SOURCE: Gallant, Mavis, and Daphne Kalotay. “Mavis Gallant: The Art of Fiction CLX.” Paris Review 41, no. 153 (winter 1999-2000): 192-211.

In the following interview, which originally took place in August, 1996, Gallant discusses her literary influences, writing habits, and life as an expatriate author.

This interview was conducted outdoors at Le Select in Paris on a late afternoon in August, 1996. Gallant had suggested the café, which is not far from her apartment in the Montparnasse neighborhood. Surrounded by street bustle and occasionally interrupted (Gallant has lived in the neighborhood for decades and knows a number of regulars at the café), the conversation continued well into the evening. Gallant's voice is strong and girlish; her laugh youthful and frequent, often following the most deadpan of comments. The remainder of the interview took place through correspondence.

[Kalotay]: You've lived in France for almost fifty years, making your living as a writer in...