SOURCE: "An Interview with Stuart Dybek," in Chicago Review, Vol. 43, No. 1, Winter, 1997, pp. 87-101.

In the following interview, Dybek discusses what he thinks of the label "Chicago writer," his approach to writing, and the importance of form.

The following interview was conducted as part of the University of Memphis's ongoing River City Writers Series; the conversation took place March 7, 1995, in Memphis. Stuart Dybek's books include two collections of short stories, Childhood and Other Neighborhoods, and Coast of Chicago, as well as a work of poetry, Brass Knuckles. A recipient of a lifetime achievement award from the Academy of Arts and Letters, Dybek's writing may be found in The New Yorker, and The Best American Short Stories of 1995.

[Nickel:] I thought we'd start by talking about the Chicago style with which you're often identified. Let's begin with the term "Chicago Writer." I'm curious how you feel about it?

[Dybek...