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, welcome to Bookworm.

This is Michael Silverblatt, and my guest today is Norman Mailer.

We're celebrating the publication of his new monumental book, Harlot's Ghost.

I wanted to begin by, I guess, referring to the end of an interview in your book,

Pieces and Pontifications.

You mentioned back then that you hadn't had as much of a chance to read as you'd been wanting to.

And now that you've at least reached a hiatus in the Harlan's Ghost cycle,

you have that chance.

If you were to be able to reload the mind computer, what would you fill it with now?

Yes.

What would you be reading now?

Oh, I think I would catch up on a great many of the Europeans, Calvino for one.

Oh, I don't know, all of them.

My mind boggles before the 15 or 20 important European writers.

I haven't read at all.

I'd catch up with some of the younger writers here.

I might sit down and read a great many of the women who've been developing reputation.

I mean, I haven't even read Antaer yet.

...