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丨賷丕鬲賷 丕賱毓夭賷夭丞
賲賳 禺賱丕賱 賯丿乇鬲賴丕 丕賱賮乇賷丿丞 毓賱賶 廿亘乇丕夭 噩賵賴乇 丕賱丨賷丕丞 賮賷 賯氐氐賺 賯氐賷乇丞賺 賲購賵噩夭丞賺 賵睾賷乇 賲購乇鬲亘胤丞賺 亘賲賰丕賳賺 兀賵 夭賲丕賳賺 賲毓賷賻賾賳貙 鬲購賱賯賽賷 兀賱賷爻 賲賵賳乇賵 丕賱囟賵亍賻 毓賱賶 丕賱賱丨馗丞 丕賱鬲賷 鬲鬲卮賰賻賾賱 賮賷賴丕 丕賱丨賷丕丞貙 賵丕賱賱丨馗丞 丕賱鬲賷 賷丐丿賽賾賷 賮賷賴丕 丨購賱賿賲賹貙 兀賵 毓賻賱丕賯丞賹貙 兀賵 鬲賻丨賵購賾賱賹 賲賮丕噩卅 賮賷 賲賻噩乇賻賶 丕賱兀丨丿丕孬貙 廿賱賶 禺乇賵噩 丕賱賲乇亍 賲賳 賲爻丕乇 丨賷丕鬲賴 丕賱賲購毓鬲丕丿 廿賱賶 賲爻丕乇賺 丌禺乇賻 賲禺鬲賱賮賺 鬲賲丕賲賸丕.
賮賷 賴匕賴 丕賱賲噩賲賵毓丞 丕賱賯氐氐賷丞 丕賱乇丕卅毓丞 鈥� 丕賱賲氐賯賵賱丞 亘乇丐賷丞 賲賵賳乇賵 賵賲賵賴亘鬲賴丕 丕賱賮匕賻賾丞 賮賷 丕賱爻乇丿貙 賵丕賱賲賻氐購賵睾丞 賮賷 廿胤丕乇 毓丕賱賻賲賴丕 丕賱禺丕氐貨 丨賷孬 丕賱乇賷賮購 賵丕賱賲丿賳購 丕賱賲丨賷胤丞購 亘亘丨賷乇丞 賴賵乇賵賳 鈥� 鬲乇爻賲 氐賵乇丞賸 賵丕囟丨丞賸 賵禺丕賱丿丞賸 賱賲丿賶 丕賱睾乇丕亘丞 賵丕賱禺胤賵乇丞 賵丕賱乇賵毓丞 丕賱鬲賷 賷賲賰賳 兀賳 鬲賰賵賳 毓賱賷賴丕 丕賱丨賷丕丞購 丕賱毓丕丿賷丞.
賮賷 賴匕賴 丕賱賲噩賲賵毓丞 丕賱賯氐氐賷丞 丕賱乇丕卅毓丞 鈥� 丕賱賲氐賯賵賱丞 亘乇丐賷丞 賲賵賳乇賵 賵賲賵賴亘鬲賴丕 丕賱賮匕賻賾丞 賮賷 丕賱爻乇丿貙 賵丕賱賲賻氐購賵睾丞 賮賷 廿胤丕乇 毓丕賱賻賲賴丕 丕賱禺丕氐貨 丨賷孬 丕賱乇賷賮購 賵丕賱賲丿賳購 丕賱賲丨賷胤丞購 亘亘丨賷乇丞 賴賵乇賵賳 鈥� 鬲乇爻賲 氐賵乇丞賸 賵丕囟丨丞賸 賵禺丕賱丿丞賸 賱賲丿賶 丕賱睾乇丕亘丞 賵丕賱禺胤賵乇丞 賵丕賱乇賵毓丞 丕賱鬲賷 賷賲賰賳 兀賳 鬲賰賵賳 毓賱賷賴丕 丕賱丨賷丕丞購 丕賱毓丕丿賷丞.
273 pages, ebook
First published September 19, 2011
4871 people are currently reading
50827 people want to read
About the author
Alice Munro
232听books6,509听followersCollections of short stories of noted Canadian writer Alice Munro of life in rural Ontario include
Dance of the Happy Shades
(1968) and
Moons of Jupiter
(1982); for these and vivid novels, she won the Nobel Prize of 2013 for literature.
People widely consider her premier fiction of the world. Munro thrice received governor general's award. She focuses on human relationships through the lens of daily life. People thus refer to this "the Canadian Chekhov."
(Arabic: 兀賱賷爻 賲賵賳乇賵)
(Persian: 丌賱蹖爻 賲丕賳乇賵)
(Russian Cyrillic: 协谢懈褋 袦邪薪褉芯)
(Ukrainian Cyrillic: 袝谢褨褋 袦邪薪褉芯)
(Bulgarian Cyrillic: 袗谢懈褋 袦褗薪褉芯)
(Slovak: Alice Munroov谩)
(Serbian: Alis Manro)
People widely consider her premier fiction of the world. Munro thrice received governor general's award. She focuses on human relationships through the lens of daily life. People thus refer to this "the Canadian Chekhov."
(Arabic: 兀賱賷爻 賲賵賳乇賵)
(Persian: 丌賱蹖爻 賲丕賳乇賵)
(Russian Cyrillic: 协谢懈褋 袦邪薪褉芯)
(Ukrainian Cyrillic: 袝谢褨褋 袦邪薪褉芯)
(Bulgarian Cyrillic: 袗谢懈褋 袦褗薪褉芯)
(Slovak: Alice Munroov谩)
(Serbian: Alis Manro)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,699 reviews
February 12, 2014
I had never read any Alice Munro, and I find it's difficult to say anything sensible about her. Obviously, the stories are very good. (She just won the Nobel Prize. Duh). But what's most impressive is that she doesn't seem to be doing anything in particular. With some writers, it's easy to understand why they're so highly regarded. Take Vladimir Nabokov. I look at his brilliantly constructed sentences, his cleverly ambiguous allusions, his breathtakingly unexpected metaphors, and I sigh: ah, I wish I could do that too. I know perfectly well that I can't; I don't have the necessary technical skills. But Munro isn't showy. She seems to be telling me ordinary stories about ordinary people, written in an ordinary language. They don't require concentration to read. But each one is perfectly balanced, and somehow they end up grabbing me by the heart and forcing me to reflect on universal themes of human nature: how people are unfaithful, how they lie to their loved ones, how they are unable to act at a critical moment and spend the rest of their lives wondering why not, how their memories don't quite match up.
I'm currently reading a lot of science books, so perhaps it's natural that I'm reminded of a story about Einstein and Hubble. Some time in the 30s, Einstein and his wife visited Hubble, the most distinguished astronomer of the time. They were taken to see the hundred-inch telescope, a current miracle of advanced technology.
"What do you do with it?" asked Mrs. Einstein.
"I use it to discover the secrets of the universe," replied Hubble.
"Oh!" said Mrs. Einstein dismissively. "My husband does that on the back of an old envelope."
I'm currently reading a lot of science books, so perhaps it's natural that I'm reminded of a story about Einstein and Hubble. Some time in the 30s, Einstein and his wife visited Hubble, the most distinguished astronomer of the time. They were taken to see the hundred-inch telescope, a current miracle of advanced technology.
"What do you do with it?" asked Mrs. Einstein.
"I use it to discover the secrets of the universe," replied Hubble.
"Oh!" said Mrs. Einstein dismissively. "My husband does that on the back of an old envelope."
February 1, 2024
Pivotal moments
I read this at the end of 2019, but am reviewing on the first day of 2020: a day for looking back and forward, for considering who and where we are, and who and where we want to be.
If I was going to write short pieces about just four incidents my life, what would I pick? The more I thought about it, the more I realised, like Munro, that it鈥檚 not the obvious headline events (graduation, marriage, parenthood, bereavement etc). Often, it鈥檚 something seemingly trivial that shapes and changes us and the direction we鈥檙e going. Mine would probably be from this list:
鈥� Chickening out of applying for: French exchange, to be a Camp America counsellor, and for an undergraduate course at the University of Cambridge.
鈥� My first time being drunk (plied with overly-strong drinks), aged 17, and narrowly escaping harmful consequences, thanks to my best friend.
鈥� Leaving a teaching 鈥渃areer鈥�, without finishing my probationary year, without any idea of what I wanted to do instead.
鈥� Fighting doctors to get a compromise on feeding and treating my newborn.
鈥� Attending the civil partnership ceremony of my father and his partner.
鈥� Supporting my child, from a distance, through major health and mental health issues at uni (they came through, with a master鈥檚).
鈥� Skimming an article about the potential of book-blogging sites, way back in 2008...
Image: Me, aged 19. How different is my life now from what I expected then?
For a whole novel about such pivotal moments for a single character, see Kate Atkinson's Life After Life, which I reviewed HERE.
Fiction 鈥� and not
This book has ten understated stories, and four autobiographical pieces. The loosely connecting theme is girls and women breaking free from accumulated regret, though not all the main protagonists are female. Several stories include the loss of (or fear of losing) a child. What is unsaid is often crucial. Acts of omission lead to acts of commission. The language is plain and apparently simple, but always evocative, and firmly conjuring time (varied) and place (SE Canada). Some have a twist.
What鈥檚 strange is that the autobiographical pieces were much less engaging than the preceding fictions: less realistic and more dream-like.
The stories - no spoilers
1. To Reach Japan 2*
A train journey demonstrates the importance of being meaningfully present in one鈥檚 child鈥檚 life. I was confused by the opening page, and the big plot point in the middle was nasty (which I don't necessarily mind!) and implausible (which I do mind - there was no plausible motivation).
2. Amundsen 4*
Another train journey, another disorienting start - but in a captivating way. It鈥檚 cold: the region, the sanitorium, its chief doctor, and a visit to a house with 鈥渁 suggestion of minimal but precise comfort鈥�. I would have given 5*, but the final line (not a spoiler) didn鈥檛 ring true for the character or her story, 鈥淣othing changes really about love鈥�.
3. Leaving Maverley 5*
A girl from cultish sect works at small town cinema, but can鈥檛 watch or even hear the films. I thought I knew where Leah鈥檚 story was going, but without any big twists or shocks, Munro kept sidestepping the obvious. It鈥檚 all about what鈥檚 unsaid, unseen, undone.
4. Gravel 5*
鈥�Accept everything and then tragedy disappears.鈥�
This is about being haunted by loss, not discussing events, and choosing to forget - not an approach I recommend. Gravel, water, and a dog are significant.
5. Haven 4*
A 13-year old girl year spends a year in the mid 鈥�70s with her uncle and aunt, while her parents teach in Ghana. She鈥檚 initially shocked by her aunt鈥檚 deferential domestic role, 鈥渕aking a haven for her man鈥�. Initially.
6. Pride 4*
Some rise up despite early setbacks, while others keep digging. The narrator is a man, who is possibly asexual - or maybe assumed to be so, by himself and others, because of his hare lip. Pride is an impediment, more for others than him. There is no ending. Nothing is said. It stops.
7. Corrie 5*
A story of blackmail, but all is not what it seems.
8. Train 5*
A soldier returns from the war, but to what and whom? He jumps off the train, walks back along the tracks, and drifts, unobtrusively, in and out of lives - his and others. He wants:
鈥�A different block of air鈥� emptiness鈥� but gets:
鈥�An immediate flock of new surroundings, asking for your attention鈥�.
Trains are key at a couple of other points as well. Also, this is another character who is probably asexual, which I may not have noticed had not a GR friend commented about the near invisibility of asexual characters in literature.
9. In Sight of the Lake 4* or 3*
There are wonderful descriptions of driving and walking through a small Canadian town, through the eyes of an old woman who fears losing her memory. It brought to mind Rebecca Solnit鈥檚 brilliant A Field Guide to Getting Lost (see my review HERE). But ultimately, this is an unsatisfying clich茅.
10. Dolly 4* or 3*
This starts with an ageing couple considering double suicide in very pragmatic terms. Fitting the theme of things going unsaid, they don鈥檛 plan to write a note - and she is a biographer of 鈥渇orgotten novelists鈥�. But things happen. As one of them says, 鈥淟ife is totally unpredictable鈥�.
The autobiographical pieces
鈥�The final four works in this book are not quite stories. They form a separate unit, one that is autobiographical in feeling, though not, sometimes, entirely so in fact. I believe they are the first and last 鈥� and the closest 鈥� things I have to say about my own life.鈥�
Image: The Munro family home in Wingham, Ontario (.)
The Munros lived 鈥�out of town but not really in the country... It was not like the real country, where people usually know the insides of one another鈥檚 houses and everybody had more or less the same way of making a living.鈥�
They were neither rich nor poor. Not entirely happy, but not dysfunctional either. Her parents were from different backgrounds, with different aspirations and popularity. No wonder she grew up such an astute observer.
11. The Eye 4*
鈥�I began to accept how largely my mother鈥檚 notions about me might differ from my own.鈥�
Munro鈥檚 delicate and slightly awkward relationship with her mother is demonstrated when she was 5 and her brother was born, quickly followed by another baby. There鈥檚 an au pair, a wake, and a child's overactive imagination.
12. Night 3*
After being rushed to hospital with appendicitis by horses (because of a snowstorm), Munro has sleep problems and murderous thoughts, doubtless exacerbated by - you guessed - something important but unsaid. Her father reassures her, but still without telling her everything.
鈥�The truth was told with only the slightest modification.鈥�
13. Voices 3*
Munro honestly confronts the inaccuracy of memories, exacerbated by people deliberately turning a blind eye to unsavoury things and people. The title refers to airmen at a party, who were probably British and she remembers as seeming kind, gentle, and blessed.
14. Dear Life 2*
Ramblings combining observations of her mother鈥檚 deterioration from Parkinson鈥檚 and a possible attempted babysnatch, long ago.
Quotes
鈥� 鈥淪he carried not noticing to an extreme.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淲riting this letter is like putting a note in a bottle -
And hoping
It will reach Japan.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淪mall untidy evergreens rolled up like sleepy bears. The frozen lake not level but mounded鈥� as if the waves had turned to ice in the act of falling.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淎 dry-lipped kiss, brief and formal, set upon me with hasty authority.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淗er smile鈥� seemed to shower him with delight.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淗e nearly always gave approval, but with qualifications.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淗aul it [laundry] in when it was dry and smelling all fresh and congratulatory.鈥�
I read this at the end of 2019, but am reviewing on the first day of 2020: a day for looking back and forward, for considering who and where we are, and who and where we want to be.
If I was going to write short pieces about just four incidents my life, what would I pick? The more I thought about it, the more I realised, like Munro, that it鈥檚 not the obvious headline events (graduation, marriage, parenthood, bereavement etc). Often, it鈥檚 something seemingly trivial that shapes and changes us and the direction we鈥檙e going. Mine would probably be from this list:
鈥� Chickening out of applying for: French exchange, to be a Camp America counsellor, and for an undergraduate course at the University of Cambridge.
鈥� My first time being drunk (plied with overly-strong drinks), aged 17, and narrowly escaping harmful consequences, thanks to my best friend.
鈥� Leaving a teaching 鈥渃areer鈥�, without finishing my probationary year, without any idea of what I wanted to do instead.
鈥� Fighting doctors to get a compromise on feeding and treating my newborn.
鈥� Attending the civil partnership ceremony of my father and his partner.
鈥� Supporting my child, from a distance, through major health and mental health issues at uni (they came through, with a master鈥檚).
鈥� Skimming an article about the potential of book-blogging sites, way back in 2008...
Image: Me, aged 19. How different is my life now from what I expected then?
For a whole novel about such pivotal moments for a single character, see Kate Atkinson's Life After Life, which I reviewed HERE.
Fiction 鈥� and not
This book has ten understated stories, and four autobiographical pieces. The loosely connecting theme is girls and women breaking free from accumulated regret, though not all the main protagonists are female. Several stories include the loss of (or fear of losing) a child. What is unsaid is often crucial. Acts of omission lead to acts of commission. The language is plain and apparently simple, but always evocative, and firmly conjuring time (varied) and place (SE Canada). Some have a twist.
What鈥檚 strange is that the autobiographical pieces were much less engaging than the preceding fictions: less realistic and more dream-like.
The stories - no spoilers
1. To Reach Japan 2*
A train journey demonstrates the importance of being meaningfully present in one鈥檚 child鈥檚 life. I was confused by the opening page, and the big plot point in the middle was nasty (which I don't necessarily mind!) and implausible (which I do mind - there was no plausible motivation).
2. Amundsen 4*
Another train journey, another disorienting start - but in a captivating way. It鈥檚 cold: the region, the sanitorium, its chief doctor, and a visit to a house with 鈥渁 suggestion of minimal but precise comfort鈥�. I would have given 5*, but the final line (not a spoiler) didn鈥檛 ring true for the character or her story, 鈥淣othing changes really about love鈥�.
3. Leaving Maverley 5*
A girl from cultish sect works at small town cinema, but can鈥檛 watch or even hear the films. I thought I knew where Leah鈥檚 story was going, but without any big twists or shocks, Munro kept sidestepping the obvious. It鈥檚 all about what鈥檚 unsaid, unseen, undone.
4. Gravel 5*
鈥�Accept everything and then tragedy disappears.鈥�
This is about being haunted by loss, not discussing events, and choosing to forget - not an approach I recommend. Gravel, water, and a dog are significant.
5. Haven 4*
A 13-year old girl year spends a year in the mid 鈥�70s with her uncle and aunt, while her parents teach in Ghana. She鈥檚 initially shocked by her aunt鈥檚 deferential domestic role, 鈥渕aking a haven for her man鈥�. Initially.
6. Pride 4*
Some rise up despite early setbacks, while others keep digging. The narrator is a man, who is possibly asexual - or maybe assumed to be so, by himself and others, because of his hare lip. Pride is an impediment, more for others than him. There is no ending. Nothing is said. It stops.
7. Corrie 5*
A story of blackmail, but all is not what it seems.
8. Train 5*
A soldier returns from the war, but to what and whom? He jumps off the train, walks back along the tracks, and drifts, unobtrusively, in and out of lives - his and others. He wants:
鈥�A different block of air鈥� emptiness鈥� but gets:
鈥�An immediate flock of new surroundings, asking for your attention鈥�.
Trains are key at a couple of other points as well. Also, this is another character who is probably asexual, which I may not have noticed had not a GR friend commented about the near invisibility of asexual characters in literature.
9. In Sight of the Lake 4* or 3*
There are wonderful descriptions of driving and walking through a small Canadian town, through the eyes of an old woman who fears losing her memory. It brought to mind Rebecca Solnit鈥檚 brilliant A Field Guide to Getting Lost (see my review HERE). But ultimately, this is an unsatisfying clich茅.
10. Dolly 4* or 3*
This starts with an ageing couple considering double suicide in very pragmatic terms. Fitting the theme of things going unsaid, they don鈥檛 plan to write a note - and she is a biographer of 鈥渇orgotten novelists鈥�. But things happen. As one of them says, 鈥淟ife is totally unpredictable鈥�.
The autobiographical pieces
鈥�The final four works in this book are not quite stories. They form a separate unit, one that is autobiographical in feeling, though not, sometimes, entirely so in fact. I believe they are the first and last 鈥� and the closest 鈥� things I have to say about my own life.鈥�
Image: The Munro family home in Wingham, Ontario (.)
The Munros lived 鈥�out of town but not really in the country... It was not like the real country, where people usually know the insides of one another鈥檚 houses and everybody had more or less the same way of making a living.鈥�
They were neither rich nor poor. Not entirely happy, but not dysfunctional either. Her parents were from different backgrounds, with different aspirations and popularity. No wonder she grew up such an astute observer.
