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“Hakawati” means “storyteller” and although Rabih Alameddine makes a distinction in this interview between writing a novel and writing a story, he does both masterfully in his spellbinding book The Hakawati. He weaves 
engrossing stories–of a family history as well as of demons, warriors and clever women–between the scenes at a father’s deathbed in Beruit just before the beginning of the (most recent) U.S. war on Iraq.
Rabih blogged about the World Cup for The New Republic, lounging on a genuine wooden Opium bed in a small room with a flat screened television, and he welcomed us to his gorgeous San Francisco apartment between morning games.
This interview was wonderfully inspiring–but be prepared to take your inspiration with reality mixed in. But just as the mix moves The Hakawati to powerful depths, the psychology of the mythic stories illuminating the dynamics of the novel’s characters, so does Rabih’s articulate honesty serve the power of the example he offers us of a true contemporary storyteller and novelist.
CONTEST: Yup, leave a comment during the month of July and you’ll be entered into a random drawing to win a copy of The Hakawati. I can’t do better than that!
Fascinating interview. I loved hearing about Rabih’s “obsessive” editing process, and the idea of writing late at night when the mind is almost asleep…. On another note, I visited the town of Urfa many years ago and had a profound yet deeply disturbing experience there. Looking very much forward to reading THE HAKAWATI.
Thank you Elizabeth and Rabih!
Elizabeth, What at delightful interview. I needed to hear about not writing for anyone specific as I sometimes lose my storyteller persona with the critical editor who wants everything done perfectly.
I have to ask myself if I’m one of those who wants to be a writer but doesn’t want to write after coming through a week of recovery from oral surgery. I did not want to take my writerly self out to my favorite coffee house and sit there to write. Now as I get better that old itch to get words to paper returns.
He was a true gem to tell about his writing life. So much appreciated his honesty.
Bree
Great conversation! It helps me to learn that Rabih constantly works on a manuscript instead of writing drafts. That’s how I’m feeling as I push through mine. The process is ongoing and reflexive. As I go, I develop voice and structure and otherwise deepen what I’ve written. I’m also inspired by his assertion that it’s lonely, terrifying work that you must feel driven to do. Yes, absolutely. I meet writing buddies when possible for writing dates, but there’s no getting around the fact that each writer must spend a great deal of time alone writing her/his own book.
I found the interview very relevant to my writing process or “un-process” as it seems to be these days. When a routine is hard to come by, simply write when you can. Also, really intrigued by the notion that he thought he was working on several diff. stories and then made them into the novel. Like that he really lets himself get taken over by the stories themselves.
I’m excited to read the book and see the interweave of the storyteller and the novelist. Like this edge. can’t wait to read it. Thank you to all for putting this up.
that was so great. i loved that he was obsessive and seeing a psychiatrist and that he wrote different stories and that he didn’t really have a structure and that he admitted his faults.
what a relief.