S6 Ep. 22: More to Say: Ann Beattie on Her New Collection of Essays, Donald Barthelme, and the Chinese Spy Balloon

fiction/non/fiction

Acclaimed fiction writer Ann Beattie joins co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to discuss her recent LitHub essay about Donald Barthelme’s short story “The Balloon” and the Chinese spy balloon. She also talks about her recently published first collection of essays, More to Say: Essays and Appreciations, in which she writes about the work of authors, photographers, and artists she admires, including Elmore Leonard, Sally Mann, John Loengard, and her own husband, visual artist Lincoln Perry. Beattie explains why as a nonfiction writer, she prefers close looking and reading; considers defamiliarization in the hands of Barthelme and Alice Munro; analyzes former visual artist John Updike’s depiction of the natural world; and reflects on developing increased comfort with writing about visual art. She also reads excerpts from both her LitHub piece and the essay collection.

To hear the full episode, subscribe through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app (include the forward slashes when searching). You can also listen by streaming from the player below. Check out video versions of our interviews on the Fiction/Non/Fiction Instagram account, the Fiction/Non/Fiction YouTube Channel, and our show website: https://www.fnfpodcast.net/

This podcast is produced by Anne Kniggendorf.

Selected Readings:

Ann Beattie

• More to Say (Moon Palace Books)
• More to Say (Godine)
• The State We’re In (Moon Palace Books)
• “Richard Rew's Sculpture,” by Ann Beattie | The New Yorker
• “John Updike’s Sense of Wonder,” by Ann Beattie
• “Ann Beattie Wonders What Donald Barthelme Would Have Made of the Spy Balloon” | Literary Hub

Others:

• “The Balloon,” by Donald Barthelme | The New Yorker
• “On Not Knowing,” Not-Knowing, by Donald Barthelme
• “Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage,” by Alice Munro
• “Couples,” by John Updike
• “Spring Rain,” by John Updike | The New Yorker
• “As I See It,” by John Loengard (ThriftBooks)
• “The Runaways,” by Elizabeth Spencer | Narrative

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