, Alan Howard, returns to host this episode, the last of 10 shows to journey through Bookworm’s 33 years and offer a retrospective look at Michael’s accomplishments on behalf of writers and readers. For decades Michael has read almost all of a writer’s work, not just the book which has been most recently published. Howard has watched writers glow as they realize that they’ve been seriously witnessed by the ultimate Bookworm. All of the writers on today’s show have become friends of Michael’s and of Bookworm. We’ll hear from rock band Sparks (brothers Ron and Russell Mael), Art Spiegelman, Françoise Mouly, Ann Beattie, Susan Sontag, and Dennis Cooper.

Longtime friend and editor of Bookworm, Alan Howard, returns to host this episode, the last of 10 shows to journey through Bookworm’s 33 years and offer a retrospective look at Michael’s accomplishments on behalf of writers and readers. For decades Michael has read almost all of a writer’s work, not just the book which has been most recently published. Howard has watched writers glow as they realize that they’ve been seriously witnessed by the ultimate Bookworm. All of the writers on today’s show have become friends of Michael’s and of Bookworm. We’ll hear from rock band Sparks (brothers Ron and Russell Mael), Art Spiegelman, Françoise Mouly, Ann Beattie, Susan Sontag, and Dennis Cooper.

Longtime friend and editor of Bookworm, Alan Howard, returns to host this episode, the last of 10 shows to journey through Bookworm’s 33 years and offer a retrospective look at Michael’s accomplishments on behalf of writers and readers. For decades Michael has read almost all of a writer’s work, not just the book which has been most recently published. Howard has watched writers glow as they realize that they’ve been seriously witnessed by the ultimate Bookworm. All of the&nbsp;writers on today’s show have become friends of Michael’s and of Bookworm. We’ll hear from rock band Sparks (brothers Ron and Russell Mael), Art Spiegelman, Françoise Mouly, Ann Beattie, Susan Sontag, and Dennis Cooper.

Friends of Michael

Acclaimed novelist, poet, and essayist <a href="https://www.taolin.us">Tao Lin</a> (“Taipei,” “Shoplifting from American Apparel”) speaks about growing as a writer, and growing his idea of himself in a book, including his latest, “<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/547887/leave-society-by-tao-lin/">Leave Society</a>,” about the blurred lines between life and fiction.

Acclaimed novelist, poet, and essayist Tao Lin (“Taipei,” “Shoplifting from American Apparel”) speaks about growing as a writer, and growing his idea of himself in a book, including his latest, “Leave Society,” about the blurred lines between life and fiction.

Acclaimed novelist, poet, and essayist <a href="https://www.taolin.us" rel="noopener noreferrer">Tao Lin</a> (“Taipei,” “Shoplifting from American Apparel”) speaks about growing as a writer, and growing his idea of himself in a book, including his latest, “<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/547887/leave-society-by-tao-lin/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Leave Society</a>,” about the blurred lines between life and fiction.&nbsp;

Tao Lin’s ‘Leave Society’ shifts the author’s perspective to love and kindness

Author Zac Smith speaks about the extreme juxtaposition of the very short, dense, and clipped stories in his new book, “Everything is Totally Fine.” He says that by removing a lot of exposition, he was able to create intense emotions in a small space. His energetic and thoughtful stories of absurdity and minutiae are things that could not be said any other way, and usually don’t get said. Plus, special guest Tao Lin explains why “Everything is Totally Fine” inspired him to reopen his <a href="http://muumuuhouse.com/about.html">Muumuu House</a> imprint after it was closed for more than ten years.

Author Zac Smith speaks about the extreme juxtaposition of the very short, dense, and clipped stories in his new book, “Everything is Totally Fine.” He says that by removing a lot of exposition, he was able to create intense emotions in a small space. His energetic and thoughtful stories of absurdity and minutiae are things that could not be said any other way, and usually don’t get said. Plus, special guest Tao Lin explains why “Everything is Totally Fine” inspired him to reopen his Muumuu House imprint after it was closed for more than ten years.

