Brilliant: “Life was both very dramatic and very boring when I was using. Now that formula has been inverted—life is full of surprise yet free of drama.” …when a writer sums up in two sentences what normally takes you (me) an hour to explain.
I love this guy. I see him every year at the Texas Book Festival and he either genuinely remembers me or is very kind. Thanks for posting this. I especially love the last Q&A. Nick Flynn and his wife, Lili Taylor, seem like the perfect role models for Gen X marriage.
I read this at dawn and now at dusk. Here's what I loved: The mention of Al-Anon meetings, so gracefully put: "I saw and felt something happening in those rooms, something I hadn’t experienced before. It was a sort of wild emotional energy, which I had kept at a distance, fearing it might destroy me. The people in those rooms seemed able to ride it, somehow, and I wanted to learn how to do that." Then I loved you talking about "going back out" as so many of us do, either back to alcohol or to some other drug or medication or addiction, or all of the above. Then finding our way back to the rooms if we're lucky. I always swore I'd share about going back out rather than feel shame so that others know we can return. Again: if we're lucky. Most of all, though, I love that you, Nick, write with love about your family. No humble bragging as I've read in some: "amazing that this twenty-year younger babe is married to ME," but genuine honoring of the family you live with. My husband of 25 years and I do something similar to your coffee break. We call it "talk back." Over our first espresso as the day begins, each of us does a "share" as one might do in a meeting: stream of consciousness, what he/she is reading, dreams, feelings, whatever - no cross talk. Then the other partner shares. We alternate who goes first because: co-dependency. We've done this for about 15 years.
Hi, Nick. I teach "Another Bullshit Night..." whenever I can, and thank you always for contributing to "Braving the Fire." This right here... "Who knew the secret was just making time to talk to your partner?" is everything for me. And yeah, who knew I'd LIKE not drinking?!
On Dec 2 my Memoir Land questionnaire will come out, thank you Sari - and one question is, what book really inspired you? Answer: ANOTHER BULLSHIT NIGHT IN SUCK CITY. Thank you, Nick, for that book. I've been recommending it for 15 years in the writing and memoir workshops I teach. I think you're even in my acknowledgments because reading your book showed me where the beginning of my story is. (My memoir is called LOVE CHILD)
"family, the poems, the sobriety. I have spent time in a life that did not look like this" Yes. I'll take family, art, and the high of sobriety any time
Brilliant: “Life was both very dramatic and very boring when I was using. Now that formula has been inverted—life is full of surprise yet free of drama.” …when a writer sums up in two sentences what normally takes you (me) an hour to explain.
I love Nick Flynn’s writing. Of course his memoir turned into a meme in our house.
“How’s it going?”
“Oh, you know. Just another bullshit night in suck city!”
Then we’d laugh.
Good interview.
Love that.
I love this guy. I see him every year at the Texas Book Festival and he either genuinely remembers me or is very kind. Thanks for posting this. I especially love the last Q&A. Nick Flynn and his wife, Lili Taylor, seem like the perfect role models for Gen X marriage.
I read this at dawn and now at dusk. Here's what I loved: The mention of Al-Anon meetings, so gracefully put: "I saw and felt something happening in those rooms, something I hadn’t experienced before. It was a sort of wild emotional energy, which I had kept at a distance, fearing it might destroy me. The people in those rooms seemed able to ride it, somehow, and I wanted to learn how to do that." Then I loved you talking about "going back out" as so many of us do, either back to alcohol or to some other drug or medication or addiction, or all of the above. Then finding our way back to the rooms if we're lucky. I always swore I'd share about going back out rather than feel shame so that others know we can return. Again: if we're lucky. Most of all, though, I love that you, Nick, write with love about your family. No humble bragging as I've read in some: "amazing that this twenty-year younger babe is married to ME," but genuine honoring of the family you live with. My husband of 25 years and I do something similar to your coffee break. We call it "talk back." Over our first espresso as the day begins, each of us does a "share" as one might do in a meeting: stream of consciousness, what he/she is reading, dreams, feelings, whatever - no cross talk. Then the other partner shares. We alternate who goes first because: co-dependency. We've done this for about 15 years.
Sounds like a great practice.
"Who knew the secret was just making time to talk to your partner?"
Best quote ever. Sobriety is such a gift--and I thank the heavens every damn day for mine.
This is wonderful. Full of honest humility. So hard to write but so great to read.
Hi, Nick. I teach "Another Bullshit Night..." whenever I can, and thank you always for contributing to "Braving the Fire." This right here... "Who knew the secret was just making time to talk to your partner?" is everything for me. And yeah, who knew I'd LIKE not drinking?!
On Dec 2 my Memoir Land questionnaire will come out, thank you Sari - and one question is, what book really inspired you? Answer: ANOTHER BULLSHIT NIGHT IN SUCK CITY. Thank you, Nick, for that book. I've been recommending it for 15 years in the writing and memoir workshops I teach. I think you're even in my acknowledgments because reading your book showed me where the beginning of my story is. (My memoir is called LOVE CHILD)
<3
"family, the poems, the sobriety. I have spent time in a life that did not look like this" Yes. I'll take family, art, and the high of sobriety any time
Just so lovely and sincere, a well-earned wisdom. I loved this.
Thank you for this interview! I just started reading 'Another Bullshit Night in Suck City'. I'm already completely captivated!
It's such a good book.
I am looking forward to seeing this movie. And I am so grateful to read these words.
Nick, a deep bow of gratitude.
Thanks Sari — love this, love Nick's work.
Me, too, Will. <3
Love Nick Flynn. His books inspired me to try.
Referring to writing. 👆🏼