I haven’t listened to it yet, but this should be interesting. (Thanks, Matthew!)
Those who are having trouble with the feed (as I am) might want to try this link.
[UPDATE: Listening to it now. Terry Gross has actually compared The Echo Maker with Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Good lord, Curtis White was right.]
The BookExpoCast page has podcasts of the National Book Awards ceremony, including Richard Powers’ speech (beginning at around 31:42). (via The Written Nerd)
New York Review of Books: “So if [Richard Powers is] so good, why isn’t he better known? Let me put it another way —why haven’t his books won more medals? It’s as if juries have recognized the prodigious talent, the impressive achievement, and have put him onto short lists, but then have drawn back, as if they’ve suddenly felt that they might be giving an award to somebody not quite human—to Mr. Spock of Star Trek, for instance. He’s got a Vulcan mind-meld on the critics, all right, but could it be that he’s just not cozy enough at the core—that he’s too challenging, or daunting, or— dread word—too bleak?” (Thanks Matthew!)
First Vollmann, now Powers. It seems the folks at the National Book Foundation and I are in sync these days. At last report, shortly after the ceremony closed up, the poor man was mobbed.
For those who are absolutely new to Richard Powers (and what a treat you’re in for, if you are), here are some good places to start (I’ll add more to this list later):
REVIEWS/DISCUSSION OF THE ECHO MAKER
INTERVIEWS
