Describe your latest book.
The Geography of Genius is a book that defies easy categorization. It's travelogue, history, social science, biography, and humor book all rolled into one. I wouldn't call it a self-help book, though it contains plenty of help for interested selves. Ultimately, it's about the intersection of place and creativity.
I'm currently working on a book about practical philosophy, how ancient wisdom can help us navigate very modern problems. Of course, it also involves a journey, this time by train.
What's the strangest or most interesting job you've ever had?
I once worked at an amusement park. It was a disaster, perhaps because I'm naturally grumpy and also prone to distraction. I once left a couple stranded on the top of the Ferris wheel when I took my lunch break. They were not amused.
If you were trapped in an elevator, what fictional character would you want with you?
Alexander Portnoy. It would be like being trapped with my twin brother. We'd have lots to talk about.
Why do you write?
I write because it's the only way I know of unburdening myself. I think it was
Salman Rushdie who said he was a better person as a writer. I feel the same way. Plus, I possess no other marketable skills.
Introduce one other author you think people should read, and suggest a good book with which to start.
Jan Morris. Her collection of essays called
Destinations. The way she captures the essence of a city is pure genius.
How do you relax?
I don't relax.
If you could have been someone else, who would that be and why?
Graham Greene. Because he lived and traveled when the world was still raw and discoverable.
Five quirky books about India:
Chasing the Monsoon by Alexander Frater
English, August: An Indian Story by Upmanyu Chatterjee
Not a Nice Man to Know by Kuwshwant Singh
One Night at the Call Center by Chetan Bhagat
Holy Cow: An Indian Adventure by Sarah Macdonald
÷ ÷ ÷
Eric Weiner is author of the
New York Times bestseller
The Geography of Bliss, which has been translated into 20 languages, as well as the critically acclaimed
Man Seeks God. A former correspondent for NPR and
The New York Times, Weiner’s work has appeared in the
New Republic,
Slate,
Los Angeles Times,
The Washington Post,
Foreign Policy,
The New York Times Magazine, and the anthology
Best American Travel Writing.