Our man in Boston sits down for a frank accounting with Tony Horwitz, author of beloved works like Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches From the Unfinished Civil War. Here they chat about his new book on John Brown—still a divisive figure in America, particularly in these days of terrorism—and the
Our man in Boston sits down for an extended chat with author Joan Wickersham about her new story collection, lurking near architects, the wisdom of good editors, how to profit from artist colonies, and the benefits of avoiding the MFA trap.
Our man in Boston sits down for an extended chat with the author of Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, covering Kissinger's travel woes, the beauty of track meets, and the very best place to be a fiction writer in America: Dallas.
Our man in Boston talks to screenwriter and novelist Attica Locke about writing in Hollywood, the origins of her second novel, and where exactly British prisoners locate the moral heart of The Wire.
Our man in Boston puts the mighty Charles Yu in the ragtop and interrogates him over his background, dystopian fiction, lawyering for a day job, his lack of a creative writing graduate degree, Apple thingies, and why economists operate under pen names.
Our man in Boston sits down with Martin Amis for their sixth chat to discuss Nabokov, dictionaries, spiteful reviews, the death of Christopher Hitchens, and the freedom of writing fiction.
Our man in Boston talks with writer Ron Rash about his latest book, America's great regional voices, the high percentage of readers in New Zealand and Australia, and the misery that accompanies putting a novel together, where it's rather more fun to stick pencils in your eyes.
Our man in Boston sits down with the author of The Financial Lives of the Poets to talk about his latest novel, how to survive in Hollywood, the ins and outs of contemporary publishing, and that unheralded Paris of the Northwest, Spokane.
Our man in Boston and the author discuss her latest novel, Enchantments, the writing process, how book reviewing works at the New York Times, what it's like to be nastied, and the life and times of two writers raising children without a television in the house.
Our man in Boston talks to the Pulitzer-winning novelist about his new memoir, Thoughts Without Cigarettes, as well as nights in New York, parks in Berlin, how publishing currently compares to Indian restaurants, what life would be like if Mambo Kings hadn't hit it big, and the difficulties of writ
The rise and fall of Richard Nixon has been the subject of many histories, but perhaps none so insightful as Thomas Mallon's latest novel Watergate. A conversation about crime, ambition, booze, and Christopher Hitchens.
Our man in Boston talks to author and artist Ben Katchor about the history of picture-stories—from the days when literature included drawings to our current world of (sadly) more purified genres.
Our man in Boston sits down for the sixth time with Russell Banks to discuss his latest novel, the movie business, Mitt Romney, the emigration of investigative journalists, and why it's wise to wait until your 70's before writing about obsessive love.
Our Man in Boston sits down for this third conversation with author, critic, and book-world majordomo Sven Birkerts to talk about the current reviewing situation, the best books of 2000, and Amy Winehouse.
A chat between our man in Boston and the writer Nicole Krauss about her latest book, in which her latest book is barely discussed.
Our man in Boston sits down with the Pulitzer-winning novelist to discuss Australian literature, Harvard's (neglected) charter to educate American Indians, and those residents of Martha's Vineyard who say no to Chardonnay.
Booker Prize-winner John Banville discusses writing crime novels under a pseudonym, hanging around with authors who own multiple homes, and why literature takes longer to produce than pulp.
Our man in Boston and Jim Shepard, the author most recently of You Think That's Bad, discuss whacko projects, researching short stories by jet, and how much gold it takes for a writer to dump Knopf's Gary Fisketjon.
Our man in Boston sits down with the extremely likeable Arthur Phillips to chat about everything, including his latest novel.
Our man in Boston sits down with the author of the "Berlin Noir" trilogy and other books, to talk about detectives, Nazis, and Impressionist writing.
Our man in Boston sits down with writer Andre Dubus III to discuss the differences between memoir and autobiography, Harvard and UMass students, and when it is inappropriate to send an email.
Our man in Boston talks with memoirist and historian Carlos Eire to discuss Cuba and Operation Peter Pan, when 15,000 children were airlifted away from their parents.
Our man in Boston sits down with author Gretel Ehrlich to talk about daily life in the Arctic Circle, good wine, Tom McGuane, and how to go online from an off-the-grid cabin in Wyoming.
Our man in Boston sits down with Scott Spencer, author most recently of Man in the Woods, to talk about writing, dogs, and show business.
Our man in Boston speaks Mary Roach, author most recently of Packing for Mars, about severed-hand fan mail, writing in an office, and Coke in space.
Our man in Boston talks to the author of Super Sad True Love Story about writing in the near-future, signing readers' e-readers, and abusing a six-foot bong.
Our man in Boston talks with author (and TMN contributor) Jessica Francis Kane about a tragedy during the Blitz that's the focus of her new novel, The Report.
