One of our greatest American novelists, William T. Vollmann, has a new novel coming out early next year. And it’s a big one in every way. Bill is known for massive works of both fiction and non-fiction, but the new novel, A Table For Fortune, is his longest. I mean like Remembrance-of-Things-Past long, covering 3400 pages over four volumes. It might also be his masterpiece. Considering Vollmann’s body of work, that’s a very high bar.
Bill’s not only a great writer. He’s also my friend. We initially met when I was in grad school at San Diego State, just about the time his second book The Rainbow Stories came out. And I’ve had the privilege of interviewing him for all his books since I started at KBOO. From Last Stories and Other Stories in 2015 to his most recent, Shadows of Love, Shadows of Loneliness in 2023.
This month on Jonesy, we’ll be celebrating the upcoming novel, and its author, by re-airing my two most recent interviews with Bill. First for his novel The Lucky Star from April 2020. And then, on the September 25th show, for his career-spanning two-volume set Shadows of Love, Shadows of Loneliness, from October 2023. And an interview for A Table for Fortune, closer to its release next March, is in the works. I hope our little tribute to Bill helps whet your appetite for the new book.