As a child growing up in pre-gentrification Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, I went everywhere by bicycle. My bike was in many ways the key to my neighborhood, which, at the time, was Boerum Hill, Brooklyn. This was in the 60s and 70s, before all the white people and restaurants. I really can't underscore boldly enough the fact that I grew up in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, before it was gentrified. You could get mugged!
Jonathan LethemI want what we all want," said Carl. "To move certain parts of the interior of myself into the exterior world, to see if they can be embraced.
Jonathan LethemArt is about eliminating almost everything in order to focus on the thing that you need to talk about.
Jonathan LethemI don't write about anything I don't love even if that love sometimes gets all screwed up and tormented.
Jonathan LethemI try to write every day. I don't beat myself up about word counts, or how many hours are ticking by on the clock before I'm allowed to go and do something else. I just try to keep a hand in and work every single day, even if there are other demands or I'm on a book tour or have the flu or something, because then I keep my unconscious engaged with the book. Then I'm always a little bit writing, no matter what else I'm doing.
Jonathan Lethem