Funds for Bookworm are provided in part by Lannin Foundation.

You are a human animal.

You are a very special breed.

Or you are the only animal.

Who can think, who can reason, who can read.

The cow goes moot.

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

This show was recorded before a live audience at the Union Square Barnes & Noble bookstore

in Manhattan.

Today my guest is Isabella Yende on the occasion of the publication of her novel

Portrait in Sepia from Harper Collins.

One of the great pleasures of talking to Isabella Yende is that she takes an interviewer

seriously.

So I happened to mention to her last time we were together that I read Spanish and that I love to read

Spanish and around two weeks later a big package came to my house all of Isabella

All of Isabella Yende's work hardcover in Spanish signed with a tulip the characteristic tulip that you'll be seeing on all of your books as well.

And I have been reading Isabella Allende in Spanish.

Very good.

There's a reason for that, Michael.

It's PR.

I wanted to begin by saying

Isabel has said that she writes her books in order to bring order to chaos.

...