Episode · The Book Review · 2015-05-01
Books mentioned on Inside The New York Times Book Review: ‘The Life of Saul Bellow’
Gilbert Cruz discussed The Life of Saul Bellow by Zachary Leader, Missoula by Jon Krakauer, and Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer. Sam Tanenhaus recommended Dangling man by Saul Bellow, and discussed Herzog by Saul Bellow, The adventures of Augie March by Saul Bellow, Mr. Sammler's Planet by Saul Bellow, Seize the Day by Saul Bellow, Jenny Gerhardt by Theodore Dreiser, and Ravelstein by Saul Bellow. Greg Cowles discussed Beauty's Kingdom by Anne Rice, Garden of Lies by Jayne Ann Krentz, God Help the Child by Toni Morrison, The bone tree by Greg Iles, and And the good news is-- by Dana Perino. Also mentioned: Fun, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon, Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel, and Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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The Life of Saul Bellow
Discussed“Sam reviews this week Zachary leader new biography the life of sa Bellow to Fame and Fortune 1915 to 1964 this is the first in a planned two volume biography”
Where to get it
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Herzog
Herzog by Saul Bellow is a celebrated modernist novel following a beleaguered intellectual who writes frantic, unsent letters to friends, enemies, and historical figures while suffering a midlife crisis.
Discussed“yes this one concludes with a publication of Herzog which is probably still Bellow's most famous novel and the one that really did bring him Fame and Fortune”
Where to get it
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The adventures of Augie March
Discussed“the most obvious thing about his breakthrough novel The Adventures of Auggie March which was a kind of latterday Huckleberry Finn is that the first three words in the titled are exactly the same”
Where to get it
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Mr. Sammler's Planet
Discussed“your wonderful colleague Elida Becker at the book review retyped one of Bell's greatest manuscripts Mr samer's Planet when she worked at at the Viking press”
Where to get it
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Seize the Day
Discussed“for instance it's James Atlas who points out that the famous funeral scene in seiz the day where Tommy wilham and you know sees the day Pamela Tommy willhelm goes to the funeral parlor of a stranger”
Where to get it
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Jenny Gerhardt
Discussed“theodore drier's novel Jenny ghard one of his forgotten wonderful early novels”
Where to get it
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Dangling man
Dangling Man by Saul Bellow is a modernist epistolary novel that chronicles the anxious internal monologue of Joseph, a young man in Chicago waiting to be drafted into the army during the Second World War.
Recommended“if you want to be diligent you'll work your way through chronologically from dangling man published in 1944 all the way through Ravel steam”
Where to get it
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Ravelstein
Discussed“all the way through Ravel steam which some people love his novel about Alan Bloom is great friend”
Where to get it
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Fun
Fun Home by Alison Bechdel is a celebrated graphic memoir exploring family dynamics, sexuality, and the complex relationship between a daughter and her closeted father.
Discussed“one of them is fun home which is an adaptation of Allison beckel's graphic Memoir which is about her coming out as a lesbian and also discovering that her father who commits suicide is gay”
Where to get it
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The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Discussed“another play that got a lot of nominations was the Curious incident of the dog in the nighttime which is adapted from a 2003 novel by Mark Haden”
Where to get it
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Wolf Hall
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel is a historical fiction novel that chronicles the rise of Thomas Cromwell in the court of King Henry VIII.
Discussed“Wolf Hall Parts one and two was adopted for the stage by Mike poulton and it's a production of the royal Shakespeare company”
Where to get it
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Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow is a comprehensive historical biography that chronicles the life, political career, and lasting legacy of one of America's founding fathers.
Discussed“another incredibly popular adaptation that um is on the stage right now is of course Hamilton which was adapted from Ron Cho's bestselling biography of Alexander Hamilton”
Where to get it
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Missoula
Discussed“she reviews John kar's new book Missoula rape and the justice system in a college town”
Where to get it
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Under the Banner of Heaven
Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer is a compelling non-fiction investigation into fundamentalist Mormonism, religious extremism, and a brutal double murder rooted in the history of the Latter-day Saint movement.
Discussed“under the banner of Heaven um which was his book about Mormonism you say in your review that of all the books he written this one has the most in common with the book on Mormonism why is that”
Where to get it
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Beauty's Kingdom
Discussed“at number 12 there's a book called beauties Kingdom by a writer named a an rore”
Where to get it
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Garden of Lies
Discussed“and she's got a new book called Garden Of Lies set in Victorian London”
Where to get it
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God Help the Child
God Help the Child is a powerful novel by Toni Morrison that explores the lasting impact of childhood trauma and colorism through the journey of its protagonist, Bride.
Discussed“her new novel God help the child enters the list at number five”
Where to get it
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The bone tree
Discussed“it's called The Bone Tree this is book five of the pen cage series”
Where to get it
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And the good news is--
Discussed“she's got a new book called and the good news is dot dot dot dot dot dot kind of looking back at her life”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (12) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“it's the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and the adventures of Auggie March because he came from Chicago”
“and although it was adapted by Mike poulton um I managed to sit down with Hillary mantel the author of of Wolf Hall and bring up the bodies”
“I wonder if that happened to JK Rowling when she was working on Harry Potter that she saw these sort of film incarnations of her character”
“you know one of my favorite musicals from last season which is has sadly closed but the soundrack is available was also based on a book The Bridges of Madison County”
“now Kelly O'Hara which was who was so incredible in that show is in The King and I which you could also say is kind of very indirectly based on a book”
“now Kelly O'Hara which was who was so incredible in that show is in The King and I which you could also say is kind of very indirectly based on a book”
“he is the author of into the wild of Into Thin Air under the banner of Heaven um which was his book about Mormonism”
“he is the author of into the wild of Into Thin Air under the banner of Heaven um which was his book about Mormonism”
“she's also the author of sticks and stones defeating the culture of bullying and ReDiscover ing the power of character and empathy”
“about 20 years ago she did a Trilogy um called The Sleeping Beauty Trilogy”
“she's been a best seller going back at least to beloved”
“David balchi uh has a new book called memory man new at number one”