“I don’t know if it started with giving every superhero an origin story, but we so hurt the cause of art if it’s really just the end product of some personal evolution or therapy or catharsis. I think we have to allow the serendipity of creation. That sometimes you just come up with something and that there is no tidy origin story, and that’s okay. It’s kind of glorious and fun. That a painting would come into the brain of a painter, or a musical progression would just appear in the mind of a composer. ” – Dave Eggers, episode 229 of Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso
Author Dave Eggers joins us for a bonus episode! We discuss his new novella, The Museum of Rain (5:26), our tendency to mythologize creation (13:57), and why the best art often comes from the subconscious (18:53). The flip-phone nature of this episode leads us to unpacking Dave’s anti-technology outlook (20:56), the radical rise of smartphones (28:40), his first experience with the power of journalism (31:12), and the origin of his non-profit, 826 Valencia (32:58). Then, as we leave, Dave walks us through his idea of a day well spent (40:52).
Show notes
- You can read or listen to The Museum of Rain for free on Scribd or order the hardcover via McSweeney’s.
- Learn more about Dave’s nonprofit, 826 Valencia.
- Check out Dave’s personal website to learn more about his work.
- Buy your Talk Easy mug today. Click here for info.
- Illustrations by: Krishna Shenoi.