S6 Ep249: Masters Series: Richard Flanagan

This is a conversation Kate has been waiting years to have. She spoke to Richard Flanagan at the end of his most recent tour, in person at State Library Victoria.

Richard Flanagan's novels have received numerous honours and are published in forty-two countries. He won the Booker Prize for The Narrow Road to the Deep North and the Commonwealth Prize for Gould’s Book of Fish. A rapid on the Franklin River is named after him. His latest book is Question 7. 

Kate and Richard discuss:

wanting to be a writer at four years old and writing stories for his sister

getting his debut novel Death of a River Guide written and published 

writing a 'memoir' for conman John Friedrich which Flanagan went on to fictionalise in his novel First Person

On structure and form: 'A novel without form is like a jellyfish, it lacks spine and movement. A novel should be a Great White Pointer - it has to move and it has to excite and it has to surprise.'

Working around writing with a young family

Collaboration with his publisher Nikki Christer 

The influence of Yolgnu writer Siena Stubbs who introduced Flanagan to the idea of a 'fourth tense' in Yolgnu language

Richard's article and speech Does Writing Matter in 2016

Donating prizing money (and the picture with Abbott!) and his father's philosophy on money

Richard says there 'needs to be a culture change in this country whereby there is a respect accorded writers'

Richard's debut recommendation: The Tin Drum by Gunter Grass

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