Ann
asked
Chris Bohjalian:
I was intrigued by the extensive background on sleep disorders in "The Sleepwalker". As I was reading, I got the impression that you became interested in it because parasomnias are one of the mechanisms by which people end up behaving against their volition - and so you end up with tremendous potential for conflict, as you showed in the Ahlberg's marriage. What made you become interested in that? Thank you.
Chris Bohjalian
Originally, I thought I was going to write a book about dreams, that great Freudian abyss. But I had lunch early in my research with a physician at a hospital sleep center, and he had just come from seeing a patient who was a sleepwalker. And so our conversation rather naturally gravitated there. He started to tell me stories of people who sleep cook, sleep drive, sleep jog, and sleep sex -- and I grew interested. When I came across a study of sleep crime, I was hooked. I knew that sleepwalking, not dreams, was what I wanted to write about. Thanks for asking!
More Answered Questions
Carol Boyer
asked
Chris Bohjalian:
Hi Chris, I so wanted to get to the event at R.J. Julia's Bookstore in Madison for your book The Guest Room. However I was unable to attend. I am really hoping that you might be there again? - possibly with your new book The Sleep Walker -which sounds like an unbelievable story! A friend of mine did get to meet you in Texas and keeps on talking about how nice and interesting you were! Lucky Susan.... Thanks, Carol
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more