NPR: "I'm an Uncreative Writer."

"I'm an Uncreative Writer."

Writer Kenneth Goldsmith says he's opposed to artistic choices.

Poet Kenneth Goldsmith doesn't actually write his books, it's more accurate to say that he types them.

He typed an entire issue of the New York Times into an 840-page book called Day. He recently completed a trilogy, The Weather, Traffic and Sports. They are transcriptions of a year of radio weather reports, a 24-hour traffic cycle and the radio broadcast of a Yankees game. Ums, uhs and ads included. If you think that sounds unreadable, you're right. Goldsmith himself says, "I don't read them. I get bored."

So why does he bother? Goldsmith told us, "The conversation around the work is always much more interesting than the work itself. So I let you off the hook. I say, you don't have to read these books. You can just think about them."

Once I saw Kenneth Goldsmith read with some other poets at a bar on E. 11th Street. The "poem" he read that night was a transcript of the Larry Craig police report, and it was awesome, not at all boring. I love work that screws with the idea that good writing must be comprehensible and promote understanding. I like to be made to pay a lot of attention.

More about Kenneth Goldsmith:
- This morning's BPP Interview.
- He's the founder of UbuWeb, a massive online archive of hard to find, avant-garde materials.
- He hosts a weekly radio show on WFMU.

Lauren Spohrer

12:17 PM ET | 06- 5-2008 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

Wow, I really like this guy. Is this because I am in a creative writing program? Yes. Probably. Yes.

Sent by Michelle | 9:45 AM ET | 06-06-2008

Please tell me this interview was some giant gag. It would fit in great for an April Fool's Day show.

Sent by Susie | 12:51 PM ET | 06-06-2008

I often wonder about what people like Kenneth Goldsmith think of people who praise his "work". If I were him, I would be utterly incredulous at people who say it's "avant-garde" or "brilliant". I sincerely hope he's not actually trying to make a statement about something.

Sent by Greg | 12:59 PM ET | 06-06-2008

ubuWeb is actually a good resource of video and audio recordings: classical music, world music, beat poetry, "modern" art, etc - people with talent and heart in their craft.

But Kenneth Goldsmith's work isn't all that great - trying too hard to look like he's not trying too hard. And the worst part is, as hard as he's trying to look ironic or irreverent... this body of work is the best he can come up with.

========

"The conversation around the work is always much more interesting than the work itself. So I let you off the hook. I say, you don't have to read these books. You can just think about them."

Well, people already talk about weather, traffic and news. so big whoop. He and his books, or rather the idea of his books merely existing in our fantabulous world, don't effect anything.

The only difference between talking about the weather and talking about Kenneth Goldsmith typing about the weather is in the former situation you don't talk about Kenneth Goldsmith. So that's ultimately what this endevour is about. A guy who wants people to talk about him and how "zanny" he is. How creative he is at being uncreative.

There's a difference between avant-garde and stupid. This is stupid.

Sent by Brian | 11:09 PM ET | 06-06-2008

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