studied Italian literature at the Università di Firenze. After working various odd jobs in the entertainment industry—perhaps the oddest being a short stint as a motion picture literary agent—he began a career writing, producing, and directing television. Chessler has developed pilots for all the major networks, and has been a showrunner, producer, director and writer on a number of TV series.
His new novel is Mess.
Recently I asked Chessler about what he was reading. The author's reply:
I recently devoured both of Robert Plunket’s novels, My Search for Warren Harding and Love Junkie. They’re riotously funny,Visit Michael Chessler's website.but also moving in a tragicomic way that sneaks up on you. I was left wondering why I hadn’t heard about this great writer sooner. I just finished Old Filth by Jane Gardam, which we read in my book club. It is such a fantastic book—so rich in detail, slyly humorous and profoundly moving. It is the first novel in a trilogy, so I am looking forward to reading the next two, The Man in the Wooden Hat and Last Friends.
For inspiration for my work-in-progress novel, I have been re-reading Patricia Highsmith’s Ripley books, as well as reading Jerzy Kosinki’s Being There for the first time. The 1979 movie is fantastic and a favorite of mine, but I’d never read the source material.
The Page 69 Test: Mess.
Q&A with Michael Chessler.
--Marshal Zeringue
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