Robert Birnbaum

TMN Contributing Writer Robert Birnbaum, a bookish journalist, was born in Germany, grew up in Chicago, and lives in suburban Boston. He is editor-at-large at Identitytheory.com and the man behind Our Man in Boston. All the sketchy details of his life will be (re)fabricated in his memoir-in-progress, Just Talking: How to do Things with Words. He may be found in print here and here, in Bark magazine, and in the Believer Book of Writers Talking to Writers, speaking with the non-pareil Jamaica Kincaid. And in Conversations with Thomas McGuane, Conversations with Julian Barnes, and the upcoming Conversations with Colum McCann (all University of Mississippi Press). And here too. All you hot-shot book editors and agents may want to ask him about his book ideas. Before it’s too late. Duendepublishing@gmail.com.

Tobias Wolff

Our man in Boston, ROBERT BIRNBAUM talks to Tobias Wolff about the art of revision, how writing programs are good for training skilled readers, and why Robert Olen Butler still signs stock. (Birnbaum v. | November 10, 2009)

Gil Adamson

Our man in Boston, ROBERT BIRNBAUM, chats with author GIL ADAMSON about Toronto’s literary mafia, the fact-checking that plagues novelists, and the difficulty of listing 10 Canadian writers. (Birnbaum v. | July 22, 2009)

Joseph O’Connor

Our man in Boston, ROBERT BIRNBAUM, talks with novelist Joseph O’Connor about writing historical fiction, the role of the Irish in the American Civil War, and the trouble of trilogies. (Birnbaum v. | April 15, 2009)

James Howard Kunstler, Redux

In a wide-ranging discussion, our man in Boston, ROBERT BIRNBAUM, talks with novelist and skeptic James Howard Kunstler about life as it is, life as it could be, and life as we may encounter. (Birnbaum v. | January 27, 2009)

Amy Bloom

Straight from Boston, ROBERT BIRNBAUM sits down with author Amy Bloom to discuss her latest book, Away, the benefits of the writing life, and the tedium of extra-long novels. (Birnbaum v. | October 15, 2008)

Elizabeth Strout

Our man in Boston ROBERT BIRNBAUM sits down with author Elizabeth Strout to talk about Maine, her latest novel, and the plights of the modern writer. Now with audio excerpts. (Birnbaum v. | August 26, 2008)

Chip Kidd

The estimable Chip Kidd, designer of books’ fronts, backs, and spines, chats with our man in Boston, ROBERT BIRNBAUM, about what it’s like to work on the words that come in between. (Birnbaum v. | April 2, 2008)

Movies for What Ails You

It’s winter, and chances are you’re sick or you’re about to be. Even though you may feel like you’d rather curl up and die, we recommend curling up with a good movie instead—and THE WRITERS’ answer to most ailments is Jimmy Stewart. (Of Recent Note | February 22, 2008)

Arthur Phillips

Three novels under his belt, Arthur Phillips sits down for a chat with our man in Boston, ROBERT BIRNBAUM about his commitment to fiction writing and, a challenge on quite another level, finding the discipline to focus on one piece at a time. (Birnbaum v. | January 16, 2008)

Nonfiction Books

You’ve stocked up on bookmarks, ordered the bookplates, and now you’re ready to fill the shelves. Next time you’re shopping, pass over the fiction and pick up something with an index. THE WRITERS offer a selection. (Of Recent Note | October 23, 2007)

Thomas Mallon

When history class turns into a blur of names and dates, historical fiction may be just what you need to put a face on things. Thomas Mallon talks with our man in Boston, ROBERT BIRNBAUM about the appeal of novels and the state of publishing. (Birnbaum v. | July 11, 2007)

Colum McCann

Transplanted Irishman Colum McCann has just finished a ramble with Gypsies in his newest novel, Zoli. He chats with ROBERT BIRNBAUM about the Romany people, the perils of writing novels tied to history, and more. (Birnbaum v. | May 3, 2007)

