Philip Kerr
Philip Kerr
Philip Kerris a British author...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth22 February 1956
asks faced history ourselves period
History asks us to imagine ourselves in a period, but it's a very different situation when you're in that period and faced with those situations.
written
I always worry I've probably written one too many Bernie Gunther books and that I should probably give him his gold watch.
behave heroes
I don't really like heroes who always behave heroically. That's not interesting to me.
films kubrick
I really wanted to write the way Kubrick makes films - 'Strangelove,' '2001', 'Clockwork Orange', 'Barry Lyndon' - they're all so different.
john master writer
I think John le Carre is, at 77, the greatest living writer alive. He is a master craftsman.
breathing gives
I think the context of an hour-long drama gives breathing space that you don't get in a film.
authentic best deliver likely
The mark of a writer is to make a story as likely as possible, and I've done my best to deliver authentic atmosphere.
legal naturally quite
The most interesting legal philosophy is German, so naturally I went to Germany, particularly to Berlin, quite a bit.
knows presume reader
There is always a temptation to take things for granted, to get lazy, and to presume that the reader knows more than they do.
crime fit history learn move obligation period personal repeat slightly suffers tradition treading unreliable
A lot of crime writing suffers from treading water. I feel an obligation to move the character on and not repeat myself. I try to fit him into a different period and a different agenda. That way, you learn slightly more about his personal history in the tradition of the unreliable narrator. It makes it more challenging to write.
borrow friday member money nearly pocket spend took
I was a member of Corstorphine Library in Edinburgh, and every Friday night, my parents took me there to borrow books. I also used to spend nearly all my pocket money on books.
anyone dirty future independence money people scotland scottish supports
I will say that anyone who supports Scottish independence should go to Athens. Because nothing works. It is a disaster. It is a ruined, dirty place where people do not have money or future prospects. The day one after independence, Scotland would be worse.
easily flow onto text transfer
I write by hand and then transfer the text onto the computer. I like the process of actually having a pen in my hand. Things flow more easily for me that way.
pack repeating written
When I feel I'm repeating myself, I'll probably pack it in. What will undoubtedly happen is I'll write one too many. The important thing is to recognize when you've written too many and stop there.