The Paris Review Interviews is truly a remarkable collection that serves as both a treasure for the curious reader and a valuable handbook for the aspiring writer. Spanning a 50-year period from 1956 to 2006, this phenomenal series of interviews delves deep into the art and craft of writing, offering something for almost everyone with an interest in reading or writing.

The collection features an impressive array of writers, including some of the biggest names in the literary world such as Hemingway, T.S. Eliot, and Jorge Luis Borges, as well as personal favorites like Dorothy Parker, Kurt Vonnegut, and James M. Cain. It also introduces readers to lesser-known writers like Rebecca West and Robert Stone. While the focus is primarily on fiction writers and poets, the collection also includes interviews with book and magazine editor Robert Gottlieb, legendary film director and screenwriter Billy Wilder, and essayist Joan Didion.

Each interview offers a unique perspective and valuable insights into the lives, works, and creative processes of the writers. Some interviews are more expansive and in-depth than others, but all contain a wealth of information, whether it's autobiographical, gossipy, or simply insightful. The interviews also touch on the influence of other writers and the broader literary and cultural context.
The centerpiece of The Paris Review Interviews is the interview with editor Robert Gottlieb, which is structured as a dialogue with some of the authors whose books he edited over the years, including Toni Morrison, Joseph Heller, Doris Lessing, John Le Carre, and Cynthia Ozick. This interview provides a fascinating glimpse into the editorial process and the relationship between editors and writers.
Overall, The Paris Review Interviews is a joy to read and a treasure trove of literary knowledge and inspiration. It offers a diverse range of voices and perspectives, and shows that there are no hard and fast rules for writing. Each writer has their own unique approach and style, and it's this individuality that makes literature so rich and vibrant. With three more volumes in the series, there's plenty more to discover and enjoy. [5★]

Interviewer (Plimpton): What would you consider the best intellectual training for the would-be writer?

Hemmingway: Let's say that he should go out and hang himself because he finds that writing well is impossibly difficult. Then he should be cut down without mercy and forced by his own self to write as well as he can for the rest of his life. At least he will have the story of the hanging to commence with.

Me: HAHAHAHAHA

This exchange between the interviewer and Hemingway is quite thought-provoking. Hemingway's rather extreme response about the would-be writer going through such a harrowing experience of hanging and then being forced to write can be seen as his way of emphasizing the intense dedication and struggle that he believes is required to become a good writer. It implies that the path to writing well is not an easy one and demands a great deal of perseverance and self-motivation. The humor in my response, "HAHAHAHAHA," might suggest a certain light-heartedness or perhaps a sense of disbelief at the extremity of Hemingway's statement. However, it also makes one stop and think about the true nature of the writing process and the sacrifices that writers often have to make.

Please provide the article that needs to be rewritten and expanded so that I can help you.

What are writers like? What makes them distinct? On platforms like Goodreads, for instance, they are the ones who pen their 'about me' sections in the third person. However, I had an inkling that there was far more to it than that.

When I was younger, I believed writers belonged to an entirely different caste of individuals. You couldn't become a writer; you had to be born one. In Poland, there are no creative writing courses because writing is not something that can be taught. It stems from divine inspiration rather than from mastering one's craft. Anyway, writing isn't just a craft. This attitude is accountable for the embarrassing quality of Polish literature. It depends on scattered gold nuggets rather than a rich gold mine.

I渴望了解关于作家和写作过程的一切。我是说，所有的一切！这本访谈录真是一大乐趣。作家们前来坦白他们做了什么以及他们是如何做的（唉，有些作家非常不情愿，我在看着你呢，海明威）。我本可以用我在书中精心划线的所有引语来填满这篇评论，但那可能需要一些时间。最终的结论是，没有正确的写作方式。选集中的每一位作家在某些时候都与另一位作家的观点相矛盾。

你可以边写边读，也可以不这样做。这会影响你的写作，也可能不会。你必须在对主题有强烈情感时写作，或者你需要等到自己冷静下来并超然物外。你必须对文学历史了如指掌，或者你甚至可能直到40岁才读《包法利夫人》。你需要在作品完成之前就给别人看，或者你永远都不能这样做。你需要创造新的隐喻并富有创意，或者恰恰相反——只使用那些已经确立的隐喻，因为只有它们才是真实的。你不能有隐藏的议程，或者你可以有，或者也许你甚至应该有。等等。

