Philip Roth: charming killjoy

In The Guardian today, Philip Roth grants a rare and delightful interview to Danish journalist Martin Krasnik. In it, Roth talks of his fear of death, his disgust for religion, and his new novel Everyman; predicts the actions of women at his funeral — “If they even show up … they will probably be screaming at the casket” — calls for a 100-year moratorium on book-talk; but most of all makes things difficult for Krasnik:

“‘I don’t smile.’

“There is a long, agonising pause….

“‘Do you ever smile at all?’

“He looks at me. ‘Yes, when I’m hiding in a corner and no one sees it….’

“I tell him that interviewing him can be extremely difficult — like climbing an iceberg without clothes on.

“‘Well, I wasn’t put on this earth to make your life easy. Ha!’ His laughter is like a proclamation — no smile, just ‘Ha!'”