Olen Steinhauer answers 13 questions in a Booker's Dozen.

TPQ: What are you currently reading? 

OS: The Painted Bird by Jerzy Kosiński. I suppose I read about the forthcoming film based on it and realized that though it was in my collection I hadn’t actually sat down to it. And since we’re trying to get our daughter to read books before seeing their adaptations, I thought I might as well lead by example. It’s a painful and brutal book—I’m hoping for something of a turnaround by the end. 

TPQ: Best and worst books you have ever read?

OS:  I can’t really categorize books that way, but I’ll give it a try. Best? I would have to name two that I return to periodically and always find new treasures in: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John le Carré, and Immortality by Milan Kundera. Each for different reasons. The worst? My god, that’s hard, because I’ve never felt an obligation to finish a book I didn’t like, which means I’ve read the opening sections of many books. One bad book, though, I did finish, and that was Across the River and Into the Trees by Ernest Hemingway. Christ, but that was painful. 

TPQ: Book most cherished as a child?

OS: I adored Taran Wanderer by Lloyd Alexander, and the rest of the books in the Chronicles of Prydain. I suppose the idea of an assistant pig-keeper breaking out of his dull life to become a hero really resonated with this suburban kid. 

TPQ: Favourite Childhood author?

OS: Probably Shel Silverstein—for a year or so I could be found reciting poems from Where the Sidewalk Ends on a daily basis, then convulsing in laughter. 

TPQ: First book to really own you?

OS: Though I adored various books and authors, I think it was Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man that really owned me. James Joyce’s mastery hit me so hard that it convinced me to devote myself to writing fiction—as I put it to myself at age 19, if I could have this kind of an effect on other people through writing, then I could die happy (I’m still not happy to die, so I suppose I’m still working on it). It was a double-edged sword, though, because for the next few years everything I wrote tried to look like Ulysses, and there’s nothing worse than a half-educated and half-talented writer trying to redo Ulysses

TPQ: Favourite male and female author?

OS:   Like “best,” “favorite” is a hard thing to nail down—perhaps it’s best to name some sentimental favorites. I have a special place in my heart for Marguerite Duras, whose style I find utterly hypnotic, particularly in The Lover, which, despite the unbearable screen adaption, is an amazing book. And despite the lousiness of Across the River and Into the Trees, I go back periodically to Hemingway to remind myself of the beauty of simplicity.  

A Berlin Book Tower in memory of the Nazi book burning.

TPQ: A preference for fact or fiction?

OS: Fiction! I have a deep respect for well-written nonfiction, but in the end am most impressed by that which has been invented whole cloth. 

TPQ: Biography, autobiography or memoir that most impressed you?

OS: Though I like the idea of biographies, I’ve read very few, too few for my opinion to have much value.

TPQ: Any author or book you point blank refuse to read?

OS: No. Nor is there any author or book that I feel obligated to read.

TPQ: A book to share with somebody so that they would more fully understand you?

OS: Immortality, by Milan Kundera (mentioned above), gets to a lot of the questions I’ve asked myself about the work I do and the life I live, but asks them in far more interesting ways than I ever do.

TPQ: Last book you gave as a present?

OS: The first two Harry Potters for my daughter. We’re very much behind the times. 

TPQ: Book you would most like to see turned into a movie?

OS: The Miernik Dossier, by Charles McCarry. What a wonderful spy story, told via road trip, populated by utterly compelling characters. 

TPQ: A "must read" you intend getting to before you die?

OS: As I say above, there are no books I feel obligated to read, but there are many I’d like to get to. Don Quixote or Finnegans Wake or War and Peace or … well, there are a lot. 

  Olen Steinhauer is an American writer of spy fiction novels, including The Tourist, the Milo Weaver series, and the Yalta Boulevard Sequence. He also created the TV series Berlin Station.

Booker's Dozen @ Olen Steinhauer

Olen Steinhauer answers 13 questions in a Booker's Dozen.

TPQ: What are you currently reading? 

OS: The Painted Bird by Jerzy Kosiński. I suppose I read about the forthcoming film based on it and realized that though it was in my collection I hadn’t actually sat down to it. And since we’re trying to get our daughter to read books before seeing their adaptations, I thought I might as well lead by example. It’s a painful and brutal book—I’m hoping for something of a turnaround by the end. 

TPQ: Best and worst books you have ever read?

