American radio isn’t all shockjocks and foaming-at-the-mouth evangelicals–National Public Radio (NPR) is sort of like an American version of BBC Radio 4, which makes it an object of fear-and-loathing among those who think Ann Coulter is a rational human being. (Her latest musings ooze under the rubric “Liberals Love America Like O.J. Loved Nicole“.) But bolstered by a humongous bequest of $200 million from Joan Kroc, widow of the founder of McDonald’s, the NPR franchise will probably manage to withstand any crimp on federal funds that will doubtlessly occur when the Bush Administration, like Wile E. Coyote caroming over a cliff, realises the ground has disappeared beneath its feet.KCRW, “National Public Radio’s Southern California flagship station,” broadcasts an outstanding show called “Bookworm,” hosted by Michael Silverblatt. Previous interviewees number Seamus Heany, John Banville, Marin Amis, Orhan Pahmuk, Doris Lessing, Ian McEwan and dozens of other heavyweights. David Mitchell and Alan Hollinghurst are upcoming guests.As you would expect by now, it’s all freely available here. Sometime the Web actually does life up to the hype.