Rachel Kushner

I don't think a woman riding a motorcycle thinks of herself as doing something that has sex appeal. I think she's trying to replicate for herself an experience that she sees men having.

I usually get up between 7 A.M. and 8 A.M., have coffee, and go right to work. It's really important not to get sidetracked in the morning so I'm still in that dreamy state for my writing.

Subject matter is sort of overemphasized in the way books get discussed, I think.

When I am writing, my problems become invisible and I am the same person I always was. All is well. I am as I should be.

Well, I actually wrote her a letter a couple of days ago congratulating her. The tone I tried to convey in the letter is, look, you are a part of a great American historical process.

If I can add, say, 10 great new violin concertos to the repertoire before I'm done, that will be truly exciting.