John Grisham doesn’t usually like to read aloud from his books. “Frankly, usually when I’m finished with them, I’m sick of them,” he says, during a talk onstage at Santa Fe Literary Festival. “I’ve never been able to go back and read my stuff.” Then he adds, jokingly, “Until tonight.”
Like all authors speaking at the festival in New Mexico, Grisham has agreed to read a short excerpt from his latest book before answering questions. No doubt he has actually done so before — but his aside about how much he hates returning to his own writing is relatable to creatives across the spectrum. Johnny Depp famously claims to have never watched a single one of his own movies. Meryl Streep says she can bear to see films she’s starred in only once. And John Green, the celebrated author of The Fault in Our Stars, has also said that although he appreciates the dedication of fans, he’s also “sick of” his own books by the time they hit the shelves.
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