Let me put it this way: I don't plan to retire. What would I do, become a brain surgeon? I mean, a brain surgeon can retire and write novels, but a novelist can't retire and do brain surgery - or at least he better not. Alan Furst brainnovelnovelist share on social
Poland is a wildly dramatic and tragic story. It's just unbelievable what went on with those people. How they survive, I don't really know. The Germans had a particular hatred for the Poles; they really considered them subhuman Slavs, and they were very brutal to them. Alan Furst brutalconsiderdramatic share on social
I am there to entertain. I call my work high escape fiction; it's high, it's good - but it's escape, and I have no delusions about that. I have no ambition to be a serious writer, whatever that means. Alan Furst ambitioncalldelusion Change image and share on social
Whether you like it or not, Paris is the beating heart of Western civilisation. It's where it all began and ended. Alan Furst beatbegincivilisation Change image and share on social
I figured I would always be a candidate for man of the year in the virtue-is-its-own-reward category. What that did was force me to concentrate on the work. Alan Furst candidatecategoryconcentrate Change image and share on social
For me, Anthony Powell is a religion. I read 'A Dance to the Music of Time' every few years. Alan Furst anthonydancemusic Change image and share on social
I never got any training in how to write novels as an English major at Oberlin, but I got some great training for writing novels from anthropology and from Margaret Mead. Alan Furst anthropologyenglishgreat Change image and share on social
I have a very serious censorship office inside my head; it censors things that I could tell you that you would never forget, and I don't want to be the person to stick that in your brain. Alan Furst braincensorcensorship Change image and share on social
When I read period material - and it ain't on Google - I am always alert for that one incredible detail. I'll read a whole book and get three words out of it, but they'll be three really good words. Alan Furst alertbookdetail Change image and share on social
I look for the dark story, where something secret was done. I read and read and pick up the trail of a true story. I use nothing but true stories. They are so much better than phony ones. Alan Furst darkphonypick Change image and share on social