Conversations with American Writers

by Charles Ruas

"A lively seminar, a sensational literary cocktail party ...the
conversation is irresistible."
---Los Angeles Herald Examiner
Here are fourteen brilliantly conversational interviews with contemporary writers who talk about the nature of their craft, about their strengths and dilemmas, about their need to write, and about themselves.

Toni Morrison
Norman Mailer
Robert Stone
Susan Sontag
Scott Spencer
Truman Capote
Tennessee Williams
E.L. Doctorow
Gore Vidal
Joseph Heller
Paul Theroux
William Burroughs
Eudora Welty
Marguerite Young

"Ruas displays the essential qualities of a first-rate interviewer: a thorough knowledge of, an irrepressible curiosity about, a profound sympathy for, and a respectful but unceremonious directness toward the authors and the works at hand." ,--The New York Times
"The standard by which similar efforts are judged ... riches
aplenty." ,--Philadelphia Inquirer

Charles Ruas is a writer and the former arts director of radio station WEAl in New York City, where many of the interviews in this collection originated.

324 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1985

Reviews

[Sarah Rigg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book rocked my world the summer after I graduated high school. I knew I wanted to be a writer (and had several stories and poems published already at this point) and loved anything about the craft of writing I could get my hands on. This book made me appreciate the authors I'd already read (Sontag, Heller) more and intrigued me to want to read stuff by authors I hadn't gotten to yet. For some reason, I found the Marguerite Young interview especially enthralling.

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marguerite Young interview 😍