[Most] interviewers are ever only interested in their questions and not the answers, I find. When you get a really good answer, you're not supposed to skip over it and go to the next question. You're supposed to seize the opportunity to find out more and continue a line of conversation. For example there's this part where JF wonderfully explores how he went about shaping Purity. As the reader and lover of the novel there are things I want to know here. He starts out saying he wanted to write about this marriage. (And then there was a child, and then an internet leaker, and so on.) It's a great beautiful moment where we are actually getting some insight into how JF kind of put it all together. My question then would be, ok, but so why not just write about the marriage and stop with that. How does it continue to where you're adding in the next bit, the child and the next bit, and so on. You see? This is a thought process I want to dig deeper into. Similarly with the beautiful answer about psychological objects and a waking world akin to dream world. Damn, so many things I want to talk to Franzen about. The interviewer just moves right on to his next little index card. Do you not know who you're talking to? What a missed opportunity.
[Most] interviewers are ever only interested in their questions and not the answers, I find. When you get a really good answer, you're not supposed to skip over it and go to the next question. You're supposed to seize the opportunity to find out more and continue a line of conversation. For example there's this part where JF wonderfully explores how he went about shaping Purity. As the reader and lover of the novel there are things I want to know here. He starts out saying he wanted to write about this marriage. (And then there was a child, and then an internet leaker, and so on.) It's a great beautiful moment where we are actually getting some insight into how JF kind of put it all together. My question then would be, ok, but so why not just write about the marriage and stop with that. How does it continue to where you're adding in the next bit, the child and the next bit, and so on. You see? This is a thought process I want to dig deeper into. Similarly with the beautiful answer about psychological objects and a waking world akin to dream world. Damn, so many things I want to talk to Franzen about. The interviewer just moves right on to his next little index card. Do you not know who you're talking to? What a missed opportunity.
Photos are for memories -- as in to refresh a memory or view a lost one.
Great interview. Medley asked several questions I've been telling myself I would ask if I found myself in line for the mic.
Franzen is heavy. This is great.
He was talking to a hipster as he said that. The host is obviously hipster, hence the awkward laughter.
Why couldn't you just write a novel that includes real baseball player names?
man, franzen is so stuffy and pretentious. decent writer, i guess.
Great writer!
Franzen is a genius!