WRITER . ARTIST . QUEER RADICAL . A GRAPHIC BIOGRAPHY OF DJUNA BARNES
An interview with Jon Macy
Djuna Barnes lived in a dazzling world filled with literary salons , innovative writing , and daring new art styles . But it didn ’ t come easily . She managed to work her way out of an abusive childhood growing up in a polygamous rural utopian community on Long Island . She was determined to live an extraordinary life , and found herself socializing with the likes of James Joyce , Natalie Barney , Peggy Guggenheim , and T . S . Eliot in 1920s literary Paris . Called the most famous unknown of the century , Djuna Barnes stood out for her brilliant writing , her biting wit , and her unique style . Her novel , Nightwood is considered by some to be one of the greatest lesbian love stories ever written . But as the stock market crashed and the Lost Generation left Paris , her life began to unwind .
A fascinating window into the life of a woman whose enormous literary talent and provocative attitude were both celebrated and disdained by the world .
Read the interview below !
DIAMOND : For those who aren ’ t familiar , can you tell us what readers can expect from this book ? JON MACY : Djuna Barnes was called the greatest unknown of the century . She ’ s a brilliant but obscure author who was at the top of her game in the lost generation of 1920s Paris . She was beautiful , glamorous , and a freakin ’ genius . Then she retreated from society to become a recluse . This started out as a biography , but became more about what makes you a star ? What does it mean to be an artist , and what does that really look like ?
What kind of obstacles did you face while putting this title together ? Barnes is a mystery . She intentionally hid a lot of the facts about her life . The research took many years , which included studying narcissistic family dynamics . I learned a lot about myself as I figured her out , and it wasn ’ t fun . I took on a lot of her bad habits to get in her head , and they unfortunately stuck . At the end of it , I didn ’ t know if I needed a publisher or an exorcist .
What would you say is the most rewarding part of the process ? There were so many people who I came into contact with that became friends . People who live in the buildings she used to live in , historical societies that got excited with me when we dug up clues , diehard fans and academics all added to the book , and we shared a moment . If you love Djuna , you don ’ t have to explain .
How did this project come about ? In my twenties , I had a Barnes scholar give me a copy of Djuna ’ s novel Nightwood . It blew my mind and I felt like I was looking at my future self somehow . I started finding similarities between our lives , especially in our nasty childhoods . She ’ s been haunting me ever since .
In terms of audience , who is this book for ? It ’ s for anyone who wanted to be an artist and almost got there . You ’ re still a star to me .
What are you hoping readers take away from this book ? Just to feel like you were there at a cafe in Paris surrounded by all the other genius authors , and even walking through early New York when Greenwich Village was at its most unusual . What I wouldn ’ t give to have been there .
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