Paul Auster Interview: What Could Have Been

“I don’t think there’s a human being alive who doesn’t reflect on what could have been.” Watch the great American novelist Paul Auster on the impact of the choices we make, the obsessive nature of writing and having reached the age of 70.

“It’s impossible for me to conceive of what my life would have been, but it certainly would have been hugely different.” Auster feels that our choices have an enormous influence on our life, and that each choice can lead to possible alternative realities. For example, he met his wife Siri Hustved in 1981 at a poetry reading that he initially didn’t want to go to, and the two were introduced by the only person in the world they both knew: “You begin to think about this, and it’s dizzying.”

Though Auster initially only aspired to write one single book, he soon realized that “you don’t just write one book. There are many things inside you, and one thing leads to another.” He feels that there are very few people in the arts who keep going, and that the ones that do are driven by a sort of obsession: “I’ve always thought of writing or any art as a kind of illness, and you catch it pretty early in life and you’re condemned to do it. Your life will be unfulfilled if you don’t do it, even though it’s very difficult and very, very demanding… so I don’t really feel I have a choice.” The extraordinary thing about writing, he continues, is that you can lose yourself: “You leave yourself behind, and you’re in the work that you’re doing.” Much in the same way, reading a book is a uniquely private experience, which is why books are irreplaceable: “A book is the only place in the world where two strangers can meet on terms of absolute intimacy.”

“In the United States nobody listens to writers, nobody cares what a writer has to say. We are very marginalized and literature is a pursuit that most people are not interested in.” Auster considers the U.S. a very practical nation, where most things revolve around money. Movie actors seem to have filled in the role of public intellectuals in Europe, and are the ones who people for some reason want to listen to: “Which seems neither good nor bad, just bizarre.”

Paul Auster (b. 1947) is a highly acclaimed American novelist. He has published numerous novels such as the ‘The New York Trilogy’ (1985-1987), ‘Moon Palace’ (1989), ‘The Music of Chance’ (1990), ‘Leviathan’ (1992’), ‘The Book of Illusions’ (2002), ‘Man in the Dark’ (2008), ‘Sunset Park’ (2010) and ‘4321’ (2017), as well as autobiographical books such as ‘The Invention of Solitude’ (1982), ‘Winter Journal’ (2012) and ‘Report From the Interior’ (2013). He has also written screenplays for several films, including ‘Smoke’ (1995). Auster is the recipient of prestigious awards such as the Prix Médicis Étranger (1993) and the John William Corrington Award for Literary Excellence. From 2018 he will be President of PEN America.
Paul Auster was interviewed by Marc-Christoph Wagner in August 2017 in connection with the Louisiana Literature festival in Denmark.

Camera: Klaus Elmer Edited by: Klaus Elmer Produced by: Marc-Christoph Wagner Copyright: Louisiana Channel, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, 2017
Supported by Nordea-fonden

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[lockca]

Hearing that comment about his good health at the beginning is haunting. R.I.P. Paul.

[AntoniaSara]

I could listen to his voice in eternity, so soothing

[hayleyanna]

He was a brilliant writer. A wonderful speaking voice. He is indeed no longer with us, none of us get out of here alive, but his body of work remains. Wonderful interview.♥️🍃🍃

[deathface]

Looking pretty damn good for 70, Paul!

[rafaelfuentescortes]

Total respect for this man and writer.

[wanjooalexkim]

4321 is a brilliant novel. So nice to see/hear this great author.

[stephenevans]

I keep returning to this interview, and I will always read Auster’s books and poetry. He is our greatest writer, and I will always be in awe at the perfection he brings to every sentence.

[diorblunt]

It’s haunting to hear him talk about old age, health, and death after just hearing the news. RIP Paul Auster.

[mynameisnotjerome]

My favourite living writer, there are few books I would reread, but I would reread all of his.

[Avicenna]

I have always been a big admirer of Auster's work. But until these videos, I never knew much about him as a man. Now I have come to admire him greatly in that sense as well. Thank you, Louisiana Channel, for uploading these wonderful interviews!

[ramdularsingh]

Here is a literary genius speaking to us all. We must listen to him at any cost otherwise there will be no longer chance to it in future. Written words are invaluable and they are irreplaceable with spoken ones

[lazyjazzymusic]

Thank you for your beautiful stories and the intimacy we've shared 1:1 all throughout the years. RIP🌹

[einanderer]

Thank you for these moments and thoughts.

[kamalpreetsingh]

This is my favourite interview.... great views expressed by Paul Auster

[SetInStoneNow]

Very interesting guy. Love that backdrop, what a cool looking place to sit and talk about writing!

[simelmar]

Paul & Siri are such an interesting people! So accurate in their thoughts...amazing people!

[thecreativeprocess-pureima]

They say no one truly dies until their name is spoken for the last time. Paul Auster was a gift.

[lachaudchristine]

Tellement triste que vous nous ayez quittés ❤

[JMPH]

Thanks for sharing, Paul. I had quite a belly laugh at your point that when something happens in America, people want to hear from movie actors, which is neither good or bad... just bizarre. Absolutely hilarious.

[malcolmhollifield]

Loved his writing which evolved over the years. 4321 is one of the best novels ever written and reflects our modern understanding of reality and yet remains a development of western fiction tradition.