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Wisconsin Public Radio

Program 05-04-03-A

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There's no writer who's hipper, more self-consciously knowing, than David Foster Wallace. But even he can take only so much ironic hipness. He says it is relentlessly corrosive to the soul. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, assessing the state of fiction, with David Foster Wallace and other writers.

SEGMENT 1:

Deborah Treisman is fiction editor of The New Yorker magazine. George Saunders is one of her star writers. He's the author of the short story collections "Pastoralia" and "CivilWarLand in Bad Decline." Treisman and Saunders join Steve Paulson to talk about writing and publishing short stories. Treisman says some things have loosened up at The New Yorker, but she thinks the magazine's basic aesthetic is the same. Saunders says how much he enjoys the editing process.

SEGMENT 2:

Elliot Perlman is a Barrister in his native Australia. He's also the author of a novel called "Seven Types of Ambiguity," told by seven different narrators. Perlman reads from the book and tells Jim Fleming that stories grow out of the relationships between people. Also, Jennifer Weiner is one of the star authors of chick lit. She tells Anne Strainchamps that she's made her peace with having a less-than-Ivy-League literary reputation, despite her Princeton education. Weiner's books include "Good in Bed," "In Her Shoes" and "Little Earthquakes."

SEGMENT 3:

David Foster Wallace has been the poster boy for a certain kind of dazzling, virtuostic fiction. His latest collection of short stories is called "Oblivion." Wallace tells Steve Paulson he's getting tired of irony and that he's very serious about the mission of fiction.

Cassette copies are available at 1-800-747-7444. Ask for program number 05-04-03-A.

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Books:

• David Foster Wallace, Oblivion (Little Brown)
• Elliot Perlman, Seven Types of Ambiguity (Riverhead)
• George Saunders, Pastoralia (Riverhead)
• Jennifer Weiner, Little Earthquakes (Atria)

Music:

• After Treisman & Saunders:
  One Ring Zero w/ "The Ghost of Rita Gonzalo"
  on As Smart As We Are
  Soft Skull Press
• After Perlman:
  "Bedazzled"
  on The Score
  Mojo
• After Weiner:
  Barbara Lewis w/ "Baby, I'm Yours"
  on The Bridges of Madison County soundtrack
  Warner Bros. Records
• After Wallace:
  Les Baxter w/ "Voodoo Dreams"
  on Ultra-Lounge
  Capitol Records
  

Distribution dates:

week of 07/30/2006 - hour 2 week of 04/03/2005 - hour 1

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Questions and comments can be addressed to: flemingj@wpr.org

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