1980 My literary era

From its birth to 1989, FSG Publishing House has won 20 Nobel Prizes for Literature. This is certainly not Roger Strauss's boasting. Although he speaks loudly, his words are factual.

FSG Publishing House's record in the Nobel Prize is so brilliant that even Gallimard Publishing House, which has swept across Europe, is less influential than them in the Nobel Prize.

Such achievements are naturally not due to luck. In the 1950s and 1960s after the end of World War II, the United States' international influence reached its peak. As a member of the American publishing industry, FSG Publishing House seized the opportunity to seize the continuous fermentation of post-war culture and art. conditions of the times.

They actively searched for new authors and valuable unpopular authors around the world, and attracted a large number of outstanding writers such as Brodsky, Edmund Wilson, and Susan Sontag. Basic conditions for the award.

In the general trend of American culture constantly eroding various Western countries and regions, FSG Publishing House has successfully caught a ride and created their publishing house's unique influence in the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Lin Weimin had already guessed Roger Strauss's purpose from the moment he opened the topic.

In the 1980s, domestic information was relatively limited, but it was not isolated from the world. Lin Weimin had been cooperating with Random House all year round, and his works were sold overseas. Naturally, he knew something about FSG Publishing, an authoritative publishing house in the American literary world.

The American Jewish writer Isaac Bashevis Singer was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1978. At that time, China was in the initial stage of reform and opening up. "World Literature", "Foreign Literature and Art" and other publications paid attention to foreign literary works. The magazine has just resumed publication and immediately introduced this latest Nobel Prize news to China.

The following year, Singer's works were introduced to China.

Singer, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature, is the brightest star among a series of Jewish writers created by FSG Publishing House. He has established cooperation with FSG Publishing House since the 1960s, and most of his works since then are They were all compiled and published here, and successfully won the Nobel Prize for Literature.

If we look purely at the number of releases and sales of works, FSG Publishing House cannot be called the leader in the American publishing industry.

But if we look at the publishing of literary works alone, in the American publishing industry in the past few decades, there has been no one that can compete with FSG Publishing House.

Even the behemoth Random House can't do it. Random House's business is too complex, and at least in the niche field of literary publishing, it is not a rival to FSG Publishing.

You know, FSG Publishing House not only has a huge influence on the Nobel Prize for Literature, they also have a profound influence on the selection of major mainstream literary awards in the United States. This is an influence that has been cultivated for decades.

The silence in the room lasted for a while. As the hostess of today's salon, Anne Liebowitz smiled and said: "Roger, I think you should just publish a book about the glorious history of your publishing house. !”

Roger Strauss laughed and said: "Annie, don't be joking, these words can only be said together when we in the industry get together."

The two of them smiled and chatted easily, and other people also joined in, and the topic gradually became more relaxed.

After dinner, today's salon came to an end, and Anne Liebowitz got up to see everyone out.

Lin Weimin and Tao Huimin were going up in the elevator. She suddenly said: "Weimin, did you notice?"

"What did you find?"

"Anne and Susan have an unusual relationship."

Lin Weimin said disapprovingly: "It can be seen that they should be very good friends."

Tao Huimin shook her head, "That's not what I meant!"

Lin Weimin looked at her, "What do you mean?"

Tao Huimin rolled her eyes at him. Her husband was indeed a bit slow in this regard.

"That's...our kind!" Tao Huimin said after considering it.

The expression on Lin Weimin's face finally became surprised, "Is it true or false? How did you tell?"

"You don't understand. That feeling is very subtle. I can tell it right away."

Lin Weimin felt that Tao Huimin was getting more and more mysterious the more she talked about it, but this topic was quite exciting, Lily!

What is a pity is that Susan Sontag and Anne Liebowitz are both a bit older, in their forties or fifties, so they are almost boring.

"Tell me the details!"

Teacher Lin inherited the fine tradition of the Chinese Literature Society and stayed close to Tao Huimin and whispered to her.

The next morning, Lin Weimin met David Morris, a reporter for the New Yorker, a Jewish reporter, in Dakota's apartment.

David Morris is middle-aged and has worked for The New Yorker for more than 20 years. He is a senior reporter for the magazine and has interviewed many heavyweights in the American cultural world.

When David Morris saw Lin Weimin, his first reaction was to be surprised at Lin Weimin's age.

He had collected a lot of information about Lin Weimin before the interview, and he also knew Lin Weimin's age, but he was still very surprised by Lin Weimin's youth when they met.

Lin Weimin joked: "This is probably the genetic lottery for Asians!"

David Morris laughed. In just one sentence, he judged the difference between the writer he was going to interview today and the Asians he met in the United States.

Confident and determined, calm and unhurried.

After sitting down, Tao Huimin helped bring a cup of tea and a cup of coffee. David Morris said thank you. After taking a sip, out of journalistic instinct, he looked around at the layout of the apartment.

"My wife and I are planning to come to New York for our honeymoon, and a friend helped us rent this place."

