Koning Cool: An Interview with Author Hans Koning - Page 4

You have been in your life and extremely political person, yet I see a balance there. At one time, I know you still carried a pistol - was that a lay-over from the Black Panther days, or do you and did you then, still fear that living in this climate, one needs to carry a weapon, that one is safer? I know you've had some real personal hardships, and we don't need to go there, but you must have your reasons — tell me about that.

A: I still have one (little) pistol. It would make things more equal if I had to protect myself or a daughter of mine or whomever against an eighteen year old mugger. I was in a rifle and fence club as a student, those were Olympic sports, a very diff. atmosphere than the Am Rifle guys. And then also of course "my" war. I had a Luger with a swastika on it that was taken from a German sergeant.

Would you say that any writer's have influenced your work? i.e., who did you read and admire when you were just starting out and do you see parts of that author in the work that you've produced?

A: Perhaps, to a degree. Stendhal, Giovanni Verga, Joyce Joyce Joyce, other Russians, Djuna Barnes, a.o.

Any young writers that you admire now or that you see mimicking your style?

A: Not really, but I read little modern writers, lack of time mostly.

What books are you reading at the moment?

A: Only 1812 by Paul Britten Austin.

How many books have you written now, Hans - divided into fiction and nonfiction?

A: Fourteen novels so far and six non-fiction books, give or take one or to.

b Of the two categories, would you say one is closer to your heart - fiction or nonfiction?

A: I would say fiction. At its best, literature is more revealing to the human condition than any non-fiction.

And in that category, do you have a particular or sentimental favorite of all time, or do you value each of your books for different reasons. So many writers I interview value different books for different reasons or times in their life. What about you? Which book, if there is a favorite and why that one?

A: Perhaps — "perhaps" because I don’t usually think in these terms, "I Know what I'm doing" and" The Kleber Flight" because rereading some of that I am surprised at myself that I got it just right.

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Sadi Ranson-Polizzotti is a published writer in both the United States and Europe. She is widely known for her music commentary, particularly her writings about Bob Dylan about whom she runs a highly-trafficked site. …

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