The Read Well Podcast

Episode 122: Timothy Schaffert on The Titanic Survivors Book Club
Host: Eddy Hood
Guest: Timothy Schaffert, author and Chair of English and Creative Writing at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Date: January 6, 2026

Episode Overview

This week’s episode features acclaimed author Timothy Schaffert, discussing his celebrated new novel, The Titanic Survivors Book Club. The conversation is an immersive exploration of storytelling, creativity, the enduring love of books, and the artful craft behind Schaffert’s lush, historically rich fiction. Listeners are treated to insights on character development, the magic and meaning of books, the importance of voice in writing, research, and the lasting allure of book culture.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Origins and Inspiration for the Novel

• Genesis of the Idea (02:33)
  • The Titanic Survivors Book Club emerged from an editorial conversation with Schaffert’s Doubleday editor, Margot Schickmanter, who was drawn to the idea of a bookshop in Paris.
  • The concept evolved from a shelved early manuscript about people who missed boarding the Titanic, with the focus shifting to a Parisian book club at the editor’s suggestion.
  • Schaffert conducted extensive research into actual books and their histories to credibly populate the book club within the novel.
  • Quote:

    “I spent a lot of time researching a lot of stuff that ultimately didn’t even end up in the book. But in that process, the characters kind of emerged and the relationships developed…”
    — Timothy Schaffert (05:19)

Writing Style and the Role of “Voice”

• Lush, Velvety Prose (06:16–07:58)
  • Host Eddy describes Schaffert’s prose as “velvety” and immersive, noting its atmospheric ability to transport readers to Paris and evoke a sense of literary escapism.
  • Quote:

    “It’s just this very sort of velvety, lush way of writing… I just want to, like, sit and be in my reading chair and go to Paris.”
    — Eddy Hood (07:22)

• The “Voice” in Fiction (12:44–17:33)
  • Schaffert emphasizes that he’s less prescriptive with students and prefers conversation over formulaic rules.
  • Developing a unique narrative voice is paramount; formulaic stories are less compelling than those in which style and point of view distinguish an author’s work.
  • Quote:

    “If you have an individual voice, then it’s your own. If you’re writing without voice, if you’re just writing according to formula, then you just sound like every other book.”
    — Timothy Schaffert (13:16)

Character Names and Literary Echoes

• Naming Yorick (Hamlet Reference) (07:58–09:49)
  • The protagonist’s name “Yorick” originated from Edward Gorey’s The Gashlycrumb Tinies magnets on Schaffert’s fridge.
  • The Shakespearean resonance (“Alas, poor Yorick”) profoundly shapes the character’s history, themes of mortality, and the story’s literary depth.
  • Quote:

    “Once I had Yorick, then… the history of the name all came flowing forth and the idea of how that could inform his very character…”
    — Timothy Schaffert (09:07)

Thematic Connections: Love, Death, and Humanity

• Character Analysis and Hamlet Allusions (09:49–12:10)
  • The thematic presence of death and the “great leveler” in both Hamlet and the novel, using Yorick (the original Shakespearean jester) as a meditation on mortality, love, and self-understanding.
  • Quote:

    “Death is sort of a great leveler in Hamlet, right?... I feel like, I think Yorick is a really important name in this book because this book deals with love, it deals with death, it deals with… Make the most of what you got while you’re here, make sense of it all.”
    — Eddy Hood (10:19)

Crafting Historical Fiction and Research

• Research Process (21:23–24:19)
  • A blend of factual research and imaginative reconstruction, especially regarding early 20th-century Paris, wartime history, and bookselling.
  • Notable historical detail: wartime censors moistening pen nibs with their tongues and suffering poisoning—a fact that grounds the fiction in gritty reality.
  • Quote:

    “I do a ton of research...I was always looking for just enough fact that I could spin fiction from.”
    — Timothy Schaffert (21:36)

Books as Symbol and Memory

• The Meaning of Personal Libraries (24:58–31:10)
  • Books, their physical details, and their arrangement reflect a person’s identity and inner life.
  • Schaffert discusses the personal stories attached to specific volumes, such as a lost, inscribed copy of a beloved work.
  • Quote:

    “Our books are a representation of us and who we are… there is kind of a story behind every book.”
    — Timothy Schaffert (26:46)

  • The physical endurance of books is contrasted with fleeting digital trends.
  • Quote:

