Molly Antopol | The After Party: A Novel || Radcliffe Institute

TL;DR

A writer discusses her process of researching and writing a collection of fictional stories rooted in history.

Transcript

-Thank you so much, Judy. This was such a lovely and thoughtful introduction. And also, thank you so much for so much warmth and support and just wonderful conversation all year. And thanks to Liz Cohen for her generosity in so many ways, and to everyone else at the Radcliffe Institute for this incredible fellowship. It's been not only massively pr... Read More

Key Insights

• 👨‍🔬 Writing a collection of stories rooted in history requires extensive research, but it is also important to focus on the emotional truth of the characters.
• 👪 Family history and personal experiences can provide inspiration and shape the themes explored in the stories.
• 💁 Historical research can be both enlightening and challenging, as inconsistencies and gaps in information may arise.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did the writer decide on the themes that connect the stories in her book?

The writer explains that she had to trust that the themes would emerge naturally once she finished writing the stories. It took time for the underlying question of the impact of a person's attempts to improve the world on those closest to them to become clear.

Q: How did the writer's experiences in Israel influence her storytelling?

The writer's experiences in Israel, including working for a nonprofit and interacting with immigrants, shaped her stories set in contemporary Tel Aviv. She explores the complexities of Israeli-American relationships and the idea of unAmericanness in different contexts.

Q: How did the writer approach the research process for her book?

The writer read numerous books on partisan life and immersed herself in research to understand the political and historical context of her stories. However, she also acknowledges that there were inconsistencies and gaps in the information available, leading her to focus on the emotional truth of her characters instead of imposing order on conflicting facts.

Q: How did the writer's family history play a role in her writing?

The writer discovered a Yizkor book for the village of Antopol, where her great grandmother was from, which provided valuable insights into the history of the area. However, she also had to grapple with the limitations of relying on historical texts and had to use her imagination to fill in the gaps.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The writer discusses the process of researching and writing her first book, which took her 10 years to complete and required extensive research.

• She found inspiration from exploring the triangle between East European politics during the Cold War, Jewish American liberalism, and their impact on contemporary Israel.

• The stories in her collection move between different time periods and locations, exploring the effects of individuals' attempts to improve the world on those closest to them.