Idra Novey is a poet. She also translates works from Spanish and Portuguese, and now, with a new novel, she’s writing fiction.
Ways to Disappear is a novel about a celebrated Brazilian writer who climbs up an almond tree holding a suitcase and a cigar to escape a growing gambling debt. This climb occurs in the opening pages of the book, and what follows is the search for the author conducted by her translator and her grown children.
I recently spoke with Novey about the book, her various genres, poetry…and climbing trees. Here’s our conversation.
Ways to Disappear by Idra Novey was published by Little, Brown and Company.
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Editor: LuAnne Stephens
Engineer: Jon Cyphers
Producer: Beth Golay