Question to readers
Yesterday, at the motor vehicle office I saw a hand written sign that read "Everyone is entitled to my opinion". It took me a minute to get the joke. Authors are pretty opinionated people, certainly I am. Wishy washy I am not. Judgemental...sure. It would be hard to write a book with a "whatever" attitude. Do you think that writers are better served by being neutral or passionate about their point of view?
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Beth, That's true. Non fiction can be easy if you are writing about a dog, a tree, a car, but a bitch when you write a memoir ( and a critic says it is too self-referential..)Interesting about Anne Tyler, two interviews?
I am making an informal list of my "feel good" things. I am going in for surgery this Monday and have tried to keep eveything that makes me feel good in place. I suspect that we all have such totems of tranquility. These are not my big ticket spiritual sources but really mundane items that bring me untold joy: Here are a few. reruns of Mystery Science Theater 3000
reruns of Doc Martin
certain vintage perfumes: Femme, Aphrodesia,and Opium.
Any book by Betty MacDonald.
My French bulldog's Elmer and Cecil.
candles at night
October skies.
A freshly made bed.
Saltines.
Peets dark roast coffee.
what are yours? Do you have any books or items that like Calgon "take you away"?
Sitting on the beach at the Jersey shore in Beach Haven reading Anne Tyler's Ladder of Years every summer, drinking a cocktail from the outdoor bar.Iced starbucks with that brown sugar and cream.
Watching Crossing Delancey or Once
Awaiting the third in the film sequels Before Sunrise coming out!
All the Barbara Pym books: very comforting
Jane: good luck on your surgery; let me know how you are doing!
Thanks, I will let you know how it goes.....
I have to admit that as a reader I am not a fiction gal. I don't know why this is (and there are a handful of novels that have blown me away) but I think I would rather read the yellow pages then most novels. This is a really crappy admission because movies let me suspend my disbelief where I am often too aware of the authors voice in fiction. This is not genetic because my mother named me Jane after Jane Eyre.
I take out about 10 novels every 2 weeks from the library. I start them and usually only end up finishing 3 if I don't like them after 30 pages. But those 3 are really enjoyable to me. For nonfiction, have you read Patricia Volk's Stuffed? It is a great book that I know you would love.
Stuffed is a great book. I love travel non fiction like Dark Star Safari.
If you liked Stuffed, you should try her novel To My Dearest Friends...great food scenes! One of my fav books ever.
I like that question. It's easy to write an opinion and throw it out into the world. One on one, not so much. Not everyone wants to hear my opinion, in the vast sea of voices, it's minuscule. We all need to be heard, I'm a writer, that's my voice. It will still be there after I'm dead. :)
Here is the link:
If you like her books you will enjoy the interview; she seemed to say that she is neutral but when a character annoys her she will cut him out of the book. Of course she writes fiction, unlike you!