The written word is a powerful thing; a skilled author can choose each word carefully to dictate the precise value of any given statement. Speech, on the other hand, is like telepathy. Speaking with a writer can allow you to sneak past their effortless command over the written word, and discover a whole new level of understanding, perhaps even creeping on the boundaries of what a writer really wishes to share. In the case of Sigrid Nunez, author of such critically acclaimed works as “Feather on the Breath of God” and “The Last of her Kind,” a reading followed by a surprisingly candid conversation at Baruch College gave much insight into one author’s true self.
As revealing as a novel can be, hearing Nunez read her work out loud is even more so like a window into the inner workings of her mind. Inflection and pace give new meaning to seemingly simple statements. A previously read passage takes on whole new tones as Nunez’s voice adds life and new meaning to the language on print. But what is perhaps most intriguing is Nunez’s familiarity and trust in her own words. As the audience at Baruch College listened intently, Nunez read with a steadiness and fondness that emphasized how natural these thoughts were to her, even when transferred on paper. Her eyes seldom cast down on her manuscript for more than a second, and there was not a single syllable she stumbled over. The digressions and stream-of-consciousness type writing of her novels translated beautifully when read aloud, and lost the sometimes tiresome effect they can have on a reader, almost as though Nunez was better suited to be a storyteller of the vocal medium. She described later that her writing process is generally unplanned, and follows an “organic pull,” in which, like life, she doesn’t know exactly what is going to happen next. In the form of a novel, this free thought process can be a little exhausting, but when read out loud, by the woman who understands it best; it reflects a growth and compounding of thoughts that is so characteristic of real life.
Similarly, Nunez’s answers to the audience’s questions emphasized the organic, unplanned nature of her writing, and also suggested the level of vulnerability she felt because of it. Her answers during the Q&A were decidedly unrehearsed, but also noticeably evasive. This is understandable because of the large amount of autobiographical content, or at least inspiration, which is such an integral part of her writing. In a sense, despite how original each Nunez character is, all of her novels reflect a certain aspect of her own life, simply because of the inspiration she takes from her experiences. In this sense, probing into Nunez’s writing was a bit like probing into her past, and when the audience got too personal, Nunez drew the line by restating time after time that while personal experience does play a part in her writing, she is separate from her characters and their stories do not necessarily reflect hers. Though early on in the discussion, she lovingly and openly discussed the “feeling of appreciation” she felt for the real life “characters” of her past, and the new sense of identity she takes on when she develops a character, she gradually became more and more protective of her imagined characters. Perhaps it was because of this protective nature as well as a defense against the vulnerability of allowing such intimacy with her readers that many members of the Baruch audience were slightly disappointed with her discussion. However, she did reveal many personal aspects of her life, to the entertainment and enjoyment of her fans.
Opening up to any one, even on an individual level, is a feat that is often intimidating to even the most approachable person. To imagine sharing your most well developed thoughts and imaginings with an immense number of readers or an entire room of people is difficult; however, Nunez, as a writer and reader, successfully allows strangers into her life, while still maintaining a level of privacy and mystique that perhaps enhances the poetic nature of her writing.
