Funds for Bookworm are provided in part by Lannin Foundation.

Boots!

Where would we be without boos?

Where would we be without good?

No, Tiberg.

It's a rhetorical question, sir.

But where would we need without books?

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

I want to begin by celebrating that, as most of you know, the theme songs for the show are by

Sparks, that that movie, Annette, that they made with Leo's Karach's has recently been released.

I hope you're all seeing it. Sparks has been a part of the show since many years ago, but also part of the show for many years

is the magnificent writer, Richard Powers. Today, we're going to talk about his new novel,

Bewilderment.

It's his 13th novel.

Am I right, Richard?

That's right.

And my fourth time on the show.

And the fourth time on the show. We've done events publicly together.

We've had the privilege of being together with David Foster Wallace. We've eaten

meals together. It's been a rare pleasure to know Richard Powers from his very first book

onward. That first book was recommended to me by my teacher and mentor and really father figure, John Barth. The book was three farmers on their way to a dance. And now with me is my guest, the beloved Sean Sullivan, who is one of the two major colleagues who work on Bookworm with me.

I'm privileged to have them.

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