
The New Yorker Radio Hour
Sheila Heti Talks with Parul Sehgal About “Alphabetical Diaries”
Feb 6, 2024
Novelist Sheila Heti and critic Parul Sehgal discuss Heti's experimental book 'Alphabetical Diaries' where she alphabetizes sentences from her own diaries. They explore the balance between experiment and narrative, patterns in relationships, and the inclination towards formal experimentation in novels.
15:29
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Quick takeaways
- Sheila Heti's book, "Alphabetical Diaries," is an experimental novel that explores new ways fiction can evolve through the use of non-chronological presentation and innovative language usage.
- Working with her diaries allowed Sheila Heti to gain a deeper understanding of her own experiences and relationships, discovering patterns and insights that influenced the creation of composite characters in her book.
Deep dives
Alphabetical Diaries: A Fresh and Daring Novel
Sheila Hetty's new book, Alphabetical Diaries, is a unique and innovative novel that draws from ten years of her diaries. Hetty alphabetized the sentences of her diaries, creating a new text that captures the intimacy and introspection of a diary while also feeling like a separate kind of novel. The book explores the questions of how it should be read and balances the scientific experiment of non-chronological presentation with creating a pleasurable and narrative experience for the reader. Through the use of juxtaposition and rhythm, Hetty made the entries come alive. Instead of being limited by chronology, she found that the mind understands time in a non-linear way, leading to surprising and engaging moments throughout the book.
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