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Novelist Benjamin Cheever.

Novelist Benjamin Cheever. He's written a second novel, "The Partisan," (Atheneum). It follows on the heels of his first novel, "The Plagiarist." Both books are funny novels. Of his first, one reviewer wrote, "Wit and pathos, so finely meshed they become inseparable, buoy the main events in this achingly funny first novel. . . This is a touching, entertaining debut." Ben is the son of the late writer John Cheever. In writing his novels Ben said he finally found his own voice, separate from his father's. Ben was also the editor of "The Letters of John Cheever," published in 1988. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

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Other segments from the episode on March 7, 1994

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, March 7, 1994: Interview with Nguyen Qui Duc; Interview with Benjamin Cheever; Review of ZZ Top's album "Antenna."
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23:13

Journalist Nguyen Qui Duc.

Journalist Nguyen Qui Duc. He works for KALW-FM in San Francisco, supplies commentaries to NPR and received the Overseas Press Club's 1989 Award of Excellence for his public radio series about returning to Viet Nam. Nguyen has written a new memoir about his family's struggle during and after the war. NGUYEN's father was an official in the South Vietnamese government who was captured by the Viet Cong and imprisoned for 12 years. In 1975, Nguyen gained passage to the U.S. on a cargo ship, and moved about from relative to relative until he settled in California.

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11:18

Writer Ben Cheever

Writer Ben Cheever's new book is called Selling Ben Cheever: Back to Square One in a Service Economy (Bloomsbury). In 1995, Cheever lost his publisher and was not able to sell his third novel. To continue working, he decided to take jobs at chain bookstores, car dealerships, and sandwich shops. His book is about his 5 years working in the 'service economy.' Cheever's novels include The Plagiarist, The Partisan, and Famous After Death. He has been a newspaper reporter and an editor at Reader's Digest.

Interview
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22:18

Writer Benjamin Cheever.

Benjamin Cheever is the son of the late John Cheever. Ben is also a writer, and he grew up in the shadow of his father's fame. He's just written his first novel, for which he says he finally found his own voice, separate from his father's. "The Plagiarist" (Atheneum) is loosely based on Ben's life, and the time he spent working at "Reader's Digest" magazine. Ben was also the editor of "The Letters of John Cheever," published in 1988.

Interview

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