Writer John McPhee

When the way of new literary journalism kicked in in the 1960s, it quickly hit a fork in the road.

On one branch, the bravura prose of Hunter S. Thompson and Tom Wolfe. Wild, wonderful, almost psychedelic. On the other branch, John McPhee. Masterfully-crafted hyper-realism grounded in stone and ice and fishing line. Breath-taking, minutely-observed detail drawn from sport and earth, and obscure and amazing characters.

McPhee took the craft of literary non-fiction to the realm of art. Now he’s brought it home.

This hour, On Point: a conversation with the master, John McPhee.Guest:

John McPhee, Pulitzer prize-winning writer and journalist. His career as a staff writer for the New Yorker goes back to 1965. He’s the author of over 30 books, including his latest, “Silk Parachute.”