Yann Martel is a dream interview, and a fun, unpretentious guy. Right before his big Baron Lecture with at least 1,100 people in attendance his feet, pointed together like a little boy too anxious to be up and about captured his spirit perfectly.
Then, when the introductory speaker misspoke & said Life of Pi was his 2nd book, he leapt up, whispered in her ear, held 3 fingers up, then sat down, then jumped back up & whispered some more. Once returned, she corrected herself & said Life of Pi was his 3rd book. Whether it was planned or spontaneous, it was good theatre & epitomized the man, who spent the better part of an hour talking about process of writing the Man Booker Award winning title and how it led him to belief.
Trendsetter or the Hermit?
Someone remind me to comment on Edward P. Jones vs. Michael Chabon. Jones will either go down as a total crank or a Great One most people missed, while Chabon epitomizes everything society currently believes a cool author must epitomize - a guest shot on The Simpsons (which apparently excited his father more than the Pultizer), clever pop references, perfect wardrobe, & accessible, literate novels who is warring for the re-including genre frameworks into literature. He is the accepted platinum standard at present. I’ll be curious to see what history says about both.
The day ended w/Rob Bell giving his first presentation as an author, not as a pastor. It was good enough, with fresh stories and metaphors, but not up to his reputation. Though, you know, he’s only human and it was his first time.
(Cross-posted at: http://www.ninetyandnine.com/word )
Tags: Chabon, Jones, Martel, Rob Bell