Percival Everett Explains Why He Hopes His Book James Gets Banned

Percival Everett talks about winning the National Book Award for his book James, discusses how a game of tennis inspired him to write the book and shares why he hopes the book will get banned.


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Percival Everett Explains Why He Hopes His Book James Gets Banned - Late Night with Seth Meyers

Late Night with Seth Meyers

[bobbifergus]

What a fascinating, rare, wonderful soul. Thank you Seth's Mom for having your son interview him.

[freefoodchef]

I love this guy's dry sense of humor. I always enjoy interviews with authors, but so many of them are so serious.

[radiowatcher]

I don't know if this was a tough interview or an easy interview. It could go either way. Everett is so wry and witty, his responses so terse, that I can't tell if Seth found him a good scene partner or a pain in the ass. Either way, I loved it, and I'm glad he continues to bring authors on the show.

[tootswoots]

LOVE that Seth has writers on!!! It's fabulous content, I'm forever here for it. ☺

[lb]

Author interviews keep my soul fed, thank you for having Percival Everett on the show! You navigated his reluctance beautifully.

[mjfamula]

Inspired. Gonna go read it. Also, I just want to say, huge props to Seth for having great authors and promoting people to buy books at their local spots. I f*cking love this show.

[daniellebrena]

Thank you for giving authors this space!! Always great.

[ElishaGrange]

Seth’s ability to draw out even the toughest interviewee and find commonality + joy is such an inspiration. What talent!

[VieenRennes]

"...because they don't read" was soooo good. I bet the book is fantastic.

[fiona]

I literally finished Erasure last night and have never seen Percival speak (or even read an interview with him, having only read The Trees prior). Slightly surreal with that ending so fresh in my mind but he's as sharp as my mind would like and even a bit more likeable 😆 Such an incredible writer - his work makes me wish I was smarter and knew more about literature, although that doesn't stop me from appreciating it. Great to see him getting the props he deserves

[NewMessage]

Bullwinkle doesn't get enough props.

[louisestrecker]

I love this so much. ❤️ Thank you Seth for interviewing Percival Everett.

[MarieClaude]

Always more authors!! Especially people as fascinating and talented as Percival Everett. This was interview was fantastic!

[sxt]

Nothing is cuter to me than Percival Everett coming out like a tenured professor who’s one class away from quitting for catching yet another kid texting in his lecture walking out to a crowd of eager tourists clapping and wooing for him like he’s Harry Styles ❤

[nirajsolanki]

Such an amazing interview. So much wit and humour on both sides. Loved it. ❤

[SharonMick]

This was an intense and powerful book. Rereading Huck Finn beforehand gave me some extra layers in terms of my own perceptions, but you don't have to have read it in order to appreciate James. If you really want to brush up on Huck Finn first, get the Cliff's notes. 😅

[bradfield]

Wow! A serious writer on a TV talk show. Thanks to both.

[dezdilly]

My guy! James is an amazing piece of literature. And MAYBE not even his best work. Big props to Percival.

[LiaKozatch]

Author interviews on the show are my favorite interviews.

[amyvanlowthian]

I admire Seth & his ability to make a guest like this feel as comfortable as possible . I totally get the anxiety being an introvert/ extrovert with the desire to be somewhat seen yet too anxious to be relaxed at all in the spotlight.❤