Sigrid Nunez

Sigrid Nunez wanted to be a dancer, and lucky for her readers, that didn’t work out as planned. Nevertheless capable of some deft footwork, she explains to our man in Boston how the two pastimes are similar. (Birnbaum v. | March 29, 2007)

Martin Amis

The Mick Jagger of British literature is out with another book slated to be a hit. ROBERT BIRNBAUM talks with Martin Amis about everything important under the sun: getting older, the differences between life in Uruguay and London, and the best ways to write fictional footnotes. (Birnbaum v. | February 28, 2007)

Heidi Julavits

Our man from the north country, ROBERT BIRNBAUM, toasts the new year by conversing with the novelist and editor about her thoughts on the state of therapy, storytelling, and the novel. (Birnbaum v. | January 10, 2007)

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie talks with ROBERT BIRNBAUM about her new book and the Biafran War, being African in America, and the distorted picture of Africa created by the media. (Birnbaum v. | October 23, 2006)

Sean Wilentz

Historian Sean Wilentz chats with ROBERT BIRNBAUM about social studies vs. history, purple prose in founding-father biographies, and how “states rights” started trumping slavery in Jefferson Davis’s memoirs. (Birnbaum v. | September 26, 2006)

Sebastian Junger

Reporting a civil war in Africa sounds tough, but try investigating a 40-year-old crime in America’s quietest suburb. ROBERT BIRNBAUM talks to journalist Sebastian Junger about his new book on the Boston Strangler. (Birnbaum v. | August 23, 2006)

Susan Straight

The great American novel doesn’t exist—except in the minds of marketers (and those who believe New Yorkers write the best books). ROBERT BIRNBAUM talks to Susan Straight about regional writing, as American as apple pie. (Birnbaum v. | August 2, 2006)

Gay Talese

Writer Gay Talese and ROBERT BIRNBAUM have a rowdy conversation about Talese’s new memoir, Lorena Bobbitt’s Hollywood agent, attending fights with James Baldwin, and a hundred other reports about the joys and pains of getting a story right. (Birnbaum v. | July 6, 2006)

Lawrence Weschler

Writer and off-the-charts associater Lawrence Weschler talks with ROBERT BIRNBAUM about his new book, Everything That Rises: A Book of Convergences, plus publishing as an act of citizenship and the joy of sideways learning. (Birnbaum v. | June 5, 2006)

David Mitchell

Author and 2005 Rooster winner David Mitchell talks with ROBERT BIRNBAUM about his new novel, Black Swan Green, the appeal of Bill Evans, and the differences between sex and writing. (Birnbaum v. | May 11, 2006)

Richard Reeves

The fascinating author and journalist Richard Reeves talks with ROBERT BIRNBAUM about writing Reagan, founding New York magazine, and covering Lévy’s America more than 20 years ago. (Birnbaum v. | April 18, 2006)

For March 2006

A new month of what THE WRITERS have been watching, reading, eating, drinking, hearing, and enjoying. (Of Recent Note | March 29, 2006)

Alberto Manguel

Should “America” only include the United States? Does art criticism matter when it doesn’t account for emotions? ROBERT BIRNBAUM talks to author Alberto Manguel about working with Borges and responding to paintings. (Birnbaum v. | March 23, 2006)

Uzodinma Iweala

Politics can be dangerous in some parts of Africa, but childhood can be even more risky. ROBERT BIRNBAUM talks with Uzodinma Iweala about what’s breaking the continent apart—and what’s holding it together. (Birnbaum v. | March 9, 2006)

For February 2006

What THE WRITERS have been enjoying, watching, reading, hearing, eating, viewing, and digesting for the past 28 days. (Of Recent Note | February 28, 2006)

Andrew Delbanco

Author and Columbia professor Andrew Delbanco, named by Time as “America’s Best Social Critic,” talks with ROBERT BIRNBAUM about his new Melville biography—one that’s actually enjoyable to read. (Birnbaum v. | February 22, 2006)

