Born and raised in the Boston area, Amor Towles graduated from Yale and received his master’s in English from Stanford University. His first novel, Rules of Civility, was a New York Times bestseller and was named by The Wall Street Journal as one of the best books of 2011. His second novel, A Gentleman in Moscow, was also a New York Times bestseller and was named as one of the best books of 2016 by the Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, The Philadelphia Inquirer, the San Francisco Chronicle, Amazon and NPR. His novels have been translated into over thirty-five languages. Having worked as an investment professional for over twenty years, Mr. Towles now devotes himself full time to writing in Manhattan, where he lives with his wife and two children.
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You can get to know Amor on Thursday evening, April 4, at a special event at Pinehurst Resort. Details here.
What do you like best about your job?
I like everything about my job. Having spent 20 years in an exacting, collaborative professional environment, it’s a particular pleasure to work for hours on end alone and to have the sole responsibility for the quality of the endeavor.
What inspires you?
The works of those I admire. Whenever I am stuck, if I pick up Whitman or Proust or Melville and read for a few minutes, I am both in awe and eager to return to my own work.
Who should we be paying attention to?
Not necessarily someone who is alive.
What was your biggest challenge this week?
Turning my attention away from the White House so I can get back to work.
Favorite N.C. vacation spot?
An old school barbeque stand anywhere in the state.
