Funds for Bookworm are provided in part by Lannin Foundation.

Boots!

Where would we be without boos?

Where would we be without good?

No, Zendiburg.

It's a rhetorical question, sir.

But where would we need without books?

From KCRW and KCRW.com, I'm Michael Silverblatt, and this is Bookworm.

Today, I'm thrilled to have across from me, Dave Eggers, whose new novel, a hologram for the king,

crept into my apartment by complete surprise.

I wasn't expecting it didn't know. He had a new book.

And I think it's wonderful.

If there was a testament to the American, older, upper middle class.

It was once Death of a Salesman, and we still love this play.

This is Death of a Salesman set in the post-industrial America,

a man about whom we would have said attention must be paid.

And now he's in Saudi Arabia trying to sell merchandise.

He doesn't much understand called IT and telepresencing to the king of Saudi Arabia.

And he's ready?

How does he know how to talk to the king of Saudi Arabia?

Like any salesman, he knows the king's nephew.

And rather than this being an extended joke,

...