Lisa Randall

Strings, branes, and baryogenesis—ROBERT BIRNBAUM is guided through contemporary science by one of the country’s top theoretical physicists, Lisa Randall. (Birnbaum v. | February 9, 2006)

Bret Easton Ellis

While the publishing world freaks out over false memoirs, who better to speak about truth in writing than an author with the same name as his protagonist? A very candid Bret Easton Ellis chats with ROBERT BIRNBAUM. (Birnbaum v. | January 19, 2006)

New Fathers, Round III

Are you ruining your child’s chances at future employment by blogging about his poop? By becoming a father yourself, do you finally understand your own dad? Our staff fathers tackle once more the challenges of contemporary paternity. (Roundtables | January 9, 2006)

George Packer

Tens of thousands of American soldiers are in Iraq, but only a handful of U.S. journalists are covering the story from the inside. One of them, George Packer, talks with ROBERT BIRNBAUM about bravery, ideology, and changing opinions. (Birnbaum v. | January 2, 2006)

Rick Moody

When novelists are listed among our most despicable citizens, can America claim to love literature? Our man up north talks to author Rick Moody about how we’re all on the same team when we’re reading. (Birnbaum v. | November 21, 2005)

Ron Rash

Our man from New England talks to one of the Carolinas’ favorite sons about the strengths of southern writers, the benefits of teaching welders, and the crushing reality that awaits MFA grads. (Birnbaum v. | November 7, 2005)

Stuart Dybek

Our man in Boston gets nostalgic for his Chicago roots in this wonderful conversation with short story master Stuart Dybek about the city of Daley, Bellow’s turf, and the difficulty of writing in a sentimental, nevermind linear fashion. (Birnbaum v. | October 5, 2005)

George Saunders

Do fiction writers put their best face forward in their work or in their private lives? Will the next story always be the one that maybe gets it right? ROBERT BIRNBAUM chats with the extraordinary author about the craft. (Birnbaum v. | September 15, 2005)

James Howard Kunstler

A simple statement but a nightmarish one: we can no longer expect to have more energy, only remorselessly less energy. An intense chat with author James Howard Kunstler about the chaos that will rattle our society once the energy disaster takes hold. (Birnbaum v. | August 24, 2005)

Camille Paglia

The humanities are ruined, and the universities full of crooks. Art in America is neglected, coddled, and buried under chatter. The right looks down on artists; the left looks down on everyone. Our man in Boston has an electrifying conversation with Camille Paglia. (Birnbaum v. | August 3, 2005)

Ian McEwan

It can take six weeks to write six minutes of fiction, and that’s not so bad. A conversation with the author of Saturday about taking the time to do your thing, the changing face of literary culture, and how everybody really can write a novel. (Birnbaum v. | July 20, 2005)

Elizabeth Gaffney

Queens may sport the most languages spoken in New York City, but Brooklyn certainly has the most writers. Our man in Boston talks with Brooklynite Elizabeth Gaffney about her new book, set in 19th-century New York, and her 16 years editing the Paris Review with George Plimpton. (Birnbaum v. | June 29, 2005)

Birnbaum v. Kevin Guilfoile

Do genre writers have more fun than plain old novelists? Is it possible to embed philosophical thought in a thriller? For an all-around TMN smorgasbord, our brain in Boston ROBERT BIRNBAUM chats with Contributing Writer Kevin Guilfoile about his new novel. (Personalities | May 24, 2005)

Birnbaum v. Deborah Lipstadt

Prejudice cannot be defeated entirely, but it can be fought with courage and stamina, and with really good lawyers. Our bookish reporter in Boston ROBERT BIRNBAUM has a fascinating conversation with scholar Deborah Lipstadt about her six-year battle with Holocaust denier David Irving. (Personalities | May 4, 2005)

