PROGRAM: TO THE BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE

PROMO FOR 5/3/2009  "From Suburbia to the Surreal: Writers' Lives"
*John Cheever was sometimes called the "Chekov of the Suburbs."
Cheever's characters often find themselves struggling with issues of
conformity and class in American suburbia. Much like their creator
himself. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge we'll explore the
life and work of John Cheever with his biographer, Blake Bailey. Also,
the playful, postmodern fiction of Donald Barthelme. 

PROGRAM RUNDOWN:"From Suburbia to the Surreal: Writers' Lives"

0:00 - 1:00 Billboard (1:00)

1:00 - 6:00 SILENCE (5:00)

6:00 - 22:21        SEGMENT 1: (16:22)
            Blake Bailey is the author of the new biography "Cheever:
            A Life."  He tells Steve Paulson that John Cheever wrote
            hundreds of short stories and kept an extensive private
            journal, fabricated his accent and was primarily gay
            despite siring three children and remaining in a long
            marriage.  We also hear Cheever reading from "The
            Swimmer" and Meryl Streep reading rom "The Enormous
            Radio."
                         
            Segment One Outcue:  "...PRI - Public Radio
            International."

22:22 - 22:51  LOCAL OPTION with music bed (:29)

22:52 - 37:59       SEGMENT 2: (15:08)
            Elizabeth Strout just won the Pulitzer Prize for her book
            "Olive Kitteridge."  Marilynne Robinson's most recent
            novel, "Home," was a finalist for the National Book
            Award. Her previous book, "Gilead," won the Pulitzer.
            Both woman joined Steve Paulson before a live audience at
            the Wisconsin Book Festival to read from their work and
            talk about it.  The writers discuss the appeal of small
            town life and their interest in religion and the question
            of how to live a good life. Listeners can find a video of
            the complete Book Festival session at ttbook.org.
            
                         
            Segment Two Outcue:  "...PRI - Public Radio
            International."

38:00 - 38:29       LOCAL OPTION with music bed (:29)

38:30 - 59:00       SEGMENT 3: (20:30)
            An excerpt from the "Earplay" production of Donald
            Barthelme's "The Photographs" sets up a conversation with
            Tracy Daugherty, author of "Hiding Man: A Biography of
            Donald Barthelme."  Jim Fleming asks Daugherty about
            Donald Barthelme, Senior, and the writer's passion for
            jazz.  Also, Natalie Goldberg is the author of many books
            about writing including the classic "Writing Down the
            Bones."  Her latest is "Old Friend from Far Away: The
            Practice of Writing Memoir."  Goldgerg tells Anne
            Strainchamps why she loves the memoir genre.
                    
            Segment Three Outcue: PRI Audio Logo


For a copy of this hour, call 1-800-747-7444, and ask for program number
5-3-A.


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