11. The Eye 4*
鈥�I began to accept how largely my mother鈥檚 notions about me might differ from my own.鈥�
Munro鈥檚 delicate and slightly awkward relationship with her mother is demonstrated when she was 5 and her brother was born, quickly followed by another baby. There鈥檚 an au pair, a wake, and a child's overactive imagination.
12. Night 3*
After being rushed to hospital with appendicitis by horses (because of a snowstorm), Munro has sleep problems and murderous thoughts, doubtless exacerbated by - you guessed - something important but unsaid. Her father reassures her, but still without telling her everything.
鈥�The truth was told with only the slightest modification.鈥�
13. Voices 3*
Munro honestly confronts the inaccuracy of memories, exacerbated by people deliberately turning a blind eye to unsavoury things and people. The title refers to airmen at a party, who were probably British and she remembers as seeming kind, gentle, and blessed.
14. Dear Life 2*
Ramblings combining observations of her mother鈥檚 deterioration from Parkinson鈥檚 and a possible attempted babysnatch, long ago.
Quotes
鈥� 鈥淪he carried not noticing to an extreme.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淲riting this letter is like putting a note in a bottle -
And hoping
It will reach Japan.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淪mall untidy evergreens rolled up like sleepy bears. The frozen lake not level but mounded鈥� as if the waves had turned to ice in the act of falling.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淎 dry-lipped kiss, brief and formal, set upon me with hasty authority.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淗er smile鈥� seemed to shower him with delight.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淗e nearly always gave approval, but with qualifications.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淗aul it [laundry] in when it was dry and smelling all fresh and congratulatory.鈥�
January 13, 2016
This new collection pinpoints the moment a person is forever altered by a chance encounter, an action not taken or a simple twist of fate. These are terrific stories by an amazing talent, a writer so good I learn something new with every story.
May 19, 2024
Alice Munro is perfection in under 60pgs. Just an absolute gem.
January 19, 2014
I鈥檓 always careful not to fall victim to popular opinion when reading any book, especially one by such an acclaimed and beloved writer as Alice Munro. I tried to forget the fact that Munro had only recently won the Nobel prize for fiction. This is only my second Munro so maybe I鈥檓 not the best judge of her work but I did find this collection very enjoyable.
I find that with Munro it鈥檚 the little details. Her stories are everyday stories of everyday people living mainly in small-town Canada, people we probably don鈥檛 expect to read about in books. Whether she is exploring the thoughts of a little child, an inexperienced university graduate, or an unsatisfied housewife, she does so expertly. I found myself engaged by the stories, stories that I found to be very believable, as well as very sad in most cases. I also enjoyed her stories set in post-war Canada, a very different Canada from the one I live in now.
Munro definitely writes with much clarity. People often comment on her well-crafted sentences and I won鈥檛 argue with that. What I love most of all is her insight into human relationships.
I enjoyed the last few stories that were supposedly autobiographical. Very nostalgic. It鈥檚 very fitting that this book is called 鈥淒ear Life.鈥�
I felt quite sad when I turned the last page knowing this is supposedly the last book she will ever write.
鈥淪o still, so immense an enchantment.鈥�
鈥� Alice Munro, Dear Life
I find that with Munro it鈥檚 the little details. Her stories are everyday stories of everyday people living mainly in small-town Canada, people we probably don鈥檛 expect to read about in books. Whether she is exploring the thoughts of a little child, an inexperienced university graduate, or an unsatisfied housewife, she does so expertly. I found myself engaged by the stories, stories that I found to be very believable, as well as very sad in most cases. I also enjoyed her stories set in post-war Canada, a very different Canada from the one I live in now.
Munro definitely writes with much clarity. People often comment on her well-crafted sentences and I won鈥檛 argue with that. What I love most of all is her insight into human relationships.
I enjoyed the last few stories that were supposedly autobiographical. Very nostalgic. It鈥檚 very fitting that this book is called 鈥淒ear Life.鈥�
I felt quite sad when I turned the last page knowing this is supposedly the last book she will ever write.
鈥淪o still, so immense an enchantment.鈥�
鈥� Alice Munro, Dear Life
October 10, 2020
Story 1: To Reach Japan
A story about a woman who's determined to have an affair.
Now, I don't condone affairs. But sometimes I can understand them, e.g. Addicted by Zane. But here, no reason is given for Greta cheating. And it doesn't seem to matter who she's cheating with: any available and interested man will do. So it's not 鈥渓ove鈥� affairs she's having.
My educated guess about why Greta is cheating on her husband is that she's bored. She's a poet who works from home and she has a small child.
The first guy she becomes enamored with is a journalist who takes her home when she becomes drunk at a party. In the car, they're talking and he says this:
"Excuse me for sounding how I did. I was thinking whether I would or wouldn't kiss you and I decided I wouldn't."
What an asshole! Not because, as Greta thinks, he's judging her 鈥渦n-kiss-worthy鈥� but because there is a drunk, married woman in his car and he's seeing her in a sexual way. What a jerk. What makes you think she wants to be kissed by you??!? How big of a creep are you to offer to drive a woman home from a party when she's drunk and then contemplate whether you should take advantage of her or not?!?! Also, she's married, you prick.
Unfortunately, Greta shares none of my compunctions about his behavior and starts daydreaming about the man constantly for a year. Then she writes him a letter of poetry and stuff and sends it to his work. WTF?!!?
Later, she enters affair number two. This is when her daughter Katy and herself are traveling to Toronto to live without her husband for a month because her husband is leaving the country. This actor is on the train, a play actor, and she describes him as 鈥渁 boy鈥� so I'm thinking he's at least 10 years younger than her. He entertains all the children on the train, and at the end of the day they start drinking, flirting, and touching. It's obvious to me by now that it doesn't matter who the frick the man is, she is just going after anyone with a penis 鈥� except her husband, I guess.
This conversation happens:
GRETA: "I haven't got any - " (condoms)
GREG: "I have."
GRETA: "Not on you?"
GREG: "Certainly not. What kind of beast do you think I am?"
Oh, I don't know.. THE KIND OF BEAST WHO PROPOSITIONS A MARRIED WOMAN RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER SLEEPING CHILD!?!?!!?!? I mean, her child is curled up sleeping right there. Classy. <---sarcasm
So she leaves her child, ALONE, and goes to Greg's compartment to have sex with him.
Then, after their finished having sex, she tells him she has to go back to her compartment. And he says:
""Okay. Okay. I should get ready for Saskatoon anyway. What if we'd got there just in the middle of it? Hello Mom. Hello Daddy. Excuse me just a minute here while I -Wa - hoo!"
*blink blink
What. A. Moron. Seriously. THIS is who you choose to have an affair with? This guy!?!? Incredible.
So she goes back to her compartment to find Katy is missing. She freaks out. Later she finds Katy, unharmed, who says she went to look for Mommy. Greta is feeling very guilty and shameful and as if Katy going missing was 鈥減unishment鈥� for Greta having sex with Greg.
Then, in the final twist,
This story left me pretty cold. I couldn't understand Greta or her motivations. She made bad choices, and I didn't even understand why. I was just annoyed with her for the whole story.
Story #2: Amundsen
A woman goes to a tuberculosis hospital to be a teacher. There is a doctor there who is an asshole. He's rude to everyone, even the children that adore him. For some reason, the woman starts to date him. He says mean things to her and to a little child. Next thing you know, she's having sex with him. He's still an asshole. He promises to marry her. But after a few months, and a 鈥渓et's drive to Huntsville to get married鈥� it turns out that it's 鈥渓et's drive to Huntsville so I can put you on a train back to Toronto like all the other women I fucked and then discarded.鈥� I have no sympathy for the main character. None. The doctor acted like a complete dick right in front of her numerous times, and she didn't say anything. He humiliated a little girl, calling her fat and mocking her 鈥� right in front of the MC, who didn't defend the child or stop dating him or anything. She just lets this guy use her and also lets him treat her and other people like crap.
While I think it is, of course, the asshole's fault for being an asshole, it's also her responsibility to say something when he's being mean and rude (especially to a child!) in front of her. I have no respect for a woman who just lets a man walk all over her like that. Grow some ovaries, woman! And it should be no surprise to her that if he has no respect for anyone, that he will eventually be rude and disrespectful to her, too.
Stories 3-7 So boring they are not even worth talking about.
Story #8: Train
This was a long story. I liked reading about the woman, Belle, living in abject poverty. But then Munro had to go and ruin everything by putting a weird sexual abuse undertone to the whole thing and it was disgusting. Also, nothing much happens in this story.
Story #9: In Sight of the Lake
This was actually a pretty good story, about an old woman who's going senile. Best story in the collection.
Story #10: Dolly
This was a pretty good story about the evils of Facebook. I mean, she doesn't use those terms, but that's what I got out of it. How dangerous it is to have ex-lovers come back into your life.
Story #11: The Eye
Boring.
Story #12: Night
There is a really good passage in here about evil thoughts.
Story #13: Voices
Boring.
Story #14: Dear Life
Boring.
Roly Grain, his name was, and he does not have any further part in what I'm writing now, because this is not a story, only life.鈥�
This above quote, from Munro's last story, pretty much sums up the whole book. It's as if she were saying: 鈥淚'm sorry that these stories are so boring, but I must remind you they are LIFE. I will leave anything faintly interesting out of these stories because I want them to be REAL and TRUE and BORING just like life is. Not fiction, you know, which actually makes things interesting.鈥� Uh-huh. Thanks but no thanks, Ms. Munro.
...
I can't believe how much fuss is made over this author. She writes, in general, about asshole men who run roughshod over their women and women who are so passive and invertebrate that it seems that they only do not CARE about being dominated, they don't even realize they ARE being dominated. It's as if they are completely passive. With no thoughts or agency of their own.
P.S. Like Flannery O'Connor Lite - a good way to describe this book.
P.P.S. 9 out of 10 people in my book club did not enjoy this book.
A story about a woman who's determined to have an affair.
Now, I don't condone affairs. But sometimes I can understand them, e.g. Addicted by Zane. But here, no reason is given for Greta cheating. And it doesn't seem to matter who she's cheating with: any available and interested man will do. So it's not 鈥渓ove鈥� affairs she's having.
My educated guess about why Greta is cheating on her husband is that she's bored. She's a poet who works from home and she has a small child.
The first guy she becomes enamored with is a journalist who takes her home when she becomes drunk at a party. In the car, they're talking and he says this:
"Excuse me for sounding how I did. I was thinking whether I would or wouldn't kiss you and I decided I wouldn't."
What an asshole! Not because, as Greta thinks, he's judging her 鈥渦n-kiss-worthy鈥� but because there is a drunk, married woman in his car and he's seeing her in a sexual way. What a jerk. What makes you think she wants to be kissed by you??!? How big of a creep are you to offer to drive a woman home from a party when she's drunk and then contemplate whether you should take advantage of her or not?!?! Also, she's married, you prick.
Unfortunately, Greta shares none of my compunctions about his behavior and starts daydreaming about the man constantly for a year. Then she writes him a letter of poetry and stuff and sends it to his work. WTF?!!?
Later, she enters affair number two. This is when her daughter Katy and herself are traveling to Toronto to live without her husband for a month because her husband is leaving the country. This actor is on the train, a play actor, and she describes him as 鈥渁 boy鈥� so I'm thinking he's at least 10 years younger than her. He entertains all the children on the train, and at the end of the day they start drinking, flirting, and touching. It's obvious to me by now that it doesn't matter who the frick the man is, she is just going after anyone with a penis 鈥� except her husband, I guess.
This conversation happens:
GRETA: "I haven't got any - " (condoms)
GREG: "I have."
GRETA: "Not on you?"
GREG: "Certainly not. What kind of beast do you think I am?"
Oh, I don't know.. THE KIND OF BEAST WHO PROPOSITIONS A MARRIED WOMAN RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER SLEEPING CHILD!?!?!!?!? I mean, her child is curled up sleeping right there. Classy. <---sarcasm
So she leaves her child, ALONE, and goes to Greg's compartment to have sex with him.
Then, after their finished having sex, she tells him she has to go back to her compartment. And he says:
""Okay. Okay. I should get ready for Saskatoon anyway. What if we'd got there just in the middle of it? Hello Mom. Hello Daddy. Excuse me just a minute here while I -Wa - hoo!"
*blink blink
What. A. Moron. Seriously. THIS is who you choose to have an affair with? This guy!?!? Incredible.
So she goes back to her compartment to find Katy is missing. She freaks out. Later she finds Katy, unharmed, who says she went to look for Mommy. Greta is feeling very guilty and shameful and as if Katy going missing was 鈥減unishment鈥� for Greta having sex with Greg.
Then, in the final twist,
This story left me pretty cold. I couldn't understand Greta or her motivations. She made bad choices, and I didn't even understand why. I was just annoyed with her for the whole story.
Story #2: Amundsen
A woman goes to a tuberculosis hospital to be a teacher. There is a doctor there who is an asshole. He's rude to everyone, even the children that adore him. For some reason, the woman starts to date him. He says mean things to her and to a little child. Next thing you know, she's having sex with him. He's still an asshole. He promises to marry her. But after a few months, and a 鈥渓et's drive to Huntsville to get married鈥� it turns out that it's 鈥渓et's drive to Huntsville so I can put you on a train back to Toronto like all the other women I fucked and then discarded.鈥� I have no sympathy for the main character. None. The doctor acted like a complete dick right in front of her numerous times, and she didn't say anything. He humiliated a little girl, calling her fat and mocking her 鈥� right in front of the MC, who didn't defend the child or stop dating him or anything. She just lets this guy use her and also lets him treat her and other people like crap.
While I think it is, of course, the asshole's fault for being an asshole, it's also her responsibility to say something when he's being mean and rude (especially to a child!) in front of her. I have no respect for a woman who just lets a man walk all over her like that. Grow some ovaries, woman! And it should be no surprise to her that if he has no respect for anyone, that he will eventually be rude and disrespectful to her, too.
Stories 3-7 So boring they are not even worth talking about.
Story #8: Train
This was a long story. I liked reading about the woman, Belle, living in abject poverty. But then Munro had to go and ruin everything by putting a weird sexual abuse undertone to the whole thing and it was disgusting. Also, nothing much happens in this story.
Story #9: In Sight of the Lake
This was actually a pretty good story, about an old woman who's going senile. Best story in the collection.
Story #10: Dolly
This was a pretty good story about the evils of Facebook. I mean, she doesn't use those terms, but that's what I got out of it. How dangerous it is to have ex-lovers come back into your life.
Story #11: The Eye
Boring.
Story #12: Night
There is a really good passage in here about evil thoughts.
Story #13: Voices
Boring.
Story #14: Dear Life
Boring.
Roly Grain, his name was, and he does not have any further part in what I'm writing now, because this is not a story, only life.鈥�
This above quote, from Munro's last story, pretty much sums up the whole book. It's as if she were saying: 鈥淚'm sorry that these stories are so boring, but I must remind you they are LIFE. I will leave anything faintly interesting out of these stories because I want them to be REAL and TRUE and BORING just like life is. Not fiction, you know, which actually makes things interesting.鈥� Uh-huh. Thanks but no thanks, Ms. Munro.
...
I can't believe how much fuss is made over this author. She writes, in general, about asshole men who run roughshod over their women and women who are so passive and invertebrate that it seems that they only do not CARE about being dominated, they don't even realize they ARE being dominated. It's as if they are completely passive. With no thoughts or agency of their own.
P.S. Like Flannery O'Connor Lite - a good way to describe this book.
P.P.S. 9 out of 10 people in my book club did not enjoy this book.
Read
November 15, 2019
Dear Alice,
What a good investment you've turned out to be.
A little girl growing up in rural Canada in the early twentieth century, far from the turmoil experienced by your contemporaries in Europe, you nevertheless created several lifetimes鈥� worth of unique stories from the limited resources you were given.
I watched while you observed every detail of your rural existence, filing away images and experiences for future use like some Canadian Picasso accumulating a studio full of junk, which one fine day when the light is right allows the bonnet of a toy car to become a baboon鈥檚 wide grin, a football to become its body, and a tennis ball its baby's head.
You've recycled everything that came your way. The ringlets your mother slaved over, your early piano lessons, your first viewing of a dead body, that story you read in the newspaper, the plot of the first novel you read, your neighbour鈥檚 failed marriage, your elderly aunt鈥檚 eccentric life, your own experiences of illness, every useful thing has been reused.
And as with Picasso, each new work that emerges from the mountain of stored experiences startles by its novelty, by its ability to veer off towards new and unexpected directions, by its real and frequently shocking truth.
You have used what you have been given very well, Alice.
You have earned your prize.
Yours very sincerely,
Life
May 17, 2024
May 17, 2024
Re-posting in honor of Alice Munro who died on May 13, 2024 (age 92). May she rest in peace. 'Dear Life' , published in 2012, was her last work.
April April 2, 2019.
I need only to start reading a few pages of a book by Alice Munro to know I can relax to the strains of a familiar voice and feel secure in the steady pen of a solid writer. Dear Life is a collection of fourteen stories; the last four in 鈥楩inale鈥� are autobiographical. The latter which I preferred offered a glimpse of the young Alice Munro growing up in Ontario, pouring over books with her feet in a warming oven, and discovering her story-telling voice as early as her high school days.
The stories are about ordinary men and women whose single action or decision changes their lives profoundly. The actions include planning a tryst with a person one scarcely knows (鈥楾o Reach Japan鈥�), drifting into an illicit relationship and being blackmailed for life (鈥楥orrie鈥�), or waiting out a request to summon help until it is too late (鈥楪ravel鈥�). The narrators in these story are fully aware of the consequences of what they are about to do, but they do it anyway.
Like the women, Munro鈥檚 male characters live with the fallout of their weakness and regrettable choices. Doctors seem to have a bad reputation and come across as being arrogant, self-serving, and callous. .
There is another group of men who are either too proud or overly self-assured for their own good as evident in stories such as 鈥楶ride鈥� and 'Corrie.鈥�
When a Munro story ends, the reader picks it up in his or her own mind and fills in the wide open space. I think this is possible on account of the care Munro takes to develop her characters and tell us enough about their motivations and inclinations.
These stories usually span years with many life events overtaking the lives of the characters. It can be hard to see where the focus of the stories is until about half way through them. I have learned that the title offers hints of the focal point, that is, whose story is supposed to hold center stage. But in the hands of a master, a story has direction even though it appears to meander. This is most obvious in 鈥楲eaving Maverley鈥� that begins with its lens on Morgan Holly, the owner of a movie theatre in the town of Maverley. He hires Leah, a teenage girl as a ticket taker, who subsequently disappears from town. It is her story that predominates. Munro鈥檚 masterly ability to tell a story keeps the reader engaged and detours are interesting in themselves and always land us where she has intended our sympathies to be.
The best stories in my view are those in the Finale section. Munro said that these stories are 鈥渁utobiographical in feeling, though not, sometimes, entirely so in fact.鈥� They reveal her innocent initiation into life: the complexity of relating to her mother, a farm girl who became a school teacher and was zealous to be one-up, insomnia borne of guilt toward her sister, naivety at what goes on at a dance party, and tenderness toward her father despite the beatings she received on occasion for exasperating her mother. The titular story is no fiction. Of her life, she said, 鈥榊ou would think that this was just too much. The business gone, my mother鈥檚 health going. It wouldn鈥檛 do in fiction. But the strange thing is that I don鈥檛 remember that time as unhappy.鈥� Life can be stranger than fiction. I appreciate this story for its honesty and transparency.
