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.

Hi, this is Mike Sulfobblatt, and this is Bookworm.

We're here this afternoon with Ishmael Reed, the author most recently of the Terrible

Three's, but author also of the Terrible Twos.

These two books are part of a projected Christmas trilogy, and among his other books are the freelance Paul Bearers, Yellowback Radio Broke Down, Mumbo Jumbo, Reckless Eyeballing, Flight to Canada.

He also writes poetry, essays, has edited anthologies, has been the editor of a book series.

I read books, which has introduced a number of new writers to American literature,

to American readers, and I'm very happy to have them here in the station.

Thank you, Ishma, for being here.

These books are, in many cases, satirical visions of America.

They're kind of a counter-American history.

And I thought I'd begin, since you are doing the terrible twos and the terrible threes,

I'd begin by asking you about the terrible fours.

Have they started?

The terrible fours has been written.

Right.

But I've taken notes and I have an idea of how it's going to begin. And I have a number of scenes in mind for the Terrible Fours.

But they're a kind of ongoing sense of the 70s, the 80s culture.

In the middle of the Terrible Two's, there's a kind of vision of the 70s, the 80s culture. In the middle of the terrible twos, there's a kind of vision of paradise,

...