GAH: Because what I love best about writing novels is that it's a peren-nial education. In the course of writing this book, I got to explore all these fields that were of interest to me-it was an education in and of itself. And I wanted to explore new areas and, in this case, new parts of the world. I think that's what will keep my fiction fresh. If it's being writ-ten on the cutting edge of my interest and investigations, I think I can bring more excitement to it.

PB: Forgive the standard question, but who are your favorite authors?

GAH: My reading is pretty evenly split between-what people refer to as-commercial and literary fiction. I'm a big Faulkner fanatic, and I've recently been getting into Mailer and Tim O'Brien. And on the other hand, I think Thomas Harris is unparalleled. And I love Lehane, Michael Connolly, T. Jefferson Parker. Guys who bring more to the form, who elevate their fiction above it. I also have a real appreciation for Peter Benchley, since I think Jaws really reinvented the science/creature narra-tive. Plus, he recently wrote a great National Geographic article on Galpa-gos.

PB: Is there an author on whose career you would model your own?

GAH: I don't think so. Not across the board. But in terms of range, I would say Crichton. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Crich-ton because of his energy, and the range of his skill and knowledge. I mean, he's taken us from dinosaurs to j.a.panese business to emergency rooms to viruses to s.e.xual hara.s.sment cases. It's amazing how effectively he's been able to tap into the zeitgeist and open up new worlds and new discussions to people. Stephen King is another one-I've read every sin-gle novel. Some people view him exclusively as a horror writer, but the range of topics he's actually tackled is staggering. And some of his works have a depth that one would not be strained to call brilliant.

PB: I notice earlier you said "what people refer to as commercial and lit-erary fiction." Is that not a distinction you find valid?

GAH: I think it's useful but extremely limited. Thomas Harris writes with a depth of character and grace of language you'd be hard-pressed to find in ten percent of writers considered "literary." And the terms "commercial" and "literary" have come to be diluted. People forget that d.i.c.kens was a bestseller in his day, as was Faulkner. And even recently, Tom Wolfe and Toni Morrison have little trouble finding their way onto the bestseller list. It's not a particularly original sentiment, but I think the most essential difference is between good fiction and bad fiction.

PB: And there's generally no shortage of either.

GAH: True.

PB: Do you have any advice for people who read Minutes to Burn and are inspired to visit the Galpagos?

GAH: Bring sunblock.

About the Author.

Gregg Andrew Hurwitz is the author of The Tower. He lives in Los Angeles, where he's currently working on his next novel, Do No Harm.

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