The Moment With Brian Koppelman

Ethan Canin is the author of two short story collections (Emperor of the Air & The Palace Thief) and a number of novels including his latest, A Doubter's Almanac. On today's show, Ethan discusses one of his favorite lines in literature (4:30), the state of contemporary fiction (14:30), and why he believes America has yet to learn how to teach English (23:00). Plus, Ethan reflects on the influence of Raymond Carver on writers of his generation (28:00), the types of characters he tends to consider in his work (31:00), and why he's trying to do "the difficult thing." (41:00) A Doubter's Almanac is available now by clicking here. Topics mentioned: A Doubter's Almanac by Ethan Canin Emperor of the Air by Ethan Canin Dreams of My Father by Barack Obama The Palace Thief  by Ethan Canin "A Silver Dish" by Saul Bellow The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein Moby Dick by Herman Melville The Adventures of Augie March by Saul Bellow Tenth of December by George Saunders City of Thieves by David Benioff The Sun Also Rises by E