我在每一位作家身上都能找到自己的影子。这让我幻想着出版自己的书。当作家们告诉你他们是如何开始写作时，这似乎是你自己也可以做的事情。他们突然间不再显得比生命更伟大，而是给人一种普通人类的感觉（在他们成为作家之前，他们曾经也是普通人）。

我最喜欢的访谈是与罗伯特·戈特利布的访谈，他是曾与多丽丝·莱辛、托妮·莫里森、勒卡雷等作家合作过的编辑。这可能是最诚实、最迷人的一次访谈。你看，作家的问题在于他们就是作家。即使他们试图坦诚相待，他们也忍不住要像作家那样行事。他们最终还是会开始描写自己，因为这就是他们所做的，这就是他们的本质。有时他们会成为自己的创作。

If you've ever attempted to write or simply been curious about the creative writing process, these interviews will truly fascinate you.

I had anticipated some egotism and posturing, and indeed there is a touch of it, but most of the authors are astonishingly honest.

Even Hemingway, as he carefully selects what he wishes to discuss. The most delightful moments are when these writers offer their perspectives on their fellow writers.

Here's an example from Joan Didion: "There's a passage by Christopher Isherwood in a book of his called `The Condor and the Crows', in which he describes arriving in Venezuela and being astonished to think that it had been down there every day of his life."

Dorothy Parker remarks, "And I thought William Styron's `Lie Down in Darkness' an extraordinary thing. The start of it took your heart and flung it over there."

Best of all are their observations.

Ernest Hemingway states, "The most essential gift for a good writer is a built-in, shockproof, xxxx detector. This is the writer's radar and all great writers have had it."

James M. Cain opines, "But novel writing is something else. It has to be learned, but it can't be taught. This bunkum and stinkum of college creative-writing courses! The academics don't know that the only thing you can do for someone who wants to write is to buy him a typewriter."

Joan Didion shares, "I had begun to lose patience with the conventions of writing. Descriptions went first; in both fiction and nonfiction, I just got impatient with those long paragraphs of description. By which I do not mean--obviously--the single detail that gives you the scene. I'm talking about description as a substitute for thinking."

These interviews provide a unique and valuable insight into the minds and processes of some of the greatest writers of our time.

I don't know when exactly I have been so deeply moved by a book. This remarkable book of interviews is truly rich and profound.

As I delved into its pages, I discovered a wealth of knowledge about my own texture, the texture of those around me in life, and, of course, the fascinating creative process.

It was truly astonishing. When I finally closed the cover, I had the same kind of intense feeling that I have experienced after reading an exceptionally moving novel or watching a mind-blowing film.

It's as if every single page in this book is made of gold, shining with wisdom and inspiration.

It's really a beautiful book that has left an indelible mark on my heart and mind.

I would read the top minds of any field to see how they operate.

Top directors, political minds, or even hedge fund managers, if I really hated myself that day. However, because they are writers, they often have the most exquisite phrasings, ready for a Bumble profile, photo caption, tombstone epitaph, or all of the above.

These interviews offer an illuminating spotlight on the processes of writing and the trends that have emerged over the past seventy years. Whether you're an aspiring author or not, this collection of interviews provides as close a mapping of the interior of a creative mind as one could obtain.

I observed that many of the issues we encounter in contemporary literature - moralizing, the fake posturing of a radical, overwriting - were cautioned about years ago. Regrettably, they only seem to have deteriorated over time. As Borges states, "I don't think ideas are important" and that the writer should “…be judged by the enjoyment he gives and by the emotions one gets.”

Robert Gottlieb later remarks that the elements "eroding excellence in publishing" are commercialization and "judging novels and stories by their theme or by the color or political stance of their authors." Of course, every novel is political to some extent, but using novels as political signposts does a disservice to the story. How on earth do we break free from this trend?

For an answer to that question, and a comprehensive reflection on this book, listen here: https://bookclubbed.buzzsprout.com/15...

This collection is truly super cool.

It features interviews with contemporary authors that occurred over the span of the last fifty years and were initially published in the Paris Review.

The presence of literary giants like Borges, Hemingway, and Vonnegut alone makes this collection extremely worthwhile.

