My Anne Tyler Moment, by Jennie Walters
Christchurch College, Oxford My favourite author in the whole world is Anne Tyler, so when I heard she was giving her first interview for 37 years at the Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival, I was first in line to buy my ticket. At the last minute, I suddenly worried she wouldn't live up to my expectations, that for some reason I'd be disappointed, and my devotion to her books would be tarnished as a result. Anyway, surely an author's work should speak for itself; what she's like as a person is immaterial. Why did I want to see her , when what mattered to me was her writing? I was curious, I suppose, and wanted my own personal image of Anne Tyler, some mysterious essence not divulged in her books. Maybe I also wanted to make an impression on her myself, try to communicate some of the pleasure her books have given me over the years. Walking into the Sheldonian shortly before the talk was due to begin, I passed a slim, grey-haired wo...