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

Dunster The beloved author of the Rumpole books tells how he builds his complex plot structures and examines the basic tools of storytelling.

John Mortimer

Red Trousseau The poet explores new functions for metaphor in modern poetry: Can a poet debunk old, harmful mythologies and invent new, positive ones?

Carol Muske

Saving St. Germ
Author Carol Muske-Dukes discusses her humorous novel about a scientist who explores the nature of creation, inspiration, nuclear chemistry and feminism.

Saving St. Germ Author Carol Muske-Dukes discusses her humorous novel about a scientist who explores the nature of creation, inspiration, nuclear chemistry and feminism.

Carol Muske Dukes

Nicholas Meyer

What Did I Do? The writer talks about art, gossip, sex and immorality in the career of an artist.

Larry Rivers

Natural History Art, history and real life are the subjects of the author's investigation of America.

Maureen Howard

Straight Outta Compton The experimental novelist describes how he constructed his Rap novel.

Ricardo Cortez Cruz

Catapult: Harry And I Build A Siege Weapon The essayist discusses his whimsical project: to construct a medieval weapon while on an arts grant and to write a book about the process.

Jim Paul

The Idea of Home
Invention, surrealism and hilarity are at the center of Curtis White's novel about his home town in California.

The Idea of Home Invention, surrealism and hilarity are at the center of Curtis White's novel about his home town in California.

Curtis White

Sexual Personae; Sex, Art and American Culture 
Camille Paglia fires at contemporary criticism and literary theory.

Sexual Personae; Sex, Art and American Culture Camille Paglia fires at contemporary criticism and literary theory.

Share Bookworm

Sign up to save your podcasts

Bookworm

Bookworm episodes

About Bookworm

More shows like Bookworm

The New Yorker: Fiction

The New Yorker: Poetry

Between The Covers : Conversations with Writers in Fiction, Nonfiction & Poetry

The LRB Podcast

Left, Right & Center

Free Thinking

Nocturne

The Treatment

The Business

Good Food

Today's Top Tune

Backlisted

The New Yorker: The Writer's Voice - New Fiction from The New Yorker

London Review Bookshop Podcast

The History of Literature

Bookclub

The TLS Podcast

Entitled Opinions (about Life and Literature)

Press Play with Madeleine Brand

The Paris Review

Lost Notes: Groupies

Bodies

City Arts & Lectures

Close Readings