Craig Davidson reading
Canadian novelist Craig Davidson reads from his collection of eight violent, macabre, and raw short stories, Rust and Bone; his characters include gamblers, fighters, and sex addicts. Davidson admits that occasionally people walk out on his readings because his subjects can be difficult to hear. He first reads excerpts from the piece which lends its title to the collection, “Rust and Bone,” a first-person story about a boxer losing his first “smoker,” an illegal bar fight. He also reads from “A Mean Utility” about a couple who breed and fight dogs, partly as a way to displace frustration with their own infertility. At the time of the reading, Davidson is a student at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop.
In the question and answer session, Davidson discusses why he is drawn to unsavory characters and difficult subjects like dog fighting. He also writes horror fiction under the pseudonym Patrick Lestewka and he explains why and how he chose a penname. He also talks about his experience at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Canadian writers he enjoys, and why he feels his work is “Un-Canadian.” He discusses his regimented approach to writing and his relationship with his characters. He then shares what he learned from researching pornography for “Friction,” a story about a sex addict. When asked if he thinks he ever pushes his work too far, Davidson explains that he does not censor himself while he writes nor apologize for what he’s written, but sometimes his stories are difficult to publish. Finally, he discusses the final, less graphic story in the collection, “The Apprentices Guide to Modern Fiction” about a magician who abandons his children. He blogs about his work and his life at www.penguinblogs.ca/davidson.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive
Authors: Craig Davidson
Date Recorded: November 17, 2005
Works Read: “Rust and Bone,” "A Mean Utility"
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Julie Englander
Topics: boxing, dog-fighting, Canadian fiction, violence