Comments on: Author interviews

Question: Author interviews

Dumsnill — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 15:54:09 -0800

What is the best author interview you have found?

I don't care about any particular genre, all I care about is: Do you have a favorite author? If yes: Do you have a favorite interview with that person? If so, can you give me a link?

If this is too chatfiltery, remove.

By: cowbellemoo

cowbellemoo — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:04:42 -0800

William Gibson's interview-umentary is pretty good. Both for it's intellectual headiness and nerdy novelty.

By: ijsbrand

ijsbrand — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:07:40 -0800

Kurt Vonnegut's interview with himself is very good. As are most interviews with authors in The Paris Review.

By: Dumsnill

Dumsnill — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:18:06 -0800

Thanks, that's kind of what I'm what I'm looking for, but not quite. (But it's very much in the right direction.

By: Wolfster

Wolfster — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:19:32 -0800

I really like the science fiction author Octavia Butler, and although Charlie Rose was really not doing well giving the interview (poor questions/odd statements), Octavia managed to present interesting material. I love this interview.

Another favorite author is Ray Bradbury, and he gave great interviews.

Finally, the best author interviews I have ever heard were done by Studs Terkel (eg, an interview with Gore Vidal). Unfortunately, I can't find youtube links - I find a collection of the interviews on a CD in the library, but it is a starting point if you are interested

Good luck

By: Dukat

Dukat — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:48:20 -0800

This Friedrich Duerrenmat interview that touches on philosophy, Hegel, free will, and how he would have written Romeo and Juliet warms every corner of my nerd heart.

By: Dumsnill

Dumsnill — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:49:45 -0800

Sure, but again, I was more thinking along the lines of this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ldpj_5JNFoA

(an interview with Navokov)

But I would like it to be long and in writing

What I really would like to see is a (written) interview with one of your favourite writers, about his/her work-habits. But above all: "Here is my favorite writer: This is how he/she works."

By: grapefruitmoon

grapefruitmoon — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:51:03 -0800

Interview with Jack Kerouac.

Yup, he's my favorite.

By: Dumsnill

Dumsnill — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:58:27 -0800

I realize this is sort of nonsensical, of course, but go back to the original question: What is your favourite author interview?

Leave all else aside.

By: Dumsnill

Dumsnill — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:14:14 -0800

Oh, thanks grapefruit, that looks kinda cool!

By: IndigoJones

IndigoJones — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:14:39 -0800

As well ask who is my favorite author, or what my favorite interview.

That said-

Funny you should ask. Just last night I ran through the six parter on youtube that comprise an hour with Bernard Cornwell.

Not claiming him as my favorite writer, but he's an engaging talker.

More writerly would be Evelyn Waugh. There's a good interview with him on the BBC, choppy, alas, but interesting if you like Waugh. Lot of good other stuff on that site as well.

Sorry not written, but what the hell. Writing is dying medium.

By: Dumsnill

Dumsnill — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:18:24 -0800

It is, but thanks IndigoJones.

By: nameless.k

nameless.k — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 18:09:56 -0800

I like this interview with Robert Olem Butler which I think is along the lines of what you're looking for.

Something slightly less writerly, but my favorite interview in writing is this one with Cormac McCarthy.

By: suedehead

suedehead — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 18:40:45 -0800

David Foster Wallace has an interview with Charlie Rose, which is really great. DFW's been interviewed to death about Infinite Jest by now, and Rose knows this, so what he does is to be really circumspect in his questions. For example: Charlie Rose introduces DFW's books, and then starts with a question about the occupation of DFW's father (which really doesn't have that much to do with DFW's writing itself) and then slowly segues into DFW himself. He gives a lot of space to Wallace to spout out on a lot of things, including David Lynch, his own graduate schooling, etc. It's one of the least intrusive interviews I've seen ever, and one of the few interviews in which DFW is mildly comfortable with talking a lot and talking a lot about talking.

Also: this interview between David Foster Wallace and Michael Silverblatt, on KCRW. It's a really intelligent and thoughtful interview (enough so that DFW at one point says "I feel like I want to ask you to adopt me.") You can tell DFW liked the discussion and was impressed by Silverblatt because he comes back to talk on the show five more times.

By: suedehead

suedehead — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 18:41:53 -0800

Oops, sorry, also not in writing. Writing's not dying!

By: martens

martens — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 23:23:43 -0800

Vonnegut and (my fave) Joseph Heller.

By: otio

otio — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 13:46:43 -0800

The Paris Review has an archive of author interviews and those interviews have always been focused on writer's working habits.

Dalkey Archive has a nice collection, too.

A couple of my favorites from elsewhere.

Thomas Bernhard
Gilbert Sorrentino

By: whimsicalnymph

whimsicalnymph — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 11:27:22 -0800

Ol' Bill Faulkner.

By: Dumsnill

Dumsnill — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 12:09:15 -0800

After having read through all answers, I'm favouriting most of them. Not because they're all brilliant, but because they all helped me, they all pointed me in the direction of something interesting.

By: IndigoJones

IndigoJones — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 09:07:41 -0800

Slaps forehead

Shelby Foote, of course. (He's done many, but this is a good one to start with)