Colm Toíbín told us how he was still mastering the art of short story writing. He has some clues now, some ins and some hard worked outs. A professor of his own shortcomings, he was on stage at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, on April 14. A Reader’s Digest of a night that was introduced by library director Jennifer Daddio who informed us that Colm had just been awarded the O. Henry Award that very day.
The author started with thoughts about endings and how to go about them. The thing, he said, is to not do the obvious, not have a “dying fall” and to be suspicious of ideas that come too quickly.
He read excerpts from his new collection, “The News from Dublin,” to an audience that well appreciated his warmth and humor. Many students down the years have benefited from his presence in a lecture hall and the searching intelligence he brings to the craft of storytelling. He is not pontificating, he is still learning himself.
Then he went back to the beginning and ruminated on the seeds of a story, why it should be told, the influence of Henry James, and how, in a short story, it is necessary to always be in control of the moment.
There were some questions afterwards from the audience, and Colm answered, about Jessie Buckley and audiobooks, stomach grumbles on mic, how it takes him so long to write that contemporary issues just aren’t anymore.
He had funny tales about Fiona Shaw performing his play on Broadway and he left us with an avowal that “Ulysses” should be read by everybody, just to give us some education.
The event can be seen on Instagram through Chappaqua Library.
Colm Toíbín is book touring the country now.
Anthony C. Murphy joins the cast of this Saturday’s @WritersRead special event, “Inheritance,” in which he’ll share his story “Skittles.” The afternoon of 5-minute storytelling, with wine and cheese, will begin at 2 p.m. at St. John’s Church, Kingston, N.Y. See writersread.org.
