John Keene on Punk Roots and Literary Experimentation
Source: theparisreview.org
- John Keene, author of *Punks* and *Counternarratives*, shares insights in The Paris Review's Art of Fiction No. 259 interview.
- He discusses his Afro-Cuban roots, experimental writing style, and influences from jazz, poetry, and global literature.
- Keene highlights language's power to challenge norms and the importance of diverse voices in literature.
John Keene speaks with The Paris Review interviewer Idra Novey about his life, writing process, and new novel Punks. The conversation covers his childhood in St. Louis, family heritage tracing to Cuba and Puerto Rico, and how music and poetry shape his innovative prose. It reveals his commitment to queer Black narratives and multilingual experimentation, matters deeply to readers interested in boundary-pushing literature that reclaims marginalized histories.