Elvis Bego: English as a Safe Haven

Chosen Tongue

Elvis Bego was born in Bosnia, fled the war there at age twelve and now lives in Copenhagen. His work can be found in Agni, Best American Essays 2020, Kenyon Review, New England Review, Threepenny Review, Tin House, and elsewhere. He is at work on a novel. In this episode, we discuss the dramatic events that led him to leave his homeland, his decision to embrace English over the many languages he's fluent in, the inspiration he draws from Isak Dinesen aka Karen Blixen, and the intriguing way his writing style evolves according to the language he's working in. At the end of the episode, Elvis reads an excerpt from his story Portrait Of The Artist As A Boy Couching, published earlier this year on Joyland Magazine. You can find him on X @CitizenBego