ten questions for adam

[Illustration © copyright Adam Adams 2008]

?1 Why a book about Adam and Eve?
!1 Blue Earth is not particularly a novel concerning the biblical Adam and Eve; but it seemed to me, looking at the current character of our times, quite interesting to let the two first human beings, our archetypical father and mother, return to the modern era. What would they think of living in these days? In a time where there is a war in a country, according to the historians, where the Garden of Eden was located; at a time in which we exploit our natural environment. The link to the Adam and Eve out of paradise should however not been taken literally, because it is made up out of own experience.

?2 These are sad times?
!2 That depends how you look upon it, but our planet and humanity has gone through better times.

?3 The novel is based on own life experience, so you answered in question 1. Is that correct?
!3 Yes, that’s correct. It is based for a big part on a relation between me and a Russian woman. I changed the context. It has happened, but also not quite like that. Some things have happened literally, other things have not happened and the combinations that I put in the novel are not like they were in reality. I did not have the intention to note everything exactly the way it was.

?4 The novel is in a certain very easy to read, but I have the idea that many thoughts have been put “behind” the story. Can you be more specific about this?
!4 Yes such is possible, but it is more difficult than you think. I have read countless books, sifted them out, controlled them etcetera. From the first religious books, to haiku poetry, from Plato to Merleau-Ponty and Sloterdijk, from modern physics to age-old esotherics. I must add that I work as following: first I do write totally spontaneous, like the surrealists did with their automatic writings. Then I do control my ways of thinking and writing and check if it has any relation with other writings; the “reality”. If I have to change things or thoughts after certain consideration, then I will do so, sometimes not. Next to that I had to follow the love story. Also did I take countless words, sentences and such from literature, music, out of conversations with friends, from passers-by on the streets. These I have put into the story, changed them again, cut it out and pasted into the novel. Like a DJ mixes records, so I have mixed the book as well. For the reader that is not quite attentive: the romance is a persiflage on the Biblical theme of Adam and Eve.

?5 If you can explain your biography, I would be most grateful.
!5 Yes, with pleasure. Oh yes, ehm, that is possible, but I do not like personality cult. Just write down that I have done many different things. In my studies as well as in my jobs. Twelve trades, thirteen happy accidents… I have done many different things in my working life. With my first novel I have tried to learn my thirteenth profession. I am curious if it will become another accident, or that it will become a profession to stay. The choice is to the reader. I have the idea that I have found my aim of life in writing.

?6 Why do you give away a part of the revenues of the sales for a project to plant trees?
!6 Because many people are totally indifferent to nature and I, in the literary role of first man, do not close the eyes for the lost paradise. Humans are, if you can name it like that, the most irresponsible creatures. Everything: the earth, the humans themselves are in use for the profit to be made, for the use of, utility and our self-indulgence. The Canadian singer Joni Mitchell already sang: “We’ve paved paradise and put up a parking lot.” And then they reproach me that I (in the role of Adam) have caused the fall of man. When the reader will finish my book, he will find out who caused the fall of man. although it was quite a bit stupid of me. I must admit.

?7 Are you a religious man?
!7 The proof of God stands or falls with the definition. I see Him in everything: as I explain in my book, although there is off course not a Him or Her. The world itself is his manifestation, or if you like to, the manifestion of the cosmic consciousness. A reader said to me that I have written down in the novel the final proof of His existence. Oh well, I do think then, that is not so hard to do. It has already been mentioned in so many old writings, that I am surprised that people are doubtful of Him. In Blue Earth I also explain how it is with the consciousness. You can think about it: in one novel convincing explanations of fundamental questions that dominate the human debate since centuries. The time was just ripe for this, I say.

?8 Who are your literary examples?
!8 Those are too many to mention. I have read a lot in my life. To name just a few examples of writers that I have been reading and who I do appreciate a lot: William Styron, Leo Tolstoi, Oriana Fallaci, Jules Verne, Hermann Hesse. Dutch writers that I loved to read are Multatuli en Herman Gorter. As you see I do not have a specific preference in writers or a certain genre. I read and buy whatever comes into my life; that I find of any interest. I read a lot of philosophical treatises, but also TinTin. Of course I have been reading the classics like Don Quishot, Tom Sawyer, Moby Dick, Robinson Crusoe. I once hope to write a book that will be put in this list, but I am fully aware of the fact that I am a beginner in literature. Surely I do not write on the level of the fore mentioned examples, although there are some readers of Blue Earth that compared my style and quality with a Dutch master as Willem Frederik Hermans or the American writer Thomas Pynchon. I hardly read anything of these two authors. So you can see where the inspiration is coming from.

?9 How does your working day look like?
!9 I get up as soon as the sun shows his face. Normally I am at 7-8 am in front of my Apple and control the messages and read the news. Then I write until one o’clock, do things like household and exercises, read an hour or two and then I start to write again an hour or four, five. At eleven, twelve I go to sleep. Actually I am always writing, reading, think things over, put away, re-write etcetera. At this moment I am working on the follow-up of Blue Earth.

?10 What can the reader expect in the nearby future?
!10 In first instance part two of Blue Earth. It looks like it that it will become two, three times bigger than my début. Maybe I will cut it into pieces, I do not know yet. It will grow into an adventure cycle, so I suspect. Furthermore I would like to publish a few books of poetry, novels, stories that are not based on my experience, more fantasy, books about this beautiful planet, the nature, stories about human relations and the human condition. One of my goals is to write a real classic that will be put in the row of the writers I have mentioned above. And once I would like to write a children’s book.