Funds for Bookworm are provided in part by Lannin Foundation.

Boots!

Where would we be without boos?

Where would we be without good?

No, Timberg.

It's a rhetorical question, sir.

But where would we be without books?

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

And boy, do I have a story to tell you today.

This is something that makes me very happy.

My guest is Jonathan Blum.

His book, A Novella, is called Last Word.

And I guess my story begins in a bakery where a gentleman came up to me and said,

are you Michael Silverblad?

And I said, I am. And he said,

we're a huge fan of your show, but my nephew is an even bigger fan of your show. And he's a writer,

and he's going to be publishing his first book.

I said, sit down, you know, welcome.

Would you be sure that he sends it to me?

And you know, it is the case that the more welcoming you are, the less likely it is that

you'll get the book.

I don't know why.

...