I try to get going early, on the assumption that the way you begin your day is the way you continue. But certain books only want to be written at night, so there's no hard rule where work is concerned. Damon Galgut assumptionbeginbook share on social
I think there's something very dark in the South African psyche. I think we live a lot of the time in a state of a very low-grade civil war; the levels of violence in South Africa are extremely high. In a way, the civil war that never happened is being played out in a covert way, so we live with a lot of very ugly things. Damon Galgut africaafricancivil share on social
It's expected of novels that they should explain the world and create the illusion that things are ultimately logical and coherent. But that's not what I see around me. Often, events remain mysterious and unresolved, and our emotions reach no catharsis. Damon Galgut catharsiscoherentcreate share on social
I think the impulse took shape in early childhood when I was very ill with lymphoma for a number of years. I spent a lot of time in hospitals and sick-rooms, being read to by various relatives, and I learned to associate books with love and attention. Damon Galgut associateattentionbook share on social
There aren't a lot of 'Aha!' moments in writing. Damon Galgut ahalotmoment Change image and share on social
I've been wanting to write a book about what goes into creating a novel, and the story behind 'A Passage to India' is especially interesting. Damon Galgut bookcreatehave Change image and share on social
Generally, writers have very uninteresting lives. Damon Galgut generallyliveuninteresting Change image and share on social
Writing is not like acting, where you can pull these little stunts that create a particular effect. Words are all it is about, and the way you use words has to be individual and particular to you. Damon Galgut actcreateeffect Change image and share on social
Traveling is one of few zones of experience where you are not directly plugged into the world around you. You're not part of the society you're passing through. Damon Galgut directlyexperiencepart Change image and share on social
Any radical change or trauma always makes for interesting subject matter, but then all stories deal, to some extent, with the disjuncture between past and present. Damon Galgut changedealdisjuncture Change image and share on social