Interview

Brady Udall discusses his reasons for writing The Lonely Polygamist (2010), his experience growing up as one of nine children and his heritage as the great-grandchild of polygamists. In a separate interview he talks about the inspiration behind The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint (2001) and people's reactions to the book.

Brady Udall discusses The Lonely Polygamist and The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint

A Q&A about The Lonely Polygamist

Why did you decide to take your nonfiction article that first appeared in Esquire in 1998 and was originally titled “Big Love” and make it into a novel?

My novel is not based on my Esquire piece, exactly, but the research I did for the piece was the basis for The Lonely Polygamist (there's a distinction there if you look for it). I have a strong family connection to polygamy, but I had no real understanding of how polygamy is lived today, and after doing the research and writing the article there was no question my next novel would be about contemporary polygamy. This all occurred well before the wave of fascination with polygamy in this country, and I thought it was something I absolutely had to write about, to call attention to in a fair, non-judgmental and (hopefully) compelling way.

You've said that you wouldn't be here if it weren't for polygamy. What do you mean?

My great-great grandfather, David King Udall, was a polygamist. His second wife, Ida Hunt Udall, was my great-great grandmother. So it's pretty straightforward: if polygamy didn't exist, neither would I. It seemed only...