A Conversation Between Peter and Reed Turchi

Faculty member Peter Turchi is interviewed about his newest book A Muse and a Maze by his son Reed for The Believer:

I. TRYING TO SOLVE THE PUZZLE

REED TURCHI: Well, now that I’ve cut out all of the paper polygons from the last page of A Muse and A Maze and made what looks like a duck-rabbit, should my writing have improved? In the end, should I even be trying to solve the puzzle, or enjoying my polygonic-wanderings?

PETER TURCHI: Actually solving the puzzles in the book isn’t going to improve anyone’s writing, but “trying to solve the puzzle” is one way to think about what a lot of us—writers and other artists—do every day. Step one is to recognize the problem, step two is deciding what constraints you want to impose or respect, and step three is finding a pleasing/surprising/exciting solution.

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