Great interview of Orhan Pamuk

by Charlie Rose on PBS --

Some quotes, not from verbatim notes: “I don’t want to interpret (Turkish) culture, I just want to write a decent novel –

My job is to explain the character (in my novel) not to explain the culture or my country –

That is too big.”

“I may use the analogy of the bridge. From my window I see the Bosporus”

Charlie Rose: The bridge is neutral.
Pamuk: From the bridge I can see both sides.

Pamuk: Now I am working on my next book -- most of it is cut and paste. I may edit. There is craft -- but there also needs to be the creative fire. . . I come from the tradition of looking to the west -- but there is also tremendous anxiety, about authenticity --

It all started when Harold Pinter and Arthur Miller came to Turkey and I was their guide.

Reading used to be more important to me, but now I read (to see what others are doing) -- to steal ideas.

I write for a certain sect of people who read literary fiction all over the world. I don't write for people who watch TV -- I can say I don't even write for the Turk who doesn't read books. After TV, books have become high brow."