The Avid Reader Show

Mitchell Zuckoff, author of Lost In Shangri La

James Reeves, author of The Road To Somewhere

Lisa Genova, author of Left Neglected

Ransom Riggs, author of Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children

Michael Byers, author of Percival's Planet

Nina Burleigh, author of The Fatal Gift Of Beauty

Jerry Blavat, author of You Only Rock Once

Lev Grossman, author of The Magician King

Lev Grossman, author of The Magician King

Amor Towles, author of "Rules Of Civility"

Stefan Merrill Block author of The Storm At The Door

Lily King author of Father of the Rain

Sam talks to Lily King, author of Father of the Rain, a New York Times editor's choice book.

Michael Sims author of E.B. White, The Story of Charlotte's Web

Michael Sims, whose new biography of E.B. White, The Story of Charlotte's Web, has been featured on NPR and in USA Today. Also, join us at Wellington Square Bookshop on Thursday, July 28th from 7:00-9:00PM for a signing by Michael Sims and a Charlotte's Web giveaway!

Kate Christensen author of The Astral

Sam talks to Kate Christensen, author of The Astral (2011) and The Great Man, which won the 2008 PEN/Faulkner award.

David J. Linden author of The Compass of Pleasure..

On this edition of the Avid Reader, Sam talks with David J. Linden, professor of neuroscience at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He's the author of "The Compass of Pleasure: How Our Brains Make Fatty Foods, Orgasm, Exercise, Marijuana, Generosity, Vodka, Learning and Gambling Feel So Good."

Craig Johnson author of Hell is Empty

Listen in to the Avid Reader interview with Craig Johnson, author of Hell is Empty and six other Walt Longmire mysteries (coming soon to A&E!).

Erik Larson author of The Devil in the White City..

In 2003, Erik Larson published "The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair that Changed America" to an incredible response from critics and readers. His latest book, "In the Garden of Beasts," follows the first American ambassador to Nazi Germany.

Geraldine Brooks author of Caleb's Crossing

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks joins Sam on this edition of the Avid Reader. Her newest novel, CALEB'S CROSSING, tells the story of the first Native American to graduate from Harvard University.

Jean Thompson author of The Year We Left Home

Sam talks to Jean Thompson, whose newest novel, The Year We Left Home, follows an Iowa family over three decades.

Alice Ozma author of The Reading Promise

When Alice Ozma was in fourth grade, she and her father made a pact: he would read aloud to her every night for 100 nights. 100 nights quickly turned into 1000, and when they saw no reason to stop their tradition, the reading streak continued for nine years-- until Ozma left home for college. Alice talks to Sam about her journey through L. Frank Baum's Oz series, Shakespeare, J.K. Rowling, and Dickens. Sickness, sleepovers and teenage rebellion threaten to break the streak, but Alice and her fat...

Adam Haslett author of Union Atlantic

In his novel Union Atlantic Adam Haslett describes a global economic crisis similar to our own. He and Sam discuss writing and economics in novels on this edition of the Avid Reader.

Peter Mountford author of A Young Man's Guide to Late Capitalism

Sam talks to Peter Mountford, author of A Young Man's Guide to Late Capitalism.

Arthur Phillips author of The Tragedy of Arthur

Arthur Phillips, author of Prague and The Tragedy of Arthur, joins Sam on the Avid Reader Show.

Lionel Shriver author of So Much for That

On this edition of the Avid Reader, Sam talks Lionel Shriver, whose newest novel So Much for That is now available in paperback. In 2005, Shriver was awarded the Orange Prize for her eighth novel, We Need to Talk About Kevin. She shares her thoughts on writing, social novels, and questionable book covers assigned to female authors.

Jonathan Evison author of West of Here

Jonathan Evison joins Sam to talk about West of Here, his epic novel of the Pacific Northwest.

David Halperin author of Journal of a UFO Investigator

David Halperin talks about his coming-of-age novel Journal of a UFO Investigator. It's a story of aliens, alienation and imagination set in the 1960s.

Bradford Morrow author of Diviner's Tale

Sam talks to Bradford Morrow, author of the Diviner's Tale and editor of Conjunctions literary magazine.

Justin Kramon author of Finny

Justin Kramon talks to Sam about his debut novel Finny, a coming-of-age tale set at a Maryland boarding school and featuring a "Dickensian coterie" of secondary characters.

Téa Obreht author of The Tiger's Wife

An interview with Téa Obreht, whose debut novel "The Tiger's Wife" has been receiving rave reviews. She's also the youngest member of the New Yorker's list of the 20 best writers under 40!

Karen Russell author of Swamplandia!

Karen Russell talks to Sam about her first novel, Swamplandia!, a family tale set at a shabby tourist attraction in the Everglades.

Kim Edwards author of The Memory Keeper's Daughter

The author of The Memory Keeper's Daughter joins Sam on this edition of the Avid Reader to talk about her new book, The Lake of Dreams.