From a Slate interview with Jonathan Franzen, America’s most indubitably Franzenish novelist:

Globally, inequality is falling. You may not have known that, because within countries, inequality is rising. We live in dangerous times. Why? We talked to the man who wrote the book on it.

Some people read the New York Times Book Review section for the book reviews. Other, smarter people read the New York Times Book Review just for the descriptions of the self-published books.

This month, New York advertising man and chronicler of the wealthy set Richard Kirshenbaum (pictured) published a new book, “Isn’t That Rich? Life Among the 1%.” We tried to interview him about it. It did not work out.

Rhonda Byrne got very very rich by writing a book called The Secret, which contains much pseudoscientific/ mystical horse shit. Why can’t Rhonda Byrne get THE SECRET to work for herself?

Mark Leibovich, a national correspondent for the New York Times Magazine, is one of the few prominent "mainstream" political reporters who does not make you despair for journalism. He's zesty! And he's here now to answer your question on Washington, politics, power, and his new book.

Economic inequality in America has reached staggering levels. Union membership has reached all time lows. What is the future of labor in America? Let's discuss it right now, with author and labor expert Stanley Aronowitz.

In the writing world, there is a hierarchy. The writers are on the bottom. Above them are editors, who tell the writers what to change. This is backwards. How many good writers has Big Edit destroyed?

Veteran foreign correspondent, well-loved war reporter, and author of the extraordinary Iraq War book Black Hearts Jim Frederick died suddenly last week of a heart attack in Oakland, California. He was 42 years old.

Ken Silverstein, a veteran of Harper's, the LA Times, and many other places, is one of America's great crusading balls-to-the-wall lefty investigative journalists. His new book explores power, intrigue, and corruption in the global oil industry. He will be answering your questions at 1 p.m. Ask your question now!

Mike Allen is the most famous journalist at THE POLITICO. His "Playbook" newsletter sets the agenda for much of DC's media class. Mike Allen's dad, Gary Allen, was a racist, lunatic right wing author. Let's peruse one of his books, shall we?

Life is maddening and dull. People are treacherous. It is impossible to have any peace without being lonesome. Our species fell into a trap of words and routines. William S. Burroughs was born a century ago today, made many detailed complaints to the Management, and died in 1997.

With our most gracious and endearing apologies, we now present to you, in alphabetical order, the 22 Least Important Writers of 2013. Please enjoy, if possible.

The New Yorker is trolling us, or Boston, or both.

Veteran journalists and married couple George Rush and Joanna Molloy spent 15 years as gossip columnists at the New York Daily News, earning a reputation as the more upstanding yin to Page Six's take-no-prisoners yang. Rush and Molloy will be here at 2 p.m. to discuss their new book, Scandal. Ask them gossipy questions below!

"Ja Rule Wants to Write Cookbook of Microwaveable Recipes." Why not?

David Gilmour is a singer in Pink Floyd. The less famous David Gilmour is an author and professor at the University of Toronto. That David Gilmour is, as of today, most famous for declaring that "What I teach is guys."

"The idea of a writing workshop makes me want to throw up," says Choire Sicha, who's right about writing workshops.

Jack Handey has written "Deep Thoughts" for Saturday Night Live, "Shouts and Murmurs" for The New Yorker, and last week published his first novel, The Stench of Honolulu. He is one of the funniest living writers in the world today. He spoke to us via email about comedy, the perils of notoriety, and the best nut.