"the place for literature is built by writers and
readers. It’s a fragile place in some ways, but an indestructible one. When its
broken, we rebuild it. Because we need shelter. I very much like the idea of
literature that is needed. Literature that provides shelter. Shelter of all kinds."
— Arundhati Roy, architect-turned-critic, and novelist), from her PEN America Freedom to Write lecture. 13 May, 2019
video of the lecture https://youtu.be/DvQZkMs-pa0
partial transcript https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/may/13/arundhati-roy-literature-shelter-pen-america
Her entire lecture is powerful, but don't miss her response to last question, which touches on the Architecture / Literature connection, being transcended by the complex metaphor of a Novel as City / World City / Portal to Utmost Happiness.
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