In researching 'The Luminaries,' I did read quite a lot of 20th-century crime. My favourites out of that were James M. Cain, Dassiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler and Graham Greene and Patricia Highsmith. Eleanor Catton 20thcaincentury share on social
My second novel, 'The Luminaries,' is set in the New Zealand gold rushes of the 1860s, though it's not really a historical novel in the conventional sense. So far, I've been describing it as 'an astrological murder mystery.' Eleanor Catton 1860sastrologicalconventional share on social
To experience sublime natural beauty is to confront the total inadequacy of language to describe what you see. Words cannot convey the scale of a view that is so stunning it is felt. Eleanor Catton beautyconfrontconvey Change image and share on social
Often I listen to songs on repeat for days and days at a time. There's something hypnotic or meditative, and it mirrors the way that I am putting the sentence together, going back over the same phrases again and again. Eleanor Catton backdayhypnotic share on social
You can tell when a writer moves out of a place of struggle and into a place of comfort, and it's always a bad thing. Eleanor Catton badcomfortmove Change image and share on social
The way that I see astrology is as a repository of thought and psychology. A system we've created as a culture as way to make things mean things. Eleanor Catton astrologycreateculture Change image and share on social
I don't see that my age has anything to do with what is between the covers of my book, any more than the fact that I am right-handed. It's a fact of my biography, but it's uninteresting. Eleanor Catton agebiographybook Change image and share on social
Money doesn't transform a person - the only thing that can is love. Eleanor Catton lovemoneyperson Change image and share on social
An interesting thing about New Zealand, you know, literature is that it really didn't begin in any real sense until the 20th century. Eleanor Catton 20thbegincentury Change image and share on social
I have always loved reading books for children and young adults, particularly when those books are mysteries. Eleanor Catton adultbookchild Change image and share on social
