The Organist
Episode 76: A Radio Wave In My Brain
What is the position of acne-picking in contemporary literature? Otessa Moshfegh, author of Eileen and most recently the collection Homesick for Another World, writes descriptions of bodily functions that rival those of Louis CK. Moshfegh, who was raised in an immigrant family and trained in classical piano, pushes the sonic idiosyncrasies of English as she brings the reader into uncomfortable intimacy with her characters.
By Andrew Leland • • 26m ListenOttessa Moshfegh’s books are menacing and powerful; they’re filled with intimate descriptions of bodily fluids and bowel movements, but, like Flannery O’Connor, they also cut deep into the psychic substrata of her characters. In this week’s episode, Moshfegh discusses her process of writing these books—which apparently involves visitations from the paranormal. Last year Moshfegh was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize for her novel Eileen, which is a story about a woman desperately seeking the connection of another human being. She also wrote a novella, McGlue, which is a kind of murder love story set in Salem Massachusetts in 1851. Moshfegh spoke to Ross Simonini about the source of the darkness and the weirdness in her fiction.
In this episode, you’ll also hear Organist fan fiction from comedian Dan Sheehan, known for tweeting as his persona @SICKOFWOLVES, who is “DEFINITELY NOT A WOLF PRETENDING TO BE A MAN.”
