Bookworm

In a captivating conversation, the late Kurt Vonnegut, renowned for his sharp wit and humanistic storytelling, delves into his reflections on society and the human condition. He discusses the absurdity of politics and critiques the influence of wealth on governance. Vonnegut explores themes of kindness and social responsibility, lamenting the absence of benevolent wealthy figures. He also highlights the vital role of exceptional educators in nurturing creativity, all while balancing humor with poignant insights from his latest work.

The  Almost Moon (Little Brown)Alice Sebold (The Lovely Bones) gives a sneak preview of her new novel, coming out this fall...

The Unknown Terrorist (Grove) Richard Flanagan felt that his last novel, Gould's Book of Fish, widely acclaimed a masterpiece, had burnt him out. Here, he discusses the things he did to reenergize.

The Pesthouse (Doubleday) Jim Crace makes lies masquerade as truth in this post-apocalyptic tale of toxified America.

You Don't Love Me Yet (Doubleday) The pleasures of the lightweight and the free-spirited.

The Inheritance of Loss (Grove) Booker Prize-winner Kiran Desai says she prefers "messiness" to perfection--it's more human, and it fits her subject better.

Can a novelist uncover a secret?

Haunted House (Ashbery); Prose Poems (Padgett) (both from Black Square Editions) The haunted, lonely prose-poetry of Pierre Reverdy has attracted many translators. Two of America's most extraordinary poets read and discuss their translations...

Varieties of Disturbance (Farrar, Straus & Giroux) Lydia Davis writes elegant prose pieces in which basic confusions are described with authority and clarity.

Everybody Loves Somebody (Back Bay Books)Joanna Scott claims her collection of stories is a history of love, from World War I to the present.