March 15th, 2008
“The only way to write a book is to write a book”.
That’s Anne Enright’s Tao of writing, as revealed in an interview in today’s Guardian Review. I’m currently reading Taking Pictures, Enright’s new collection of short stories. Unlike so many literary writers - writers who are supreme stylists - Enright always finds room for humour. In the interview she says her ideal reader is one who “gets the jokes”.
Although she is often accused of being a woman’s writer (probably because of her propensity for female narrators and characters), she declares that “Nobody calls me domestic, nobody says I am particularly feminine.”
Many of the stories are about motherhood, children, pregnancy and family and characters struggling with their roles and identities.
Elsewhere this week, Enright has also been taking about censorship in China.
Will post a review of Taking Pictures in the next few days.
March 15th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Did you read Making Babies - she says she wrote her books WHILE HER CHILDREN WERE SLEEPING.
My god, when my first baby was sleeping I sat and stared into space, possibly drooled a little bit.
I’m endlessly impressed by her urge to write.
March 16th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Sylvia Plath did the same and wrote before her kids woke up. Amazing.
I’m also reading it now, Sinead. She’s tremendously talented.