How do you meld a novel about the legacy of the Vietnam War with a gritty underworld

of contemporary Las Vegas?

Food Tran will join us to talk about his debut novel, Dragonfish.

And when I devised the letters, Susie's letters to her daughter, I think that's when I

found the novel because that became the emotional backstory for everyone's story in the novel.

Haven't heard of the short story writer Lucie Oberlin?

Ruth Franklin will be here to tell us why we should.

I wouldn't say whimsical, but the connections she makes are so random and surprising sometimes

that there's a constant sense of delight that comes out of the stories.

Alexander Alter will fill us in with the latest from the literary world.

Greg Cole's has bestseller news, and will let readers and listeners give us their feedback

on their favorite summer reading.

This is Inside the New York Times Book Review.

I'm Pamela Paul.

Who Tran joins us now?

He is the author of Dragonfish, reviewed by Chris Abani in this week's Book Review.

Hi, Boo.

Hi, Pamela.

So you are speaking to us actually from the, from Breadloaf in Vermont, which is an ideal

place for writers.

Are you working on another novel up there?

No, no.

...