The Noonday Demon, by Andrew Solomon; translated into Traditional Chinese by Qi Ruolan (Everyone’s Press, July 1, 2020)
Following the publication of the Traditional Chinese translation of The Noonday Demon, Taiwanese e-book retailer Readmoo asked Andrew Solomon a few questions about the making of the book.
Readmoo: What are your particularly impressive experiences when interviewing others?
Andrew Solomon: What impresses me most is the courage of these interviewees. Their experiences are extremely painful; some of them are far more depressive than me. Many people have no way to get first-class medical care, and most people don’t have enough companions. But they shared their stories enthusiastically, and very frankly. Of course, not everyone was so enthusiastic and honest, and I didn’t include their stories in the book. But to my surprise, there were not many people trying to whitewash their stories. Most of them were willing to do their best to delve into their hearts. I am also surprised by the perseverance of human beings. We can endure such terrible pain and trauma, yet we are still willing to help others generously.
Readmoo: Among the people who have had a great influence in your life and on the course of your illness, which ones would you name, and why?
Andrew Solomon: I want to thank many people. My mother made me a tough person; my father took care of me during the onset of depression; my psychological counselor, who took care of me for more than twenty-five years, was very impressive, but sadly, he passed away at the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak; my psychopharmacologist, who I met with just this week, has always developed a suitable medication plan; my husband prevented the recurrence of my depression; my children brought me a joy beyond imagination; my friends surrounded me when I fell, have accompanied me, and continue to encourage me.
(To read the complete interview, please visit Readmoo.)
