Benjamin Moser, biographer of a great twentieth-century thinker, and Lara Feigel, co-author of a biography on Susan Sontag, discuss Sontag's life and legacy. They explore the complexities of Sontag's work and personal life, the challenges of writing a biography, and Sontag's impact during the Bosnian war. They also touch on topics such as archival research, the role of women intellectuals, and the absence of role models for girls in the 1960s.
Susan Sontag symbolized hope for a tolerant and diverse America, embracing self-improvement and resisting political tyranny.
The biography of Susan Sontag had no off-limits areas, offering a comprehensive exploration of her rich and complex life.
The process of writing biographies requires empathy and balance, bridging the gap between different identities while maintaining the writer's own identity.
Deep dives
The Symbolism of Susan Sontag
Susan Sontag symbolized the anchor in the achievements of the past while embracing her own century. She stood for self-improvement and making oneself greater than what one was expected to be. She represented hope for a tolerant and diverse America, engaged with other nations without chauvinism. She stood for the social role of the artist and showed resistance against political tyranny. She held out hope for the permanence of culture in a world besieged by indifference and cruelty.
Writing the Biography
The biography of Susan Sontag had no off-limits areas, as the author had an agreement with Sontag's son and estate to have access to all the necessary materials. This was important as biographies can bring up unexpected issues. The process was different from the author's previous biography, as Sontag's contemporaries were still alive, adding another layer of complexity. Writing in her own cultural context was an interesting experience, engaging with people she knew or was familiar with.
Paying for the Biography
The funding for the biography was not explicitly mentioned in the podcast episode.
Susan Sontag's Fascinating Life and Impact
Susan Sontag was an extraordinary figure who lived a rich and complex life. She believed that comprehensive biographies should explore sensitive aspects of a person's life, such as sex, career, finance, and family. Sontag herself had a diverse and inclusive list of experiences, including relationships with notable figures like Robert Kennedy, Annie Leibovitz, and Jasper Johns. Her life was marked by being present during significant political, social, and cultural events around the world. Despite being renowned as a writer and thinker, Sontag also possessed an intriguing personality that attracted both admirers and critics.
The Multifaceted Approach to Writing Biographies
The process of writing biographies is a deeply personal and intimate endeavor. While writers aim to understand their subjects' thoughts and feelings, they must maintain a degree of objectivity and self-protection. The writer's distance from the subject is not determined by their gender but rather by the inherent challenges of delving into someone else's life. Empathy plays a crucial role in bridging the gap between different identities, fostering a connection with the subject. However, it is important to remember that the writer is not the person they are writing about and must balance understanding with maintaining their own identity.
One of the great thinkers of the twentieth century, Susan Sontag’s writing – on art and politics, feminism and homosexuality, celebrity and style, medicine and drugs, radicalism, Fascism, Freudianism, Communism and Americanism – forms an indispensable guide to our modern world. Benjamin Moser’s Sontag: Her Life is the first biography based on exclusive access to her restricted archive, providing fascinating insights into both the public myth and private life of an endlessly complex individual. Moser was at the shop to discuss Sontag’s life and legacy with Lara Feigel, author of Free Woman: Life, Liberation and Doris Lessing.
