Diversity of voices, diversity of languages : one week of events and readings in Lyon and in the Rhône-Alpes region.
Proust inspired interview of Mohammed Hasan Alwan
What became true of your childhood dreams ?
Not the Superman one of course ; Not even the one of becoming a hardworking miner with a thick moustache. But, at least, I wanted to be a writer and here I am.
What is your greatest (or worst) addiction ?
Love is both my greatest and worst addiction. It is great when I am in love as it makes me have same feeling of an aunt standing on the top of a sugar mountain. It is the worst addiction when I am alone, rejected, and needy.
What is your favourite swear word ?
I don’t swear, which usually makes my male friends uncomfortable and my female friends ashamed.
Which word do you hate most, and why ?
I hate words that I fail to understand. Some words were not meant to be part of the language yet someone forced them in and, thus, they became incompatible with my fluid interaction with language.
If you were a figure of speech, which one would you be?
I want to be the “Non, je ne regrette rien” part in Edith Piaf’s song.
Which side of your personality do you keep hidden at first, and why ?
The sarcastic side, as I came to realize - the embarrassing way - that not everybody appreciates sarcasm. Also, sarcasm seldom works across-cultures.
What would be your ideal literary encounter (book, author, reader, etc)?
I would rather not to say. I have answered similar questions before and all the people who have appeared in my answers died shortly after that.
What guilty reading pleasure do you indulge in ?
I enjoy reading rude humour targeted at ideological figures whom I oppose their views. It makes me feel guilty because I personally believe that rudeness is not the healthy way to conduct a dialogue.
Which writer will you never read?
The writer who tries to manipulate my senses to send a message, mostly promoting a dividing ideology
Which sound or noise do you enjoy most ?
A baby’s giggle
How would you describe your book collection in one word?
The trial-and-error collection
What would your ideal epitaph be?
On his deathbed he wasn’t scared, but curious.
