The five books Rich can’t live without.

Topic: Nathaniel Rich's Literary Canon

Nathaniel Rich:Probably I would say The Master and Margarita, by Mikhail Bulgakov is maybe my favorite book, and I tried to imitate it as m- or rip it off as much-- not rip it off. I’m saying I tried-- it was a big inspiration writing The Mayor’s Tongue. I- I-- there were a lot of things that- that Bulgakov does in that book that I tried to- to assimilate into my book. Flann O’Brien, At Swim-Two-Birds is the funniest book I know. I would include also a Dickens book, but I don’t- maybe Bleak House-- that’s three. Two more books? It, by Stephen King, which I haven’t read since I was- in about 17 years or 15 years, but I loved that book a lot when I read it. And, I don’t know, In Cold Blood maybe? I was just re-reading part of it so it’s fresh in my mind. But that was-- I remember reading that at a young age and it- it’s really sticking with me.

Recorded On: 3/17/08