direct

interviewing

science

writing

nationality

American

prizes and famous lectures

Pulitzer Prize

occupation / innovator as

journalist

innovator in the field of

creative nonfiction

journalism

is He liked to go from A to B without inventing letters between.

He liked to go from A to B without inventing letters between.

is a task for which one should prepare for by having only the elementary of knowledge, for knowing a subject about which one studies is actually a disadvantage. By repeating and even fumbling a respondent's answers, one encourages people to embroider on a topic.

When McPhee conducts an interview he tries to be as blank as his notebook pages, totally devoid of preconceptions, equipped with only the most elementary knowledge. He has found that imagining he knows a subject is a disadvantage, for that prejudice will limit his freedom to ask, to learn, to be surprised by unfolding evidence. Since most stories are full of unsuspected complexity, an interviewer hardly needs to feign ignorance. (John Mcphee reader : xii) . . . . 'By repeating and even fumbling their answers, McPhee encourages people to embroider a topic until he has it entire. In an ideal interview he listens without interrupting, at liberty to take notes without framing repartee or otherwise entering the conversation' (John Mcphee reader: xiii)

is best conducted without using tape recorders. Rather, the writing process must begin with words - a scrap of talk, bits of description, odd facts and inferences-- and only a pencil and notebook will answer these needs with literacy and economy.

He never uses tape recorders when interviewing, for they inhibit some people and are too subverbal for his purposes. The writing process must begin with words-a scrap of talk, bits of description, odd facts and infernces-- and only a pencil and notebook will answer these needs with literacy and economy' (John Mcphee reader: xiii)

is always erasing what was previously true.

Science is not a march toward truth. Rather, as the author John McPhee wrote in 1967, ‘science erases what was previously true.' Every generation of scientists mulches under yesterday's facts to fertilize those of tomorrow.

is a suspension of life in order lo re-create life.

John McpheeThinkers

John Mcphee