Louise Glück: "It's too new … it's too early here"

Transcript

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Summary

In this video, Louise Look is interviewed by Adam Smith from Nobelprize.org. She is asked about the significance of winning the Nobel Prize and her thoughts on the award. She also discusses her concerns about the attention and disruption that comes with such recognition. Louise shares her recommendations for readers unfamiliar with her work and suggests starting with Averno or her latest book, Faithful and Virtuous Night. The importance of lived experience in talking about events is briefly mentioned, but Louise requests to discuss it another time due to the early hour.

Questions & Answers

Q: What does winning the Nobel Prize mean to you?

Louise admits that she doesn't fully comprehend the true meaning of winning the Nobel Prize. Her initial concern was losing friends who are primarily writers. However, she recognizes it as a great honor. She also mentions the potential materialistic benefits, such as being able to purchase a new house in Vermont. However, her main concern lies in the preservation of daily life with her loved ones, as she worries that the attention and disruption from the award may intrude upon it.

Q: For readers unfamiliar with your work, where would you recommend they start?

Louise acknowledges the diversity in her books, making it difficult to suggest a single starting point. However, she advises against reading her first book unless one wants to feel contempt. Instead, she recommends starting with her recent works, specifically mentioning "Averno" and her latest book, "Faithful and Virtuous Night." She believes these books hold more interest and may give a better representation of her style and themes.

Q: How important do you think lived experience is in discussing events?

Louise finds the question too big to answer in the short interview time and the early hour. However, she acknowledges that lived experience is a prominent feature in her own writing. Although she doesn't delve into further details, Adam Smith suggests discussing this topic another time.

Takeaways

Louise Look expresses her uncertainty about the true meaning of winning the Nobel Prize. While she recognizes it as a great honor, her primary concerns revolve around the potential impact on her daily life and her relationships. She recommends her recent works, such as "Averno" and "Faithful and Virtuous Night," to readers interested in exploring her writing. The importance of lived experience in discussing events is briefly touched upon but left for a more in-depth discussion in the future.