The Fitzcarraldo Editions Archive The Fitzcarraldo Editions Archive: Brian Dillon In Conversation With Chris Power
Jun 1, 2023
Brian Dillon, critic and essayist, discusses writing with Chris Power. They explore using images, writing attentively about sentences and objects, transitioning from academic to engaging writing, the influence of writers like Roland Barthes, the balance between close reading and interpretation, and the significance of personal experiences in writing.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Origin of In the Dark Room
- Brian Dillon's first book, In the Dark Room, originated from a personal breakdown.
- He found solace in describing family photographs, a process he initially felt was meaningless but liberating.
Memoir and Memory
- Dillon's In the Dark Room blends personal memoir with broader investigations of memory.
- An editor encouraged him to focus on the personal aspects, leading to a unique blend of memoir and cultural analysis.
Family Background
- Dillon grew up in a Dublin suburb, his father a civil servant with an intellectually adventurous library.
- His mother, from a farming family, had a glamorous yet conventional life in restrictive Irish culture.