The Paris Review
S3E2 | A Gift for Burning (with Monica Youn, Molly McCully Brown, Venita Blackburn, George Saunders)
Nov 3, 2021
Poet Monica Youn exposes the truth about Twinkies, Molly McCully Brown explores the nonsensical nature of space, Venita Blackburn tells a short story about self-love and social media, and acclaimed author George Saunders shares how delivering fast food shaped his writing. They delve into personal anecdotes, emotional realism, and longing for a lost wholeness.
34:32
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Quick takeaways
- Embracing emotional realism in writing allows for a genuine connection with readers through the capture of contemporary emotions.
- Living with a lack of spatial awareness due to cerebral palsy impacts the experience of home and the ability to create a mental map, but writing provides solace and endless discovery.
Deep dives
Exploring the Importance of Emotional Realism in Writing
The podcast episode delves into the significance of emotional realism in writing, discussing the breakthrough experienced by author George Saunders in embracing newness and abandoning constructed ideas about what constitutes good writing. Saunders reflects on his early resistance to incorporating elements like time travel in literature, preferring a simple and truthful style. However, he realizes that breaking the veil of reality can capture the range of emotions experienced in the contemporary world. This emotional realism allows writers to tell an emotional truth and create genuine connections with readers.
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