Our man in Boston sits down with author and New Yorker editor Ben Greenman to discuss independent publishing, the edges of art, and Celebrity Chekhov.
Our man in Boston sits down to chat with author Jennifer Egan about her new novel, A Visit From the Goon Squad, and what it's like to write in PowerPoint.
Ten years after their first conversation, author David Mitchell and our man in Boston discuss 18th-century Japan, shoplifting from other novels, and Mitchell's annual Christmas party.
A conversation with Australian novelist Richard Flanagan about the erosion of book culture, Nicole Kidman's genius, and souls that are ever underline-able.
Our man in Boston goes the distance with author and New Yorker editor David Remnick in a conversation about President Obama, magazine publishing, and American Idol.
Our man in Boston talks to Michael Ondaatje about why he writes novels, how he measures satisfaction, and when fiction can succeed by operating like poetry.
Our man in Boston 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.
Our man in Boston chats with author Gil Adamson about Toronto's literary mafia, the fact-checking that plagues novelists, and the difficulty of listing 10 Canadian writers.
Our man in Boston 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.
In a wide-ranging discussion, our man in Boston talks with novelist and skeptic James Howard Kunstler about life as it is, life as it could be, and life as we may encounter.
Straight from Boston, a conversation with author Amy Bloom on her latest book, Away, the benefits of the writing life, and the tedium of extra-long novels.
Our man in Boston sits down with author Elizabeth Strout to talk about Maine, her latest novel, and the plights of the modern writer. Now with audio excerpts.
The estimable Chip Kidd, designer of books' fronts, backs, and spines, chats with our man in Boston about what it's like to work on the words that come in between.
Three novels under his belt, Arthur Phillips sits down for a chat with our man in Boston about his commitment to fiction writing and, a challenge on quite another level, finding the discipline to focus on one piece at a time.
It's humans' flaws that make the world go round, and novelist Susanna Moore examines them under intense magnification. She chats with our man in Boston about crime and punishment.
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 about the appeal of novels and the state of publishing.
Transplanted Irishman Colum McCann has just finished a ramble with Gypsies in his newest novel, Zoli. A conversation about the Romany people, the perils of writing novels tied to history, and more.
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.
The Mick Jagger of British literature is out with another book slated to be a hit. A conversation about everything important under the sun: getting older, the differences between life in Uruguay and London, and the best ways to write fictional footnotes.
Our man from the north country toasts the new year by conversing with the novelist and editor about her thoughts on the state of therapy, storytelling, and the novel.
Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie talks about her new book and the Biafran War, being African in America, and the distorted picture of Africa created by the media.
Historian Sean Wilentz talks about social studies versus history, purple prose in founding-father biographies, and how "states rights" started trumping slavery in Jefferson Davis's memoirs.
Reporting a civil war in Africa sounds tough, but try investigating a 40-year-old crime in America's quietest suburb. A chat with journalist Sebastian Junger about his new book on the Boston Strangler.
The great American novel doesn't exist--except in the minds of marketers (and those who believe New Yorkers write the best books). A conversation with Susan Straight about regional writing, as American as apple pie.
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.
Writer and off-the-charts associater Lawrence Weschler talks about his new book, Everything That Rises: A Book of Convergences, plus publishing as an act of citizenship and the joy of sideways learning.
Author and 2005 Rooster winner David Mitchell talks about his new novel, Black Swan Green, the appeal of Bill Evans, and the differences between sex and writing.
The fascinating author and journalist Richard Reeves talks about writing Reagan, founding New York magazine, and covering Lévy's America more than 20 years ago.
Should "America" only include the United States? Does art criticism matter when it doesn't account for emotions? A conversation with author Alberto Manguel about working with Borges and responding to paintings.
Politics can be dangerous in some parts of Africa, but childhood can be even more risky. A conversation with Uzodinma Iweala about what's breaking the continent apart--and what's holding it together.
Author and Columbia professor Andrew Delbanco, named by Time as "America's Best Social Critic," talks about his new Melville biography--one that's actually enjoyable to read.
Strings, branes, and baryogenesis--our man in Boston is guided through contemporary science by one of the country's top theoretical physicists, Lisa Randall.
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?
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 about bravery, ideology, and changing opinions.
American business has preserved the conformity of the '50s but ditched the job security--what happened? A conversation about the terror of applying for jobs when experience doesn't matter.
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.
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.
A reactionary shudder is sweeping through the book world as the status quo realizes it's terrified of literature. Our man in the mountains speaks with author Jonathan Lethem, who tears into the idea of "realist" vs. "anti-realist" fiction.
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.
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? A conversation with the extraordinary author about the craft.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 chats with Contributing Writer Kevin Guilfoile about his new novel.
