Wednesday, March 28, 2012  Me Versus the Western Canon  One
reason I write novels is because the novel--or a long list of
novels I've read--is an important part of my life. I have no
idea what living would be without access to great books. I have
no idea who I'd be had I not had access to great books. No, I
don't know what "great" means and maybe I'll go into that later.
For now, I want to say that novelists are the artists who've had
the greatest impact on my life and personality.  One reason I
write novels is because I want to be one of the people whose art
has a great impact on the lives and personalities of people like
me. I write novels because I am grateful to novelists and I'd
like to join that club, be part of the communion of literary
saints.  Part of the idea of joining the club of novelists is
the idea of writing something that will endure, something that
will have lasting value. I don't know what "value" means, no.
Nor do I necessarily know it when I see it. But as one who hopes
to write something