jonathan franzen and lorrie moore @ 92Y.

lorrie moore was exactly as expected—warm, with a seductive and subtle wit. jonathan franzen on the other hand was much more animated and effusive than i had painted him in my mind.

what a great night at the 92y. i wanted to hear more about franzen’s unexpected birdwatching hobby that was a product of writing freedom.

moore’s reply to the audience question about how writers come to endings in their stories was beautiful and succinct—that short stories hearken back to the past when you have finished them, while novels drive the reader and writer to imagine the unwritten pages in the characters’ imagined future.