'The Cauliflower' is full of these bizarre anecdotes, some of them petty, others moving or whimsical, as its many characters try to make sense of the universe in which they live - a universe strange, febrile, and utterly unique. Justin Cartwright anecdotebizarrecauliflower share on social
It is a commonplace to say that novelists should be judged by their work rather than their private lives or their publicly expressed views. And writers, of course, subscribe enthusiastically to this idea. Justin Cartwright commonplaceenthusiasticallyexpress share on social
When I wrote my first serious novel, 'Interior', I was inspired by a 1978 book of Updike's, 'The Coup', which is set in Africa and will come as a delightful surprise to anyone who has only read his Americana. Justin Cartwright africaamericanabook share on social
I'm not an especially male novelist, but I think men are better at writing about men, and the same is true for women. Reading Saul Bellow is a revelation, but he can't write women. There are exceptions, like Marilynne Robinson's 'Gilead,' but generally, I think it's true. Justin Cartwright bellowexceptiongenerally share on social
This is the strange thing about South Africa - for all its corruption and crime, it seems to offer a stimulating sense that anything is possible. Justin Cartwright africacorruptioncrime Change image and share on social
Personally, I have detested Gordon Brown since the moment in 2001 when he tried to make cheap capital out of the Laura Spence affair; as his troubles have piled up, I have felt no sympathy for him at all. Justin Cartwright affairbrowncapital share on social
In a way, advertising, for all its shallowness, its love of design, its modishness and its self-justification, is curiously innocent. The idea of the hidden persuader or the manipulator is largely absurd. Justin Cartwright absurdadvertisecuriously share on social
A connection between poetry and blindness is a classical trope. Justin Cartwright blindnessclassicalconnection Change image and share on social
Peter Stanford is a writer on religious and ethical matters. He was for four years editor of the 'Catholic Herald.' Justin Cartwright catholiceditorethical Change image and share on social
My own interest in Kafka's letter came about when I was writing an article on Peter Ginz, the boy novelist held in Terezin, not far from Prague, and exterminated in Auschwitz by the Nazis. The Ginz family were from more or less the same milieu as the Kafkas. Justin Cartwright articleauschwitzboy share on social