Patricia Lockwood and John Lanchester: 'No One is Talking About This'

Patricia Lockwood talks to John Lanchester about her debut novel, 'No One is Talking About This'.
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The New York Times dubbed Patricia Lockwood ‘The Smutty-Metaphor Queen of Lawrence, Kansas’ for her debut poetry collection Motherland Fatherland Homelandsexuals. Her family memoir Priestdaddy is a jaw-droppingly funny and alarming account of an upbringing that the adjective ‘dysfunctional’ doesn’t begin to do justice to. Now, with No One Is Talking About This (Bloomsbury) she has taken to fiction, with a blistering account of the infinite scroll of social media.
A contributing editor to the LRB, Patricia Lockwood is in conversation about her book, and a lot else besides, with fellow LRB contributing ed and nethead, John Lanchester.
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[@philchazwill]

What a wonderful interview. An absolute treat. Thank you both.

[@henryvaughan757]

So many brilliant and illuminating ideas

[@henryvaughan757]

Wish I had friends like this

[@rapauli]

Oh I love to hear women swear.

[@DEWwords]

Hyperbole...?...Well, she is like the Energizer Bunny of metaphors, falls off the table, and just keeps kicking those mechanical legs no matter what, right up to the door to eternity.

[@commanderthorkilj.amundsen3426]

Lockwood's writing style is not all that unique, nor captivating, and could actually be one reason that "no one is talking about this." In a number of interviews there seems to be an atmosphere of self-congratulation on the depth and aptness of her metaphors, and how astonishingly insightful her writing is. Like "Priestdaddy" this provided a mildly interesting context, but was not able to finish either despite some effort, but I will try to increase her readership by donating to the local thrift store.

[@innovativeprogramschool7979]

She seems to have effected you on a very profound level

[@commanderthorkilj.amundsen3426]

@@innovativeprogramschool7979 Not really, Prepuce. I’m a paid critic. It’s a job.

[@innovativeprogramschool7979]

@@commanderthorkilj.amundsen3426 Oh is that right Balanitis? Another failed writer 😭

[@commanderthorkilj.amundsen3426]

@@innovativeprogramschool7979 Prepuce, balanitis is relatively rare among circumcised males. Diabetics with suboptimal glycemic control, or those on certain meds, can develop yeast balanitis, however, but this is easily treated with clotrimazole. Someone uncircumcised, or like yourself, with poor hygiene, can develop bacterial infection. Mechanical inflammation from too tight of a foreskin (phimosis) is another cause. Balanitis xerotica obliterans, Erythroplasia of Queyrat, Ca in situ (Bowen’s Disease) present challenging differential diagnoses. Used to treat these in clinic, Son.