Birnbaum v. Jonathan Safran Foer

Are we comforted by the official account of Sept. 11—the victims, the heroes, the assigned roles of good and evil—or do the generalizations shortchange our experiences? Robert Birnbaum talks to novelist Jonathan Safran Foer about his new book, the writing life, and what it’s like to be reviewed by Updike. (Personalities | April 19, 2005)

Birnbaum v. Tom Bissell

Writers often imagine editors as dolts with hearts of coal and brains of corn; writers, frequently, are self-absorbed paranoid ignorant dilletantes. Our man from the northern lands Robert Birnbaum sits down with writer Tom Bissell to talk about his stories, how the publishing system really works, and the life of a Celtics fan who only loves Bird. (Personalities | March 31, 2005)

Of Recent Note: For Spring 2005

THE WRITERS spring on you the stuff they’re into right now—including what they’re reading, hearing, watching, finding, eating, using, installing, applying, and, yes, even scratching this season. (Opinions | March 22, 2005)

Birnbaum v. David Thomson

Lots of folks complain that the movies aren’t what they used to be, but not many people can tell you why. Our man of the north Robert Birnbaum has a fascinating talk with film critic and writer David Thomson about the start of the art, Million Dollar Baby, and how Nicole Kidman went from bimbo to genius. (Personalities | March 15, 2005)

Birnbaum v. Robert McCrum

Few writers have all their books in print; extremely few have almost a hundred in circulation. Robert Birnbaum chats with Robert McCrum about his recent definitive biography of P.G. Wodehouse and the difficulties in pinning down a man who liked to blend in. (Personalities | March 1, 2005)

Birnbaum v. Joyce Carol Oates

What would a 1950s family near Niagra Falls say about an episode of the Sopranos? Why does America so easily forget its ordinary heroes? The prolific ROBERT BIRNBAUM talks with the prolific Joyce Carol Oates about her most recent novel, why she loves to teach, and how many other books are gestating in her desk. (Personalities | February 3, 2005)

Birnbaum v. Louis de Bernières

Our man in Boston Robert Birnbaum talks to author Louis de Bernières about his most recent book, Birds Without Wings, during a fascinating discussion about the Ottoman Empire, how good people go astray in crowds, and the richness of Arab proverbs. (Personalities | January 24, 2005)

Birnbaum v. T.C. Boyle

If we spend so much of our lives thinking and worrying about sex, is it any surprise the involved emotions are tied to chemicals? Robert Birnbaum talks to maverick author T.C. Boyle in a lively back-and-forth about Dr. Alfred Kinsey, contemporary fiction, and the role of the husband in the kitchen. (Personalities | January 10, 2005)

Birnbaum v. Cynthia Ozick

No one can escape their past, and everyone once had parents who made mistakes. Our New Hampshire correspondent Robert Birnbaum chats with the wonderful Cynthia Ozick about the underpinnings of her new novel, the rewards of touring, and exactly how do publishers think. (Personalities | December 14, 2004)

Birnbaum v. Lan Samantha Chang

All parents want their children to do well; not all parents want their children to become writers. Author Lan Samantha Chang chats with our man in Boston Robert Birnbaum about her new novel that was 10 years in the writing, and her slide from upstanding daughter to rebel with a clause. (Personalities | November 30, 2004)

Birnbaum v. Jon Lee Anderson

Grave mistakes have been made in Iraq, but there’s still room for hope. Robert Birnbaum sits down with New Yorker correspondent Jon Lee Anderson for a fascinating, frank talk about life in Baghdad, U.S. policies as viewed from the street, and how Iraq’s insurgency could possibly be quelled. (Personalities | October 18, 2004)

Birnbaum v. Jennifer Finney Boylan

Our Boston correspondent ROBERT BIRNBAUM chats with novelist Jennifer Finney Boylan about going on Oprah, the differences between being a female writer versus a male writer, and her best-selling book about becoming the woman she always was. (Personalities | October 5, 2004)

