In The New Yorker Fiction Podcast, Deborah Treisman interviews author Yiyun Li about William Trevor's short story, "The Piano Tuner's Wives." Li shares her personal connection to Trevor's work, highlighting his attention to detail and influence on her own writing. The discussion delves into the story's opening lines, the complex relationships between the characters, particularly Belle's envy and the haunting presence of Violet, and the story's exploration of love, loss, and the battle for memory. They analyze Belle's actions and motivations, questioning whether she ultimately wins or if her attempts to erase Violet lead to a hollow victory, and explore the deeper themes of the story, including the nature of love, the impact of the past, and the subtle violence of human relationships.
