Bookworm

Fima This sad-sack, Israeli Hamlet, is examined under the opposing lights of comedy and tragedy.

Body and Soul Conroy, who suffered a major writer---s block, discusses his novel about a vastly successful pianist-composer. Did writing about a successful artist break the block?

In A Country of Mothers The author talks about perversity and normality in her work.

The Road to Wellville (Viking) Hypocrisy, health food, ordure and the morality of fiction are the subjects of today's discussion.

Part II: The madman of contemporary fiction examines his influences: Beckett, Harold Bloom, Thomas Bernhart, J.D. Salinger, et al.

Zim Zum Part I: "Captain Fiction" talks abut the fiction he writes, the fiction he edits (at Alfred Knopf) and his career as a magazine editor (Esquire).

Bright Root, Dark Root The Los Angeles-based poet talks about Buddhism, spirituality and a poet's vocation.

Chimney Rock The author defends the dream-like projections of Los Angeles in his most recent novel.

A Year of Rhymes A first novel by a prize-winning poetic essayist: The writer discusses his turn to fiction, weather and death, and his interest in simplicity and sincerity.