Hanif Kureishi: Becoming an author is a daft thing to do

Times Higher Education’s Q&A with the British novelist Hanif Kureishi

What advice would you give your younger self?
I’m not sure advice is any use to anybody, really. I was talking to a student this morning and I thought they had to see [the point I was making to them] themselves. I could sit there and talk until I’m blue in the face but until they see it themselves there’s no point. It’s like telling someone they’re an alcoholic. It doesn’t make the slightest bit of difference to them, but then there may be a day when they realise that this behaviour has to stop.