Read Dear Life. Munro is a gifted short story writer and deserving of the Nobel Prize in Literature (2013) as a "master of the contemporary short story." Her understanding of human motivation and behavior once again shines forth in this collection of stories.
Re-posting in honor of Alice Munro who died on May 13, 2024 (age 92). May she rest in peace. 'Dear Life' , published in 2012, was her last work.
April April 2, 2019.
I need only to start reading a few pages of a book by Alice Munro to know I can relax to the strains of a familiar voice and feel secure in the steady pen of a solid writer. Dear Life is a collection of fourteen stories; the last four in 鈥楩inale鈥� are autobiographical. The latter which I preferred offered a glimpse of the young Alice Munro growing up in Ontario, pouring over books with her feet in a warming oven, and discovering her story-telling voice as early as her high school days.
The stories are about ordinary men and women whose single action or decision changes their lives profoundly. The actions include planning a tryst with a person one scarcely knows (鈥楾o Reach Japan鈥�), drifting into an illicit relationship and being blackmailed for life (鈥楥orrie鈥�), or waiting out a request to summon help until it is too late (鈥楪ravel鈥�). The narrators in these story are fully aware of the consequences of what they are about to do, but they do it anyway.
Like the women, Munro鈥檚 male characters live with the fallout of their weakness and regrettable choices. Doctors seem to have a bad reputation and come across as being arrogant, self-serving, and callous. .
There is another group of men who are either too proud or overly self-assured for their own good as evident in stories such as 鈥楶ride鈥� and 'Corrie.鈥�
When a Munro story ends, the reader picks it up in his or her own mind and fills in the wide open space. I think this is possible on account of the care Munro takes to develop her characters and tell us enough about their motivations and inclinations.
These stories usually span years with many life events overtaking the lives of the characters. It can be hard to see where the focus of the stories is until about half way through them. I have learned that the title offers hints of the focal point, that is, whose story is supposed to hold center stage. But in the hands of a master, a story has direction even though it appears to meander. This is most obvious in 鈥楲eaving Maverley鈥� that begins with its lens on Morgan Holly, the owner of a movie theatre in the town of Maverley. He hires Leah, a teenage girl as a ticket taker, who subsequently disappears from town. It is her story that predominates. Munro鈥檚 masterly ability to tell a story keeps the reader engaged and detours are interesting in themselves and always land us where she has intended our sympathies to be.
The best stories in my view are those in the Finale section. Munro said that these stories are 鈥渁utobiographical in feeling, though not, sometimes, entirely so in fact.鈥� They reveal her innocent initiation into life: the complexity of relating to her mother, a farm girl who became a school teacher and was zealous to be one-up, insomnia borne of guilt toward her sister, naivety at what goes on at a dance party, and tenderness toward her father despite the beatings she received on occasion for exasperating her mother. The titular story is no fiction. Of her life, she said, 鈥榊ou would think that this was just too much. The business gone, my mother鈥檚 health going. It wouldn鈥檛 do in fiction. But the strange thing is that I don鈥檛 remember that time as unhappy.鈥� Life can be stranger than fiction. I appreciate this story for its honesty and transparency.
Read Dear Life. Munro is a gifted short story writer and deserving of the Nobel Prize in Literature (2013) as a "master of the contemporary short story." Her understanding of human motivation and behavior once again shines forth in this collection of stories.
May 11, 2023
La obra se divide en dos partes. La primera consta de diez relatos de desigual resultado. La segunda son cuatro textos autobiogr谩ficos (鈥淐reo que es lo primero y lo 煤ltimo 鈥� y lo m谩s 铆ntimo 鈥� de cuanto tengo que decir sobre mi propia vida鈥�).
Los primeros cinco mantienen la excepcional calidad con la que la autora me tiene tan mal acostumbrado.
Una mujer abandona su confortable vida de casada por un hombre con el que apenas comparti贸 unas horas en una fiesta, tiempo suficiente para que naciera en ella una 鈥渙bsesi贸n in煤til, extenuante y est煤pida鈥� (鈥淪us comentarios parec铆an inteligentes pero eso a ella no le importaba鈥�, de 鈥淟legar a Jap贸n鈥�); una profesora se pliega de una forma desconcertante al comportamiento fr铆o y autoritario de su jefe, el m茅dico de una cl铆nica de tuberculosos, con el que tiene su primera experiencia sentimental y sexual (鈥淢i pasi贸n quiz谩 fuera una sorpresa para ambos. La imaginaci贸n result贸 ser, a fin de cuentas, una escuela tan buena como la experiencia鈥�, de 鈥淎mundsen鈥�); una joven nacida y criada en la m谩s estricta ortodoxia religiosa abandona el hogar por un saxofonista, no ser谩 la 煤nica vez que sorprenda con su comportamiento (鈥淰oy tirando, pero a veces las cosas me pesan. Sobre todo a la hora de la cena. Ah铆 es cuando me siento rara鈥� me refiero a estar sin los ni帽os y todo eso鈥�, de 鈥淚rse de Maverley鈥�); otra mujer aburrida de su matrimonio, otro abandono de hogar, dos hijas, una de ellas no soportar谩 la separaci贸n (鈥淎 mi madre no se le puede recordar nada de aquellos tiempos y procuro no disgustarla鈥� Todo ese destripamiento que se hace en las familias hoy en d铆a me parece un error鈥�, de 鈥淕rava鈥�); una adolescente observa la vida aparentemente feliz que lleva su t铆a completamente sometida a los deseos de su marido, un ser asocial y hura帽o (鈥溌獿a misi贸n m谩s importante de una mujer es construir un santuario para su marido.禄 Creo que de hecho el comentario no lo hizo mi t铆a. Evitaba esa clase de pronunciamientos. Quiz谩 lo le铆 en una de las revistas para amas de casa que hab铆a por all铆. Revistas que a mi madre la hubieran asqueado鈥�, de 鈥淪antuario鈥�).
鈥淐orrie鈥� y 鈥淎 la vista del lago鈥� son relatos que, pienso, no est谩n a la altura de Munro, con uno de esos finales sorpresas nada habituales en ella (鈥淟a gente siempre dec铆a que el pueblo estaba muerto, pero en realidad cuando hab铆a un funeral era cuando m谩s se animaba鈥�). 鈥淒olly鈥� me gust贸 algo m谩s, pero tampoco creo que alcance la maestr铆a de los cinco primeros (鈥溌縌ui茅n es capaz de hacerle al poeta el comentario perfecto sobre su poes铆a? Sin pasarse ni quedarse corto, simplemente lo justo鈥�).
Pero mi preferido es curiosamente justo el 煤nico que protagoniza un hombre, 鈥淭ren鈥� (鈥淛ackson sab铆a que los libros exist铆an porque alguien se sentaba a escribirlos, que no sal铆an de la nada. La cuesti贸n era qu茅 les mov铆a a escribirlos, con tantos, tant铆simos libros como hab铆a en el mundo鈥�). Algo pas贸 en la infancia de Jackson que le obliga a huir de las relaciones sentimentales, que le impide establecer v铆nculos personales, que le empuja a estar siempre ocupado en algo.
La segunda parte, la autobiogr谩fica, lo siento, pero me ha parecido poco m谩s que un relleno鈥� y es que me tiene muy mal acostumbrado esta Munro.
February 3, 2024
In this era of ceaseless scrutiny and talk about feelings, in literature, film, and conversations with friends and therapists, Munro鈥檚 stripped-down way of describing those of her characters was, for me, more impactful than any elaborate analysis.
In the following paragraph a woman has just realized that her lifetime partner has been deceiving her for years:
She gets up and quickly dresses and walks through every room in the house, introducing the walls and the furniture to this new idea. A cavity everywhere, most notably in her chest. She makes coffee and drinks it. She ends up in her bedroom once more, and finds that the introduction to the current reality has to be done all over again.
Not a word of emotions, only actions. And the mention of that cavity鈥� The urgency and devastation conveyed in such an economical way. The story ends a few sentences later and if I hadn鈥檛 paid enough attention, I would have thought that it wasn鈥檛 hard for this character to accept her new knowledge and decide to go on living with it.
Same as most of the characters in these stories do: they let life, Dear Life, find its way through those pivotal moments that define their existence, in good and bad ways. Munro masterfully describes them, all the while suggesting the life before and after those moments - and that most everything will eventually be absorbed and dealt with, regardless of the pain, guilt and joy involved.
This was (most probably) her last published collection of stories. I鈥檇 like to read one of her earlier ones next, if only to see if that mindful, stoic approach came with age or if it had always been there, as much a personal feature as one of her generation.
We say of some things that they can鈥檛 be forgiven, or that we will never forgive ourselves. But we do 鈥� we do it all the time.
As for the writing itself, I鈥檓 sure it has always been superb in its understatement.
In the following paragraph a woman has just realized that her lifetime partner has been deceiving her for years:
She gets up and quickly dresses and walks through every room in the house, introducing the walls and the furniture to this new idea. A cavity everywhere, most notably in her chest. She makes coffee and drinks it. She ends up in her bedroom once more, and finds that the introduction to the current reality has to be done all over again.
Not a word of emotions, only actions. And the mention of that cavity鈥� The urgency and devastation conveyed in such an economical way. The story ends a few sentences later and if I hadn鈥檛 paid enough attention, I would have thought that it wasn鈥檛 hard for this character to accept her new knowledge and decide to go on living with it.
Same as most of the characters in these stories do: they let life, Dear Life, find its way through those pivotal moments that define their existence, in good and bad ways. Munro masterfully describes them, all the while suggesting the life before and after those moments - and that most everything will eventually be absorbed and dealt with, regardless of the pain, guilt and joy involved.
This was (most probably) her last published collection of stories. I鈥檇 like to read one of her earlier ones next, if only to see if that mindful, stoic approach came with age or if it had always been there, as much a personal feature as one of her generation.
We say of some things that they can鈥檛 be forgiven, or that we will never forgive ourselves. But we do 鈥� we do it all the time.
As for the writing itself, I鈥檓 sure it has always been superb in its understatement.
May 26, 2019
3 "extremely memorable" stars !!
I am writing this at 245 a.m. and we are at our cottage on Lake Huron and it was my favorite kind of day and evening and night and the spirit of Alice Munro was everywhere today. My partner spent a small time in his childhood in the town of Wingham Ontario (this is where Alice Munro grew up)and we had dinner there with his sister who lives very close to Clinton Ontario where Alice Munro currently lives. They are both ardent fans and I relished their discussion as they conversed on the art of Alice and their favorite stories by her.
It was very romantic and stormy and cool when we returned to our cottage and we went for a three hour walk along the beach and into forest and I understood why I love Ontario so darn much even though I am the son of immigrant parents from the Mediterranean. Ontario is so fresh, plentiful, and beautiful. Outside of the cesspool of Toronto lies so much green and I was filled with so much gratitude to be living in this wonderful province.
After our walk my partner asked about my experience of Dear Life and I am ashamed to say that this is the first Alice I've read. I really loved two of the stories (4.5 stars) and very much liked two others (4 stars). In his generous way he offered to read them to me on the porch and I was lulled by his rich and sonorous baritone. The wondrousness of Alice shone through as well as the effects of three glasses of Riesling.
I will simply make a brief statement on each of the stories and I feel rather foolish especially around the stories I didn't particularly care for. To even state these minor opinions of mine especially after so many esteemed individuals have honoured her in a multitude of ways. However, I need to be true to the self and in fact the stories that were mediocre made the ones that I loved even more wonderful especially after I heard them recited by my partner.
Here goes:
Japan - 4 stars
A story about how we barely understand ourselves and there are perpetual shifts in our emotions, desires and ways of being in the world.
Amunsden- 4 stars
A young teacher abandoned by her older lover in a northern Ontario town at the end of World War 2....sad, uncertain, powerless
Leaving Maverly- 3.5 stars
A story about the seemingly random connections of acquaintances and the significant impact they can have on our lives.
Gravel - 3 stars
Looking back on a family tragedy with adult eyes.
Haven- 2.5 stars
A middling story about a horribly controlling man and his pathetic little wife.
Pride - 4.5 stars (fave in collection)
A platonic love story between a disfigured man and a downwardly wealthy woman. Beautifully rendered and poignant.
Corrie - 4.5 stars (second fave in collection)
Stolen love can be so expensive and devastating. Can one ever recover?
Train- 3.5 stars
The lonely wandering life of an abused soldier.
In Sight of the Lake- 2.5 stars
A not so successful story about dementia.
Dolly - 2 stars
An elderly couple behaving immaturely. This one was dull and unbelievable to me.
The eye - 3.5 stars
A five year old girl's first experience with death.
Night - 3 stars
A young teenage girl struggles with insomnia and obsessive thoughts after surgery.
Voices - 3 stars
A young girl discovers the ways of adults particularly young men.
Dear Life - 3 stars
Reflections on a life.
Who knew 3 stars could be so damn good? Goodnight I must sleep.
I am writing this at 245 a.m. and we are at our cottage on Lake Huron and it was my favorite kind of day and evening and night and the spirit of Alice Munro was everywhere today. My partner spent a small time in his childhood in the town of Wingham Ontario (this is where Alice Munro grew up)and we had dinner there with his sister who lives very close to Clinton Ontario where Alice Munro currently lives. They are both ardent fans and I relished their discussion as they conversed on the art of Alice and their favorite stories by her.
It was very romantic and stormy and cool when we returned to our cottage and we went for a three hour walk along the beach and into forest and I understood why I love Ontario so darn much even though I am the son of immigrant parents from the Mediterranean. Ontario is so fresh, plentiful, and beautiful. Outside of the cesspool of Toronto lies so much green and I was filled with so much gratitude to be living in this wonderful province.
After our walk my partner asked about my experience of Dear Life and I am ashamed to say that this is the first Alice I've read. I really loved two of the stories (4.5 stars) and very much liked two others (4 stars). In his generous way he offered to read them to me on the porch and I was lulled by his rich and sonorous baritone. The wondrousness of Alice shone through as well as the effects of three glasses of Riesling.
I will simply make a brief statement on each of the stories and I feel rather foolish especially around the stories I didn't particularly care for. To even state these minor opinions of mine especially after so many esteemed individuals have honoured her in a multitude of ways. However, I need to be true to the self and in fact the stories that were mediocre made the ones that I loved even more wonderful especially after I heard them recited by my partner.
Here goes:
Japan - 4 stars
A story about how we barely understand ourselves and there are perpetual shifts in our emotions, desires and ways of being in the world.
Amunsden- 4 stars
A young teacher abandoned by her older lover in a northern Ontario town at the end of World War 2....sad, uncertain, powerless
Leaving Maverly- 3.5 stars
A story about the seemingly random connections of acquaintances and the significant impact they can have on our lives.
Gravel - 3 stars
Looking back on a family tragedy with adult eyes.
Haven- 2.5 stars
A middling story about a horribly controlling man and his pathetic little wife.
Pride - 4.5 stars (fave in collection)
A platonic love story between a disfigured man and a downwardly wealthy woman. Beautifully rendered and poignant.
Corrie - 4.5 stars (second fave in collection)
Stolen love can be so expensive and devastating. Can one ever recover?
Train- 3.5 stars
The lonely wandering life of an abused soldier.
In Sight of the Lake- 2.5 stars
A not so successful story about dementia.
Dolly - 2 stars
An elderly couple behaving immaturely. This one was dull and unbelievable to me.
The eye - 3.5 stars
A five year old girl's first experience with death.
Night - 3 stars
A young teenage girl struggles with insomnia and obsessive thoughts after surgery.
Voices - 3 stars
A young girl discovers the ways of adults particularly young men.
Dear Life - 3 stars
Reflections on a life.
Who knew 3 stars could be so damn good? Goodnight I must sleep.
January 29, 2015
DEAR WRITING
It is reassuring to see that the Nobel Prize for literature went recently to someone who writes so clearly and so unpretentiously.
I am not much of a reader of short stories. Shifting from one to the next is always anticlimactic. And often their being grouped in one particular volume is also contrived. This is the case with this collectioin. Most of these stories were first published at different dates in various literary magazines (Granta, 贬补谤辫别谤鈥檚, Tin House...).
The settings are very localized, very Canadian, and yet they are not. The situations and their plots seem easily transferable to other places: they present an individual dealing with whatever life has put on (mostly) her tray. Without much ado, these stories pay homage to the arbitrariness we have to deal with, daily.
While reading them I strangely reminded of the photographic work by Walker Evans. Yes, I know, a different country, and from a narrower time frame, the Depression from the 30s in the US. But both, them and Munro, explore that subtle line that divides life from representation, or the old dichotomy of Nature versus Art. In their Let Us Now Praise Famous Men, Evans and James Agee presented their documentary work on how a section of the US population lived. They were contracted to record and collect evidence of real people in their real lives in their real surroundings. But now their book, with the photos and the text, is considered a work of creativity.
As I followed Munro鈥檚 collection, I could from feel already from the first stories, that there was an autobiographical tint to them. They all had a personal quality. I was then surprised and not surprised, when just before the last four, grouped as FINALE, Munro warns the reader that these four stories are not such. They are not fiction, but have to be considered as autobiographical writings. And in these we read:
I think that if I was writing fiction instead of remembering something that happened, I would never have given her that dress. A kind of advertisement she didn鈥檛 need. (Voices)
.. he does not have any further part in what I鈥檓 writing now, in spite of his troll鈥檚 name, because this is not a story, only life. (Dear Life).
Without Munro鈥檚 warning, I would not have felt that these last stories, even though childhood memories predominate in them, were closer to reality than the previous ones. Her accounts of the familiar and the ordinary, with her observations and her descriptions, are all her creations, her inventions. But they are rendered in such transparent language that any sense of contrivance, of artifice, of fiction is not detectable.
Her pristine language approaches us very closely to her pristine and dear view of Life.
Dear writing indeed.
October 18, 2024
***SPOILERS HIDDEN***
Update: September 4, 2024. "Literary World Grapples With Alice Munro's Legacy After Daughter's Revelation of Abuse":
Update: October 18, 2024. "Undoing the Fairy Tale of Alice Munro":
(Full disclosure: book abandoned on page 133, after story 5)
There's something to be said for a quiet story, the kind that unfolds slowly, that's open-ended. This is true of Munro's short stories. On the flip side, this kind of story can lack emotion and dramatic punch. This is also true of Munro's stories. Each of Dear Life's roughly 20- to 25-page-long stories centers on a female protagonist who experiences a sudden revelatory moment. Some of these revelations are life-changing, but in most of the (first five) stories the revelation is a modest, anti-climactic one.
Munro's premises have excellent potential, but some never fully actualize; some would be more powerful if they focused on a different character; and others feature characters with unclear motivations. One of the early stories is a prime example of this last point. Munro crafted the narrative itself expertly, but this can't compensate for the strange turn at the conclusion.
Another story concerning a suicide features characters that are strangely detached. The story limps along, meanderingly at points, and when the suicide does occur, it makes no sense; the character does it seemingly without reason.
All of the first five stories lack suspense, momentum, and clear-cut motivations. Lack of motivation may be the biggest problem. Munro expected her reader to just accept that her characters do what they do. They're neither sharply drawn nor realistic. One female character has an affair just because. Another bland character invites her husband's long-estranged sister to their home also just because. Without an answer to the "why" behind these behaviors, the stories feel incomplete and pointless. Munro may have been aiming for an air of mystery, or maybe to her mind it's more literary to leave a story open-ended. But her creations don't mirror real life; there are always reasons, however small, behind actions. This ambiguity has no place in a compilation entitled Dear Life.
The short-story format is a tough one. The premise must be narrow enough that it can be fully realized in only a few pages but not so slight that it's boring and forgettable. Munro may have won the Nobel Prize in 2013, but she hasn't mastered the art of the short story. Her themes are too complex for just a few pages to do them justice, and her storytelling lacks the necessary vigor to seize and not let go.
