The Very Telling: Conversations With American Writers

by Sarah Anne Johnson (Editor)

Once again, Sarah Anne Johnson offers insightful interviews with some of today's most popular and accomplished writers. Steeped in a thorough knowledge of each writer's work, Johnson asks about a range of topics on the writing craft, nurturing fictional ideas, and the daily practice of writing. The authors offer insights and practical advice that will delight their fans and be cherished by aspiring writers. Michael Cunningham recalls how the structure of The Hours evolved as he wrote it. Edwidge Danticat honors the Haitian storytelling tradition she encountered in her childhood. And Jonathan Lethem reflects on working from inside and outside the literary establishment.

Johnson's interviews have been praised for her "thoughtful and knowledgeable questions" (Bloomsbury Review) that "provoke thoughtful responses from her subjects" (Publishers Weekly) and provide "an opportunity to participate in intimate and often illuminating dialog" (Library Journal). Her previous collection, Conversations with American Women Writers (UPNE, 2004), was described as "17 miniature instruction books on craft" by Publishers Weekly.

Other writers interviewed include Rick Moody; Donna Tartt; Myla Goldberg; Mary Gaitskill; Ha Jin; Bret Anthony Johnston; Edward P. Jones; Chang-rae Lee; Alice Mattison; Nancy Rawles; Marilynne Robinson; le thi diem thuy; and Mary Yukari Waters.

206 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2006

About the author

Sarah is the author of The Lightkeeper's Wife, The Very Telling, The Art of the Author Interview, and Conversations with American Women Writers. Her interviews appear in The Writer's Chronicle, Glimmertrain Stories, Provincetown Arts, and The Writer where she is a contributing editor. Her fiction has appeared in Other Voices, and she is the recipient of residencies in fiction from Jentel Artists' Residency Program and Vermont Studio Center. She has taught the Art of the Author Interview Workshop at Bennington College Writing Seminars MFA Program, Leseley University MFA Program, and at literary conferences.

Reviews

[Deana]

Really enjoying this collection of interviews. If you're interested in writing fiction I would highly recommend this book. It's inspiring to read about how some authors go about crafting their work. I feel like highlighting the whole damn thing because there are so many great quotes!