Birnbaum v. Renata Adler

Our New Hampshire correspondent ROBERT BIRNBAUM catches up with veteran writer Renata Adler to survey today’s journalism (when it seems like a PR agency for the government) and learn exactly why you don’t diss the Times book review chief. (Personalities | September 16, 2004)

Birnbaum v. Hendrik Hertzberg

Our man in New Hampshire ROBERT BIRNBAUM snags a fascinating conversation with the New Yorker’s principal political voice Hendrik Hertzberg about his new book, the President’s 12-step politics, and why the New York Times Book Review should avoid sexing up. (Personalities | August 23, 2004)

Birnbaum v. Charles McCarry

Once upon a time, the CIA was stocked with Yalie do-gooders, liberal spooks who were going to change the world. ROBERT BIRNBAUM talks to the master novelist and former agent about a dying breed, posing as a reporter undercover, and the different ways to describe success in publishing. (Personalities | August 9, 2004)

Birnbaum v. Zoe Heller

Is the American publishing world a playground for pansies? Do all diners in fancy New York restaurants look European? Our man in New Hampshire ROBERT BIRNBAUM talks to novelist about her new book, love for boys, and respect for the Prime Minister. (Personalities | July 29, 2004)

Birnbaum v. James Wood

Our man in New Hampshire Robert Birnbaum talks to critic and author James Wood about his professional dilemmas, what makes for appealing style in fiction, and which stings more, getting panned as a critic or as a novelist. (Personalities | July 13, 2004)

Birnbaum v. Michael Lewis

Author Michael Lewis talks with ROBERT BIRNBAUM about his wave-making book Moneyball and the current state of baseball, plus what’s good and bad with journalism today, Red Sox paranoia, and the joys of screenwriting. (Personalities | June 23, 2004)

Of Recent Note: For Summer 2004

Of interest lately are special books, catchy songs, lovely clothes, and a slew of other wonderful items we’ve collectively enjoyed the last few weeks, and now wish to pass along for your very own summer pleasure. THE WRITERS recall and review. (Opinions | June 10, 2004)

Birnbaum v. Jim Harrison

Our man in New Hampshire Robert Birnbaum talks to Jim Harrison, author extraordinaire, about life in Montana, female chauvinism, navel-gazing in New York, and how a good MFA program might be established. (Personalities | June 7, 2004)

Birnbaum v. Ben Jones

Some nights you want a period romance, some nights a claustrophobic babble-drama, and some nights you just want a ripping adventure story that will keep you awake. ROBERT BIRNBAUM talks to novelist Ben Jones about his new book of Arctic exploration. (Personalities | May 27, 2004)

Birnbaum v. Rachel Cohen

Ulysses S. Grant and Elizabeth Bishop never met, but we can imagine how the conversation might have gone. Robert Birnbaum talks to author Rachel Cohen about her book of road trips and crossed paths, including many of America’s best writers. (Personalities | May 3, 2004)

Birnbaum v. Edwidge Danticat

America may believe in its own exceptionalism, but it’s also been exceptionally involved in Haiti’s history. Our man Robert Birnbaum talks to American Book Award-winner Edwidge Danticat about the current state of Haiti and the current state of her stories. (Personalities | April 20, 2004)

Birnbaum v. George Pelecanos

Most cities (save New York) have a crime-writer-in-residence, and D.C. is lucky to call George Pelecanos a local. Robert Birnbaum talks to the author about his new book, the daily grind, and what it’s like to write a TV show with a dream team of novelists. (Personalities | April 5, 2004)

Birnbaum v. Laurie Lynn Drummond

We know the lives of cops from TV shows, movies, and maybe an uncle who retired from the squad, but those versions are rarely true to police officers’ real struggles. ROBERT BIRNBAUM talks to former cop and lauded storyteller Laurie Lynn Drummond about life behind a Louisiana badge. (Personalities | March 25, 2004)