Update: September 4, 2024. "Literary World Grapples With Alice Munro's Legacy After Daughter's Revelation of Abuse":
Update: October 18, 2024. "Undoing the Fairy Tale of Alice Munro":
(Full disclosure: book abandoned on page 133, after story 5)
There's something to be said for a quiet story, the kind that unfolds slowly, that's open-ended. This is true of Munro's short stories. On the flip side, this kind of story can lack emotion and dramatic punch. This is also true of Munro's stories. Each of Dear Life's roughly 20- to 25-page-long stories centers on a female protagonist who experiences a sudden revelatory moment. Some of these revelations are life-changing, but in most of the (first five) stories the revelation is a modest, anti-climactic one.
Munro's premises have excellent potential, but some never fully actualize; some would be more powerful if they focused on a different character; and others feature characters with unclear motivations. One of the early stories is a prime example of this last point. Munro crafted the narrative itself expertly, but this can't compensate for the strange turn at the conclusion.
Another story concerning a suicide features characters that are strangely detached. The story limps along, meanderingly at points, and when the suicide does occur, it makes no sense; the character does it seemingly without reason.
All of the first five stories lack suspense, momentum, and clear-cut motivations. Lack of motivation may be the biggest problem. Munro expected her reader to just accept that her characters do what they do. They're neither sharply drawn nor realistic. One female character has an affair just because. Another bland character invites her husband's long-estranged sister to their home also just because. Without an answer to the "why" behind these behaviors, the stories feel incomplete and pointless. Munro may have been aiming for an air of mystery, or maybe to her mind it's more literary to leave a story open-ended. But her creations don't mirror real life; there are always reasons, however small, behind actions. This ambiguity has no place in a compilation entitled Dear Life.
The short-story format is a tough one. The premise must be narrow enough that it can be fully realized in only a few pages but not so slight that it's boring and forgettable. Munro may have won the Nobel Prize in 2013, but she hasn't mastered the art of the short story. Her themes are too complex for just a few pages to do them justice, and her storytelling lacks the necessary vigor to seize and not let go.
September 4, 2016
I'm a writer myself, and within the last two years or so have begun to concentrate a bit more on writing short fiction.
To write is to read, as they say, and I have made an effort to read more short fiction. Many people, from members of my writing group, to lecturers I've listened to, to writers of articles on the subject I have read have advised the same thing; read Alice Munro.
"Perfect. Masterful. Genius. Epitome of what a short story should be today." All of these are accolades heaped upon Munro and her work. So when I was at the library two weeks ago I figured it was time to sample her work. It almost seemed like my duty as a writer to partake in some of her fiction.
Perhaps it was a mistake to start with her latest collection, published just last year, but my conclusion about her thus far is that she has been oversold to me.
The writing in this collection is solid, intelligent writing, I will say. That is actually part of the problem. I got the impression it was written by an author that has a reputation, and was trying to uphold it. A reputation that, as I said, I am not sure is deserved based on these stories.
Any writer who has been flummoxed by constant advice to "show and not tell" should take comfort; 90% of what Munro does in these stories is tell. In flashback, in digression, in speculation. Pages upon pages of, "The character went through this and this and when younger saw this, and met X and did why. It was discussed at some point that she should do thus and so, and though she desired so and thus, thus and so won out. And this made her depressed. So depressed that she had taken up the habit of drinking..."
Eventually, in some cases, that sort of telling led to something relevant in the "present" of the story. (Though tense and time frame were fluid to a distracting degree sometimes.) Her brand is simplicity, and perhaps she does write in a simple way...but one can take forever to get somewhere, even if the forever is written in simple language, and I found myself saying, "what is the point?"
Naturally, literature is more about language than about character or plot, many will say. Let's stipulate that. That being the case, the language itself needs to either inspire sweeping visuals or move the reader in some transcendent way. The prose here does neither.
Perhaps one reason it doesn't do so is the depressing nature of the stories. I figured when I started there was one or two in every collection. But too many of the stories are about depressing things happening to unsatisfied and unlikable people in nondescript settings. (Most of which were very much Canadian...so much so it almost seems one needs to have grown up in Canada to catch on to any of the nuance presented.) I understand it isn't the job of a writer to always make people happy, but the writing is so distant, the characters so cold, I just didn't care what happened to them at all.
That lack of vibrancy in either plot or language made these shorter length stories a bit of a slog at times. I finished most in one sitting, as one is expected to do with short fiction, but by the time I got through about half of them (I didn't read them in order), it became clear that "Dear Life: Stories" would have been more appropriately titles "Downer: Stories."
I won't give up on Munro totally. not yet. That almost seems like treason in the writing world. But I have given up on this collection.
To write is to read, as they say, and I have made an effort to read more short fiction. Many people, from members of my writing group, to lecturers I've listened to, to writers of articles on the subject I have read have advised the same thing; read Alice Munro.
"Perfect. Masterful. Genius. Epitome of what a short story should be today." All of these are accolades heaped upon Munro and her work. So when I was at the library two weeks ago I figured it was time to sample her work. It almost seemed like my duty as a writer to partake in some of her fiction.
Perhaps it was a mistake to start with her latest collection, published just last year, but my conclusion about her thus far is that she has been oversold to me.
The writing in this collection is solid, intelligent writing, I will say. That is actually part of the problem. I got the impression it was written by an author that has a reputation, and was trying to uphold it. A reputation that, as I said, I am not sure is deserved based on these stories.
Any writer who has been flummoxed by constant advice to "show and not tell" should take comfort; 90% of what Munro does in these stories is tell. In flashback, in digression, in speculation. Pages upon pages of, "The character went through this and this and when younger saw this, and met X and did why. It was discussed at some point that she should do thus and so, and though she desired so and thus, thus and so won out. And this made her depressed. So depressed that she had taken up the habit of drinking..."
Eventually, in some cases, that sort of telling led to something relevant in the "present" of the story. (Though tense and time frame were fluid to a distracting degree sometimes.) Her brand is simplicity, and perhaps she does write in a simple way...but one can take forever to get somewhere, even if the forever is written in simple language, and I found myself saying, "what is the point?"
Naturally, literature is more about language than about character or plot, many will say. Let's stipulate that. That being the case, the language itself needs to either inspire sweeping visuals or move the reader in some transcendent way. The prose here does neither.
Perhaps one reason it doesn't do so is the depressing nature of the stories. I figured when I started there was one or two in every collection. But too many of the stories are about depressing things happening to unsatisfied and unlikable people in nondescript settings. (Most of which were very much Canadian...so much so it almost seems one needs to have grown up in Canada to catch on to any of the nuance presented.) I understand it isn't the job of a writer to always make people happy, but the writing is so distant, the characters so cold, I just didn't care what happened to them at all.
That lack of vibrancy in either plot or language made these shorter length stories a bit of a slog at times. I finished most in one sitting, as one is expected to do with short fiction, but by the time I got through about half of them (I didn't read them in order), it became clear that "Dear Life: Stories" would have been more appropriately titles "Downer: Stories."
I won't give up on Munro totally. not yet. That almost seems like treason in the writing world. But I have given up on this collection.
January 22, 2023
夭賳丿诏蹖 毓夭蹖夭 賲噩賲賵毓賴 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴丕蹖 讴賵鬲丕賴蹖 丕蹖爻鬲 丕夭 丌賱蹖爻 賲賵賳乇賵 貙 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 讴丕賳丕丿丕蹖蹖 亘乇賳丿賴 噩丕蹖夭賴 賳賵亘賱 . 亘丕 噩爻鬲 賵 噩賵蹖蹖 丿乇 丕蹖賳鬲乇賳鬲 賲蹖 鬲賵丕賳 賮賴賲蹖丿 讴賴 賲毓乇賵賮蹖鬲 賲賵賳乇賵 睾丕賱亘丕 亘賴 爻亘亘 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴丕蹖 讴賵鬲丕賴 丕賵 亘賵丿賴 讴賴 亘蹖卮鬲乇 丿乇 卮賴乇賴丕 賵 蹖丕 乇賵爻鬲丕賴丕蹖 讴賵趩讴 讴丕賳丕丿丕 乇禺 丿丕丿賴 丕賳丿 . 賯賴乇賲丕賳丕賳 讴鬲丕亘 丕賵 賴賲 亘蹖卮鬲乇 夭賳丕賳 賴爻鬲賳丿 讴賴 乇賵夭诏丕乇丌賳丕賳 乇丕 亘賴 賲賵賯毓蹖鬲 賴丕蹖蹖 賳爻亘鬲丕 倬蹖趩蹖丿賴 讴卮丕賳丿賴 丕爻鬲 .
夭賳丿诏蹖 毓夭蹖夭 賴賲 亘賴 賴賲蹖賳 诏賵賳賴 丕爻鬲 貙 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴丕蹖蹖 丕夭 夭賳丿诏蹖 乇賵夭丕賳賴 賲乇丿賲丕賳蹖 讴賴 賴蹖趩 賴蹖噩丕賳 賵 蹖丕 賳賯胤賴 毓胤賮蹖 賳丿丕乇丿 貙 丕賳爻丕賳 賴丕蹖蹖 賲毓賲賵賱蹖 讴賴 夭賳丿诏蹖 賴丕蹖 賲毓賲賵賱蹖 丿丕乇賳丿 . 賲賵賳乇賵 禺賵丕賳賳丿賴 乇丕 丿毓賵鬲 亘賴 丿蹖丿賳 夭賳丿诏蹖 丌賳丕賳 賵 禺賵丕賳丿賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴丕蹖 丌賳丕賳 賲蹖 讴賳丿 . 丕賵 禺賵丕賳賳丿賴 乇丕 亘賴 賱丨馗賴 丕蹖 丿乇 夭賳丿诏蹖 丌賳丕賳 賲蹖 亘乇丿 讴賴 丨丕丿孬賴 丕蹖 讴賵趩讴 爻亘亘 丿诏乇诏賵賳蹖 夭賳丿诏蹖 丌賳丕賳 卮丿賴 .
丿乇 倬丕蹖丕賳 卮丕蹖丿 亘鬲賵丕賳 賴賳乇 禺丕賳賲 賲賵賳乇賵 乇丕 丿乇 丿乇 鬲賵氐蹖賮 丨丕賱丕鬲 賵 乇賮鬲丕乇賴丕蹖 丕賳爻丕賳蹖 賵 讴賱丕賲 賲爻鬲賯蹖賲 賵 禺丕賱蹖 丕夭 賴乇 诏賵賳賴 倬蹖趩蹖丿诏蹖 丕賵 丿丕賳爻鬲 .
夭賳丿诏蹖 毓夭蹖夭 賴賲 亘賴 賴賲蹖賳 诏賵賳賴 丕爻鬲 貙 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴丕蹖蹖 丕夭 夭賳丿诏蹖 乇賵夭丕賳賴 賲乇丿賲丕賳蹖 讴賴 賴蹖趩 賴蹖噩丕賳 賵 蹖丕 賳賯胤賴 毓胤賮蹖 賳丿丕乇丿 貙 丕賳爻丕賳 賴丕蹖蹖 賲毓賲賵賱蹖 讴賴 夭賳丿诏蹖 賴丕蹖 賲毓賲賵賱蹖 丿丕乇賳丿 . 賲賵賳乇賵 禺賵丕賳賳丿賴 乇丕 丿毓賵鬲 亘賴 丿蹖丿賳 夭賳丿诏蹖 丌賳丕賳 賵 禺賵丕賳丿賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴丕蹖 丌賳丕賳 賲蹖 讴賳丿 . 丕賵 禺賵丕賳賳丿賴 乇丕 亘賴 賱丨馗賴 丕蹖 丿乇 夭賳丿诏蹖 丌賳丕賳 賲蹖 亘乇丿 讴賴 丨丕丿孬賴 丕蹖 讴賵趩讴 爻亘亘 丿诏乇诏賵賳蹖 夭賳丿诏蹖 丌賳丕賳 卮丿賴 .
丿乇 倬丕蹖丕賳 卮丕蹖丿 亘鬲賵丕賳 賴賳乇 禺丕賳賲 賲賵賳乇賵 乇丕 丿乇 丿乇 鬲賵氐蹖賮 丨丕賱丕鬲 賵 乇賮鬲丕乇賴丕蹖 丕賳爻丕賳蹖 賵 讴賱丕賲 賲爻鬲賯蹖賲 賵 禺丕賱蹖 丕夭 賴乇 诏賵賳賴 倬蹖趩蹖丿诏蹖 丕賵 丿丕賳爻鬲 .
October 31, 2023
The stories involve morose, stuck and bleak people, yet these stories are so easy to read. Munro's writing style is beautiful. Each story takes place in Canada, mostly in small towns. There are 14 stories in total, with the last 4 autobiographical. Those 4 are not morose and hopeless. One, about a crazy neighbor lady is funny. I enjoyed the autobiographical the best.
December 12, 2012
As with all of Alice Munro's books, I rushed out to buy this newest collection, and then I rushed home, eager to plunge into it. I am an ardent fan of Alice Munro's work, and I think this collection is good, better than good. The most breathtaking, full and energetic of the short stories in this collection is "Amundsen." It takes place in a TB sanatarium near a remote town in Northern Canada. The story is about a young woman who takes a job teaching the children in the sanatarium and, eventually, falls in love with the sanatarium's melancholy doctor whose kind, yet oddly cold, intentions toward the young woman remain muddled until the very end. The story has the heft of a Russian novel, and there is, indeed, an allusion to WAR AND PEACE within its pages. However, I felt a feverish pull to keep turning its pages, and there is a good sort of mystery that keeps the story tight and page-turning.
A lot of the other stories are classic Munro, stories that examine "grown-up" themes that so many other best-selling writers, and, more to the point, big-house publishers, typically don't seem to have an interest in publishing these days--unless they are publishing Alice Munro, and maybe a handful of other wonderful literary writer, (like Elizabeth Strout), who maintain a place in today's publishing market. Quite simply, Munro writes about aging, and she does so with bravery, steadiness and stoic grace. One of her characters faces the horrors of the onset of dementia--after she is already in the grips of the disease; another character, a seventy-one-year-old woman, begins to believe that her eighty-three-year-old husband is going to leave her for a visiting cosmetic saleswoman who turns out to be an old flame of his. These stories are sadly beautiful, and they are relatively short, by Munro's standards.
What surprised and delighted me the most were the four final "works" of the book. She prefaces these "works" by saying that they "are not quite stories" because they are "autobiographical in feeling, though not, sometimes, in fact." Munro took a similar approach in THE VIEW FROM CASTLE ROCK, which begins with an account of how she researched her ancestors in Scotland, then moves into pieces of "fictionalized autobiography" based on her Scottish ancestors in the middle. Then, the book ends in the realm of complete fiction. I like Munro's forays into memoir, and even though she doesn't truly commit to writing "the truth," I have to admire the fact that she doesn't pretend that her autobiographical stories are 100% true. By taking this approach, she avoids the trap that a number of fiction writers fall into when they venture completely into memoir. It seems, (at least in my reading of memoirs written by fiction writers), that many fiction writers who make the foray into memoir writing forget that they are still telling a story. They forget that even memoirists must create a dramatic persona of themselves so that they have the distance, (and good narrative sense), that it takes to tell a truthful AND effective story. They have no sense of perspective, and no sense of how they come off as the protagonist of their own stories; they often tell too much, or too little. In short, they forget the basic elements of narrative because they are "telling the truth."
This is not the case with Munro's autobiographical writing. In fact, the autobiographical "works" in this collection feel more immediate and energetic than a number of the fictional stories. Munro's voice in these pieces is stoic. In a piece called "Night," she recalls the time when she was fourteen, and she had a tumor removed at the same time she had her appendix taken out. She muses about how her mother never mentioned whether the tumor was cancerous or benign: "So I did not ask and wasn't told and can only suppose it was benign or was most skillfully got rid of, for here I am today." It's statements like this that reveal her stoicism, but also her warmth and humor. In "The Eye," she writes heartbreakingly about the death of Sadie, the hired girl Munro's mother apparently brought into the home to help with the chores when Munro's younger brother was born. The story hinges upon the moment when Munro's mother takes her to Sadie's wake, with the intentions of showing Alice what death looks like. And Alice, who is quite young when this event happens, imagines that she sees Sadie's eye flutter open while she is lying in the casket. It's a small, almost Gothic moment, and yet it captures perfectly that mystery and strange hope that children feel when they first see death.
Ultimately, this is a collection that amazes me, partly because Munro continues to write innovative stories at a time in her life when she has every reason to rest on her laurels. It amazes me because she confronts subjects that a lot of people turn away from, such as aging quietly, and dying quietly, of devastatingly unromantic old-age ailments. If you already like Alice Munro, you will like the fictional stories because they have all the classic Munro traits--hardscrabble settings, stoic characters, dark humor. If you are an ardent fan, such as myself, you'll love the "fictionalized nonfiction" pieces too because they offer a glimpse into the life and mind of this beloved writer.
A lot of the other stories are classic Munro, stories that examine "grown-up" themes that so many other best-selling writers, and, more to the point, big-house publishers, typically don't seem to have an interest in publishing these days--unless they are publishing Alice Munro, and maybe a handful of other wonderful literary writer, (like Elizabeth Strout), who maintain a place in today's publishing market. Quite simply, Munro writes about aging, and she does so with bravery, steadiness and stoic grace. One of her characters faces the horrors of the onset of dementia--after she is already in the grips of the disease; another character, a seventy-one-year-old woman, begins to believe that her eighty-three-year-old husband is going to leave her for a visiting cosmetic saleswoman who turns out to be an old flame of his. These stories are sadly beautiful, and they are relatively short, by Munro's standards.
What surprised and delighted me the most were the four final "works" of the book. She prefaces these "works" by saying that they "are not quite stories" because they are "autobiographical in feeling, though not, sometimes, in fact." Munro took a similar approach in THE VIEW FROM CASTLE ROCK, which begins with an account of how she researched her ancestors in Scotland, then moves into pieces of "fictionalized autobiography" based on her Scottish ancestors in the middle. Then, the book ends in the realm of complete fiction. I like Munro's forays into memoir, and even though she doesn't truly commit to writing "the truth," I have to admire the fact that she doesn't pretend that her autobiographical stories are 100% true. By taking this approach, she avoids the trap that a number of fiction writers fall into when they venture completely into memoir. It seems, (at least in my reading of memoirs written by fiction writers), that many fiction writers who make the foray into memoir writing forget that they are still telling a story. They forget that even memoirists must create a dramatic persona of themselves so that they have the distance, (and good narrative sense), that it takes to tell a truthful AND effective story. They have no sense of perspective, and no sense of how they come off as the protagonist of their own stories; they often tell too much, or too little. In short, they forget the basic elements of narrative because they are "telling the truth."
This is not the case with Munro's autobiographical writing. In fact, the autobiographical "works" in this collection feel more immediate and energetic than a number of the fictional stories. Munro's voice in these pieces is stoic. In a piece called "Night," she recalls the time when she was fourteen, and she had a tumor removed at the same time she had her appendix taken out. She muses about how her mother never mentioned whether the tumor was cancerous or benign: "So I did not ask and wasn't told and can only suppose it was benign or was most skillfully got rid of, for here I am today." It's statements like this that reveal her stoicism, but also her warmth and humor. In "The Eye," she writes heartbreakingly about the death of Sadie, the hired girl Munro's mother apparently brought into the home to help with the chores when Munro's younger brother was born. The story hinges upon the moment when Munro's mother takes her to Sadie's wake, with the intentions of showing Alice what death looks like. And Alice, who is quite young when this event happens, imagines that she sees Sadie's eye flutter open while she is lying in the casket. It's a small, almost Gothic moment, and yet it captures perfectly that mystery and strange hope that children feel when they first see death.
