I think that all research scientists think of themselves as belonging to a grand tradition, building on work that has been worked on since the very beginning of science itself. Whereas I'm not sure writers think of themselves in the same way. Hanya Yanagihara beginbelongbuild share on social
I live in Soho in lower New York; there's tons and tons of tourists right outside my door step, obviously. Most of them are European, and all of them have guidebooks. I never see anyone looking at a phone. Hanya Yanagihara dooreuropeanguidebook share on social
We think of writing a book as a process, but the very word - process - suggests that there is one: a template to follow, a map to guide us. If that were true, someone would have surely figured out some marketable method we could all buy. Hanya Yanagihara bookbuyfigure share on social
I always wanted to be a scientist. I don't really have any writer friends. Hanya Yanagihara friendscientistwant Change image and share on social
Every traveler knows too well the endless quest for the perfect travel bag: the one that's stylish enough to carry through Paris, sturdy enough to tote around Peru, and - most important - doesn't make your shoulder sag even before you've loaded it up with everything you need for a day of sightseeing. Hanya Yanagihara bagcarryday share on social
Go to any Shinto temple in Japan and you'll see it: a simple stand from which hang hundreds of wooden postcard-size plaques with a colorful image on one side and, on the other, densely scribbled Japanese characters in black felt-tip pen, pleas to the gods for help or succor. Hanya Yanagihara blackcharactercolorful share on social
Writing is, by its nature, interior work. So being forced to be around people is a great gift for a novelist. You get to be reminded, daily, of how people think, how they speak, how they live; the things they worry about, the things they hope for, the things they fear. Hanya Yanagihara dailyfearforce share on social
It's a funny thing about cities: Some have brief, bright moments of cultural and political dominance, decades- or centuries-long spells when they seem the center of their particular nation, or region, or empire... only to later fall into obscurity and disrepair, never to regain their former glory. Hanya Yanagihara brightcentercentury share on social
One of the fun things about unreliable narrators is they can be funny. You can admire things about them and laugh with them. Hanya Yanagihara admirefunfunny Change image and share on social
My father was a research doctor at the National Institutes of Health in the early 1980s, and you couldn't work in the field and not know about D. Carleton Gajdusek, who my father often mentioned. Hanya Yanagihara 1980scarletondoctor Change image and share on social