I'd been coming to New York for weekends since I was 17, and after 9/11, I started making these trips more frequently, just to make contact with the city. Garth Risk Hallberg citycomecontact Change image and share on social
I was working my first adult job, a quasi journalistic job, writing content for a website. In the offices, we had banks of TVs, papers, a constant media stream, which was unusual for 2001. Garth Risk Hallberg adultbankconstant Change image and share on social
In college, I was a huge fan of 'Les Miserables.' I seem to remember that people who were into French literature preferred Hugo's poetry. Garth Risk Hallberg collegefanfrench Change image and share on social
Reading isn't about managing expectations. In certain ways, writing is. You're trying to send signals early in a book about what might be coming later, but I think worrying about the kind of chatter around a book is something I try and stay as far away from when I'm reading. Garth Risk Hallberg bookchattercome share on social
I grew up in a university town in eastern North Carolina - what's called Tobacco Road. It was very rural. Garth Risk Hallberg callcarolinaeastern Change image and share on social
I had this dream that I was going to come to New York and be a writer. Garth Risk Hallberg dreamwriteryork Change image and share on social
I think several generations of my family had novels in the drawer. You know the montage in 'The Royal Tenenbaums' where each character has produced some sort of minor work? It was like having a magician in the household. Garth Risk Hallberg characterdrawerfamily share on social
For some reason, I spent my early thirties reading as much postwar Hungarian fiction as I could get my hands on. Garth Risk Hallberg earlyfictionhand Change image and share on social
I associated excellence in writing with New York City. Garth Risk Hallberg cityexcellencewrite Change image and share on social
Sure, 'Les Miserables' can be melodramatic. And seeing the musical instead of reading the novel will save you some time and spare you the long part where Hugo goes on and on about the Parisian sewer system. But I would hate for the novel to lose that. Garth Risk Hallberg hatehugolong share on social