Ultimately, this is a collection that amazes me, partly because Munro continues to write innovative stories at a time in her life when she has every reason to rest on her laurels. It amazes me because she confronts subjects that a lot of people turn away from, such as aging quietly, and dying quietly, of devastatingly unromantic old-age ailments. If you already like Alice Munro, you will like the fictional stories because they have all the classic Munro traits--hardscrabble settings, stoic characters, dark humor. If you are an ardent fan, such as myself, you'll love the "fictionalized nonfiction" pieces too because they offer a glimpse into the life and mind of this beloved writer.
February 7, 2017
You know, I have been trying to put my finger on what exactly makes Alice Munro so fascinating. Her writing is without frills - she does not use flowery language or dazzling metaphors. Her stories can be read by any schoolkid without referring a dictionary. Ms. Munro does not write about extraordinary events; her characters are middle class men and women of Canada, going about their humdrum lives. It is Ernest Hemingway plus Jane Austen.
The first story sort of had me saying: "Is this the Nobel Prize winner? Oh come on!" but something in that bland narrative pulled me in, enticing me to try one more - then one more - then... well, you know. It was like a box of chocolates when you promise to stop after the next, and soon the box is empty.
The power of Alice Munro is not in what she says - but what she leaves unsaid: and that is quite a lot. The reader is asked to fill in the gaps, and I think most readers would do it in their own particular way, moulding the story to his or her own fashion. In most stories, the narrator is a child in the first person; a child who grows up as the story progresses. As we all know children see more of life and interpret it less. There is a disconcerting truthfulness to their viewpoints which makes adults uncomfortable. And when the child grows up and understands what she has experienced before she put on her adult glasses, this dichotomy of vision provides the tension which keeps the story on a knife's edge.
The unwritten story was what had me returning again and again to this collection.
----------------------------------------
The "child's-eye-view" is most effectively used in the stories "Gravel" and "Voices". In the first, a broken-up marriage is described in the voice of a child too young to form clear memories of events but has vivid recollections of things. When the story suddenly escalates to tragedy without warning, the kid suddenly grows up; and we realise that we have been hearing this child-woman all along - because in a sense, she has been trapped at the point of her tragedy. Her vision is crystal clear until the actual event, but the moment the adult takes over, analysis starts and we are now dealing with conjectures instead of concrete certainties.
In the second, the situation is more prosaic. In a country dance, the narrator and her mother meet a prostitute. The child is entranced by the elegant lady but the mum is understandably outraged. Sent upstairs to get her coat so that she and her mum can leave, the girl meets a girl called Peggy, who is visibly upset and crying, and her two suitors on the stairs. Peggy is part of the prostitute's entourage and the men are quite obviously trying to pacify her. They are talking to her as the child-narrator had never heard a woman talked to before.
It is obvious to us adults who read the story that Peggy has been somehow slighted by the "respectable" ladies at the dance - the child sees only the consideration she obtains from men, something that is forever withheld from her.
Nameless child narrators (who seem alter egos of the novelist herself) are central to the stories "Haven", "The Eye"and "Night" also; and other stories such as "Leaving Maverly", "Pride"and "Dear Life" also deal in part with childhood. In fact, most of these stories involve the shifting of human relations as people grow up, and they seem to wander all over the place without coming to a point. Many contain snippets of information that are seemingly irrelevant to what the author is trying to convey but then, as Ms. Munro's narrator says in "Dear Life"
Life, unlike a story, is never neatly rounded off. Life leaves a lot of its story on unwritten pages - like Ms. Munro.
----------------------------------------
The characters in this author's fictional universe are often jarringly disconnected from one another. In "Train", the protagonist (unusually, a male) is on the run from a relationship: but not for the reason one thinks, as becomes shockingly clear at the denouement: in "Amundsen", a relationship develops and unfurls with frightening speed. The characters seem to take it all in their stride, especially when narrated in Ms. Munro's extremely spare prose. Sometimes, this alienation results in unlikely alliances too, as in "Corrie" and "Pride". Many a time, core plot elements are hidden or only fleetingly mentioned. In the hands of a less skilled author, it would have been a disaster; here, it is what gives the stories their pith.
Because at the centre of it all, there lies hope. As Neal, a character in "Gravel", says:
Yes, indeed.
The first story sort of had me saying: "Is this the Nobel Prize winner? Oh come on!" but something in that bland narrative pulled me in, enticing me to try one more - then one more - then... well, you know. It was like a box of chocolates when you promise to stop after the next, and soon the box is empty.
The power of Alice Munro is not in what she says - but what she leaves unsaid: and that is quite a lot. The reader is asked to fill in the gaps, and I think most readers would do it in their own particular way, moulding the story to his or her own fashion. In most stories, the narrator is a child in the first person; a child who grows up as the story progresses. As we all know children see more of life and interpret it less. There is a disconcerting truthfulness to their viewpoints which makes adults uncomfortable. And when the child grows up and understands what she has experienced before she put on her adult glasses, this dichotomy of vision provides the tension which keeps the story on a knife's edge.
The unwritten story was what had me returning again and again to this collection.
----------------------------------------
The "child's-eye-view" is most effectively used in the stories "Gravel" and "Voices". In the first, a broken-up marriage is described in the voice of a child too young to form clear memories of events but has vivid recollections of things. When the story suddenly escalates to tragedy without warning, the kid suddenly grows up; and we realise that we have been hearing this child-woman all along - because in a sense, she has been trapped at the point of her tragedy. Her vision is crystal clear until the actual event, but the moment the adult takes over, analysis starts and we are now dealing with conjectures instead of concrete certainties.
In the second, the situation is more prosaic. In a country dance, the narrator and her mother meet a prostitute. The child is entranced by the elegant lady but the mum is understandably outraged. Sent upstairs to get her coat so that she and her mum can leave, the girl meets a girl called Peggy, who is visibly upset and crying, and her two suitors on the stairs. Peggy is part of the prostitute's entourage and the men are quite obviously trying to pacify her. They are talking to her as the child-narrator had never heard a woman talked to before.
For a long time I remembered the voices. I pondered over the voices. Not Peggy's. The men's. I know now that some of the Air Force men stationed at Port Albert early in the war had come out from England, and were training there to fight the Germans. So I wonder if it was the accent of some part of Britain that I was finding so mild and entrancing. It was certainly true that I had never in my life heard a man speak in that way, treating a woman as if she was so fine and valued a creature that whatever it was, whatever unkindness had come near her, was somehow a breach of law, a sin.
It is obvious to us adults who read the story that Peggy has been somehow slighted by the "respectable" ladies at the dance - the child sees only the consideration she obtains from men, something that is forever withheld from her.
Nameless child narrators (who seem alter egos of the novelist herself) are central to the stories "Haven", "The Eye"and "Night" also; and other stories such as "Leaving Maverly", "Pride"and "Dear Life" also deal in part with childhood. In fact, most of these stories involve the shifting of human relations as people grow up, and they seem to wander all over the place without coming to a point. Many contain snippets of information that are seemingly irrelevant to what the author is trying to convey but then, as Ms. Munro's narrator says in "Dear Life"
...And even farther away, on another hillside, was another house, quite small at that distance, facing ours, that we would never visit or know and that was to me like a dwarf's house in a story. But we knew the name of the man who lived there, or had lived there at one time, for he might have died by now. Roly Grain, his name was, and he does not have any further part in what I am writing now, in spite of his troll's name, because this is not a story, only life.
Life, unlike a story, is never neatly rounded off. Life leaves a lot of its story on unwritten pages - like Ms. Munro.
----------------------------------------
The characters in this author's fictional universe are often jarringly disconnected from one another. In "Train", the protagonist (unusually, a male) is on the run from a relationship: but not for the reason one thinks, as becomes shockingly clear at the denouement: in "Amundsen", a relationship develops and unfurls with frightening speed. The characters seem to take it all in their stride, especially when narrated in Ms. Munro's extremely spare prose. Sometimes, this alienation results in unlikely alliances too, as in "Corrie" and "Pride". Many a time, core plot elements are hidden or only fleetingly mentioned. In the hands of a less skilled author, it would have been a disaster; here, it is what gives the stories their pith.
Because at the centre of it all, there lies hope. As Neal, a character in "Gravel", says:
"The thing is to be happy," he said. "No matter what. Just try that. You can. It gets to be easier and easier. It's nothing to do with circumstances. You wouldn't believe how good it is. Accept everything and then tragedy disappears. Or tragedy lightens, anyway, and you're just there, going along easy in the world.".
Yes, indeed.
November 21, 2012
alice munro - great contemporary writer and bigtime oxymoron* - has a new collection coming out nov 13, just 3 days after i'm to be married. which is great as i'm expecting to be all reflective and nostalgic but also forward-looking and hopeful, a mishmash of sentiment and emotion and whatnot; which works out as nobody conjures up all that conflicting crap better than munro.
so, a few days after the wedding, we head down to del mar and, our first night walking the main drag of the tiny seaside town, we see this sign outside the local library:
giddy at the prospect of what 'read to dogs' actually means, we head back to our room deep in book/dog conversation. my new bride passes out early (red wine) & i head to the balcony, break out one of the many cigars i've acquired over the wedding weekend, and smoke and read. (munro is more a wintry, woodsmoke smell, but damp oceanair & cigarsmoke, as it turns out, works just fine)
next morning we head to the del mar library and discover that 'read to dogs' really is as good as it sounds: a program whereby young kids come to the library and, well, they鈥� read to dogs. so me and the wife sit there all permagrinned in a circle with a bunch of kids and a bunch of dogs. i met two great guys in particular: caleb and cody. i read an excerpt from 'corrie', a story from dear life. check me out kissing caleb:
and here's his glamour shot:
so, dear life. not one of munro's best, but as per the woodman:
Woman: I finally had an orgasm, and my doctor said it was the wrong kind.
Isaac: You had the wrong kind? I've never had the wrong kind, ever. My worst one was right on the money.
yeah, even the 'wrong kind' of alice munro is right on the money.
a few more things: del mar is so awesome that even the fucking seals leave the ocean to try and hang out there.
look at that guy! he walked up onto the shore and hung with people! i have a theory that seals & sea lions are actually just dog mermaids.
and check this out:
"The 2010 United States Census[5] reported that Del Mar had a population of 4,161. The population density was 2,341.9 people per square mile (904.2/km虏). The racial makeup of Del Mar was 3,912 (94.0%) White, 10 (0.2%) African American, eight (0.2%) Native American, 118 (2.8%) Asian, three (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 25 (0.6%) from other races, and 85 (2.0%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 175 persons (4.2%)."
10 black people live in del mar! we went to dinner and saw a black couple and i couldn't help thinking that we were sitting in a restaurant with 1/5 the black population of del mar. i wanted to stare and point -- like spotting a grizzly cub pawing down a city street. the weekend was extraordinary but i couldn't get this outta my head:
* 'badass candian' -- a distinction shared with neil young, my next door neighbors, pamela anderson, geddy lee, & peter north.
so, a few days after the wedding, we head down to del mar and, our first night walking the main drag of the tiny seaside town, we see this sign outside the local library:
giddy at the prospect of what 'read to dogs' actually means, we head back to our room deep in book/dog conversation. my new bride passes out early (red wine) & i head to the balcony, break out one of the many cigars i've acquired over the wedding weekend, and smoke and read. (munro is more a wintry, woodsmoke smell, but damp oceanair & cigarsmoke, as it turns out, works just fine)
