In conversation with Markus Zusak at Waterstones Piccadilly, November 2nd 2018.
I had a fascinating time chairing a sold-out event with Markus Zusak who flew in from Sydney for his UK book tour for the brilliant BRIDGE OF CLAY (Transworld), his first novel in 12 years. His international bestselling novel THE BOOK THIEF is a must-read and was made into a film starring Emily Watson. We talked about a wide range of topics including building literal and metaphorical bridges, the painstaking process of crafting and constructing a novel, making mortality into a life-affirming theme, and how Markus first gained his passion for storytelling through listening to the stories his parents would tell him. Fans flocked from far and wide to Europe’s largest bookstore for the event, and were moved and entertained by Markus’s anecdotes. He was signing for over two hours afterwards, and then we continued the conversation over a hearty dinner at Brasserie Zédel, a grand Parisian brasserie adorned with art deco. All in all, an excellent evening.
Anita Sethi 