18 November 2009
12 November 2009
04 November 2009
Fuck!
“Basically, I realized, I was living in that awful stage of life from the age of twenty-six to thirty-seven known as stupidity. It’s when you don’t know anything, not even as much as you did when you were younger, and you don’t even have a philosophy about all the things you don’t know, the way you did when you were twenty or would again when you were thirty-eight."
Lorrie Moore, Anagrams
Again....Fuck! This means there's 8 more years of this. I protest.
Thanks to The Famous Chronicles
Lorrie Moore, Anagrams
Again....Fuck! This means there's 8 more years of this. I protest.
Thanks to The Famous Chronicles
01 November 2009
NaNoWhoagivesa...
And still I will try....this is my first post of november. More short stories on the way...
21 October 2009
Yesterday's story of the day
I got completely distracted by having knit night at my house last night so I didn't really make it to the story of the day until a bit after midnight. Before I get into the story you should know that crock pot lasagna is delicious.
The story of the day was "That Golden Summer" by Asali Solomon from her collection of short stories titled "Get Down".
This is another must have in the library. But then, I might be biased. Most of the stories in this collection, like the story I read take place in a city I know and have a great deal of affection for: Philadelphia, my hometown. What I loved about this story really has nothing to do with the quality of the writing (which of course is superb) but the subject matter. That Golden Summer takes place in Philadelphia and follows Zuie a thirteen year old girl coming into her own--she's discovering boys, discovering the differences between herself and her white classmates, all the things that go along with being 13 years. What was a pleasure for me was watching scenes from my own adolescence (except Zuie's parents who are not that permissive, were far more permissive than my parents ever were with me). There is also a strong sense of much distance Zuie feels between herself and those around her. All in all, a quick but good read.
Asali Solomon's literary voice is one that needs to be heard--it's so rare do I have the pleasure of reading stories about the middle class African American life. I would assume that given the current landscape of America (Black president and all) people should want to understand the entire spectrum of the African American community. These are the kinds of stories I aspire to write.
The story of the day was "That Golden Summer" by Asali Solomon from her collection of short stories titled "Get Down".
This is another must have in the library. But then, I might be biased. Most of the stories in this collection, like the story I read take place in a city I know and have a great deal of affection for: Philadelphia, my hometown. What I loved about this story really has nothing to do with the quality of the writing (which of course is superb) but the subject matter. That Golden Summer takes place in Philadelphia and follows Zuie a thirteen year old girl coming into her own--she's discovering boys, discovering the differences between herself and her white classmates, all the things that go along with being 13 years. What was a pleasure for me was watching scenes from my own adolescence (except Zuie's parents who are not that permissive, were far more permissive than my parents ever were with me). There is also a strong sense of much distance Zuie feels between herself and those around her. All in all, a quick but good read.
Asali Solomon's literary voice is one that needs to be heard--it's so rare do I have the pleasure of reading stories about the middle class African American life. I would assume that given the current landscape of America (Black president and all) people should want to understand the entire spectrum of the African American community. These are the kinds of stories I aspire to write.
10 Books to read before you die
Hmm...found this on a friends Facebook page and being the writer/book nerd I am, I thought I'd compile my own list.
1. Pride and Prejudice
This will forever be my favorite book. It's not necessarily the book that inspires me to write, but it is one that I read often.
2. Interesting Women by Andrea Lee
This is the book that inspires me to write. Get it, read it, love it, read it again.
3. Crime and Punishment
Proof that literature can make you feel.
4. Elbow Room by James Alan McPherson
Genius on every page.
5. Lolita
Does it really need explanation?
6. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
Revolutionary.
7. Beloved by Toni Morrison
I didn't understand it when I read it at 14 but I do now. Ms. Morrison is a genius. But you knew that already.
8. The Safety of Objects by A.M. Homes
Seriously, one of my favorite collections. There's devastation everywhere you turn in this book and not necessarily a whole lot of redemption. Plus, I'm always charmed by adults smoking crack in the suburbs.
9. The Known World by Edward P. Jones
Painful (in a good way) to read. The man knows fiction and the world he created is a sad one, and yet, I want to keep reading page after page.
10. The Four Agreements
Everyone needs this book in their life. EVERYONE.
19 October 2009
Can you see where things are headed?
In addition to other topics, I am hoping to write a bit every day about whatever short story I read that day. I migh even it up it to two a day. I have maybe 20 collections of short stories that I have barely put a dent into. Also, it's a good way to get myself motivated for NaNoBloMo month (november right?)
Short Story of the Day
"Last Evenings on Earth" by Roberto Bolaño a story that comes from his 1997 collection of the same title. I don't know why I picked this story today except for that I've had this particular collection since December 2007 (it was a gift from a professor) and I only managed to read one of the stories--the one that was assigned to me in class.
In reading this story I realized something about how much I have changed as a reader in the last two years. Before Iowa I read a lot. I drank in beautiful sentences and I allowed myself to be devoured by plot lines that drove me mad with a need to turn page after page. In reading, I used to think that I was the one doing the devouring, but in all honesty, when a story is told well it's the reader who is being gobbled up by the author. And that's okay because any serious reader will relish the experience. I'm getting off topic. I consumed books before I came to Iowa, whereas in the last two years, I feel as though I mostly bought books, set them on my shelves and let them intimidate me. They're quite good at it, you know. Now things are a little bit different. I'm more in control of myself as a writer and as a reader. Words are still taking large bites of my soul, imprinting their importance on my brain but mostly reminding me that I have a job to do.
