I never listened to a writer reading one of his books. But I think that when you do, you can better understand what a writer means with his text. Eg when a passage is meant to be ironic you can hear that but when you only read it you can miss that . (Isn' t that why last year a new character whas introduced in Holland, an upside down ! ?).
Maybe you can bring all your books on the market as audio book, read by yourself?

I can boldly say, Arnon has a nice voice (I listen every Monday at 21:00 to Radio 6 on the net)

What's the advantage of being able to try to touch a writer? There are many writers I'd much rather hear reading than touch. (And of course there are a few I'd love to touch, regardless of their books or reading, but I guess that's off topic. )

Invitation cheese fondue - Rokje

Rokje, could you please let me know your new e-mail address so I can send you the invitation for Montreux?
johannes@arnongrunberg.com

I have many vices, nail biting is one of them. And the problem is I really don't care. At the contrary I cherish those little bad habits. They make me who I am. And most of them are rather harmless to others. Beside any money that I spent on manicure would be wasted because of the work I perform.

@A.G.

have you seen a movie called ´Stranger than fiction´ (2006)? Emma Thompson plays a rol of a writer and, yes , she reads her novel, on quite unussual way.

Laura is a voracious nail biter.

Zirilla

I never saw "Stranger than fiction".

Ron Lander

I’m not sure what is the advantage of touching in general. But the very act of having your book signed seems to me often something visceral, something quite intimate.
I would say that some readers have certain fantasies about certain authors. Maybe they have certain fantasies about movie stars as well, but in general it is harder to touch a movie star than an author. Although an acquaintance of mine told me she served many meals to a happy-looking Heath Ledger.

@Arnon

A good writer doesn't necessarily need reading in public to be understood.

As for my last comment I can say i proved myself a bad writer çause my comment wasn't scientific or logical. Actually i think i should have said about dancing and communication: meanwhile, back at the ranch. It sounds unsympathetic, but may be i am
Anyway, Noa changed her thought and stated dancing to be a short-cut to being herself.

Oscar

Maybe you should send Laura to a manicurist.

Friede

Did I say that a good writer needs a public reading to be understood?
By the way do you think that the purpose of reading is to understand the writer? It is possible. But I believe it is less obvious than you seem to think.

would you give this a chance and 2 minutes of your time?:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvNYzlScr_A

Arnon

This is an excellent suggestion for a belated Hanukkah gift for Laura.

Maybe you forgot about the nails i ntead of this woman?

Arnon

You have a point there... I have some books that are signed by writers I hold in high esteem and those books are very dear to me, especially if they were signed in my presence. A signature that was put in in advance, like e.g. in bibliophilic productions increases the market value and thus is very welcome, but does not have any emotional value to me. I never thought of this in terms of something physical like touching, but you are right that it is somehow related to intimacy. Which makes me feel awkward, and maybe a bit pathetic, since those writers probably don't remember me at all and it is not a pleasant thought that one has been intimate with somebody who doesn't remember. You've given me food for thought....

@Arnon

The first sentence was meant for Richard van Tol. I forgot to mention. Excuse me.

@ Zirilla

I just had a look at it. That's one movie I want to see.

By the way,
i think it is good, at least for me when i write, that the reader catches what i try to communicate. At least irony has to be caught by the majority of the readers.
I am not talking about getting to know a writer as a person through his writings. No.

Speech and writing

In poetry, and obviously even more so in music, the precedence of performing over writing is much clearer. Speech has always been privileged over writing (even though whoever made the claim, would always do so in writing...).

Rutger

I must make you a compliment. That was a good comment, even if I disagree.
My mother once said: 'The worst thing a man can be is frustrated.'

David

Mr Carrot excels in platitudes.