For the first five years of my life, things felt pretty good. A lot went wrong after that, family-wise. Damon Galgut familyfeltgood Change image and share on social
One of the questions writers bump up against in their work, whether they know it or not, is about lying. Because fiction is a form of deceit, and one's abilities are measured by how convincingly one can persuade readers that these events really happened. Damon Galgut abilitybumpconvincingly share on social
South Africa is highly politicised; even small issues become politicised, and it becomes quite bitter. Damon Galgut africabitterhighly Change image and share on social
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
Perhaps cliche is nothing more than the weight of the past pinning down your mind. In this sense, imaginative freedom is a way of finding the future, though it isn't so easy to do. Damon Galgut clicheeasyfind Change image and share on social
I'm constitutionally incapable of working on planes or trains, and airports are definitely out. Damon Galgut airportconstitutionallyincapable Change image and share on social
Being gay immediately placed me outside the values of the society I was growing up in. Apartheid was a very patriarchal system, so its assumptions seemed foreign to me from the outset. I've always had the advantage of alienation. Damon Galgut advantagealienationapartheid share on social
While apartheid was in operation, the set-up was a gift for writers if you were looking for a big theme. Damon Galgut apartheidbiggift 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
Almost overnight, white people have gone from being very powerful to potentially irrelevant. Their future in South Africa is not what many had envisaged, so it involves a lot of reinvention. Damon Galgut africaenvisagefuture Change image and share on social
