Andrea Seigel Read at University Book Store and then Answered the Most Important Questions She Will Ever Be Asked

Last Thursday, author Andrea Seigel stopped by University Book Store to read from her new novel To Feel Stuff. After the reading—and the dancing, taking some audience questions, and dancing, Andrea Seigel was kind enough to answer my questions, as well.

Things discussed during the reading:

Dancing at Powell’s books, and the difficulty of doing so because the floors are not carpeted; places to eat on the Brown University campus; the reappearance of 80's hit Strawberry Shortcake; the height of Amy Hempel; writing a novel and finding an agent (natch); the kind of audience who shows up for your reading when it sort of looks like you are naked in your author photo.


Andrea Seigel, the Interview

What’s the last book you read that made you angry because someone other than you wrote it?

Fraud by David Rakoff. It’s
Neurotic Jew at a level I haven’t been able to get to yet. Also, Marley & Me by John Grogan because I've had a lot of pets and wasn't smart enough to use their deaths for financial gain.



Andrea and a bunny. This bunny's status is unknown.

Literary feuds are a good way to get a little publicity for a book. Who would you like to start a literary feud with, and why?

Marisha Pessl. She’s kind of clean-hot, whereas I consider myself more dirty-hot and I don’t think I get the recognition I deserve for it.



You attend the Bennington College MFA program. When you’re there for the twice-yearly residencies, do you see Bennington graduate Donna Tartt hanging around, like Jon Lovitz or Tim Meadows used to long after they left the cast of Saturday Night Live?

No, but I live in L.A., and I see Jon Lovitz all the time. He’s frequently at The Hamburger Hamlet from 4pm on.

To read a review of To Feel Stuff and Marisha Pessl's Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Friend of University Book Store Sean Carman, go here.