In The New Yorker Fiction Podcast, Deborah Treisman interviews Sterling HolyWhiteMountain about his choice of Roberto Bolaño's "Labyrinth" for the episode. HolyWhiteMountain discusses his initial encounter with Bolaño's work, particularly "2666," and how it reignited his passion for fiction after a period of disillusionment post-MFA. They explore the story's blurring of reality and imagination, inspired by a real photograph of French writers, and delve into Bolaño's personal feelings about the writing world, the themes of jealousy, alienation, and the sense of impending doom present in the story. HolyWhiteMountain also reads "Labyrinth" in its entirety. They further discuss the story's structure, Bolaño's writing style, and the unresolved ending, reflecting on the themes of mortality and the contrast between the characters' external appearances and internal lives.
