Novelist Paul Auster's pessimism

American novelist Paul Auster fears that when it comes to the vote on 4 November, Americans will not vote for a black man.

The New York author, who has 12 novels to his name and is one of the world's best known literary figures, supports Barack Obama.

He told the BBC that under normal circumstances, after a failed administration in one party, the other party would inevitably win the next presidential election.

But, he said: "When the day comes, Novermber 4th, how many white people will go in and say to themselves 'I should be voting Democrat but I can't vote for a black man'?"

Advertisement

Paul Auster tells Zeinab Badawi that, despite his fears, he is very proud that the Democratic party chose Barack Obama.

'Civil war'

In an interview for HARDtalk Paul Auster talks about the deep cultural divides which exist in America, describing the country as being in the grip of "a kind of civil war", with religion as the "fissure point".

He told Zeinab Badawi that there was a huge gulf between religious Americans and the secular population.

"I see the gap widening every day and it's becoming harder and harder for the two sides to communicate.

"How is it possible for someone who believes that the world was created in six days to have a rational conversation with me, who doesn't believe that, about other possibilities?

"When you see people working in abortion clinics who have to go to work in bullet-proof vests, you know that something is wrong about the culture".

Mr Auster said that the religious lobby has a disproportionate influence in the United States because of the federal system.

A state like Wyoming, with a population of less than one million, has the same number of senators as California, with over 30 million, so the Wyoming voter has far greater influence.

Advertisement

Paul Auster says that when people feel they own the truth they are not open to dialogue any more.

'Outrageous decision'

The novelist's latest book uses the theme of a divided America and takes it to the extreme.

Man in The Dark imagines a world in which the result of the 2000 presidential election led to secession, as state after state pulled away from the union, and a bloody civil war ensued.

He was inspired to write it by the frustration and anger he felt when Al Gore was not made president.

"It seemed to me it was obvious that Al Gore won. He was elected president of the United States and then through political and legal manoeuvrings the Republicans took it away from him.

"It was an outrageous decision. So I've had this eerie sense in the last eight years that we're not really living in the real world. That we've jumped into some parallel shadow world".

Advertisement

Paul Auster refutes the criticism that his in book Man in The Dark he is playing literary games with deeply serious subjects.

HARDtalk is broadcast on BBC World News TV at 0330, 0830, 1430, 2030 and 2230 GMT. Zeinab Badawi's interview with Paul Auster will be broadcast on Wednesday 22 October 2008.