Key West Literary Seminar

Barry Unsworth | Why Bother with the Past?

Posted by Arlo Haskell on October 13, 2009 | |
Unsworth_Barry_8_curt.richter.jpg
photo by Curt Richter Barry Unsworth's body of work is marked by scrupulous historical research and compelling narratives. In this recording from the 2009 Key West Literary Seminar, Unsworth discusses the impulses, instincts, and concerns that drive his fascination with history. The often intimate discussion suggests that Unsworth's chief aim as a novelist is to explore the ethical complexities of humankind as presented in the customs and sensibilities of distinct historical periods.

"The past is another country, we know. It's not recoverable. Even our own past, our own childhood is not recoverable. We know that we can't get back to it, but we know at the same time that we've never lost it. We know it belongs to us because it has made us what we are."

From KWLS 2009: Historical Fiction and the Search for Truth
(28:19) / 13.1 MB


To download, right-click here (Mac users: ctrl+click) and choose 'save as'
This recording is being made available for noncommercial and educational use only. All rights to this recorded material belong to the author. © 2009 Barry Unsworth. Used with generous permission from Barry Unsworth.

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The journal of the Key West Literary Seminar features recordings from our audio archives, exclusive interviews, essays, news about the Seminar, and dispatches from Key West's literary past and present. It is created by Arlo Haskell. Send email to arlo [at] kwls [dot] org

Each January, we explore a different literary theme through lectures, panel presentations, readings, informal gatherings, and discussions. In January 2011, we explore food in literature with our 29th annual Seminar, THE HUNGRY MUSE.

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About this Entry

This page contains a single entry by Arlo Haskell published on October 13, 2009 10:10 AM.

Patricia Engel | "The Bridge" was the previous entry in this blog.

Announcing KWLS 2011: The Hungry Muse is the next entry in this blog.

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Audio recordings on this page and elsewhere on www.kwls.org are being made available for educational and noncommmercial use only. All rights to the recorded  material belong to the author or authors speaking. © 2008, 2009.

The Key West Literary Seminar Audio Archives Project is sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

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National Endowment for the Arts