next morning we head to the del mar library and discover that 'read to dogs' really is as good as it sounds: a program whereby young kids come to the library and, well, they鈥� read to dogs. so me and the wife sit there all permagrinned in a circle with a bunch of kids and a bunch of dogs. i met two great guys in particular: caleb and cody. i read an excerpt from 'corrie', a story from dear life. check me out kissing caleb:
and here's his glamour shot:
so, dear life. not one of munro's best, but as per the woodman:
Woman: I finally had an orgasm, and my doctor said it was the wrong kind.
Isaac: You had the wrong kind? I've never had the wrong kind, ever. My worst one was right on the money.
yeah, even the 'wrong kind' of alice munro is right on the money.
a few more things: del mar is so awesome that even the fucking seals leave the ocean to try and hang out there.
look at that guy! he walked up onto the shore and hung with people! i have a theory that seals & sea lions are actually just dog mermaids.
and check this out:
"The 2010 United States Census[5] reported that Del Mar had a population of 4,161. The population density was 2,341.9 people per square mile (904.2/km虏). The racial makeup of Del Mar was 3,912 (94.0%) White, 10 (0.2%) African American, eight (0.2%) Native American, 118 (2.8%) Asian, three (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 25 (0.6%) from other races, and 85 (2.0%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 175 persons (4.2%)."
10 black people live in del mar! we went to dinner and saw a black couple and i couldn't help thinking that we were sitting in a restaurant with 1/5 the black population of del mar. i wanted to stare and point -- like spotting a grizzly cub pawing down a city street. the weekend was extraordinary but i couldn't get this outta my head:
* 'badass candian' -- a distinction shared with neil young, my next door neighbors, pamela anderson, geddy lee, & peter north.
January 28, 2016
丨賯蹖賯鬲 丕蹖賳賴 讴賴 丌丿賲 禺賵賳丿賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 讴賵鬲丕賴 賳蹖爻鬲賲. 賳賴 讴賴 賳禺賵賳賲 ! 賲蹖 禺賵賳賲 賵賱蹖 卮丕蹖丿 亘丕 卮賵賯 爻賲鬲卮 賳乇賲 賵 丕賳鬲馗丕乇 賳丿丕卮鬲賴 亘丕卮賲 鬲丕孬蹖乇蹖 亘賴 賲丕賳丿诏丕乇蹖 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 亘賱賳丿 乇賵蹖 賲賳 丿丕卮鬲賴 亘丕卮賴 賵 丕賱亘鬲賴 丕爻鬲孬賳丕 讴賲 賳蹖爻鬲. 蹖讴蹖 丕夭 丕蹖賳 丕爻鬲孬賳丕賴丕 "丌賱蹖爻 賲賵賳乇賵" 蹖 丿賵爻鬲 丿丕卮鬲賳蹖賴. 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴丕 毓賲賵賲丕 丿乇 卮賴乇 讴賵趩讴 蹖丕 丿賴讴丿賴 丕蹖 丿乇 讴丕賳丕丿丕蹖 讴賲蹖 亘毓丿 丕夭 噩賳诏 噩賴丕賳蹖 丿賵賲 賲蹖 诏匕乇賳丿 賵 賲毓賲賵賱丕 賴賲 夭賳丿诏蹖 夭賳丕賳 賵 丿禺鬲乇丕賳 丿爻鬲 賲丕蹖賴 丕氐賱蹖 丌孬丕乇 賲賵賳乇賵爻鬲 讴賴 亘賴 賳馗乇賲 賴賲蹖賳 亘賴 倬蹖賵爻鬲诏蹖 丨爻 讴鬲丕亘 賵 鬲丿丕賵賲 鬲丕孬蹖乇卮 乇賵蹖 禺賵丕賳賳丿賴 讴賲讴 賲蹖 讴賳賴 賵 蹖賴 噩賵乇丕蹖蹖 賲丕賳毓 丕夭 卮賱禺鬲诏蹖 賵 賳丕倬蹖賵爻鬲诏蹖 匕賴賳蹖 賲蹖卮賴 讴賴 卮丕蹖丿 亘毓囟蹖 賴丕賲賵賳 亘丕 賲噩賲賵毓賴 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴丕蹖 讴賵鬲丕賴 丨爻 讴賳蹖賲
賲賵賳乇賵 爻丕丿賴 賲蹖 賳賵蹖爻賴 丕賳诏丕乇 讴賴 賴蹖趩 賯氐丿蹖 噩夭 乇賵丕蹖鬲 讴乇丿賳 賯氐賴 賳丿丕乇賴. 賳賴 賲蹖禺賵丕丿 賲毓乇賵賮 亘卮賴. 賳賴 賯氐丿 禺賵丿賳賲丕蹖蹖 丿丕乇賴 賵 賳賴 賴丿賮 倬乇賮乇賵卮 卮丿賳 蹖丕 亘乇賳丿賴 卮丿賳 噩丕蹖夭賴 丕蹖 丿乇 爻乇 丿丕乇賴 . 賲賵賳乇賵 丕夭 毓丕丿蹖 鬲乇蹖賳 夭賳丿诏蹖 賴丕 - 夭賳丿诏蹖 丕蹖 讴賴 诏丕賴丕 亘賴 夭賳丿诏蹖 卮禺氐蹖 禺賵丿賲賵賳 倬賴賱賵 賲蹖夭賳賴- 賵 丕夭 賲毓賲賵賱蹖 鬲乇蹖賳 丌丿賲 賴丕 - 丌丿賲 賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 卮丕蹖丿 丕賳鬲馗丕乇 賲賱丕賯丕鬲卮賵賳 乇賵 鬲賵 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲 賳丿丕乇蹖賲 - 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴丕蹖蹖 禺賱賯 賲蹖 讴賳賴 讴賴 丕孬乇卮 亘賴 丕蹖賳 夭賵丿蹖 賴丕 賳丕倬丿蹖丿 賳賲蹖卮賴 丨鬲蹖 鬲賴 賳卮蹖賳 賵噩賵丿賲賵賳 賲蹖卮賴
賵蹖讴蹖 倬丿蹖丕 : "賵蹖跇诏蹖 丕氐賱蹖 賳孬乇 賲賵賳乇賵 鬲兀讴蹖丿 丕賵 亘乇 賲丨賱 賵賯賵毓 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賵 卮禺氐蹖鬲鈥屬囏й� 夭賳 倬蹖趩蹖丿賴 賴爻鬲賳丿. 丌孬丕乇 丕賵 丕睾賱亘 亘丕 丌孬丕乇 亘夭乇诏丕賳 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲 賲賯丕蹖爻賴 卮丿賴 賵 诏賮鬲賴 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 丿乇 丌孬丕乇 丕賵貙 賲孬賱 丌孬丕乇 趩禺賵賮 禺胤 丿丕爻鬲丕賳蹖 丿乇噩賴 丿賵賲 丕賴賲蹖鬲 乇丕 丿丕乇丿 賵 鬲賯乇蹖亘丕賸 丕鬲賮丕賯 禺丕氐蹖 丿乇 丿丕爻鬲丕賳鈥屬囏� 乇禺 賳賲蹖鈥屫囏� 賵 丕睾賱亘 鬲賱賳诏乇蹖 賲賵噩亘 丿诏乇诏賵賳蹖 夭賳丿诏蹖 卮禺氐蹖鬲鈥屬囏� 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� " . 夭賳丕賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴丕蹖 賲賵賳乇賵 卮禺氐蹖鬲 倬蹖趩蹖丿賴 鬲乇蹖 丿乇 賲賯丕蹖爻賴 亘丕 賲乇丿丕賳 丿丕乇賳丿 賵 卮丕蹖丿 亘賴 禺丕胤乇 倬乇丿丕禺鬲 亘蹖卮鬲乇 亘賴 丕賵賳賴丕爻鬲 讴賴 鬲賲 夭賳丕賳賴 丿乇 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴丕蹖 睾丕賱亘賴
賮乇賯蹖 賳賲蹖 讴賳賴 賲賵賳乇賵 乇賵丕蹖鬲诏乇 丿乇賵賳 讴蹖 亘丕卮賴. 蹖賴 讴賵丿讴 貙 蹖賴 賮丕乇睾 丕賱鬲丨氐蹖賱 噩賵丕賳 噩賵蹖丕蹖 讴丕乇貙 蹖賴 爻乇亘丕夭 鬲丕夭賴 丕夭 噩賳诏 亘乇诏卮鬲賴 貙 蹖賴 夭賳 禺丕賳賴 丿丕乇 賳丕乇丕囟蹖 丕夭 夭賳丿诏蹖 賵 蹖丕 丨鬲蹖 禺賵丿卮 ( 丿乇 趩賴丕乇 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 倬丕蹖丕賳蹖) .... 賲賵賳乇賵 丕蹖賳 讴丕乇 乇賵 亘丕 丕爻鬲丕丿蹖 鬲賲丕賲 丕賳噩丕賲 賲蹖丿賴 . 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴丕 乇賵 亘丕 賴賲賴 爻丕丿诏蹖卮賵賳 爻乇 讴卮蹖丿賲. 亘乇卮蹖 丕夭 夭賳丿诏蹖 乇賵夭賲乇賴 讴賴 丿乇 賱丨馗賴 丕蹖 丨鬲蹖 卮丕蹖丿 诏丕賴丕 賳丕賲丨爻賵爻貙 丕鬲賮丕賯蹖 乇禺 丿丕丿賴 讴賴 禺蹖賱蹖 趩蹖夭賴丕 乇賵 鬲丕 丕亘丿 鬲睾蹖蹖乇 丿丕丿賴: 賲爻蹖乇 夭賳丿诏蹖 貙 亘丕賵乇蹖 蹖丕 丕丨爻丕爻蹖 乇賵 . 賲賳 丕蹖賳 乇賵夭賲乇诏蹖 賴丕貙 丕蹖賳 毓丕丿蹖 賵 賲毓賲賵賱蹖 亘賵丿賳 賴丕 貙 丕蹖賳 亘丕賵乇倬匕蹖乇蹖 貙 丕蹖賳 睾賱賵 賳讴乇丿賳 賴丕 貙 丕蹖賳 爻賮乇 亘賴 丿乇賵賳 丌丿賲 賴丕蹖 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賵 丕蹖賳 乇蹖夭亘蹖賳蹖 賴丕 乇賵 賲蹖 倬爻賳丿賲. 丕蹖賳 賴丕爻鬲 讴賴 賲賵賳乇賵 乇賵 亘乇丕蹖 賲賳 丿賵爻鬲 丿丕卮鬲賳蹖 賲蹖 讴賳賴. 賴賲蹖賳 讴賴 爻丕丿賴 賲蹖丕丿 丌丿賲蹖 睾蹖乇禺丕氐 乇賵 丕賳鬲禺丕亘 賲蹖 讴賳賴 賵 亘乇賴賴 丕蹖 丕夭 夭賳丿诏蹖卮 乇賵 亘乇丕蹖 賲賳 鬲毓乇蹖賮 賲蹖 讴賳賴 讴賴 丿乇 丕賵賳 夭賲丕賳 禺蹖賱蹖 趩蹖夭 賴丕 賳丕禺賵丕爻鬲賴 鬲睾蹖蹖乇 讴乇丿 賵 丿乇 倬丕蹖丕賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳貙 賳丕禺賵丿丌诏丕賴丕賳賴 賲賳 賴賲 乇賵蹖 夭賳丿诏蹖 乇蹖夭 賲蹖卮賲 賵 賲蹖诏賲: 亘亘蹖賳! 亘賴 賴賲蹖賳 爻丕丿诏蹖 ...賴賲蹖賳 丕鬲賮丕賯丕鬲 乇蹖夭 賳丕賲乇卅蹖 禺蹖賱蹖 趩蹖夭賴丕 乇賵 卮讴賱 丿丕丿賳丿 賵 毓賵囟 讴乇丿賳丿. 賲噩亘賵乇賲 賲蹖 讴賳賴 丿賯蹖賯 卮賲 乇賵蹖 乇賮鬲丕乇 賵 丕賮讴丕乇 禺賵丿賲 賵 丌丿賲 賴丕蹖 丕胤乇丕賮賲... 讴賴 蹖丕丿賲 亘蹖丕丿 丌丿賲 賴丕 趩賴 乇丕丨鬲 賴賲 乇賵 賳丕丿蹖丿賴 賲蹖 诏蹖乇賳丿... 亘賴 丕丨爻丕爻丕鬲 賴賲 亘蹖 鬲賵噩賴蹖 賲蹖 讴賳賳丿... 賴賲丿蹖诏賴 乇賵 亘賴 亘丕夭蹖 賲蹖 诏蹖乇賳丿
禺賵亘蹖 賲賵賳乇賵 亘賴 賴賲蹖賳賴..讴賴 丕夭 乇賵夭賲乇诏蹖 賴丕蹖 賴賲诏丕賳蹖 卮丕賴讴丕乇 禺賱賯 賲蹖 讴賳賴....讴賴 丌蹖蹖賳賴 丕蹖 丕夭賴乇 乇賵夭賴 賴丕蹖 禺賵丿 賲丕爻鬲....禺賵亘蹖 賲賵賳乇賵 亘賴 丕蹖賳賴 讴賴 禺賵丿 賲丕蹖蹖賲 讴賴 丿丕乇蹖賲 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴丕卮賵 鬲賵 賵丕賯毓蹖鬲 亘丕夭蹖 賲蹖 讴賳蹖賲
賲賵賳乇賵 爻丕丿賴 賲蹖 賳賵蹖爻賴 丕賳诏丕乇 讴賴 賴蹖趩 賯氐丿蹖 噩夭 乇賵丕蹖鬲 讴乇丿賳 賯氐賴 賳丿丕乇賴. 賳賴 賲蹖禺賵丕丿 賲毓乇賵賮 亘卮賴. 賳賴 賯氐丿 禺賵丿賳賲丕蹖蹖 丿丕乇賴 賵 賳賴 賴丿賮 倬乇賮乇賵卮 卮丿賳 蹖丕 亘乇賳丿賴 卮丿賳 噩丕蹖夭賴 丕蹖 丿乇 爻乇 丿丕乇賴 . 賲賵賳乇賵 丕夭 毓丕丿蹖 鬲乇蹖賳 夭賳丿诏蹖 賴丕 - 夭賳丿诏蹖 丕蹖 讴賴 诏丕賴丕 亘賴 夭賳丿诏蹖 卮禺氐蹖 禺賵丿賲賵賳 倬賴賱賵 賲蹖夭賳賴- 賵 丕夭 賲毓賲賵賱蹖 鬲乇蹖賳 丌丿賲 賴丕 - 丌丿賲 賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 卮丕蹖丿 丕賳鬲馗丕乇 賲賱丕賯丕鬲卮賵賳 乇賵 鬲賵 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲 賳丿丕乇蹖賲 - 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴丕蹖蹖 禺賱賯 賲蹖 讴賳賴 讴賴 丕孬乇卮 亘賴 丕蹖賳 夭賵丿蹖 賴丕 賳丕倬丿蹖丿 賳賲蹖卮賴 丨鬲蹖 鬲賴 賳卮蹖賳 賵噩賵丿賲賵賳 賲蹖卮賴
賵蹖讴蹖 倬丿蹖丕 : "賵蹖跇诏蹖 丕氐賱蹖 賳孬乇 賲賵賳乇賵 鬲兀讴蹖丿 丕賵 亘乇 賲丨賱 賵賯賵毓 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賵 卮禺氐蹖鬲鈥屬囏й� 夭賳 倬蹖趩蹖丿賴 賴爻鬲賳丿. 丌孬丕乇 丕賵 丕睾賱亘 亘丕 丌孬丕乇 亘夭乇诏丕賳 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲 賲賯丕蹖爻賴 卮丿賴 賵 诏賮鬲賴 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 丿乇 丌孬丕乇 丕賵貙 賲孬賱 丌孬丕乇 趩禺賵賮 禺胤 丿丕爻鬲丕賳蹖 丿乇噩賴 丿賵賲 丕賴賲蹖鬲 乇丕 丿丕乇丿 賵 鬲賯乇蹖亘丕賸 丕鬲賮丕賯 禺丕氐蹖 丿乇 丿丕爻鬲丕賳鈥屬囏� 乇禺 賳賲蹖鈥屫囏� 賵 丕睾賱亘 鬲賱賳诏乇蹖 賲賵噩亘 丿诏乇诏賵賳蹖 夭賳丿诏蹖 卮禺氐蹖鬲鈥屬囏� 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� " . 夭賳丕賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴丕蹖 賲賵賳乇賵 卮禺氐蹖鬲 倬蹖趩蹖丿賴 鬲乇蹖 丿乇 賲賯丕蹖爻賴 亘丕 賲乇丿丕賳 丿丕乇賳丿 賵 卮丕蹖丿 亘賴 禺丕胤乇 倬乇丿丕禺鬲 亘蹖卮鬲乇 亘賴 丕賵賳賴丕爻鬲 讴賴 鬲賲 夭賳丕賳賴 丿乇 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴丕蹖 睾丕賱亘賴
賮乇賯蹖 賳賲蹖 讴賳賴 賲賵賳乇賵 乇賵丕蹖鬲诏乇 丿乇賵賳 讴蹖 亘丕卮賴. 蹖賴 讴賵丿讴 貙 蹖賴 賮丕乇睾 丕賱鬲丨氐蹖賱 噩賵丕賳 噩賵蹖丕蹖 讴丕乇貙 蹖賴 爻乇亘丕夭 鬲丕夭賴 丕夭 噩賳诏 亘乇诏卮鬲賴 貙 蹖賴 夭賳 禺丕賳賴 丿丕乇 賳丕乇丕囟蹖 丕夭 夭賳丿诏蹖 賵 蹖丕 丨鬲蹖 禺賵丿卮 ( 丿乇 趩賴丕乇 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 倬丕蹖丕賳蹖) .... 賲賵賳乇賵 丕蹖賳 讴丕乇 乇賵 亘丕 丕爻鬲丕丿蹖 鬲賲丕賲 丕賳噩丕賲 賲蹖丿賴 . 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴丕 乇賵 亘丕 賴賲賴 爻丕丿诏蹖卮賵賳 爻乇 讴卮蹖丿賲. 亘乇卮蹖 丕夭 夭賳丿诏蹖 乇賵夭賲乇賴 讴賴 丿乇 賱丨馗賴 丕蹖 丨鬲蹖 卮丕蹖丿 诏丕賴丕 賳丕賲丨爻賵爻貙 丕鬲賮丕賯蹖 乇禺 丿丕丿賴 讴賴 禺蹖賱蹖 趩蹖夭賴丕 乇賵 鬲丕 丕亘丿 鬲睾蹖蹖乇 丿丕丿賴: 賲爻蹖乇 夭賳丿诏蹖 貙 亘丕賵乇蹖 蹖丕 丕丨爻丕爻蹖 乇賵 . 賲賳 丕蹖賳 乇賵夭賲乇诏蹖 賴丕貙 丕蹖賳 毓丕丿蹖 賵 賲毓賲賵賱蹖 亘賵丿賳 賴丕 貙 丕蹖賳 亘丕賵乇倬匕蹖乇蹖 貙 丕蹖賳 睾賱賵 賳讴乇丿賳 賴丕 貙 丕蹖賳 爻賮乇 亘賴 丿乇賵賳 丌丿賲 賴丕蹖 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賵 丕蹖賳 乇蹖夭亘蹖賳蹖 賴丕 乇賵 賲蹖 倬爻賳丿賲. 丕蹖賳 賴丕爻鬲 讴賴 賲賵賳乇賵 乇賵 亘乇丕蹖 賲賳 丿賵爻鬲 丿丕卮鬲賳蹖 賲蹖 讴賳賴. 賴賲蹖賳 讴賴 爻丕丿賴 賲蹖丕丿 丌丿賲蹖 睾蹖乇禺丕氐 乇賵 丕賳鬲禺丕亘 賲蹖 讴賳賴 賵 亘乇賴賴 丕蹖 丕夭 夭賳丿诏蹖卮 乇賵 亘乇丕蹖 賲賳 鬲毓乇蹖賮 賲蹖 讴賳賴 讴賴 丿乇 丕賵賳 夭賲丕賳 禺蹖賱蹖 趩蹖夭 賴丕 賳丕禺賵丕爻鬲賴 鬲睾蹖蹖乇 讴乇丿 賵 丿乇 倬丕蹖丕賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳貙 賳丕禺賵丿丌诏丕賴丕賳賴 賲賳 賴賲 乇賵蹖 夭賳丿诏蹖 乇蹖夭 賲蹖卮賲 賵 賲蹖诏賲: 亘亘蹖賳! 亘賴 賴賲蹖賳 爻丕丿诏蹖 ...賴賲蹖賳 丕鬲賮丕賯丕鬲 乇蹖夭 賳丕賲乇卅蹖 禺蹖賱蹖 趩蹖夭賴丕 乇賵 卮讴賱 丿丕丿賳丿 賵 毓賵囟 讴乇丿賳丿. 賲噩亘賵乇賲 賲蹖 讴賳賴 丿賯蹖賯 卮賲 乇賵蹖 乇賮鬲丕乇 賵 丕賮讴丕乇 禺賵丿賲 賵 丌丿賲 賴丕蹖 丕胤乇丕賮賲... 讴賴 蹖丕丿賲 亘蹖丕丿 丌丿賲 賴丕 趩賴 乇丕丨鬲 賴賲 乇賵 賳丕丿蹖丿賴 賲蹖 诏蹖乇賳丿... 亘賴 丕丨爻丕爻丕鬲 賴賲 亘蹖 鬲賵噩賴蹖 賲蹖 讴賳賳丿... 賴賲丿蹖诏賴 乇賵 亘賴 亘丕夭蹖 賲蹖 诏蹖乇賳丿
禺賵亘蹖 賲賵賳乇賵 亘賴 賴賲蹖賳賴..讴賴 丕夭 乇賵夭賲乇诏蹖 賴丕蹖 賴賲诏丕賳蹖 卮丕賴讴丕乇 禺賱賯 賲蹖 讴賳賴....讴賴 丌蹖蹖賳賴 丕蹖 丕夭賴乇 乇賵夭賴 賴丕蹖 禺賵丿 賲丕爻鬲....禺賵亘蹖 賲賵賳乇賵 亘賴 丕蹖賳賴 讴賴 禺賵丿 賲丕蹖蹖賲 讴賴 丿丕乇蹖賲 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴丕卮賵 鬲賵 賵丕賯毓蹖鬲 亘丕夭蹖 賲蹖 讴賳蹖賲
January 6, 2020
I am a great fan of Munro and wrote my critical essay in grad school mostly about one of her stories. She breaks rules, I believe intentionally and intelligently, and to a purpose. Her earliest stories are simply good, but then over time, as her reputation grew, she could do whatever she liked. And she did. I admire what writers do once they can afford to entirely please themselves. "The final four works in this book are not quite stories . . . things I have to say about my own life" including the title story, which I understand and treasure. I am very grateful for the reputation that allowed her to publish her "not quite stories."
Munro is aging and so am I though twenty years behind her. I see in her stories the same questions I have myself and these stories particularly look over entire lifetimes. In the book she claims as a novel, The Lives of Girls and Women, I recognized actual events and guilts from my own girlhood. Here I find my own worries about the span of my life.
Someday, probably too late, I will write to Munro to ask her questions. Like her, I have waited too long to ask about many things. But I thank her for reminding me.
Munro is aging and so am I though twenty years behind her. I see in her stories the same questions I have myself and these stories particularly look over entire lifetimes. In the book she claims as a novel, The Lives of Girls and Women, I recognized actual events and guilts from my own girlhood. Here I find my own worries about the span of my life.
Someday, probably too late, I will write to Munro to ask her questions. Like her, I have waited too long to ask about many things. But I thank her for reminding me.
January 4, 2020
Dear Life: 鈥淥ne day he just got the idea that he could do the acting and not go through all that church stuff. He tried to be polite about it, but they said it was the Devil getting hold. He said ha-ha I know who it was getting hold. Bye-bye.鈥� Greta should have known Loneliness, this inevitable part of our waking, breathing moments you鈥檝e given us.
Dear Life: Vivien wanted to experience you 鈥渋nside a Russian novel,鈥� so she allowed herself to be seduced by a doctor . Come to think of it, what is this fascination with trains in this collection of life? First Greta, then Vivien. Are we all simply passengers on a train called life?
Dear Life: You gave a man鈥檚 lifetime companion, his heart, his whole being, an ailment called pericarditis, and you left him with nothing but her remains. 鈥淲hat an excellent word鈥斺€榬emains.鈥橪ike something left to dry out in sooty layers in a cupboard.鈥�
Dear Life: Sometimes you leave someone with 鈥渁 sense of being watched by things you didn鈥檛 know about. Of being a disturbance. Life around coming to some conclusions about you from vantage points you couldn鈥檛 see.鈥� This 鈥淭rain鈥� goes slowly, slow enough for Jackson to hop off and spend some time trying to figure you out, dear life. And enough time to be sheltered by Belle, who on her sick bed, tells him her deepest secret.
Dear Life: You lay bare interwoven discretions of town folks, and you create characters of flesh when you embody sorrow and pain, love and joy, desire and regret鈥攁ll those things you鈥檝e given us.
Dear Life: Vivien wanted to experience you 鈥渋nside a Russian novel,鈥� so she allowed herself to be seduced by a doctor . Come to think of it, what is this fascination with trains in this collection of life? First Greta, then Vivien. Are we all simply passengers on a train called life?
Dear Life: You gave a man鈥檚 lifetime companion, his heart, his whole being, an ailment called pericarditis, and you left him with nothing but her remains. 鈥淲hat an excellent word鈥斺€榬emains.鈥橪ike something left to dry out in sooty layers in a cupboard.鈥�
Dear Life: Sometimes you leave someone with 鈥渁 sense of being watched by things you didn鈥檛 know about. Of being a disturbance. Life around coming to some conclusions about you from vantage points you couldn鈥檛 see.鈥� This 鈥淭rain鈥� goes slowly, slow enough for Jackson to hop off and spend some time trying to figure you out, dear life. And enough time to be sheltered by Belle, who on her sick bed, tells him her deepest secret.
Dear Life: You lay bare interwoven discretions of town folks, and you create characters of flesh when you embody sorrow and pain, love and joy, desire and regret鈥攁ll those things you鈥檝e given us.
August 16, 2016
This is one wonderful book. Being my first experience of Munro, I found my self entirely engrossed by the very first page. Alice Munro is not pretentious, She weaves the most complex of stories and abstract emotions with simplest of words, just like that. Like its nothing. With a rare clarity of vision and magical storytelling, Munro takes us to the very depths of our minds. How can a writer say so much with so few words?
Without being overtly philosophical I must say that Munro knows the crisis of life and the battles fought each day. She shows how the greatest of our conflicts are not without, but within and all the regrets and desires that consume us, gradually but definitely. It has all the intricacies of life and its simple pleasures, the bliss of a happy marriage and the pain of unrequited love. This book has everything we call 鈥淟IFE鈥�, nothing is missing and nothing forgotten.
After all, as she says, 鈥溾€� this is not a story, only life.鈥�
Without being overtly philosophical I must say that Munro knows the crisis of life and the battles fought each day. She shows how the greatest of our conflicts are not without, but within and all the regrets and desires that consume us, gradually but definitely. It has all the intricacies of life and its simple pleasures, the bliss of a happy marriage and the pain of unrequited love. This book has everything we call 鈥淟IFE鈥�, nothing is missing and nothing forgotten.