Author Zac Smith speaks about the extreme juxtaposition of the very short, dense, and clipped stories in his new book, “Everything is Totally Fine.” He says that by removing a lot of exposition, he was able to create intense emotions in a small space. His energetic and thoughtful stories of absurdity and minutiae are things that could not be said any other way, and usually don’t get said. Plus, special guest Tao Lin explains why “Everything is Totally Fine” inspired him to reopen his <a href="http://muumuuhouse.com/about.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">Muumuu House</a> imprint after it was closed for more than ten years.

Zac Smith’s ‘Everything is Totally Fine,’ the book that reopened Tao Lin’s Muumuu House

Bee Season (Doubleday)
This is Myla Goldberg's haunting first novel, about a Jewish family torn apart by manias born of spiritual mysticism on the one hand, and fear and silence on the other....

Bee Season (Doubleday) This is Myla Goldberg's haunting first novel, about a Jewish family torn apart by manias born of spiritual mysticism on the one hand, and fear and silence on the other....

Myla Goldberg

The Bridegroom (Pantheon)
Ha Jin, a Chinese writer who came to America in 1985, has published seven books of fiction and poetry in English. What are the consequences of giving up a native language? Can writing transform the anger generated by the Cultural Revolution into art?

The Bridegroom (Pantheon) Ha Jin, a Chinese writer who came to America in 1985, has published seven books of fiction and poetry in English. What are the consequences of giving up a native language? Can writing transform the anger generated by the Cultural Revolution into art?

Ha Jin

This remarkable first novel offers an occasion to pay tribute to its late editor, and to salute its young author, whose imagery and vision promise an unusual career.

This remarkable first novel offers an occasion to pay tribute to its late editor, and to salute its young author, whose imagery and vision promise an unusual career.

Heidi Julavitz: The Mineral Palace

Jim the Boy
 (Little Brown)
Tony Earley has been hailed as a new American master, and, indeed, he has written a classic rite-of-passage novel...

Jim the Boy (Little Brown) Tony Earley has been hailed as a new American master, and, indeed, he has written a classic rite-of-passage novel...

Tony Earley

Kazuo Ishiguro pits a child's naïve dream of becoming a master detective against the larger mysteries of adultery, death and war....

Kazuo Ishiguro pits a child's naïve dream of becoming a master detective against the larger mysteries of adultery, death and war....

Kazuo Ishiguro: When We Were Orphans

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay (Random House)
Michael Chabon's novel about escape artists, super heroes and the Golden Age of Comics is a complete entertainment...

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay (Random House) Michael Chabon's novel about escape artists, super heroes and the Golden Age of Comics is a complete entertainment...

Michael Chabon

The work of novelists Chris Ware and Daniel Clowes is characterized by complexity, beauty and sophistication.  Guess what?  They write comics!

The work of novelists Chris Ware and Daniel Clowes is characterized by complexity, beauty and sophistication. Guess what? They write comics!

Chris Ware and Daniel Clowes

Amy Gerstler regards her poetry as a sort of spell to ward off danger. Her new book deals with the tragedies that cannot be evaded by magic.

Amy Gerstler regards her poetry as a sort of spell to ward off danger. Her new book deals with the tragedies that cannot be evaded by magic.

Amy Gerstler: Medicine

The house of fiction has many rooms.  Russell Banks talks about the life- choices that led him to occupy his particularly gritty sublet.

The house of fiction has many rooms. Russell Banks talks about the life- choices that led him to occupy his particularly gritty sublet.

Russell Banks: The Angel on the Roof

While revealing her passion for storytelling, cunning Margaret Atwood
carefully avoids the secret mechanisms of her engrossing new novel, "The Blind Assassin."

While revealing her passion for storytelling, cunning Margaret Atwood carefully avoids the secret mechanisms of her engrossing new novel, "The Blind Assassin."

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