John Irving on Kurt Vonnegut

IndyStar.com - the online edition of the Indianapolis Star

conversations: A Q&A with a person of note
Confidence is great gift, Irving says

By Bonnie Britton
bonnie.britton.DeleteThis@indystar.com
April 25, 2004

Quote:

"You are a friend of Indianapolis native and writer Kurt Vonnegut?"

"Yes. Kurt Vonnegut was my teacher at the (University of) Iowa Writers'
Workshop. And we've been friends since that time, that time being
1965-1967."

"What did you learn from him?"

"I think he gave me a lot of confidence by principally endorsing what I
was doing. He was very gentle, but as you might imagine, funny in his
criticism. It was mainly the encouragement that meant a lot to me. You
don't tell (young writers) how to do anything. It isn't that kind of
business. That's what Kurt did for me, he gave me a lot of confidence
and he saved me a sizable amount of time."

Interview at: http://www.indystar.com/articles/9/140682-3099-047.html

--
obscura.DeleteThis@null.net ¤ "Cleaning birdshit out of cuckoo clocks." -- KV