When I visited Chechnya, I was taken aback at first because people would regularly make jokes about kidnapping me. Anthony Marra abackchechnyajoke Change image and share on social
During the 20th century, Chechnya was written about by local poets and novelists, as well as writers from Russia and Central Asia, but very little is available in English translation. Anthony Marra 20thasiacentral Change image and share on social
Grozny's been largely rebuilt. But at the same time, I think the war is very much being waged inside its survivors. Anthony Marra groznyinsidelargely Change image and share on social
Wars break things; they break stories. Anthony Marra breakstorything Change image and share on social
I had assumed I'd pack my bags and head elsewhere after 'Constellation,' but Chechnya is creeping its way into the margins of my second book. Anthony Marra assumebagbook Change image and share on social
You look at a surgeon as you would a secular priest, almost, if it's your child, if it's your sister on the operating table. That was an idea that very much has interested me and I've wanted to explore for some time. Anthony Marra childexplorehave share on social
When you're writing in big block paragraphs, you can afford to have a redundant sentence now and then, but the Twitter format requires concision. Anthony Marra affordbigblock Change image and share on social
I wanted to be a writer, but at the time, I spent my days working a retail job, my nights sleeping in my childhood bedroom, and while I had written short stories here and there, I didn't know how to write good fiction anymore than I knew how to perform good brain surgery. Anthony Marra anymorebedroombrain share on social
I read all of the nonfiction that I could find on Chechnya, and all the while, I was searching for a novel that was set there. I couldn't find a single novel written in English that was set in the period of the two most recent Chechen wars. Anthony Marra chechenchechnyaenglish share on social
While looking up news from the North Caucasus on Twitter, I was linked to the sanguinely titled 'Seven Wonders of Chechnya Tour' on the website of Chechnya Travel, the postwar republic's first tourism outfit, founded in 2012. Anthony Marra caucasuschechnyafound share on social
