I envy other writers who claim to have a backlog of books they’d like to write. Erik Larson Read Quote
As my friends will tell you, I am a superior agonizer. Believe me, you do not want me in the cockpit of an airliner. But in my defense, choosing an idea is also a high-stakes affair. Erik Larson Read Quote
I don’t really have a bucket list, but if I did, one entry would be to dust off my college Russian and spend a big chunk of a year reading, or trying to read, ‘War and Peace’ as it was meant to be read, in Russian, with all that rumbly rocks-on-rocks poetry inherent to the language. Erik Larson Read Quote
Anytime you look at someone in detail, you’re putting the camera on that person. What I typically look for is one or two or three really strong characters who will hold the narrative throughout the work. Erik Larson Read Quote
The reason I choose the stories I choose – and it’s why it takes me so long to find ideas – is that I’m looking for that very thing. I want an idea that begins, I want a middle that is compelling and will bring readers along, and I definitely want an ending. Erik Larson Read Quote
At first glance, the story of the Lusitania doesn’t seem like the sort of thing I would take on. I usually like ideas that are a little bit more complex, things that people don’t know about – or maybe they once did, but now you bring it to life for them for the first time. Erik Larson Read Quote
It’s essentially taught in high school and college survey courses as an item on a timeline: ‘The Lusitania was sunk; the U.S. gets into World War I’. Erik Larson Read Quote
As a writer, you always try to imagine, ‘What if I were in a situation like this? How would I react?’ Erik Larson Read Quote
I’m an early riser, for one thing. This started back when our kids were small. My wife and I would get up at 4 A.M. so that we could have a couple of peaceful hours before they woke up. That pattern has continued. I get up, make coffee, and while it’s brewing, I do 50 sit-ups. Erik Larson Read Quote
Since I loathe the tedium of gym workouts, I take breaks for tennis with my eclectic group of tennis pals. Erik Larson Read Quote
