“I wanted this to be the saddest thing I’d ever written,”

October 26, 2014 2:44 PM

Closing a Chapter of a Literary Life [New York Times] Ahead of the American publication of his latest work, “The Book of Strange New Things,” Michel Faber discusses it and why it will be his last novel.
posted by Fizz (10 comments total)

He says he'll write short stories. Hard to believe he won't want to do another novel one day.
posted by Segundus at 3:00 PM on October 26, 2014

Yup. Another one comes to his senses.
posted by larry_darrell at 3:22 PM on October 26, 2014

His royalties must have hit critical mass...
posted by jim in austin at 3:37 PM on October 26, 2014

Jesus people, read the article. This isn't some hipster ego trip thing; his wife died.
posted by selfnoise at 3:49 PM on October 26, 2014 [25 favorites]

Sometimes you sit down to write and there's a whole burning world inside your skull roaring to be let out through your fingers. Sometimes you have to pound away at the keys like you're knocking flint against steel, eager for a bit of light. The day you live in fear of is the one when you reach inside yourself and find nothing but darkness and damp ashes. No surprise that losing the person closest to you would turn everything in there into just more cold dead matter. I'll be interested to read the book, and I wish him well.
posted by informavore at 4:25 PM on October 26, 2014 [11 favorites]

Well said informavore. I have always enjoyed Mr. Faber's writing but if this feels right for him then, I wish him well and will just appreciate what he has given us all the more because of it.
posted by Fizz at 5:03 PM on October 26, 2014 [2 favorites]

This book does seem intriguing and worth checking out, even though I found Under the Skin cold and off-putting.
posted by zardoz at 7:34 PM on October 26, 2014

even though I found Under the Skin cold and off-putting.

I can't help feeling that's exactly what the author was trying to convey? I'm a Faber fan; sad to hear this news.
posted by smoke at 2:48 AM on October 27, 2014

Ugh. I will have to remind my husband of how he isn't allowed to die, for the fourth time this week. Love is wonderful, companionship is miraculous, losing it this way seems like losing a whole chunk of your body.
posted by Made of Star Stuff at 3:48 AM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]

Well, this sure throws a damp washrag on NaNoWriMo.
posted by El Sabor Asiatico at 8:11 AM on October 27, 2014