The “zone of interest” refers to the outer perimeter of the Auschwitz concentration camp. But in the hands of Martin Amis, one of the greatest authors in the English language, it becomes the terrain for a love story—though one with a violently unromantic setting. In a novel powered by both wit and pathos, Amis excavates the depths and contradictions of the human soul. He is joined in conversation by Donna Seaman, senior editor for Booklist.

This program was recorded on October 30, 2014