A women reads a book under the sun in the Luxembourg gardens in Paris, on July 1, 2010.

A women reads a book under the sun in the Luxembourg gardens in Paris, on July 1, 2010.

A special March Readers’ Review: Diane and her guests discuss why fiction matters. A recent study indicates that fewer than half of all Americans are reading novels today. It suggests that those who do read fiction are better able to understand the emotions of others. A conversation about the social and personal benefits of reading fiction.

Guests

  • Rebecca Mead Staff writer, "The New Yorker" and author, "My Life in Middlemarch."
  • Mark Brazaitis Professor of English, West Virginia University; director, West Virginia Writers' Workshop; author, "Julia & Rodrigo."
  • Monica Hesse Writer, "The Washington Post" and author, "Burn."
  • David Kidd PhD candidate at The New School for Social Research in New York. He's also the lead author on "Reading Literary Fiction Improves Theory of Mind."

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