Tommy Orange on His "There There" Sequel

In The Book Review podcast, Gilbert Cruz interviews Tommy Orange, author of "Wandering Stars," a sequel and prequel to his debut novel, "There There." Orange discusses the novel's structure, which spans from the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre to the aftermath of the events in "There There," focusing on the theme of recovery. They delve into the history of Native American boarding schools and Orange's research process for writing historical characters, as well as his choices regarding dialogue and interiority in his prose. Orange shares his concerns about writing a sequel and explores the theme of addiction in the novel, aiming to portray it with compassion and complexity. He also discusses the influence of his sound engineering background on his writing style and his love for Oakland, the setting of his novels. Finally, Orange reflects on the challenges of Native representation in literature and the importance of telling urban Native stories, and he shares his appreciation for Clarice Lispector's "Hour of the Star," a book that has significantly influenced his writing.