After all, as she says, 鈥溾€� this is not a story, only life.鈥�
October 27, 2017
夭賳鈥屬囏й� 丿丕爻鬲丕賳鈥屬囏й� 丌賱蹖爻 賲賵賳乇賵貙 賴賲丕賳 賵蹖跇诏蹖鈥屬囏й屰� 乇丕 丿丕乇賳丿 讴賴 夭賳賽 丕蹖丿賴鈥屫①� 禺蹖丕賱 賲賳.
蹖讴 賵賯丕乇 亘賴鈥屫蒂堌帝� 讴賴 讴爻蹖 丕噩丕夭賴鈥屰� 賳夭丿蹖讴鈥屫簇� 亘賴 丌賳鈥屬囏� 乇丕 亘賴 禺賵丿 賳賲蹖鈥屫囏�. 賵賯丕乇蹖 讴賴 夭賳丕賳賴 蹖丕 賲乇丿丕賳賴 賳蹖爻鬲. 賲孬賱 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 芦丌賲賵賳丿爻賳禄貙 賴賲 丿讴鬲乇 賮丕讴爻 賵 賴賲 賲蹖爻 鬲丕讴 丕蹖賳 噩丿蹖賾鬲 乇丕 丿丕乇賳丿. 賲賴乇亘丕賳蹖 鬲賵丕賲 丕爻鬲 亘丕 丕蹖賳 睾乇賵乇.
丿乇 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 芦诏賵卮賴鈥屰� 丕賲賳禄貙 賲賵丕噩賴鈥屰� 丌丿賲 丌夭丕丿 賵 鬲賵乇賳鬲賵蹖蹖 乇丕 賲蹖鈥屫ㄛ屬嗃屬� 亘丕 賮囟丕蹖蹖 亘爻鬲賴 賵 賲賯乇乇丕鬲蹖貨 讴賴 丿乇 丌賳鈥屫� 賵馗蹖賮賴鈥屰� 夭賳 丕蹖噩丕丿 诏賵卮賴鈥屰� 丕賲賳蹖 亘乇丕蹖 賲乇丿 丕爻鬲 賵 禺賵丿 夭賳鈥屬囏� 賴賲 丕蹖賳 乇丕 亘賴鈥屫官嗁堌з� 丨賯蹖賯鬲 倬匕蹖乇賮鬲賴鈥屫з嗀�. 亘乇禺賱丕賮 夭賳賽 賲賵賳乇賵蹖蹖貙 丕蹖賳 夭賳丕賳 毓丕卮賯 诏乇丿賳亘賳丿 賴爻鬲賳丿貙 賲胤蹖毓 丕賳丿貙 賵 丿乇 毓蹖賳 丨丕賱 夭賳丿诏蹖 亘乇 丌賳 賴丕 爻禺鬲 賲蹖鈥屭柏必�.
蹖讴 鈥屭┴ж臂� 讴賴 丕诏乇 丿禺鬲乇蹖 丌賳 乇丕 丕賳噩丕賲 丿賴丿 亘蹖鈥屬嗁囏й屫� 噩匕丕亘 丕爻鬲 亘乇丕蹖 賲賳貙 丿賵趩乇禺賴鈥屫迟堌ж臂� 丕爻鬲. 丕賳诏丕乇 毓賲賱蹖鈥屫簇団€屰� 丕蹖賳 丨乇賮 丕爻鬲 讴賴 芦賲賳 賲蹖鈥屫堌з嗁� 亘賴鈥屫堌ㄛ� 賲乇丿 賵 亘蹖鈥屫ж关嗀� 亘賴 賳诏丕賴 賲鬲毓噩亘 丕賵 讴丕乇蹖 讴賴 丿賵爻鬲 丿丕乇賲 乇丕 亘讴賳賲.禄 丿乇 丕蹖賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴賲 賳賲丕丿 丿賵趩乇禺賴貙鈥� 亘蹖鈥屬矩辟堌й屰� (賵 賳賴 倬乇乇賵蹖蹖) 賵 丿乇 毓蹖賳 丨丕賱 賲鬲丕賳鬲 丿禺鬲乇讴 乇丕 賳卮丕賳 賲蹖鈥屫囏�.
乇亘卮賴鈥屰� 鬲賮丕賵鬲 丕蹖賳 丿禺鬲乇賴丕 亘賴 賲丕丿乇丕賳 丌賳鈥屬囏� 亘乇賲蹖鈥屭必�. 賲丕丿乇 丿禺鬲乇讴 賲毓鬲賯丿 丕爻鬲 禺賵丕賴乇卮 (禺丕賱賴鈥屰� 丿禺鬲乇) 禺賵丿卮 乇丕 賵賯賮 卮賵賴乇卮 讴乇丿賴 賵 丕蹖賳 亘乇丕蹖 丕賵 賯丕亘賱 鬲丨賲賱 賳蹖爻鬲.
丿乇 趩賴丕乇 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 丕賳鬲賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 乇賵丕蹖鬲 夭賳丿诏蹖 禺賵丿 賲賵賳乇賵 丿乇 讴賵丿讴蹖 賵 賳賵噩賵丕賳蹖鈥屫ж� 丕爻鬲貙 賳蹖夭 亘賴 賵囟賵丨 丕蹖賳 乇丕 賲蹖鈥屫ㄛ屬嗃屬�. 賲丕丿乇卮 賳禺賵丕爻鬲賴 讴賴 丿乇 賲夭乇毓賴鈥屰� 倬丿乇蹖卮 亘賲丕賳丿 賵 鬲賱丕卮 讴乇丿賴 讴賴 爻胤丨 夭賳丿诏蹖鈥屫ж� 乇丕 毓賵囟 讴賳丿貙 賵 亘賳丕亘乇丕蹖賳 賲毓賱賲 卮丿賴鈥�. (丿乇 亘毓囟蹖 丿丕爻鬲丕賳鈥屬囏� 夭賳貙 賲毓賱賲 乇蹖丕囟蹖 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 鬲丕 丌乇讴蹖賵鬲丕蹖倬蹖 乇丕 讴賴 賲蹖鈥屭堐屫� 芦夭賳鈥屬囏� 賴乇诏夭 乇蹖丕囟蹖 丿乇爻 賳賲蹖鈥屫囐嗀� 趩賵賳 毓賯賱卮丕賳 賳丕賯氐 丕爻鬲禄 亘卮讴賳丿.)
倬蹖乇蹖 丕蹖賳 夭賳丕賳賽 賲賵賳乇賵蹖蹖 賴賲趩賳丕賳 亘丕 毓卮賯 賲蹖鈥屭柏必� 亘乇禺賱丕賮 鬲氐賵乇 乇丕蹖噩貙 丕蹖賳鈥� 夭賳丕賳 鬲賳賴丕 賵 亘蹖鈥屫关促� 賵 禺卮讴 賳蹖爻鬲賳丿. 丿乇 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 芦丿丕賱蹖禄 倬蹖乇夭賳 丌乇丕蹖卮 賳賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� (丕蹖賳 丕爻鬲 讴賴 賲蹖鈥屭堐屬� 毓丕卮賯 禺蹖賱蹖 丕夭 卮禺氐蹖鬲鈥屬囏й� 賲賵賳乇賵蹖蹖 賲蹖鈥屫促堎�). 亘丕 賲乇丿蹖 夭賳丿诏蹖 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 賵 丿賱鬲賳诏卮 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 鬲毓賴丿 亘乇丕蹖卮 亘爻蹖丕乇 賲賴賲 丕爻鬲.
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趩賳丿 賵賯鬲 倬蹖卮 賱蹖爻鬲蹖 乇丕 丿乇 爻丕蹖鬲 賮蹖賱賲 賱鬲乇亘丕讴爻丿 卮乇賵毓 讴乇丿賴 亘賵丿賲 亘賴鈥屬嗀з� 芦夭賳鈥屬囏й屰� 讴賴 毓丕卮賯卮丕賳 賴爻鬲賲禄. 賮賱爻賮賴鈥屫ж� 丕夭蹖賳噩丕 卮乇賵毓 卮丿 讴賴 賲鬲賵噩賴 卮丿賲 亘賴鈥屫坟必� 讴丕賲賱丕 賳丕禺賵丿丌诏丕賴蹖貙 爻丕賱鈥屬囏ж池� 丕夭 鬲蹖倬 賵 賳賵毓 禺丕氐蹖 丕夭 卮禺氐蹖鬲鈥屬囏й� 夭賳 丿乇 賮蹖賱賲鈥屬囏� 禺賵卮賲 賲蹖鈥屫③屫� 賵 亘毓丿 讴賴 爻毓蹖 讴乇丿賲 丕蹖賳 賮蹖賱賲鈥屬囏� 乇丕 丕夭 毓賲賯 匕賴賳賲 亘蹖乇賵賳 亘讴卮賲貙 亘賴 賵蹖跇诏蹖鈥屬囏й� 賲卮鬲乇讴 夭蹖丕丿蹖 乇爻蹖丿賲.
丕賵賱 丕蹖賳鈥屭┵� 丕蹖賳 丿禺鬲乇賴丕 氐丿 賵 賴卮鬲丕丿 丿乇噩賴 亘丕 丌賳鈥屭嗁� 噩丕賲毓賴 芦夭賳禄 賲蹖鈥屬嗀з呚� 賮乇賯 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀�. 丌賳鈥屬囏� 禺氐賵氐蹖丕鬲蹖 倬爻乇诏賵賳賴 丿丕乇賳丿.
卮亘丕賴鬲 丕蹖賳 賮蹖賱賲鈥屬囏� 亘賴 賲賵丕噩賴丕鬲 賵丕賯毓蹖 夭賳丿诏蹖 亘乇丕蹖賲 丕毓噩丕亘鈥屫①堌必� 亘賵丿. 丕賽賲丕蹖 Stranger Than Paradise 賴賲乇丕賴蹖 倬爻乇毓賲賵蹖卮 亘乇丕蹖 賯丿賲鈥屫藏� 丿乇 賲賳丕胤賯 禺胤乇賳丕讴 賳蹖賵蹖賵乇讴 乇丕 賳賲蹖鈥屬矩佰屫必� 賵 賲毓鬲賯丿 丕爻鬲 禺賵丿卮 丕夭 毓賴丿賴鈥屰� 丕蹖賳鈥屭┴ж� 亘乇賲蹖鈥屫③屫�. 賱亘丕爻鈥屬囏й� 丿禺鬲乇丕賳賴 乇丕 丿賵爻鬲 賳丿丕乇丿 賵 賱亘丕爻 乇丕丨鬲 賵 賲乇丿丕賳賴鈥屬堌ж� 禺賵丿卮 乇丕 鬲乇噩蹖丨 賲蹖鈥屫囏�. 丕夭 賲爻丕賮乇鬲 亘丕 丕丿蹖 賵 賵蹖賱蹖 賱匕鬲 賲蹖鈥屫ㄘ必� 亘丿賵賳 丕蹖賳鈥屭┵� 丿禺鬲乇 亘賵丿賳卮 亘丕毓孬 卮賵丿 賲鬲賮丕賵鬲 丕夭 氐乇賮丕 蹖讴 賴賲爻賮乇 亘乇丕蹖 丌賳鈥屬囏� 亘丕卮丿. 蹖毓賳蹖 乇賮鬲丕乇 賵 讴乇丿丕乇卮 賲賴賱鬲 丕蹖賳 鬲賮讴乇 乇丕 亘賴 丿蹖诏乇丕賳 賳賲蹖鈥屫囏�.
丿乇 丕蹖賳 丿賵乇丕賳 丕賱亘鬲賴 丿蹖诏乇 禺賳丿賴鈥屫ж� 丕爻鬲 讴賴 亘诏賵蹖蹖賲 賮賯胤 丿乇賵賳 乇丕 亘賳诏乇蹖丿 賵 馗丕賴乇 丕賳爻丕賳 賲賴賲 賳蹖爻鬲. 賲乇鬲亘 賵 鬲賲蹖夭 亘賵丿賳 丨爻 禺賵亘 亘賴 禺賵丿 丌丿賲 賲蹖鈥屫囏�. 賵賱蹖 蹖讴 賵賯鬲 丕蹖賳 丨爻 禺賵亘 亘乇丕蹖 丌賳 亘賴 爻乇丕睾 丌丿賲 賲蹖鈥屫③屫� 讴賴 丕夭 芦鬲賵噩賴蹖禄 讴賴 亘賴卮 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 賱匕鬲 賲蹖鈥屫ㄘ必�. 丿蹖诏乇 丕蹖賳 丌乇丕爻鬲诏蹖 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 賴丿賮 賵 爻丕毓鬲鈥屬囏� 賵賯鬲 丕爻鬲 讴賴 賲蹖鈥屫辟堌� 丿睾丿睾賴鈥屰� 毓賲丿賴鈥屰� 丌丿賲 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 倬蹖趩卮 賲賵貙 倬爻乇 賵 丿禺鬲乇 賴賲 賳丿丕乇丿.
丿禺鬲乇 丕蹖丿賴鈥屫①勝� 賮蹖賱賲 The Unspeakable Act 賵賱蹖 賲賵乇丿 鬲賵噩賴 亘賵丿賳 亘賴鈥屫ж坟� 亘丿賳卮 乇丕 賲囟丨讴 賲蹖鈥屫з嗀�. 賲丕丿乇貙 丿乇 丕蹖賳 賮蹖賱賲貙 丕睾賱亘 爻丕讴鬲 丕爻鬲 賵 讴鬲丕亘 賲蹖鈥屫堌з嗁庁� 賵 趩丕蹖 賲蹖鈥屫堌辟庁� 賵賱蹖 亘賴鈥屫必池� 賵 亘丕丿賯鬲 亘趩賴鈥屬囏й屫� 乇丕 鬲丨賱蹖賱 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 賵 亘賴鬲乇蹖賳 賲卮賵乇鬲 乇丕 亘賴鈥� 丌賳鈥屬囏� 賲蹖鈥屫囏� 丕蹖賳 丕爻鬲 賴賲爻乇蹖 丕蹖丿賴鈥屫①�. 丕蹖賳 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 讴賴 賮蹖賱賲 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 賮蹖賱賲 賲賯丿爻 賲賳.
賮讴乇 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗁� 丕诏乇 讴爻蹖 丕夭 丕爻鬲賮丕丿賴鈥屰� 夭蹖丕丿 賱賵丕夭賲 丌乇丕蹖卮 丿乇 讴卮賵乇 賳丕乇丕丨鬲 丕爻鬲貙 趩丕乇賴鈥屫ж� 爻倬乇丿賳 讴丕乇賴丕蹖 賲賴賲 亘賴 夭賳丕賳 丕爻鬲. 賳賴 賲賳卮蹖 卮丿賳. 讴丕乇賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 倬鬲丕賳爻蹖賱 丕賯賳丕毓 乇賵丨 丕賳爻丕賳 乇丕 丿丕卮鬲賴 亘丕卮賳丿. (賲孬賱丕 賮乇丿 丕蹖賳賯丿乇 讴丕乇卮 乇丕 丿賵爻鬲 丿丕乇丿 讴賴 丕夭丿賵丕噩 賳賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀�. 賲賳馗賵乇賲 趩賳蹖賳 卮睾賱鈥屬囏й屰� 丕爻鬲.) 丌賳 賵賯鬲 丿睾丿睾賴鈥屰� 賲乇丿 蹖丕 夭賳 丕夭 賲丿賱 賲賵賴丕 賮乇丕鬲乇 賲蹖鈥屫辟堌�. 卮睾賱 丕賱亘鬲賴 鬲賳賴丕 毓丕賲賱 賳蹖爻鬲貙 亘丨孬 丕氐賱蹖 丌賳 芦丿睾丿睾賴鈥屰� 賮乇丕鬲乇禄 丕爻鬲. 趩蹖夭蹖 讴賴 亘丕毓孬 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 讴爻蹖 丕賳鬲禺丕亘 讴賳丿 讴賴 乇賵夭 賵 卮亘卮 乇丕 亘丕 禺賵卮蹖賽 賳丕卮蹖 丕夭 鬲賵噩賴丕鬲蹖 讴賴 丿乇 丕蹖賳爻鬲丕诏乇丕賲 亘賴卮 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 亘诏匕乇丕賳丿貙 蹖丕 亘丕 禺賵卮蹖賽 賱匕鬲 亘乇丿賳賽 禺賵丿卮貙 丕夭 亘丕胤賳 賵 馗丕賴乇賽 禺賵丿卮.
蹖讴 賵賯丕乇 亘賴鈥屫蒂堌帝� 讴賴 讴爻蹖 丕噩丕夭賴鈥屰� 賳夭丿蹖讴鈥屫簇� 亘賴 丌賳鈥屬囏� 乇丕 亘賴 禺賵丿 賳賲蹖鈥屫囏�. 賵賯丕乇蹖 讴賴 夭賳丕賳賴 蹖丕 賲乇丿丕賳賴 賳蹖爻鬲. 賲孬賱 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 芦丌賲賵賳丿爻賳禄貙 賴賲 丿讴鬲乇 賮丕讴爻 賵 賴賲 賲蹖爻 鬲丕讴 丕蹖賳 噩丿蹖賾鬲 乇丕 丿丕乇賳丿. 賲賴乇亘丕賳蹖 鬲賵丕賲 丕爻鬲 亘丕 丕蹖賳 睾乇賵乇.
丿乇 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 芦诏賵卮賴鈥屰� 丕賲賳禄貙 賲賵丕噩賴鈥屰� 丌丿賲 丌夭丕丿 賵 鬲賵乇賳鬲賵蹖蹖 乇丕 賲蹖鈥屫ㄛ屬嗃屬� 亘丕 賮囟丕蹖蹖 亘爻鬲賴 賵 賲賯乇乇丕鬲蹖貨 讴賴 丿乇 丌賳鈥屫� 賵馗蹖賮賴鈥屰� 夭賳 丕蹖噩丕丿 诏賵卮賴鈥屰� 丕賲賳蹖 亘乇丕蹖 賲乇丿 丕爻鬲 賵 禺賵丿 夭賳鈥屬囏� 賴賲 丕蹖賳 乇丕 亘賴鈥屫官嗁堌з� 丨賯蹖賯鬲 倬匕蹖乇賮鬲賴鈥屫з嗀�. 亘乇禺賱丕賮 夭賳賽 賲賵賳乇賵蹖蹖貙 丕蹖賳 夭賳丕賳 毓丕卮賯 诏乇丿賳亘賳丿 賴爻鬲賳丿貙 賲胤蹖毓 丕賳丿貙 賵 丿乇 毓蹖賳 丨丕賱 夭賳丿诏蹖 亘乇 丌賳 賴丕 爻禺鬲 賲蹖鈥屭柏必�.
蹖讴 鈥屭┴ж臂� 讴賴 丕诏乇 丿禺鬲乇蹖 丌賳 乇丕 丕賳噩丕賲 丿賴丿 亘蹖鈥屬嗁囏й屫� 噩匕丕亘 丕爻鬲 亘乇丕蹖 賲賳貙 丿賵趩乇禺賴鈥屫迟堌ж臂� 丕爻鬲. 丕賳诏丕乇 毓賲賱蹖鈥屫簇団€屰� 丕蹖賳 丨乇賮 丕爻鬲 讴賴 芦賲賳 賲蹖鈥屫堌з嗁� 亘賴鈥屫堌ㄛ� 賲乇丿 賵 亘蹖鈥屫ж关嗀� 亘賴 賳诏丕賴 賲鬲毓噩亘 丕賵 讴丕乇蹖 讴賴 丿賵爻鬲 丿丕乇賲 乇丕 亘讴賳賲.禄 丿乇 丕蹖賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴賲 賳賲丕丿 丿賵趩乇禺賴貙鈥� 亘蹖鈥屬矩辟堌й屰� (賵 賳賴 倬乇乇賵蹖蹖) 賵 丿乇 毓蹖賳 丨丕賱 賲鬲丕賳鬲 丿禺鬲乇讴 乇丕 賳卮丕賳 賲蹖鈥屫囏�.
