Ian Frazier
Ian Frazier
Ian Frazieris an American writer and humorist. He wrote the 1989 non-fiction history Great Plains, 2010's non-fiction travelogue Travels in Siberia, and worked as a writer and humorist for The New Yorker...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionNon-Fiction Author
Date of Birth21 June 1951
CountryUnited States of America
celestial climb happen loved people
I'm one of those people who happen to like trees. I don't know why - I just do. As a kid, I loved to climb them. The distant, upper branches, especially, were celestial and alluring.
book books last
I'd read books in Russian, and they would take me forever. I wanted to write a book that would last and would not be superficial. Siberian-travel writing is its own genre.
taken opportunity sometimes
Sometimes travel is merely an opportunity taken when you can.
talking ears speech
Roy Blount is so funny, and he sounds like he's just talking, and the next thing you know he has tossed off an essay as elegant and intricately structured as a birdsong. His ear for American speech is better than anybody's.
ideas middle-of-nowhere heroic
There's an idea of the Plains as the middle of nowhere, something to be contemptuous of. But it's really a heroic place.
book opportunity names
A book tour is not a good opportunity to let your mind wander. You have to pay attention, remember salespeople's and interviewers' names, succinctly summarize your book in a 'selling' way, and so on.
russia people misery
People in Russia adapt to misery by a deep, deep humor.
texas feelings secret
Despite the obvious benefits, many Americans do not like Texas. Some even say they despise Texas, and make no secret of their feelings.
complaining
Russians don't complain, usually.
phones light fence-post
Everything in Russia is made of cement - phone booths, fence posts and light bulbs.
insanity nonsense
Russian humor is to adapt or make some sense or nonsense out of the insanity of their lives.
nice light glowing
When the days start to get shorter, I want to be in some nice brick building on the East Coast with the lights glowing in the windows. When the daylight starts changing, I want to be out West.
pieces disregard reader
I don't have a disregard for my reader in humor pieces.
thinking important chance
I think what is important for things to be funny is if you the listener, or the reader, get a chance to supply the humor of it yourself.