Bookworm
Michael Ondaatje: Divisadero
Michael Ondaatje's novels come together through obsession and intuition. He works in the dark, not knowing where he is heading, juxtaposing disparate materials, noticing echoes and recurrences.
By Michael Silverblatt • • 30m ListenMichael Ondaatje's novels come together through a combination of obsession and intuition. He works in the dark, not knowing where he is heading, juxtaposing disparate materials, noticing echoes and recurrences. We explore the mysterious convergences in
(Knopf) — convergences that link a family ranch in contemporary California with the life and works of a forgotten French poet and novelist. How does Ondaatje come to know what his work is ultimately about?
Read an excerpt from Divisadero.