Episode · The Book Review · 2020-05-01
Lawrence Wright on The Book Review: books mentioned
Lawrence Wright on Researching a (Fictional) Pandemic
Gilbert Cruz discussed The End of October by Lawrence Wright, The Road by Cormac McCarthy, Thirteen days in September by Lawrence Wright, Wolf Hall by Mantel Hillary, Man of my time by Dalia Sofer, The Septembers of Shiraz by Dalia Sofer, and The Witch Elm by Tana French. Lawrence Wright discussed The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright. Alexandra Alter recommended How Do My Eyes See by Samantha Scott and others and The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, and discussed The Mothers by Brit Bennett. John Williams recommended Keep the river on your right by Tobias Schneebaum. Greg Cowles recommended Until the End of Time by Brian Greene, and discussed The elegant universe by Brian Greene and The Dream Universe by David Lindley. Pamela Paul recommended The thirst by Jo Nesbø, and discussed The Snowman by Jo Nesbø.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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The End of October
Lawrence Wright’s novel The End of October explores a catastrophic global pandemic and its profound societal consequences.
Discussed“God save Texas going clear about Scientology the looming Tower and now a new book called the end of October which is a novel”
Where to get it
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The Road
The Road by Cormac McCarthy is a bleak, post-apocalyptic novel that follows a father and his young son as they walk across a burned America, striving to survive while holding onto their morality.
Discussed“you've said that the director Ridley Scott asked you a question after reading cormack McCarthy's the road and that that was your inspiration”
Where to get it
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The Looming Tower
The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright is a detailed non-fiction account tracing the origins of the war on terrorism, the rise of Islamic fundamentalism, and the events leading up to September 11.
Discussed“well after 911 when I was working on my book The looming Tower the Saudis wouldn't let me in as a reporter”
Where to get it
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Thirteen days in September
Thirteen Days in September by Lawrence Wright is a meticulously detailed chronological narrative that examines the intense diplomatic negotiations of the Camp David Accords.
Discussed“I mean 13 days in September was probably your most to my mind kind of straightforward chronological narrative”
Where to get it
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Wolf Hall
Wolf Hall by Mantel Hillary is an acclaimed historical novel that chronicles the meteoric rise of Thomas Cromwell in the court of Henry VIII.
Discussed“where do you then have that leap of imagination as Hillary mantel does in her Wolf Hall Trilogy like when do you decide to invent”
Where to get it
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Man of my time
Dalia Sofer's novel Man of My Time was discussed in depth on The Book Review in July 2024 during the episode titled Lawrence Wright on Researching a Fictional Pandemic.
Discussed“she is the author most recently of a new novel it's called man of my time and it's reviewed this week on the cover of the book review”
Where to get it
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The Septembers of Shiraz
Discussed“your first novel The septembers of Shiraz took place in the immediate aftermath of the re Evolution and as you just said you're talking in this novel that you know things have changed a lot in the subsequent 35 years”
Where to get it
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How Do My Eyes See
Little Eyes by Samanta Schweblin is a contemporary novel exploring the unsettling impacts of a fictional device that connects users globally.
Recommended“I just finished little eyes by Samantha schweblin who I interviewed remotely through a translator”
Where to get it
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The Mothers
The Mothers by Brit Bennett is a compelling contemporary debut novel set in a southern California community, exploring love, friendship, community secrets, and the lingering choices of youth.
Discussed“I'm very excited about Brit Bennett's new novel I loved her debut novel the mothers so I'm excited to read her next book”
Where to get it
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The Vanishing Half
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett is a compelling contemporary novel that examines family, racial identity, and the choices that shape our lives through the lives of twin sisters who choose to live in very different worlds.
Recommended“it's called The Vanishing half and it's coming out June 2nd so not so far away”
Where to get it
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The Witch Elm
The Witch Elm by Tana French is a suspenseful psychological mystery novel exploring memory, trauma, and family dynamics following a young man who returns to his ancestral home.
Discussed“actually it's fall but I just got word yesterday that there is a new ton of French coming this fall coming October her first book since the witch Elm which was a standalone”
Where to get it
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Keep the river on your right
Keep the River on Your Right by Tobias Schneebaum is a gripping memoir detailing the author's transformative journey deep into the Peruvian Amazon where he lived among indigenous people and participated in cannibalistic rituals.
Recommended“it's a book called keep the river on your right by a writer named Tobias sneal”
Where to get it
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Until the End of Time
Until the End of Time by Brian Greene is a sweeping exploration of mind, matter, and humanity's search for meaning in an evolving universe through the lens of theoretical physics.
Recommended“in the meantime I am reading Brian Green's new book until the end of time which applies theoretical physics to the biggest questions of existence like for instance why is there existence”
Where to get it
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The elegant universe
The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene is a bestselling exploration of string theory, quantum mechanics, and the quest for the ultimate physical theory of reality.
Discussed“green you may remember is he's the Columbia physicist who U first made a name for himself more than 20 years ago for the general public as an advocate for string theory with his book The Elegant universe”
Where to get it
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The Dream Universe
Discussed“this is a book that in some ways feels very much like it's in conversation with David linley's the dream universe that just came out which argues that physics has become too theoretical”
Where to get it
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The thirst
Jo Nesbos novel The Thirst was featured prominently on The Book Review during the July 2024 episode titled Lawrence Wright on Researching a Fictional Pandemic.
Recommended“I just finished reading a book by Joe Nesbo called The Thirst and I understand from the publisher Koff that it's yo Nesbo”
Where to get it
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The Snowman
The Snowman is a gripping crime thriller by Jo Nesbø that follows detective Harry Hole as he investigates a chilling series of murders.
Discussed“the first ybo that I read I am calling him yo you're right it is good um the first yo NBO that I read was the Snowman a few years ago while traveling in Germany and that was another Harry Hole mystery”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (5) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“he is a staff writer at the New Yorker the author of many many excellent books including 13 days in September which was a 10 best books of the New York Times book review”
“God save Texas going clear about Scientology the looming Tower and now a new book called the end of October”
“God save Texas going clear about Scientology the looming Tower and now a new book called the end of October”
“God save Texas going clear about Scientology the looming Tower and now a new book called the end of October”
“there have been great very sad flu novels they came like swallows comes to mind by William Maxwell and many other ways in which you could explore this”