Catching up with: Rivka Galchen
There’s something sort of unfathomably awesome about being able to make the statement “while I was interviewing BGB-beloved first novelist Rivka Galchen to see what she’s been up to in the year since her awesome Atmospheric Disturbances was published, before her reading at the Guggenheim for the ‘It Came From Brooklyn’ music/literature event, Julian Plenti, aka Paul Banks from the band Interpol, came into the cafe and glared at us over his mustache for a very, very long and uncomfortable time.”
But it’s true.
I met up with the lovely, warm and witty Rivka Galchen on an unexpectedly cold New York afternoon at a small, comfy cafe on Madison Ave, mere steps away from where she would be reading later that evening, to be followed by the first public performance of Julian Plenti. (If you’re interested in reading about that aspect of the night, check this out.)
I had assumed Rivka would be as downplayed and friendly as she was. I didn’t assume I’d be stalked by Paul Banks.
But it makes for a great story. Apologies for the way the interview trails off at the end-blame the surprise mustache cameo.
BGB Interview Podcast (!) with Rivka Galchen:
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Rivka, reading at the Guggenheim from a book that wasn’t Atmospheric Disturbances. (Photo courtesy Kristina Weise )
Books | Russ Marshalek | 
October 5, 2009 8:53 am
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