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Best of the Book Nook: An Open Book: Coming of Age in the Heartland and Readings:Essays and Entertainments by Michael Dirda

Vick Mickunas' 2003 interview with Michael Dirda

When Michael Dirda made his only appearance on the show back in 2003 we were right in the middle of our fall fund drive. I had a big stack of copies of Michael's books for station supporters to obtain. We got a flurry of phone calls that hour from listeners who were apparently delighted by the book talk they were hearing on their radios. After the program ended Michael autographed every single copy for listeners. The entire stack had been claimed.

During our interview we talked about how this kid from a working class family in Lorain became one of our greatest book lovers. Michael has been a long-time book reviewer for The Washington Post. He has won the Pulitzer Prize for his criticism.

I'm quite a book lover myself. Oh, did we ever have fun talking about books on that long ago day back in October of 2003!

The Book Nook on WYSO is presented by the Greene County Public Library with additional support from Washington-Centerville Public Library, Clark County Public Library, Dayton Metro Library, and Wright Memorial Public Library.

Vick Mickunas introduced the Book Nook author interview program for WYSO in 1994. Over the years he has produced more than 1500 interviews with writers, musicians, poets, politicians, and celebrities. Listen to the Book Nook with Vick Mickunas for intimate conversations about books with the writers who create them. Vick Mickunas reviews books for the Dayton Daily News and the Springfield News Sun.