Prejudice cannot be defeated entirely, but it can be fought with courage and stamina, and with really good lawyers. Our bookish reporter in Boston has a fascinating conversation with scholar Deborah Lipstadt about her six-year battle with Holocaust denier David Irving.
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? A conversation with novelist Jonathan Safran Foer about his new book, the writing life, and what it's like to be reviewed by Updi
Writers often imagine editors as dolts with hearts of coal and brains of corn; writers, frequently, are self-absorbed paranoid ignorant dilletantes. A conversation about how the publishing system really works and the life of a Celtics fan who only loves Bird.
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 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.
Few writers have all their books in print; extremely few have almost a hundred in circulation. A conversation 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.
What would a 1950s family near Niagra Falls say about an episode of The Sopranos? Why does America so easily forget its ordinary heroes? A conversation 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.
Our man in Boston talks with 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.
If we spend so much of our lives thinking and worrying about sex, is it any surprise the involved emotions are tied to chemicals? A conversation with 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.
No one can escape their past, and everyone once had parents who made mistakes. Our New Hampshire correspondent chats with the wonderful Cynthia Ozick about the underpinnings of her new novel, the rewards of touring, and exactly how do publishers think.
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 about her new novel that was 10 years in the writing, and her slide from upstanding daughter to rebel with a clause.
Grave mistakes have been made in Iraq, but there's still room for hope. A conversation 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.
Our Boston correspondent 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.
Our New Hampshire correspondent 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.
Our man in New Hampshire 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.
Once upon a time, the CIA was stocked with Yalie do-gooders, liberal spooks who were going to change the world. A conversation with the master novelist and former agent about a dying breed, posing as a reporter undercover, and the different ways to describe success in publishing.
Is the American publishing world a playground for pansies? Do all diners in fancy New York restaurants look European? Our man in New Hampshire talks to the novelist about her new book, love for boys, and respect for the prime minister.
Our man in New Hampshire talks with 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.
Author Michael Lewis talks 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.
Our man in New Hampshire talks with Jim Harrison, author extraordinaire, about life in Montana, female chauvinism, navel-gazing in New York, and how a good MFA program might be established.
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. A conversation with novelist Ben Jones about his new book of Arctic exploration.
Ulysses S. Grant and Elizabeth Bishop never met, but we can imagine how the conversation might have gone. A conversation with author Rachel Cohen about her book of road trips and crossed paths, including many of America's best writers.
America may believe in its own exceptionalism, but it's also been exceptionally involved in Haiti's history. A conversation with American Book Award-winner Edwidge Danticat about the current state of Haiti and the current state of her stories.
Most cities (save New York) have a crime-writer-in-residence, and D.C. is lucky to call George Pelecanos a local. A conversation with 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.
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. A chat with former cop and lauded storyteller Laurie Lynn Drummond about life behind a Louisiana badge.
It's easy for twenty-somethings to believe their lives are monumental and truly complex, but what if it's true? A conversation with first-time novelist Francesca Delbanco about the pleasures of Los Angeles, solidarity in friends, and going nuts in Montana.
Living in three dimensions can be hard enough, but 10? More than 10? Our man in Boston engages physicist and author Brian Greene in a fascinating conversation about string theory, science writing, and the type of nightmares that haunt contemporary physicists.
The U.S. understanding of Cuba often begins with embargoes and ends with Castro trying out for the Yankees. A conversation with Cuban author Ana Menendez on Fidel, Che, and fomenting passionate revolutions.
Understanding ourselves better may be the key to getting better. A conversation with writer and physician Rafael Campo on the role literature and expression play in the healing process, and what's being done about it.
The next time your imperfect car breaks down perfectly, remember, someone designed it that way. Our man in N.H. talks to author and former engineer Henry Petroski about the effects of design in our lives.
The dead may know Brooklyn, but it's the living who make it. Author Jonathan Lethem talks about his new book, how to handle savage reviews, and the process of remembering his hometown from far away.
To win the Booker Prize twice certainly requires talent, but to celebrate only one of the winnings suggests a particular madness. A conversation with author Peter Carey about his new book, private schools in New York, and the terrors found in boredom.
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.
For many, Anne Garrels's voice became the most trustworthy stream of information broadcast from Iraq. 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.
The author covers 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.
American literature may over-adore the short story, but that doesn't mean some great stories aren't being written. A conversation with writer Julie Orringer about New Orleans, snarkism, and the relative ease of brain surgery.
A critic's life can be a happy one, with the right frame of mind. A conversation with Pulitzer-prize winner Gail Caldwell about a life well read, 19th-century novels, and the changing of hearts.
It's a good world when Americans and Canadians can still get along. A conversation with author Douglas Coupland about Columbine, art projects, pus-bags, and that sexy country of sin up north.
