Gilbert Cruz

Mm-hmm. Um, you grew up in Chile, lived your young adult life there. And then, um, you've been in America for several decades. You said during a speech you gave in 2018, when you accepted an award from the National Book Foundation, uh, I was in the audience that night. Um, you said, although I am critical of many things about this country, I am proud of to be an American citizen.

Mm-hmm. Um, you grew up in Chile, lived your young adult life there. And then, um, you've been in America for several decades. You said during a speech you gave in 2018, when you accepted an award from the National Book Foundation, uh, I was in the audience that night. Um, you said, although I am critical of many things about this country, I am proud of to be an American citizen.

I'm wondering how your thoughts about your citizenship have changed, if they have at all,

I'm wondering how your thoughts about your citizenship have changed, if they have at all,

Yes.

Yes.

What would stop you? What would get in your way?

What would stop you? What would get in your way?

You have this humanitarian work that you're doing over here and then over here every day for eight, ten, however many hours you're in front of the keyboard and you're writing. Are those two things connected in your mind or do they exist in separate worlds?

You have this humanitarian work that you're doing over here and then over here every day for eight, ten, however many hours you're in front of the keyboard and you're writing. Are those two things connected in your mind or do they exist in separate worlds?

And that's a conscious decision? Yes. Because I imagine given what you care about, what you're passionate about, the types of stories that you tell, that even if you're writing historical fiction or fiction set in the past, something will make its way in. There will be parallels. And even if that's not your intention. Yeah.

And that's a conscious decision? Yes. Because I imagine given what you care about, what you're passionate about, the types of stories that you tell, that even if you're writing historical fiction or fiction set in the past, something will make its way in. There will be parallels. And even if that's not your intention. Yeah.

You've said that you write sometimes as an act of nostalgia, clearly as an act of remembering. What, as you look to the future, what do you think you want to remember now?

You've said that you write sometimes as an act of nostalgia, clearly as an act of remembering. What, as you look to the future, what do you think you want to remember now?

That's Isabel Allende. My name is Emilia Del Valle. We'll be out on May 6th. And you can find me every week over at the Book Review Podcast, where we talk about books new and old, and I speak with authors all the time. This conversation was produced by Wyatt Orme and Seth Kelly. It was edited by Annabelle Bacon, original music and mixing by Sophia Landman. Photography by Devin Yalkin.

That's Isabel Allende. My name is Emilia Del Valle. We'll be out on May 6th. And you can find me every week over at the Book Review Podcast, where we talk about books new and old, and I speak with authors all the time. This conversation was produced by Wyatt Orme and Seth Kelly. It was edited by Annabelle Bacon, original music and mixing by Sophia Landman. Photography by Devin Yalkin.

Our senior booker is Priya Matthew. Our executive producer is Allison Benedict. Special thanks to Rory Walsh, Renan Borelli, Jeffrey Miranda, Maddie Mazziello, Jake Silverstein, Paula Schumann, and Sam Dolnik. If you like what you're hearing, follow or subscribe to The Interview wherever you get your podcasts.

Our senior booker is Priya Matthew. Our executive producer is Allison Benedict. Special thanks to Rory Walsh, Renan Borelli, Jeffrey Miranda, Maddie Mazziello, Jake Silverstein, Paula Schumann, and Sam Dolnik. If you like what you're hearing, follow or subscribe to The Interview wherever you get your podcasts.

To read or listen to any of our conversations, you can always go to nytimes.com slash the interview, and you can email us anytime at theinterviewatnytimes.com. Next week, David talks with writer Ocean Baum.

To read or listen to any of our conversations, you can always go to nytimes.com slash the interview, and you can email us anytime at theinterviewatnytimes.com. Next week, David talks with writer Ocean Baum.