Birnbaum v. Francesca Delbanco

It’s easy for twenty-somethings to believe their lives are monumental and truly complex, but what if it’s true? Robert Birnbaum talks to first-time novelist Francesca Delbanco about the pleasures of Los Angeles, solidarity in friends, and going nuts in Montana. (Personalities | March 16, 2004)

Birnbaum v. Brian Greene

Living in three dimensions can be hard enough, but ten? More than ten? Robert Birnbaum engages physicist and author Brian Greene in a fascinating conversation about string theory, science writing, and the type of nightmares that haunt contemporary physicists. (Personalities | February 26, 2004)

Birnbaum v. Ana Menendez

The U.S. understanding of Cuba often begins with embargoes and ends with Castro trying out for the Yankees. Robert Birnbaum speaks with Cuban author Ana Menendez on Fidel, Che, and fomenting passionate revolutions. (Personalities | February 18, 2004)

Birnbaum v. Rafael Campo

Understanding ourselves better may be the key to getting better. Robert Birnbaum speaks with writer and physician Rafael Campo on the role literature and expression play in the healing process, and what’s being done about it. (Personalities | January 29, 2004)

Birnbaum v. Henry Petroski

The next time your imperfect car breaks down perfectly, remember, someone designed it that way. New Hampshirite Robert Birnbaum talks to author and former engineer Henry Petroski about the effects of design in our lives. (Personalities | January 21, 2004)

Birnbaum v. Jonathan Lethem

The dead may know Brooklyn, but it’s the living who make it. Author Jonathan Lethem talks to the handsome Robert Birnbaum about his new book, how to handle savage reviews, and the process of remembering his hometown from far away. (Personalities | January 7, 2004)

Birnbaum v. Peter Carey

To win the Booker Prize twice certainly requires talent, but to celebrate only one of the winnings suggests a particular madness. Robert Birnbaum talks to author Peter Carey about his new book, private schools in New York, and the terrors found in boredom. (Personalities | December 16, 2003)

Birnbaum v. Dale Peck

Being the most hated man in literature isn’t easy, but it helps to have a backbone of lauded novels behind you, plus an actual hatchet for publicity stunts. Our man Robert Birnbaum talks to novelist and former critic Dale Peck. (Personalities | December 3, 2003)

Birnbaum v. Anne Garrels

For many, Anne Garrels’s voice became the most trustworthy stream of information broadcast from Iraq. Robert Birnbaum has a frank discussion with the author and NPR Iraq correspondent, one of only 16 non-embedded journalists to remain in Baghdad for Operation Shock and Awe. (Personalities | November 18, 2003)

Birnbaum v. Charles Baxter

Covering topics such as his new book Saul and Patsy, Chekhov’s medical career, politics, Minnesota, and what it’s like to have your work made into film, author Charles Baxter talks to the intrepid Robert Birnbaum. (Personalities | November 4, 2003)

Birnbaum v. Julie Orringer

American literature may over-adore the short story, but that doesn’t mean some great stories aren’t being written. ROBERT BIRNBAUM talks to writer Julie Orringer about New Orleans, snarkism, and the relative ease of brain surgery. (Personalities | October 22, 2003)

Birnbaum v. Gail Caldwell

A critic’s life can be a happy one, with the right frame of mind. Robert Birnbaum talks to Pulitzer-prize winner Gail Caldwell about a life well read, 19th-century novels, and the changing of hearts. (Personalities | September 30, 2003)

Birnbaum v. Douglas Coupland

It’s a good world when Americans and Canadians can still get along. In his first interview for TMN, ROBERT BIRNBAUM talks to author Douglas Coupland about Columbine, art projects, pus-bags, and that sexy country of sin up north. (Personalities | September 4, 2003)

The Dalai Labrador, 1996-2008

(Galleries | July 28, 2008)

Saturday, November 21, 2009

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