Episode 33: Mao II

Episode 33: Mao II

From Don DeLillo Should Win the Nobel Prize by Jeffrey Severs & Michael Streit

February 2, 2026 · 2h 60m · Episode 33

About this episode

The episode explores the themes and dialogues in Don DeLillo's novel Mao II, focusing on the intersections of literature, culture, and terrorism.

“Here they come, marching into American sunlight.” In Episode 33, DDSWTNP follow Mao II from this opening line into a chilling view of a mass Moonie wedding at Yankee Stadium, and on into the story of reclusive novelist Bill Gray, whose work, maybe, has a chance of deprogramming the mind and language of Karen Janney, one of the participants in that wedding – but maybe not, given the totalizing dominance by images that this novel documents. Our conversation delves into the several rich dialogues Mao II is known for, especially that about (quoting Bill) the “curious knot that binds novelists and terrorists,” the differing attempts by writers and bomb-makers to “alter the inner life of the culture” and “make raids on human consciousness” that DeLillo juxtaposes in this novel, which follows the writer from his cloying “bunker” to London, Athens, and (almost) Lebanon, while also taking in scenes from Iran, China, and the homeless encampments of lower Manhattan. Throughout we discuss the many followers of and sequels to Mao and Maoism DeLillo analyzes, all the ways his characters foolishly seek, outside the values of deep reading and the novel, scenes of “total vision” and messianic…

People in this episode

Hosts: Jeffrey Severs, Michael Streit

Topics covered

  • DeLillo's Mao II
  • novelists and terrorists
  • cultural consciousness
  • mass weddings
  • total vision
  • language of being noticed

Keywords

  • Mao II
  • DeLillo
  • Bill Gray
  • Karen Janney
  • terrorism
  • cultural consciousness
  • Andy Warhol
  • mass weddings
  • total vision

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Mao II

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