May 13, 2008An interview with Nicholson Baker author ofHuman Smoke: The Beginnings of World War II, the End of Civilization.Baker delivers a deeply moving indictment of the treasured myths that have romanticized much of the 1930s and '40s. Incorporating meticulous research and well-documented sources – including newspaper and magazine articles, radio speeches, memoirs, and diaries – the book juxtaposes hundreds ofinterrelated moments of decision, brutality, suffering, and mercy.