Not only that, but poets and screenwriters are also included in this remarkable compilation.

It offers a unique and fascinating insight into the minds and creative processes of some of the most influential writers of our time.

Whether you are a die-hard literature enthusiast or simply curious about the world of writing, this collection is sure to captivate and inspire you.

It is a must-have for any bookshelf and a treasure trove of literary wisdom and inspiration.

Don't miss out on the opportunity to explore the thoughts and ideas of these amazing authors through their interviews in this super cool collection.

It is truly a remarkable thing to peruse the words of individuals who have the same passion for words as oneself.

Even though a few of those people may be rather dull and completely traditional, believing themselves to be part of the vanguard. The interviews with Borges, Stone, Gottlieb, and Gilbert were thoroughly enjoyable.

I didn't think it was possible to despise Hemingway any more than I already do, but in this interview, he truly comes across as a proper jerk. His commitment to rudeness and self-importance is almost astonishing!

Obviously, points are deducted for having too many men and an entirely white lineup. But what else can you expect from the masthead of the literary establishment? (Ughh!) The other volumes seem to be better in this regard.

Overall, while there are some flaws, the collection still offers valuable insights and engaging reading experiences.

Who could ever have thought that a book, in which authors, poets, an editor, and a director with no specific item to promote, could turn out to be something truly precious?

Well, when you consider that these individuals are, in sequence, Dorothy Parker, Truman Capote, Ernest Hemingway, T.S. Eliot, Saul Bellow, Jorge Luis Borges, Kurt Vonnegut, James M. Cain, Rebecca West, Elizabeth Bishop, Robert Stone, Robert Gottlieb, Richard Price, Billy Wilder, Jack Gilbert, and Joan Didion, the situation is rather set.

The subjects covered in this book vary widely. And so do the tones of the people involved. While Parker and Capote commence the book with great humor and obligingness, Hemingway and Eliot are much more serious. However, they still cast a completely different shade on things. At least when we consider how Hemingway reveals no intimacies in his books, while Capote seems to be able to penetrate any aspect of his writing.

I have posted a few screenshots from the book here to provide you with examples of some of the interviewers' and interviewees' quotes: http://issuu.com/pivic/docs/paris_boo...

Previously, I have never encountered such an outstanding collection that offers both inspiration and depth into the art of creating books, aside from just sheer writing and living.

My favorites among them are Parker, Capote, Hemingway, Borges, Vonnegut, Gottlieb, Wilder, and Gilbert. That's quite a number, isn't it? It says a great deal.

I simply can't wait to delve into the second volume!

This book provided a wealth of profound insights into the minds of various authors.

As a reader, it came as a revelation to me just how superstitious some of these writers could be.

The interviews, especially those with Vonnegut and Borges, were truly enlightening.

However, due to my lack of understanding of some of the literary movements and eras in which these authors lived, certain of their comments appeared either out of place or overly forceful.

As a non-writer, I preferred the interviews of the authors whose works I had read over those I hadn't.

Although all of them offered advice on the creative art of writing, unfortunately, none of that advice could be easily applied to my situation.

Nonetheless, the book was still a fascinating read that allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of the literary world and the minds of its creators.

It made me realize that there is so much more to writing than just putting words on paper and that the creative process is often influenced by a multitude of factors, including superstition, personal experiences, and the literary context in which an author operates.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the art of writing or in gaining a better understanding of the minds of some of the greatest authors of our time.

This is the first of four volumes of writer interviews that were first published in The Paris Review over the past fifty or so years.

I browsed through it randomly and saved Kurt Vonnegut's interview (1977) for the last, and indeed, it turned out to be my favorite.

I have a great passion for reading high-quality interviews, even more so than biography or memoir. The reason is that when the chemistry clicks between the two participants, thoughts and ideas that might otherwise remain hidden can be drawn out.

The highlights of this volume for me were the interviews with Hemingway (1958), Dorothy Parker (1956), and Elizabeth Bishop (1981). Many of the writers featured in this volume are my heroes. Reading their thoughts about the times they lived in, as well as their insights into their craft, is endlessly fascinating to me.

I am now looking forward to delving into the next volume. It's truly wonderful stuff that keeps me engaged and inspired.