Phil Klay on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM
In 2014, Phil Klay shocked the literary world with his National Book Award winning visceral short story collection, Redeployment, a multi-dimensional account of the Iraq war based on his four years of service there.
Six years later he’s returned with his debut novel, Missionaries, a sensitive and meticulously researched exploration of America’s involvement in foreign wars (notably Columbia, Afghanistan, and Iraq). Following four main characters—two Americans and two Columbians—the novel details the price of war from every angle and every point of view.
Klay joins Marrie Stone to talk about the book. He shares his research process, his organizational tools, and how he came to understand each of his characters. War buffs, literary fiction enthusiasts, and aspiring and established writers alike should find something useful and inspiring in Klay’s conversation.
(Record date: October 26, 2020)
(Broadcast date: November 18, 2020)