Sunday, March 31, 2013

The Master

"I was very curious, as a writer, as to how far I could go. What happens if you go further? It's best, certainly in the early stages of a book, to abandon self-censorship. Do whatever you want to do; let it be. Shame isn't for writers. You have to be shameless. You can't worry about being decorous. This doesn't mean you have to be obscene and crazy and smear your pages with feces. That's not the point. But shame won't do! I couldn't have written Sabbath's Theater if I felt shame. I feel plenty of shame in my own life - don't get be wrong. I'm just as shame-ridden as the next person is, but when I sit down to write I am free from shame."

from Philip Roth: Unmasked, this fantastic advice from my favorite writer discussing my favorite book of his. This man has no equals among living writers. Watching this last night made me want to go back and reread everything he has ever written. He is such an insanely good writer.

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