“Stories, both my own and those I’ve taken to heart, make up whoever it is that I’ve become.” So writes author Peter Orner, whose life has always centered around books, both as a writer and as an educator. In his new collection of essays, “Am I Alone Here?: Notes on Living to Read and Reading to Live,” the San Francisco State Professor combines literary reflections with personal memories, delving into theories on literary giants like Kafka and Chekhov, and also exploring his relationship with his deceased father. Orner joins us in-studio to discuss the connections between literature, life, memory and identity.
Reading About Reading About Reading: On Peter Orner’s ‘Am I Alone Here?’ (KQED Arts)