In 1999, Margot Livesey sat down next to James at the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference and changed his life forever. Margot talks about her incredible career, the role of art in the current political climate, which of her books she loves best, and her wonderful new novel, MERCURY. Then, social scientist and Associate Professor in the Department of Government at Harvard University, Ryan Enos, recommends books to understand the 2016 presidential election.
THE GUINEVERES began as a short story, but when the characters wouldn’t leave Sarah Domet alone, she saw them through an entire (fantastic) novel. Sarah tells James about her reluctance to admit she wanted to be a writer, what it was like to read from her debut novel at the high school that partially inspired it, and how she juggles writing and parenting. Plus, agent Michelle Brower of Zachary Shuster Harmsworth discusses what an agent does from signing an author to publication to promotion.
Sarah and James discuss:
Amy Einhorn
Michelle Brower
Sewanee Writers’ Conference
Brock Clarke
Hannah Tinti
ONE STORY
John Milton
George Saunders
Aimee Bender
Judy Budnitz
Kelly Link
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Italo Calvino
Jorge Luis Borges
THE WOMAN WHO CUT OFF HER LEG AT THE MAIDSTONE CLUB AND OTHER STORIES by Julia Slavin
CARNIVORE DIET by Julia Slavin
THE PARTICULAR SADNESS OF LEMON CAKE by Aimee Bender
LINCOLN AT THE BARDO by George Saunders
Kurt Vonnegut
IF ON A WINTER’S NIGHT A TRAVELER by Italo Calvino
LIVES OF THE SAINTS
THE STORY OF AVIS by Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward
“Walking Out” by David Quammen
A FAN’S NOTES by Frederick Exley
THE VIRGIN SUICIDES by Jeffrey Eugenides
THE PRIME OF MISS JEAN BRODIE by Muriel Spark
THE BOYS OF MY YOUTH by Jo Ann Beard
IN ZANESVILLE by Jo Ann Beard
Cormac McCarthy
Michelle & James Discuss:
ORPHAN TRAIN by Christina Baker Kline
A LITTLE LIFE by Hanya Yanagihara
GONE GIRL by Gillian Flynn
WE SHOW WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED by Clare Beams
THE GUINEVERES by Sarah Domet
Alexander Chee