Nearly two hours into my lunch with the scholar, writer and provocateur Viet Thanh Nguyen, I hear myself apologise. We’ve taken on the myth of America’s promise, the plague of national borders, writing through trauma, “narrative plenitude” and Israel’s attacks on Gaza. I completely forgot to ask him a light question.
He laughs. “Unfortunately, this is what my persona gets me,” he says. “I’ve attended author events where the questions are so easy. Like, ‘tell me about your book and what kind of pencils you use.’ Give me these questions!”
OK, I say, what are you reading right now?
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