Words Without Borders: "Interview with Alina Bronsky, author of Broken Glass Park”
Broken Glass Park (translated by Tim Mohr, Europa Editions, 2010), a novel about immigrants, doesn’t display any of the characteristics of the “ethnic” novels written these days in the States, including those about Russians: no picturesque Russian women, no funny and avuncular Russian men, no big families that enjoy eating succulent, “exotic” meals, and generally, no atmosphere reminiscent of My Big, Fat Greek Wedding (which is the ethos of most “ethnic” literature).
This interview was conducted several days after the PEN/World Voices festival (April 26-May 2, 2010), where Alina Bronsky was one of the featured authors.
Daniela Hurezanu: You mentioned during the PEN/World Voices “Incognito: Writers and their Aliases” panel that you took a pen name with the intention of creating a public persona different from the private one. This idea was partially motivated, you said, by the desire to protect your family and children, who have the right to keep their privacy even if you are a public person. But you touched upon the main reason when you said: “The practice of naming is a mystery, and to take a pseudonym means to create not only a work but also a writer.” Could you elaborate on that?
Alina Bronsky: The playful handling of the “mystery of naming” wasn’t more important for me than the desire to protect my family and children, yet after almost two years since my first publication is still fascinating. I feel it still represents my work and my personality as a writer in a wonderful way. The release of one’s first book is a huge step for every writer, hopefully to be followed by many other books. I liked the idea of giving myself a new name for a successful start, in the same way other people would buy special equipment or beautiful clothes for their first day at the office.
Read the Complete interview on Words Without Borders
This interview was conducted several days after the PEN/World Voices festival (April 26-May 2, 2010), where Alina Bronsky was one of the featured authors.
Daniela Hurezanu: You mentioned during the PEN/World Voices “Incognito: Writers and their Aliases” panel that you took a pen name with the intention of creating a public persona different from the private one. This idea was partially motivated, you said, by the desire to protect your family and children, who have the right to keep their privacy even if you are a public person. But you touched upon the main reason when you said: “The practice of naming is a mystery, and to take a pseudonym means to create not only a work but also a writer.” Could you elaborate on that?
Alina Bronsky: The playful handling of the “mystery of naming” wasn’t more important for me than the desire to protect my family and children, yet after almost two years since my first publication is still fascinating. I feel it still represents my work and my personality as a writer in a wonderful way. The release of one’s first book is a huge step for every writer, hopefully to be followed by many other books. I liked the idea of giving myself a new name for a successful start, in the same way other people would buy special equipment or beautiful clothes for their first day at the office.
Read the Complete interview on Words Without Borders