In Conversation
encounters with great writers
Ben Naparstek
‘Polished, stylish starkly observant and studded with insights. A fascinating read.’
Readings Monthly
Why did Jay McInerney once blow up a lavatory? Why does Peter Handke still mourn the passing of Slobodan Milosević? Why does Michel Houellebecq miss being in a psychiatric hospital? Why doesn’t Wole Soyinka want to visit Australia? And what made Elfriede Jelinek afraid of receiving her Nobel Prize?
From Ben Naparstek, the editor of The Monthly, comes a collection of interviews with 40 of the world’s best writers. In the course of these remarkable encounters, he finds out why — amongst other things — Tony Judt refuses to debate Christopher Hitchens, why Umberto Eco snubbed Stanley Kubrick, why John Malkovich threatened to shoot Robert Fisk, and why James Wood wants to hide behind a pseudonym.
In Conversation offers a series of personal and provocative portraits that illuminate what makes great writers tick.
Reviews
‘Naparstek knows exactly how to pitch a story. He has a finely honed ability to write a profile – usually in about 2000 words – which is a critical evaluation of a career, a neat explanation of why the subject is worth interviewing and a sharp sketch of the individual larded with pithy quotes that illuminate the writer’s work for both the casual reader and the expert … In short, he is a very fine colour feature writer. … that this is an exceptional introduction to the best modern writers.’
Sydney Morning Herald
