Writer Siri Hustvedt on James Baldwin’s Complexity
Siri Hustvedt is a celebrated writer of fiction and nonfiction who is inspired by the connections between the humanities and science.
Notes from America with Kai Wright
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Show Notes
In the third episode of “Notes on a Native Son,” host Razia Iqbal sits down with the celebrated writer of novels and essays, Siri Hustvedt. When Hustvedt was invited to record a conversation for the podcast about her favorite passage from the work of James Baldwin, the timing in so many ways couldn’t have been worse — it turned out to be the last few weeks of life for her husband, writer Paul Auster. However, a few weeks after his passing, Hustvedt reached out to say that she was ready.
She felt that re-reading and talking about Baldwin would somehow be a balm for her grief. Hustvedt describes how Baldwin’s novels “possessed” her as a young reader and discusses his intricate ability to recognize the oppressor within, even as he gave a voice to the oppressed.
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Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.