"I know, Mr. Arthur Miller." After David Morris said this, he prepared his paper and pen, and took out a Sony recording pen.

Nowadays, the voice recorder product has just been launched. It is different from the common digital recording in later generations, but tape recording.

"This is my best friend." David Morris introduced the recording pen to Lin Weimin with a smile.

"Technology has changed life!"

The two smiled tacitly, and after a few words of greeting, the interview officially began.

Lin Weimin and David Morris sat opposite each other. David Morris said: "How about we start our interview today with Mr. Arthur Miller. How did you and Mr. Arthur Miller meet?"

"It takes a long time to talk about it. My teacher is the Chinese playwright Mr. Wan Jiabao. He and Mr. Arthur Miller are old acquaintances. Mr. Wan visited the United States a few years ago, and Arthur Miller Gentleman received him at that time.

Before the visit ended, Mr. Wan invited Mr. Arthur Miller to visit China. In 1983, Arthur Miller visited Yanjing People's Art Institute for exchanges. I accompanied Mr. Arthur Miller for a few days and we became very good friends. friend……"

"You just talked about your teacher Wan Jiabao. I am very curious about your learning experience and how you embarked on the path of creation. These are very few in my information." David Morris turned over the information in his hand. asked.

"My learning experience is very simple, just a junior high school degree. You should know about the turmoil a few years ago. My studies were forced to interrupt, and then I went to the countryside to join the queue.

Life in rural areas is relatively difficult. I started writing purely to improve my living conditions.

At first, my writing was very poor, and I would receive rejections from magazines every few days. After about a year, my novel was finally published in a literary magazine and won a national award. .

Therefore, I received an invitation from the Institute of Literature to conduct a short-term literary training..."

"I'm very interested in this literary institute. Can you tell me more about it?"

"sure……"

David Morris' interview style is not aggressive, but his thinking is rigorous and meticulous, and he will often ask questions incessantly after one sentence in his answer.

The interview was conducted in an orderly manner, and everything went smoothly, but David Morris could not change the old habits of American reporters.

As we chat, we can’t help but branch out into politics.

"I think we can expand the topic. You just talked about your studies being interrupted because of that movement. Can you talk about the impact this had on you?"

Lin Weimin said: "I think this is not part of the content of our interview."

"Yes, but why can't we talk about it? Is it because you don't want to talk about it? Or are you unable to talk about it for some reason?"

David Morris's words obviously meant something, and they gradually became sharper.

Lin Weimin shook his head, "It's not that I don't want to talk, it's not that I can't talk, it's just that this occasion is not suitable for talking."

"Why?" David Morris asked.

Lin Weimin cited the example of a writers group's visit to France last year and said: "I am relatively pragmatic. The government cannot be criticized, and history cannot be evaluated. But I hope that my words will have some positive effects. It’s just treated as a way to complain, or to show off to others.”

“Through our coverage, you might get some support!”

"Why do we, the Chinese, need support from you Americans when it comes to our Chinese affairs?"

Lin Weimin's words stopped David Morris. While he was pondering, Lin Weimin said: "Let's talk about literature!"

Lin Weimin hit a soft nail here. David Morris had no good entry point for the time being, so he had to give up the idea of ​​extending in the political direction.

Returning to the literary theme, Lin Weimin is a very good interviewee. He is humorous, knowledgeable, and broad-minded. David Morris couldn't help but sigh. At the end of the interview, he couldn't help but sigh: "Lin Weimin , how great it would be if you were an American writer!"

Lin Weimin smiled and said: "God is so kind to you Americans, but you are always greedy!"

David Morris did not feel unhappy because of Lin Weimin's teasing. Instead, he laughed heartily. After more than two hours of interviews, he understood that this was Lin Weimin's consistent style, with a bit of sharp irony in his humor. .

This is standard equipment for great writers!

"Let's ask one last question. Let's end our visit today with this question." David Morris looked serious, looked at Lin Weimin and asked: "When do you think you will win the Nobel Prize for Literature?"

Lin Weimin looked at David Morris with an indifferent expression, "David, your question is too cliche and has nothing new."

"Novelty is not important, what readers want to see is more important."

After joking, Lin Weimin replied seriously: "This question of yours has also been asked by other media in interviews. To be fair, the Nobel Prize for Literature is the most influential literary award in the world today, and there may not be many writers who would do it. I don’t expect to get this award. But..."

"It would be really sad if I wrote books all my life and was only named a Nobel Prize winner in literature!"

When Lin Weimin said this, he looked out the floor-to-ceiling window and saw the vastness of the sky.

David Morris followed Lin Weimin's eyes and looked out at the world outside the window, and couldn't help but feel a surge of pride in his heart following Lin Weimin's words.

Yes, if the most famous name a writer is called in his life is only "Nobel Prize winner for literature" and no classics remain in the world, what's the point?

He withdrew his gaze and looked at Lin Weimin again, with an inexplicable thought coming to his mind.

The young Chinese writer in front of us will definitely leave his name in the world literary world.