Lydia Davis

Lydia Davis, a celebrated author and translator, captivates with her love for language and short, sparkling sentences. She shares her chaotic creative process and discusses how brevity shapes storytelling. The conversation touches on the humor of Proust in different languages and the intricacies of translating film subtitles. Lydia also reflects on her passion for visual arts, classical music, and the challenge of fostering young writing talent. With insights into the beauty of foreign literature, she highlights the cultural richness found in translation.

Join Jonathan Haidt, a leading author on psychology and morality; Rita Felski, a cultural critic and literary scholar; and Lydia Davis, an acclaimed short story writer, as they explore the future of humanities education in a digital landscape. They discuss how sharing knowledge online is reshaping perceptions and relevance. The trio also dives into strategies for tackling difficult books, offering insights on the importance of approach and mindset, whether for pleasure or project-based reading.

Renowned writer and translator, Lydia Davis, is discussed in this podcast. Topics include the uniqueness of Davis's work, the lack of scholarly attention paid to her, her attention to detail and precise language, working with Davis and her abundance of materials, the elusiveness of describing her work, and the importance of grammar. The speakers also discuss the idea of formalizing Lydia Davis studies and future clusters on the Christian Right and RuPaul's Drag Race.

Lydia Davis reads and discusses her father Robert Gorham Davis's story 'Then We'll Set It Right.' They explore themes of children with guns and manliness in the story, discuss the author's role as a father, analyze the controversial actions of the protagonist, and reflect on the author's regrets and writing style. They also discuss the potential use of the author's unpublished novel for biographical material.

Lydia Davis, an accomplished writer known for her unique body of work, made a rare London appearance at the Bookshop. She discussed titles, translation, and small thoughts with Adam Thirlwell. They explored the power of brevity in writing and the influence of translation on her writing. They also discussed the relationship between attention and story length, and the challenges and pleasures of translation.