Episode 57 — Hari Kunzru

Summary: Hari Kunzru is the guest. He's the author of four books, the most recent of which is a novel called GODS WITHOUT MEN, now available from Knopf. David Mitchell, author of 'Cloud Atlas,' calls it a "beautifully written echo chamber of a novel." Publishers Weekly, in a starred review, calls it "a pitch-perfect masterwork." Kirkus calls it "an astonishing tour de force." And Marie Arana, writing for the Washington Post, raves: "Kunzru is wise beyond his years, [a] novelist in superb command of his craft. . . . In his dazzling new novel, a desert is the setting, hero and villain. . . . Here is where the walking wounded come to pray to Yahweh, Allah, Vishnu, Coyote, the Brothers of Light. Here are cynical veterans from WWII, hard-bitten GIs fresh from Iraq, randy communards, washed-up bankers, wasted groupies. Here is death, sex, and rock-and-roll." So pleased to have Hari on the program. Topics of conversation include: 9/11, the desert, Los Angeles, research, Motel 6, road trips, mirages, nuclear weapons, aliens, skepticism, UFOs, religion, spirituality, ethics, the unknown, meaning, atheism, family, structure, organization, failure, fellowships, New York City, Martin Amis, London, Brooklyn, reviews, nerves, and early success. Monologue topics include: National Geographic, predators, wolves, crocodiles, gazelles, the law of the jungle, dreams, dogs, and the movie idea about the dead man and the dead dog.