Ann Sumner
asked
T. Coraghessan Boyle:
For me, Riven Rock is your best novel. It's terse and exciting and hard to imagine as being real, yet it is. How did you encounter the McCormack history?
T. Coraghessan Boyle
There is extensive material on Stanley in the archives of the library in Madison--the complete psychiatric record, in fact. There's also a biography of Katherine (Catherine) Dexter McCormick. I read and took notes and played out the actual history as best I could.
More Answered Questions
Diane Bamford
asked
T. Coraghessan Boyle:
Just finished the OLI and it's totally engrossing. Did you visit Millbrook, NY while writing OLI? Was in Millbrook on Friday and found the gatehouse to the Hitchcock estate...just as you described it in OLI. Stopped at police station for directions but they were closed. Then went to the library and the librarians didn't know anything about your book. Met a local who confirmed we found it. What a house!
Lindsey Feldman
asked
T. Coraghessan Boyle:
Hi! The first book of yours I read was Drop City, which I found in a sale bin in NYC. Serendipity. Since then I've read pretty much all your other works. I'm an anthropologist and I love your ability to show me something truly human in all you write. My question is, how do you balance cynicism with hope when you write and think of characters? Or do you think those are even opposing categories? Thank you!
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