WE ASKED AUTHOR Geoff Dyer to answer the Idler Questionnaire. Dyer is the author of four novels and six other nonfiction books, including But Beautiful, which was awarded the Somerset Maugham Prize, and Out of Sheer Rage, which was a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. The winner of a Lannan Literary Award, the International Centre of Photography’s 2006 Infinity Award for writing on photography, and the American Academy of Arts and Letters’ E. M. Forster Award, Dyer is a regular contributor to many publications in the UK and the US. Geoff is coming to the UK in March to promote his new book, and, we are delighted to say that we are having lunch with him in Soho on Friday 5 March.

1. Are you happy?

At this precise moment – and happiness is momentary   –  yes.

2. What are you reading at the moment?

Jan Swafford’s immense biography of Beethoven.

3. What was your worst job?

I can’t remember. I haven’t had a bad job in ages.

4. How many hours do you work each day ?

It varies.

5. Town mouse or country mouse?

Town.

6. Does love bring happiness or misery?

A false dichotomy, surely.

7. Mp3 or vinyl, real or e book?

CDs  and real book.

8. What are your three greatest pleasures?

Playing tennis, riding my bike.

9. Do you believe in the nap?

Absolutely.

10. What advice do you have for young people?

Learn languages and play music.

Geoff will be appearing at our Idler Lunch at the Union Club in Soho on Friday 5th March in conversation with Idler editor Tom Hodgkinson. To book follow the link on the right hand side of the page. Geoff’s latest book Another Great Day At Sea: On Board the USS George Bush is published by Canongate on March 5th. His other titles are all available through the Idler bookshop – links to the right of this article.