David James Duncan is one of those Western literary legends who needs no introduction to Mountain & Prairie listeners. But for those of you who may be new to the podcast or to Western literature, David is a renowned Montana novelist, activist, and flyfisherman. He’s the author of "The River Why" and "The Brothers K," and his newest novel "Sun House" hits shelves today. David is also the author of countless nonfiction essays, many of which have been compiled in books such as "My Story as Told by Water," "River Teeth," and "God Laughs & Plays."
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This episode was recorded live at the first-annual Old Salt Festival, which was held on the Mannix Family Ranch in Helmville, Montana. The festival was a three-day celebration of land stewardship and wild places, and it featured live music, wood-fired cooking, and discussions about conservation, literature, and the power of place. Given that so much of David’s work as an author and activist is heavily influenced by his love of land, water, and wildlife, he brought a wise and thoughtful perspective to the Festival– a perspective that was greatly appreciated by everyone in attendance.
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This episode is split into two parts– first is our on-stage conversation, which took place on Saturday morning, followed by two readings from his new novel "Sun House," which took place that evening. In our conversation, I focused in on David’s life as a contemplative. We talk about his upbringing in the Pacific Northwest and his eventual move to Montana, which is the place he now considers his home. We discuss the importance of being able to hold two competing ideas in your mind at once, why he felt called to become an activist, why deep friendships are such an important part of his life, and the women who have served as mentors to him. We also talk about his 16-year process of writing "Sun House," the difference between creating ideas versus receiving them, what gives David hope for the future, and much more.
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The second part of the episode features two readings from "Sun House," both of which were perfectly aligned with the spirit and mood of the Old Salt Festival. From where I was sitting in the crowd, I saw many people tearing up near the end of David’s reading, so I hope the power of his words and the place come through in this audio. It was a special experience that I will not soon forget.
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A huge thank you to David for his kindness, generosity, and for all of his contributions to the culture and conservation of the West. Thank you to the Old Salt Festival for giving me this opportunity to talk with David. Thanks to the great Bex Frucht for the intro, and thank you for listening.
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If you haven’t already, I’d encourage you to pick up a copy of "Sun House"– it’s available online or in your favorite local bookstore right now.
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TOPICS DISCUSSED:
- 4:30 - Intros
- 7:30 - Discussing if Montana is home to David
- 10:30 - How David came to write about Montana
- 12:30 - How to hold two ideas in your head (the brutal US past and the landscape beauty we see presently)
- 14:55 - David’s transition from fiction to nonfiction writing
- 19:30 - Advice on how to take a stand
- 21:45 - David’s friends
- 26:30 - David’s women mentors
- 30:30 - Writing "Sun House"
- 34:30 - The benefits and challenges of writing something so emotional as "Sun House"
- 38:00 - Whether or not David is creating ideas or receiving them while writing
- 41:30 - What makes David feel good about the future
- 43:30 - Reading 1
- 58:15 - Reading 2
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