Jonathan Lethem, a celebrated novelist and cultural critic known for 'Motherless Brooklyn', shares his unique insights on the interplay between art and personal identity. He reflects on his upbringing as the child of a painter and how it shaped his narrative style. Lethem discusses the nostalgic contrast between past and present media consumption, the joy and acceptance of failure in creativity, and the importance of memory in art. Their conversation beautifully captures the transformative power of storytelling, encouraging listeners to embrace the extraordinary in everyday life.
54:19
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
menu_book Books
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
question_answer ANECDOTE
From Visual Artist to Writer
Jonathan Lethem transitioned from making physical art to writing stories and novels after art school.
He began writing fiction for art catalogs, blending storytelling with art criticism.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Art Upbringing in NYC
Jonathan grew up with a painter father and naturally absorbed art making as a normal life.
He attended art high school and was fully immersed in New York City's art scene and its chaotic freedom.
insights INSIGHT
NYC's Chaos as Creative Freedom
New York City in the 70s was both chaotic and free, with a vitality born from disorder.
This atmosphere shaped Lethem's appreciation of art and creativity.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Cellophane Bricks is a collection of Jonathan Lethem's essays and stories about art. In this book, Lethem explores his unique perspective on visual art and its intersection with literature. The essays delve into the creative processes of various artists, including Fred Tomaselli, offering insights into their work and inspirations. Lethem’s writing blends fiction and criticism to create a multi-faceted examination of contemporary art. He reflects on his own artistic journey and how it intertwines with his literary endeavors. The book provides a thought-provoking exploration of art, culture, and the creative mind.
The Drowned Giant
The Drowned Giant
The Drowned Giant
J. G. Ballard
The Drowned Giant is a science fiction short story that explores the discovery and gradual decay of an enormous human-like figure washed ashore. The story examines themes of perception, the ephemeral nature of fame, and humanity's relationship with the extraordinary. As the giant decomposes, it becomes a spectacle for the public, with different parts being taken and used for mundane purposes. Ballard uses vivid imagery and detached narration to create a sense of unease and alienation. The narrative reflects on the transient nature of existence and the reduction of the sublime to the commonplace. The story critiques society's tendency to commodify and dissect the extraordinary, ultimately diminishing its wonder.
Motherless Brooklyn
Professor of the History of Science Geoffrey Cantor
Jonathan Lethem
J. LETHEM
In 'Motherless Brooklyn', Jonathan Lethem tells the story of Lionel Essrog, a private investigator with Tourette's syndrome, who works for a small-time detective agency in Brooklyn. After his mentor, Frank Minna, is murdered, Lionel sets out to solve the crime, navigating through a complex web of gangsters, corruption, and personal relationships. The novel is praised for its unique protagonist, intricate plot, and Lethem's vivid portrayal of Brooklyn in the late 1990s. It won the National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction in 1999 and the 2000 Gold Dagger award for crime fiction.
Novelist Jonathan Lethem is the author of Girl In Landscape, Chronic City, and Brooklyn Crime Novel, as well as ten other novels. His stories and essays have been collected in seven volumes. His fifth novel, Motherless Brooklyn, won the National Book Critic’s Circle Award, and he has been the recipient of The Berlin Prize and a Macarthur Fellowship among other honors. He lives in Los Angeles and Maine.
He and Zuckerman discuss writing stories about Art, growing up as a child of a painter, where freedom is found, mirroring the world, doing his tricks, looking, kinship and generation, waiting and wondering, play, denial of independence, and memory and savoring!
About Art 
