Published in the Sunday Times
Which book changed your life?
Actually, it was a movie. Dead Poets Society, starring Robin Williams. I saw this movie again and again when I was 16-18, and I think it planted the idea of being a writer and a teacher in my mind.
What music helps you write?
I put on hip-hop or R&B music full blast before my writing sessions. I dance to it wildly in the living room for about 30 minutes. Only then can I start writing.
What is the strangest thing you’ve done when researching a book?
I went backpacking in Argentina and Bolivia, as part of the research for Neuland, which tells the story of a 38-year-old man who is looking for his lost father in South America. I almost died climbing a mountain near La Paz, suffered from severe vertigo in Lake Titicaca, and spent a night on a bench in Buenos Aires. All of this turned out to be very helpful for the book.
Do you keep a diary?
No. Instead I write lousy poems for self usage. Sometimes (not always) they can inspire future novels.
Who is your favourite fictional hero?
Zorba the Greek. I met him when I was a teenager and he helped me realise that “a happy soul begins with a happy body”. Back then, growing up in a very intellectual, “brainy” family, it was a revelation for me.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Osmosis.
What’s more important to you: the way a book is written, or what the book is about?
I have to say – I never understood this question. Every book has its own way of revealing itself to its author. This is what I like about writing: you can never duplicate structures or styles. You always have to invent something new, according to the story.
Has a book ever changed your mind about something?
I read Catch 22 before going to the army (military service is obligatory in Israel) and it made me much more sceptical, cynical and critical towards the “system” once I was recruited. My commanders didn’t like this attitude at all, but for me it was the only way to maintain a certain amount of inner freedom.
What novel would you give a child to introduce them to literature?
I have three daughters. They are discovering literature independently. Without my guidance. I am quite proud of that.
Do you finish every book that you start? If you don’t, how do you decide when to stop reading?
No, I am not an obsessive “finisher”. I can leave a book in the middle. I can also stop writing a book in the middle. It’s a basic human right, isn’t it? To say: “That’s enough!” Without necessarily giving a reason.
Eshkol Nevo’s latest book is Neuland, translated by Sondra Silverston. (Chatto & Windus)
Book details
- Neuland by Eshkol Nevo
EAN: 9780701187781
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