Olivia Laing on Chronicling the World of 1970s Italian Cinema
Step into the world of The Silver Book with Olivia Laing, award-winning author of The Lonely City, Everybody, and Funny Weather, as they discuss their spellbinding new novel of art, queer love, and illusion. Laing was joined in conversation by
In <source 878083c8-c18>, Olivia Laing discusses her new novel The Silver Book, a historical fiction exploring art, queer love, and illusion. Co-authored by Rachel Kushner, the book is a meditation on the moral power of art and the charged space where it collides with power and desire. Laing draws inspiration from Maylis de Kerangal's Painting Time, praising the novel's descriptions of artists creating and cooking.
The book features meticulous details about Federico Fellini's assistant Danilo, who prepares an elaborate feast, showcasing his dedication and sensual pleasure in cooking. Laing pieced together these details through various sources, including biographies and films about Fellini and Pasolini. Despite Pasolini's elusive nature, Laing managed to capture his presence in peripheral glimpses, allowing his enigmatic figure to unfold within the narrative.
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