So, today I read some Bolaño and I really, really enjoyed it. Perhaps the reason is because he writes the way I am afraid to write. There is beauty in his sentences but there is also a matter-of -fact delivery. In fact, the first paragraph made me feel as though I was reading an anthropological study on how Chilean ex-pats in Mexico City circa 1975 prepare for a vacation to Acapulco. From the first few pages, I was torn between loving the sparse prose and wanting to see some action--wanting to see this father and son act upon the tension that was so clearly on the page. The story is a sometimes a close third and at other times the narrator puts a ocean between the reader and the character B (we only get the initial). There is a looming sense of disaster, B even offers it up as a thought to the narrator and the reader, so we know it's coming and yet it doesn't distract from whatever is happening in the present moment of the story. By the end, just when the long awaited disaster is reaching the boiling point we're taken away from it and reminded that what this story is about, what's at the heart of this story is the fractured relationship between a father and his son. It's not heavy handed, there is no forcing the reader's hand. There is a beauty in the simplicity. It was brilliant! I loved it and I wanted to read more.
Because I'm a nerd, after I read the story, I had do some internet searching on Sr. Bolaño. I was curious to know more about his influences--mostly Cortazar and Borges--but I was pleasantly pleased to know that the story of B and his father is one of several featuring this protagonist and the charter is more or less a rendering of Bolaño himself.
If you're interested, do yourself a favor and pick it up. I'm going to (finally) order my copy of 2666 and also pick up The Savage Detectives, also by Roberto Bolaño. They've been on my list forever.
In reading this story I realized something about how much I have changed as a reader in the last two years. Before Iowa I read a lot. I drank in beautiful sentences and I allowed myself to be devoured by plot lines that drove me mad with a need to turn page after page. In reading, I used to think that I was the one doing the devouring, but in all honesty, when a story is told well it's the reader who is being gobbled up by the author. And that's okay because any serious reader will relish the experience. I'm getting off topic. I consumed books before I came to Iowa, whereas in the last two years, I feel as though I mostly bought books, set them on my shelves and let them intimidate me. They're quite good at it, you know. Now things are a little bit different. I'm more in control of myself as a writer and as a reader. Words are still taking large bites of my soul, imprinting their importance on my brain but mostly reminding me that I have a job to do.
So, today I read some Bolaño and I really, really enjoyed it. Perhaps the reason is because he writes the way I am afraid to write. There is beauty in his sentences but there is also a matter-of -fact delivery. In fact, the first paragraph made me feel as though I was reading an anthropological study on how Chilean ex-pats in Mexico City circa 1975 prepare for a vacation to Acapulco. From the first few pages, I was torn between loving the sparse prose and wanting to see some action--wanting to see this father and son act upon the tension that was so clearly on the page. The story is a sometimes a close third and at other times the narrator puts a ocean between the reader and the character B (we only get the initial). There is a looming sense of disaster, B even offers it up as a thought to the narrator and the reader, so we know it's coming and yet it doesn't distract from whatever is happening in the present moment of the story. By the end, just when the long awaited disaster is reaching the boiling point we're taken away from it and reminded that what this story is about, what's at the heart of this story is the fractured relationship between a father and his son. It's not heavy handed, there is no forcing the reader's hand. There is a beauty in the simplicity. It was brilliant! I loved it and I wanted to read more.
Because I'm a nerd, after I read the story, I had do some internet searching on Sr. Bolaño. I was curious to know more about his influences--mostly Cortazar and Borges--but I was pleasantly pleased to know that the story of B and his father is one of several featuring this protagonist and the charter is more or less a rendering of Bolaño himself.
If you're interested, do yourself a favor and pick it up. I'm going to (finally) order my copy of 2666 and also pick up The Savage Detectives, also by Roberto Bolaño. They've been on my list forever.
18 October 2009
The Short Story I read today
was "I See Something You Don't See" by Bret Anthony Johnston. I mentioned him before as someone whose take on writing I identify with.
One of the things I'd like to do to get myself back on track is read a new short story every day, and writ a few lines on it. With any luck, I will get through the massive amounts of collections I own and find some new gems.
I'd actually started reading this story before. I tend to pick things up when I'm distracted and then put them down soon after. Finishing is not always something I am good at. Today when I was focused I was able to plunge myself into the story. I'm glad I did. Basically it's a story about a mother and son deal with a terminal cancer diagnosis. It's a simple enough story but Johnston does a great job of making it fresh. He successfully does something that I have been struggling with in one of my stories, and that is, to tell a story from the point of view of two characters--it's in a close third with the sections transitioning nicely from one character to the other and not making sure that the story doesn't lean too heavily on one character or the other.
I'm being vague and that's because I want you to go out and pick up the book. It's called <Corpus Christi I've read two of the stories and I think it's worth picking up the book. Also a book that I've mentioned before is Naming The World which is a book of creative writing exercises and words of wisdom from seasoned writers.
Okay. That's all. I expect another short post tomorrow. Also, I'm open to suggestions.
One of the things I'd like to do to get myself back on track is read a new short story every day, and writ a few lines on it. With any luck, I will get through the massive amounts of collections I own and find some new gems.
I'd actually started reading this story before. I tend to pick things up when I'm distracted and then put them down soon after. Finishing is not always something I am good at. Today when I was focused I was able to plunge myself into the story. I'm glad I did. Basically it's a story about a mother and son deal with a terminal cancer diagnosis. It's a simple enough story but Johnston does a great job of making it fresh. He successfully does something that I have been struggling with in one of my stories, and that is, to tell a story from the point of view of two characters--it's in a close third with the sections transitioning nicely from one character to the other and not making sure that the story doesn't lean too heavily on one character or the other.
I'm being vague and that's because I want you to go out and pick up the book. It's called <Corpus Christi I've read two of the stories and I think it's worth picking up the book. Also a book that I've mentioned before is Naming The World which is a book of creative writing exercises and words of wisdom from seasoned writers.
Okay. That's all. I expect another short post tomorrow. Also, I'm open to suggestions.
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