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

Alice Walker

Tar Beach Tribal Africa is superimposed on the Jewish Brooklyn of the late forties in this coming-of-age novel.

Richard Elman

I Been in Sorrows Kitchen and Licked Out All the Pots Author Susan Straight discusses her new novel and the impact of violence on her, her writing and the multi-racial Riverside community in which she lives

I Been in Sorrows Kitchen and Licked Out All the PotsAuthor Susan Straight discusses her new novel and the impact of violence on her, her writing and the multi-racial Riverside community in which she lives

I Been in Sorrows Kitchen and Licked Out All the Pots Author Susan Straight discusses her new novel and the impact of violence on her, her writing and the multi-racial Riverside community in which she lives

Susan Straight

Outerbridge Reach 
Robert Stone examines the possibilities of modern heroism.

Outerbridge Reach Robert Stone examines the possibilities of modern heroism.

Robert Stone

Author Alice McDermott discusses her darkly-tender, Irish-Catholic family novel--its structure and its meaning.

Author Alice McDermott discusses her darkly-tender, Irish-Catholic family novel--its structure and its meaning.

Alice McDermott: At Weddings and Wakes

Diana Darling's charming first novel is about the intrigues of Gods and humans on the island of Bali. Bradford Morrow celebrates the anniversary of his magazine, with a special issue on folktales, fairy tales and myths.

Diana Darling's charming first novel is about the intrigues of Gods and humans on the island of Bali. Bradford Morrow celebrates the anniversary of his magazine, with a special issue on folktales, fairy tales and myths.

Diana Darling and Bradford Morrow

A Case of Curiosities A young writer from Harvard reveals how to research an historical novel.

Alan Kurzweil

Under the 82nd Airborne
 (Farrar, Straus & Giroux)
Short story writer Debra Eisenberg discusses the mystery of how she writes.

Under the 82nd Airborne (Farrar, Straus & Giroux) Short story writer Debra Eisenberg discusses the mystery of how she writes.

Under the 82nd Airborne
 (Farrar, Straus &amp; Giroux)
Short story writer Debra Eisenberg discusses the mystery of how she writes.

Debra Eisenberg

The Buried Mirror
 
Carlos Fuentes on international literature and the Latin American writer.

The Buried Mirror Carlos Fuentes on international literature and the Latin American writer.

The Buried Mirror
&nbsp;
Carlos Fuentes on international literature and the Latin American writer.

Carlos Fuentes

Time's Arrow
 
The rude Londoner, Martin Amis, talks about morality and fiction.

Time's Arrow The rude Londoner, Martin Amis, talks about morality and fiction.

Time's Arrow
&nbsp;
The rude Londoner, Martin Amis, talks about morality and fiction.

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