OS:  I can’t really categorize books that way, but I’ll give it a try. Best? I would have to name two that I return to periodically and always find new treasures in: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John le Carré, and Immortality by Milan Kundera. Each for different reasons. The worst? My god, that’s hard, because I’ve never felt an obligation to finish a book I didn’t like, which means I’ve read the opening sections of many books. One bad book, though, I did finish, and that was Across the River and Into the Trees by Ernest Hemingway. Christ, but that was painful. 

TPQ: Book most cherished as a child?

OS: I adored Taran Wanderer by Lloyd Alexander, and the rest of the books in the Chronicles of Prydain. I suppose the idea of an assistant pig-keeper breaking out of his dull life to become a hero really resonated with this suburban kid. 

TPQ: Favourite Childhood author?

OS: Probably Shel Silverstein—for a year or so I could be found reciting poems from Where the Sidewalk Ends on a daily basis, then convulsing in laughter. 

TPQ: First book to really own you?

OS: Though I adored various books and authors, I think it was Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man that really owned me. James Joyce’s mastery hit me so hard that it convinced me to devote myself to writing fiction—as I put it to myself at age 19, if I could have this kind of an effect on other people through writing, then I could die happy (I’m still not happy to die, so I suppose I’m still working on it). It was a double-edged sword, though, because for the next few years everything I wrote tried to look like Ulysses, and there’s nothing worse than a half-educated and half-talented writer trying to redo Ulysses

TPQ: Favourite male and female author?

OS:   Like “best,” “favorite” is a hard thing to nail down—perhaps it’s best to name some sentimental favorites. I have a special place in my heart for Marguerite Duras, whose style I find utterly hypnotic, particularly in The Lover, which, despite the unbearable screen adaption, is an amazing book. And despite the lousiness of Across the River and Into the Trees, I go back periodically to Hemingway to remind myself of the beauty of simplicity.  

A Berlin Book Tower in memory of the Nazi book burning.

TPQ: A preference for fact or fiction?

OS: Fiction! I have a deep respect for well-written nonfiction, but in the end am most impressed by that which has been invented whole cloth. 

TPQ: Biography, autobiography or memoir that most impressed you?

OS: Though I like the idea of biographies, I’ve read very few, too few for my opinion to have much value.

TPQ: Any author or book you point blank refuse to read?

OS: No. Nor is there any author or book that I feel obligated to read.

TPQ: A book to share with somebody so that they would more fully understand you?

OS: Immortality, by Milan Kundera (mentioned above), gets to a lot of the questions I’ve asked myself about the work I do and the life I live, but asks them in far more interesting ways than I ever do.

TPQ: Last book you gave as a present?

OS: The first two Harry Potters for my daughter. We’re very much behind the times. 

TPQ: Book you would most like to see turned into a movie?

OS: The Miernik Dossier, by Charles McCarry. What a wonderful spy story, told via road trip, populated by utterly compelling characters. 

TPQ: A "must read" you intend getting to before you die?

OS: As I say above, there are no books I feel obligated to read, but there are many I’d like to get to. Don Quixote or Finnegans Wake or War and Peace or … well, there are a lot. 

  Olen Steinhauer is an American writer of spy fiction novels, including The Tourist, the Milo Weaver series, and the Yalta Boulevard Sequence. He also created the TV series Berlin Station.

10 comments:

  1. Larry Hughes Writes


    I watched the movie 'The Toutust' recently with Johnny Depp in it and loved it. I'm sorry I didn't read the book first.

    I see Olen has other works and will invest time in reading one of those soon. If they are like the above mentioned movie or LeCarreesque I'll get the rest also. I'm praying they don't degenerate into total fantasy. As long as it's exciting and smouldering like the tourist it won't lose me. However fairy tales are a bridge too far ... but this guy looks very interesting!!

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  2. Love your books! Read them all. Any chance Berlin Station will return on another network? I loved that show.

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    Replies
    1. Berlin Station was brilliant - it was more worshipped than watched in this house.

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  3. Luddite that I sometimes am hadn't come across Berlin Station
    I'll check it out

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    Replies
    1. It is well worth watching - saw the first two seasons. I imagine you will enjoy it given that that brilliant recommendation you made to us on Mindhunter

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  4. AM
    Did you give The Bureau a watch?

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    Replies
    1. Not yet but I hope to - it is getting the time Peter

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  5. Too many books to read! I'd love to know how you think it stacks up against Berlin Station. Both are excellent

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    Replies
    1. Boss says it is not on Netflix or Sky on Demand. Where did you watch it Peter?

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  6. I think its on Amazon Prime

    ReplyDelete