    “The book has endured, and I believe it will continue to endure. Meanwhile, something like Twitter has come and gone within the last 10 years...”
    — Timothy Schaffert (30:34)

Love and Relationships in the Novel

• Themes of Love and Identity (33:10–38:16)
  • The novel features a romantic “circle” among its three central characters (Yorick, Zinnia, Hayes), exploring intersecting loves and the illusions of romance.
  • Schaffert notes the importance of love in fiction, the treacherous spaces between longing and fulfillment, and literary works as sources of both real and illusory ideals.
  • Quote:

    “That’s so central to so much fiction...the impossible and the complexities of connecting with other people and loving someone who loves someone else...”
    — Timothy Schaffert (35:08)

  • The novel’s Paris setting is rendered with attention to both historical geography and the emotional journey of characters.

The Art of Writing: Titles, Outlines, and Setting

• Creating Titles (38:16–39:30)
  • Some titles originate from the publisher, and others emerge from Schaffert’s own concepts; they may evolve during the writing process.
  • Quote:

    “Sometimes they come very easily and sometimes they come very early, and sometimes I don’t have one for a very long time.”
    — Timothy Schaffert (38:54)

• Outlining and Process (39:36–41:05)
  • Schaffert is a hybrid “plotter and pantser,” beginning with exploratory writing and following emerging outlines; research aids but doesn’t predetermine structure.
  • Using film (like Jules and Jim) to model narrative pacing for love stories.
• Personal Connections to Setting (41:05–42:52)
  • Early novels were rooted in his childhood memories in Nebraska; later, he shifted to more historical, researched settings like Paris.

Memorable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• On finding a unique voice:

  “If you have an individual voice, then it’s your own. If you’re writing without voice, if you’re just writing according to formula, then you just sound like every other book.”
  — Timothy Schaffert (13:16)

• On research and imagination:

  “I was always looking for just enough fact that I could spin fiction from. You know, I didn’t want to venture too far from fact, but at the same time, I… did, you know.”
  — Timothy Schaffert (24:02)

• On books as personal monuments:

  “There is kind of a story behind every book… there’s something about the physical book that just endures.”
  — Timothy Schaffert (26:46; 30:34)

• On writing about love:

  “The unreconciled or… the impossible and the complexities of connecting with other people… fiction books, movies, actually contribute to what is so often an illusion of love.”
  — Timothy Schaffert (35:08)

• On writing and reading as acts of discovery:

  “Your relationship with reading doesn’t have to be just about falling in love with the characters, but just actively engaging your brain, your imagination.”
  — Timothy Schaffert (45:46)

Notable Moments & Audience Questions (with Timestamps)

• On the name Yorick and Shakespeare (07:58–11:06):
  The resonance of Hamlet haunts the main character and the book’s themes.
• On stopping books you don’t like (26:14–26:34):
  “Life is short. Just read the books that you love. Stop reading the books that you hate.”
• On the love ‘circle’ (33:10–35:07):
  Quotation from the novel about the limited space for queer stories in early 20th-century narratives.
• Advice for new writers (50:12–51:05):
  “Just start writing… start with an image or start with a memory.”
• Desert island authors/books (52:28–53:24):
  Schaffert names Faulkner, Toni Morrison, and his own students’ work as desert island reads.

Tips on Reading and Writing (43:36–47:03)

• The importance of following curiosity and intuition when choosing what to read.
• Classic book lists are suggestions, not requirements—readers should seek books that speak to them personally.
• For aspiring writers: begin with any image, memory, or impulse. Perfection, rules, and formulas can impede creativity.
• The relationship between reader and book changes over time, based on life experiences and personal growth.

Engaging Takeaways

• The Titanic Survivors Book Club is as much about the solace and self-knowledge found in books and community as it is about love and history.
• Schaffert’s lush, cinematic prose and attention to detail create immersive atmospheres where fiction and history blend.
• The process of writing (and reading) is personal, often mysterious, and rooted in authenticity and curiosity.

Final Recommendation

This episode is perfect for readers who cherish the physicality of books, the joy of immersive fiction, and those interested in the behind-the-scenes process of literary creation. Schaffert’s reflections are both practical and poetic—a celebration of storytelling’s power to connect, heal, and endure.

Connect with Timothy Schaffert

• Instagram: @timothyschaffert (for literary posts and whimsical art)
• Explore his works at your local bookstore or online retailers.