The Paris Review Interviews Vol 4

Literary journal The Paris Review interviews as many of the famous writers in the world as it can find, always about their creative processes as much as their careers. This 4th volume of collected interviews is another gem, with a wide range of writers featured, from Jack Kerouac to P.G. Wodehouse, and it's all introduced by Salman Rushdie. In fact, Wodehouse, interviewed at the age of 93, is asked his opinion of Kerouac who, it transpires, he hasn’t realized has died: “Gosh, they do die off, don’t they?” is his response to the news. The interviews are fascinating on the creative process, but also to see where the conversations wander. Haruki Murakami talks about Radiohead, Marianne Moore talks about the Brooklyn Dodgers, Paul Auster talks about typewriters. The interview with Stephen Sondheim is a little odd, as it’s a transcription of an episode of Inside the Actor’s Studio, but Sondheim is good value nonetheless. The highlights are many, with Philip Roth and Marilynne Robinson particularly good value on the influences in their work, and V.S. Naipaul particularly confident about the value of his work. All fascinating, and as valuable to readers as it will be to budding writers. [Ryan Agee]