Jean-Philippe Toussaint

Bookworm

KCRW

Arts

4.5 • 606 Ratings

🗓️ 17 June 2010

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Self-Portrait Abroad (Dalkey Archive); Running Away (Dalkey Archive)

French fiction had become austere and theoretical until Jean-Philippe Toussaint took it in the direction of the wacky, even goony. His earlier stories focused on characters retreating from contemporary life, but that has given way to work with a light, lyrical approach...

Transcript

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0:00.0	Funds for Bookworm are provided in part by Lannin Foundation.
0:07.0	You are a human animal.
0:11.0	You are a very special breed.
0:15.0	Or you are the only animal.
0:18.0	Who can think, who can reason, who can read.
0:22.3	From KCRW and KCRW.com, I'm Michael Silverblatt, and this is Bookworm.
0:28.3	Today I'm honored to be speaking to Jean-Philippe Toussaint.
0:31.9	He is Belgian.
0:33.1	He writes in French.
0:34.5	He lives in Berlin.
0:36.0	Seven of his books have been translated in English. His work
0:39.4	is a zany and accessible description of our ultra-modern lives. His most recent book is
0:45.4	self-portrait abroad, preceded barely a year ago by running away. Both books are published by the
0:51.6	wonderful donkey archive press. Speed is the essence of Tuassant's career. He published for Both books are published by the wonderful Donkey Archive Press.
0:57.0	Speed is the essence of Tuassant's career.
1:03.6	He published four books by the time he was 35, went on to direct films as well as write novels.
1:07.3	His books, too, move at the speed of the now.
1:13.8	Self-portrait abroad is only 84 pages long. It begins in Tokyo. Before you know it,
1:20.4	you're in Hong Kong, followed by Berlin, followed by Prague, followed by Cap Quar's, back to Japan,
1:28.8	then off to Vietnam and to Tunisia. By the way, this is his first interview conducted in English.
1:31.9	Jean-Philippe, is this the contemporary condition?
1:41.7	Yes, it can be. I think for every book I write, I have maybe different priorities.
	...

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