乇亘卮賴鈥屰� 鬲賮丕賵鬲 丕蹖賳 丿禺鬲乇賴丕 亘賴 賲丕丿乇丕賳 丌賳鈥屬囏� 亘乇賲蹖鈥屭必�. 賲丕丿乇 丿禺鬲乇讴 賲毓鬲賯丿 丕爻鬲 禺賵丕賴乇卮 (禺丕賱賴鈥屰� 丿禺鬲乇) 禺賵丿卮 乇丕 賵賯賮 卮賵賴乇卮 讴乇丿賴 賵 丕蹖賳 亘乇丕蹖 丕賵 賯丕亘賱 鬲丨賲賱 賳蹖爻鬲.
丿乇 趩賴丕乇 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 丕賳鬲賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 乇賵丕蹖鬲 夭賳丿诏蹖 禺賵丿 賲賵賳乇賵 丿乇 讴賵丿讴蹖 賵 賳賵噩賵丕賳蹖鈥屫ж� 丕爻鬲貙 賳蹖夭 亘賴 賵囟賵丨 丕蹖賳 乇丕 賲蹖鈥屫ㄛ屬嗃屬�. 賲丕丿乇卮 賳禺賵丕爻鬲賴 讴賴 丿乇 賲夭乇毓賴鈥屰� 倬丿乇蹖卮 亘賲丕賳丿 賵 鬲賱丕卮 讴乇丿賴 讴賴 爻胤丨 夭賳丿诏蹖鈥屫ж� 乇丕 毓賵囟 讴賳丿貙 賵 亘賳丕亘乇丕蹖賳 賲毓賱賲 卮丿賴鈥�. (丿乇 亘毓囟蹖 丿丕爻鬲丕賳鈥屬囏� 夭賳貙 賲毓賱賲 乇蹖丕囟蹖 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 鬲丕 丌乇讴蹖賵鬲丕蹖倬蹖 乇丕 讴賴 賲蹖鈥屭堐屫� 芦夭賳鈥屬囏� 賴乇诏夭 乇蹖丕囟蹖 丿乇爻 賳賲蹖鈥屫囐嗀� 趩賵賳 毓賯賱卮丕賳 賳丕賯氐 丕爻鬲禄 亘卮讴賳丿.)
倬蹖乇蹖 丕蹖賳 夭賳丕賳賽 賲賵賳乇賵蹖蹖 賴賲趩賳丕賳 亘丕 毓卮賯 賲蹖鈥屭柏必� 亘乇禺賱丕賮 鬲氐賵乇 乇丕蹖噩貙 丕蹖賳鈥� 夭賳丕賳 鬲賳賴丕 賵 亘蹖鈥屫关促� 賵 禺卮讴 賳蹖爻鬲賳丿. 丿乇 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 芦丿丕賱蹖禄 倬蹖乇夭賳 丌乇丕蹖卮 賳賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� (丕蹖賳 丕爻鬲 讴賴 賲蹖鈥屭堐屬� 毓丕卮賯 禺蹖賱蹖 丕夭 卮禺氐蹖鬲鈥屬囏й� 賲賵賳乇賵蹖蹖 賲蹖鈥屫促堎�). 亘丕 賲乇丿蹖 夭賳丿诏蹖 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 賵 丿賱鬲賳诏卮 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 鬲毓賴丿 亘乇丕蹖卮 亘爻蹖丕乇 賲賴賲 丕爻鬲.
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趩賳丿 賵賯鬲 倬蹖卮 賱蹖爻鬲蹖 乇丕 丿乇 爻丕蹖鬲 賮蹖賱賲 賱鬲乇亘丕讴爻丿 卮乇賵毓 讴乇丿賴 亘賵丿賲 亘賴鈥屬嗀з� 芦夭賳鈥屬囏й屰� 讴賴 毓丕卮賯卮丕賳 賴爻鬲賲禄. 賮賱爻賮賴鈥屫ж� 丕夭蹖賳噩丕 卮乇賵毓 卮丿 讴賴 賲鬲賵噩賴 卮丿賲 亘賴鈥屫坟必� 讴丕賲賱丕 賳丕禺賵丿丌诏丕賴蹖貙 爻丕賱鈥屬囏ж池� 丕夭 鬲蹖倬 賵 賳賵毓 禺丕氐蹖 丕夭 卮禺氐蹖鬲鈥屬囏й� 夭賳 丿乇 賮蹖賱賲鈥屬囏� 禺賵卮賲 賲蹖鈥屫③屫� 賵 亘毓丿 讴賴 爻毓蹖 讴乇丿賲 丕蹖賳 賮蹖賱賲鈥屬囏� 乇丕 丕夭 毓賲賯 匕賴賳賲 亘蹖乇賵賳 亘讴卮賲貙 亘賴 賵蹖跇诏蹖鈥屬囏й� 賲卮鬲乇讴 夭蹖丕丿蹖 乇爻蹖丿賲.
丕賵賱 丕蹖賳鈥屭┵� 丕蹖賳 丿禺鬲乇賴丕 氐丿 賵 賴卮鬲丕丿 丿乇噩賴 亘丕 丌賳鈥屭嗁� 噩丕賲毓賴 芦夭賳禄 賲蹖鈥屬嗀з呚� 賮乇賯 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀�. 丌賳鈥屬囏� 禺氐賵氐蹖丕鬲蹖 倬爻乇诏賵賳賴 丿丕乇賳丿.
卮亘丕賴鬲 丕蹖賳 賮蹖賱賲鈥屬囏� 亘賴 賲賵丕噩賴丕鬲 賵丕賯毓蹖 夭賳丿诏蹖 亘乇丕蹖賲 丕毓噩丕亘鈥屫①堌必� 亘賵丿. 丕賽賲丕蹖 Stranger Than Paradise 賴賲乇丕賴蹖 倬爻乇毓賲賵蹖卮 亘乇丕蹖 賯丿賲鈥屫藏� 丿乇 賲賳丕胤賯 禺胤乇賳丕讴 賳蹖賵蹖賵乇讴 乇丕 賳賲蹖鈥屬矩佰屫必� 賵 賲毓鬲賯丿 丕爻鬲 禺賵丿卮 丕夭 毓賴丿賴鈥屰� 丕蹖賳鈥屭┴ж� 亘乇賲蹖鈥屫③屫�. 賱亘丕爻鈥屬囏й� 丿禺鬲乇丕賳賴 乇丕 丿賵爻鬲 賳丿丕乇丿 賵 賱亘丕爻 乇丕丨鬲 賵 賲乇丿丕賳賴鈥屬堌ж� 禺賵丿卮 乇丕 鬲乇噩蹖丨 賲蹖鈥屫囏�. 丕夭 賲爻丕賮乇鬲 亘丕 丕丿蹖 賵 賵蹖賱蹖 賱匕鬲 賲蹖鈥屫ㄘ必� 亘丿賵賳 丕蹖賳鈥屭┵� 丿禺鬲乇 亘賵丿賳卮 亘丕毓孬 卮賵丿 賲鬲賮丕賵鬲 丕夭 氐乇賮丕 蹖讴 賴賲爻賮乇 亘乇丕蹖 丌賳鈥屬囏� 亘丕卮丿. 蹖毓賳蹖 乇賮鬲丕乇 賵 讴乇丿丕乇卮 賲賴賱鬲 丕蹖賳 鬲賮讴乇 乇丕 亘賴 丿蹖诏乇丕賳 賳賲蹖鈥屫囏�.
丿乇 丕蹖賳 丿賵乇丕賳 丕賱亘鬲賴 丿蹖诏乇 禺賳丿賴鈥屫ж� 丕爻鬲 讴賴 亘诏賵蹖蹖賲 賮賯胤 丿乇賵賳 乇丕 亘賳诏乇蹖丿 賵 馗丕賴乇 丕賳爻丕賳 賲賴賲 賳蹖爻鬲. 賲乇鬲亘 賵 鬲賲蹖夭 亘賵丿賳 丨爻 禺賵亘 亘賴 禺賵丿 丌丿賲 賲蹖鈥屫囏�. 賵賱蹖 蹖讴 賵賯鬲 丕蹖賳 丨爻 禺賵亘 亘乇丕蹖 丌賳 亘賴 爻乇丕睾 丌丿賲 賲蹖鈥屫③屫� 讴賴 丕夭 芦鬲賵噩賴蹖禄 讴賴 亘賴卮 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 賱匕鬲 賲蹖鈥屫ㄘ必�. 丿蹖诏乇 丕蹖賳 丌乇丕爻鬲诏蹖 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 賴丿賮 賵 爻丕毓鬲鈥屬囏� 賵賯鬲 丕爻鬲 讴賴 賲蹖鈥屫辟堌� 丿睾丿睾賴鈥屰� 毓賲丿賴鈥屰� 丌丿賲 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 倬蹖趩卮 賲賵貙 倬爻乇 賵 丿禺鬲乇 賴賲 賳丿丕乇丿.
丿禺鬲乇 丕蹖丿賴鈥屫①勝� 賮蹖賱賲 The Unspeakable Act 賵賱蹖 賲賵乇丿 鬲賵噩賴 亘賵丿賳 亘賴鈥屫ж坟� 亘丿賳卮 乇丕 賲囟丨讴 賲蹖鈥屫з嗀�. 賲丕丿乇貙 丿乇 丕蹖賳 賮蹖賱賲貙 丕睾賱亘 爻丕讴鬲 丕爻鬲 賵 讴鬲丕亘 賲蹖鈥屫堌з嗁庁� 賵 趩丕蹖 賲蹖鈥屫堌辟庁� 賵賱蹖 亘賴鈥屫必池� 賵 亘丕丿賯鬲 亘趩賴鈥屬囏й屫� 乇丕 鬲丨賱蹖賱 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 賵 亘賴鬲乇蹖賳 賲卮賵乇鬲 乇丕 亘賴鈥� 丌賳鈥屬囏� 賲蹖鈥屫囏� 丕蹖賳 丕爻鬲 賴賲爻乇蹖 丕蹖丿賴鈥屫①�. 丕蹖賳 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 讴賴 賮蹖賱賲 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 賮蹖賱賲 賲賯丿爻 賲賳.
賮讴乇 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗁� 丕诏乇 讴爻蹖 丕夭 丕爻鬲賮丕丿賴鈥屰� 夭蹖丕丿 賱賵丕夭賲 丌乇丕蹖卮 丿乇 讴卮賵乇 賳丕乇丕丨鬲 丕爻鬲貙 趩丕乇賴鈥屫ж� 爻倬乇丿賳 讴丕乇賴丕蹖 賲賴賲 亘賴 夭賳丕賳 丕爻鬲. 賳賴 賲賳卮蹖 卮丿賳. 讴丕乇賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 倬鬲丕賳爻蹖賱 丕賯賳丕毓 乇賵丨 丕賳爻丕賳 乇丕 丿丕卮鬲賴 亘丕卮賳丿. (賲孬賱丕 賮乇丿 丕蹖賳賯丿乇 讴丕乇卮 乇丕 丿賵爻鬲 丿丕乇丿 讴賴 丕夭丿賵丕噩 賳賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀�. 賲賳馗賵乇賲 趩賳蹖賳 卮睾賱鈥屬囏й屰� 丕爻鬲.) 丌賳 賵賯鬲 丿睾丿睾賴鈥屰� 賲乇丿 蹖丕 夭賳 丕夭 賲丿賱 賲賵賴丕 賮乇丕鬲乇 賲蹖鈥屫辟堌�. 卮睾賱 丕賱亘鬲賴 鬲賳賴丕 毓丕賲賱 賳蹖爻鬲貙 亘丨孬 丕氐賱蹖 丌賳 芦丿睾丿睾賴鈥屰� 賮乇丕鬲乇禄 丕爻鬲. 趩蹖夭蹖 讴賴 亘丕毓孬 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 讴爻蹖 丕賳鬲禺丕亘 讴賳丿 讴賴 乇賵夭 賵 卮亘卮 乇丕 亘丕 禺賵卮蹖賽 賳丕卮蹖 丕夭 鬲賵噩賴丕鬲蹖 讴賴 丿乇 丕蹖賳爻鬲丕诏乇丕賲 亘賴卮 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 亘诏匕乇丕賳丿貙 蹖丕 亘丕 禺賵卮蹖賽 賱匕鬲 亘乇丿賳賽 禺賵丿卮貙 丕夭 亘丕胤賳 賵 馗丕賴乇賽 禺賵丿卮.
July 21, 2018
I can give this collection all the accolades I鈥檝e given to the other collections I鈥檝e read by Munro. As I said of : Many of the stories are as good as anything I've read by her, though some of the ones here are even better. As I said of : ... some of these I'd read before and it was a pleasure to read them again ... This pleasure ... comes not from her characters or her plots ...but from the themes ..., some of which need to be teased out. And as I said of : Though, plot-wise, my life is nothing like the stories here, I am left wondering ... how Munro knows my inner life so well.
Though I am repeating myself, Munro doesn't -- not even in her 'Finale,' the last four stories that she says "are not quite stories," though they do hold echoes from stories in earlier collections. (The 'Finale' also reminds me of some of 's .) Before this 'Finale,' the stories are arranged for the most part, chronologically, by the age of the main character: from a young mother in the first story to an elderly woman in the last.
I don鈥檛 know if this is Munro's last collection, though, thematically, it reads as if it could be. She's still at the very top of her game, even using to great effect different styles for her (though I can鈥檛 say that for sure as I haven鈥檛 read all her work). If it is an ending, I鈥檓 glad to know that I still have much of her earlier work left to read.
Though I am repeating myself, Munro doesn't -- not even in her 'Finale,' the last four stories that she says "are not quite stories," though they do hold echoes from stories in earlier collections. (The 'Finale' also reminds me of some of 's .) Before this 'Finale,' the stories are arranged for the most part, chronologically, by the age of the main character: from a young mother in the first story to an elderly woman in the last.
I don鈥檛 know if this is Munro's last collection, though, thematically, it reads as if it could be. She's still at the very top of her game, even using to great effect different styles for her (though I can鈥檛 say that for sure as I haven鈥檛 read all her work). If it is an ending, I鈥檓 glad to know that I still have much of her earlier work left to read.
January 18, 2024
蹖丕丿賲 賲蹖丕丿 丿丕賳卮噩賵 亘賵丿賲 讴賴 丌賱蹖爻 賲賵賳乇賵 賳賵亘賱 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲 乇賵 亘乇丿 賵 讴爻蹖 乇賵 讴賴 鬲丕 乇賵夭 賯亘賱卮 讴爻蹖 鬲賵蹖 丕蹖乇丕賳 賳賲蹖鈥屫促嗀ж� 蹖讴丿賮毓賴 讴鬲丕亘鈥屬囏ж� 鬲賵蹖 丕賳賯賱丕亘 賳丕蹖丕亘 卮丿.
賲賵賳乇賵 禺蹖賱蹖 爻丕丿賴 賵 卮爻鬲賴鈥屫辟佖� 賲蹖鈥屬嗁堐屫迟� 賵 亘蹖卮鬲乇 賴賲 丿乇 賲賵乇丿 賲乇丿賲 毓丕丿蹖 丿乇 卮賴乇賴丕蹖 讴賵趩讴 賵 乇賵爻鬲丕賴丕 賲蹖鈥屬嗁堐屫迟�. 丿丕爻鬲丕賳鈥屬囏й� 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 丕賵賳賯丿乇 賲毓賲賵賱蹖 賵 乇賵夭賲乇賴 亘賵丿賳 讴賴 (亘賴 噩夭 蹖讴蹖) 卮丕蹖丿 賮乇丿丕蹖 禺賵賳丿賳 賴乇讴丿賵賲 蹖丕丿鬲賵賳 賲蹖鈥屫辟佖� 讴賴 丿乇 賲賵乇丿 趩蹖 亘賵丿賴 賵禺亘 丕蹖賳 賲爻丕賱賴 亘賴 禺賵丿蹖 禺賵丿 趩蹖夭 亘丿蹖 賳蹖爻鬲. 丕鬲賮丕賯丕 亘賴 賳馗乇賲 禺賵亘賴 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴鈥屬囏й屰� 亘丕卮賳丿 讴賴 丕蹖賳噩賵乇蹖 亘賳賵蹖爻賳丿 賵 卮丕蹖丿 丕诏乇 賴乇讴爻蹖 亘禺賵丕丿 丕夭 夭賳丿诏蹖 丕賮乇丕丿蹖 丿乇 乇賵爻鬲丕 趩蹖夭蹖 亘賳賵蹖爻賴貙 賳丕禺賵丿丌诏丕賴 亘賴 丕蹖賳 爻賲鬲 賲蹖乇賴. 丕蹖賳 爻亘讴 賲賲讴賳賴 亘乇丕蹖 亘毓囟蹖 丕夭 丕賮乇丕丿 丨賵氐賱賴鈥屫池必ㄘ� 賵 禺爻鬲賴鈥屭┵嗁嗀� 亘丕卮賴 賵 亘乇丕蹖 亘毓囟蹖 丿蹖诏乇 丌乇丕賲卮 亘賴 賴賲乇丕賴 亘蹖丕乇賴.
丿丕爻鬲丕賳鈥屬囏й� 讴鬲丕亘 賲毓賲賵賱丕 丿乇 亘丕夭賴 夭賲丕賳蹖 丨賵丕賱蹖 噩賳诏 噩賴丕賳蹖 賵 丿乇 乇賵爻鬲丕賴丕蹖蹖 丿乇 讴丕賳丕丿丕 丕鬲賮丕賯 賲蹖鈥屫з佖� 賵 卮禺氐蹖鬲鈥屬囏й� 丕氐賱蹖 丕賵賳 夭賳丕賳 賴爻鬲賳丿 亘賴 噩夭 鄞鬲丕 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 丌禺乇 讴鬲丕亘 讴賴 丿乇亘丕乇賴 禺賵丿 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 賴爻鬲貙 亘賴 賳賵毓蹖 賲蹖鬲賵賳賴 匕讴乇 禺丕胤乇丕鬲 丿賵乇丕賳 讴賵丿讴蹖 禺賵丿卮 讴賴 丕賵賳賲 丿乇 賴賲賵賳 夭賲丕賳 噩賳诏 噩賴丕賳蹖 亘賵丿賴 亘賴 丨爻丕亘 亘蹖丕丿
賲賵賳乇賵 禺蹖賱蹖 爻丕丿賴 賵 卮爻鬲賴鈥屫辟佖� 賲蹖鈥屬嗁堐屫迟� 賵 亘蹖卮鬲乇 賴賲 丿乇 賲賵乇丿 賲乇丿賲 毓丕丿蹖 丿乇 卮賴乇賴丕蹖 讴賵趩讴 賵 乇賵爻鬲丕賴丕 賲蹖鈥屬嗁堐屫迟�. 丿丕爻鬲丕賳鈥屬囏й� 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 丕賵賳賯丿乇 賲毓賲賵賱蹖 賵 乇賵夭賲乇賴 亘賵丿賳 讴賴 (亘賴 噩夭 蹖讴蹖) 卮丕蹖丿 賮乇丿丕蹖 禺賵賳丿賳 賴乇讴丿賵賲 蹖丕丿鬲賵賳 賲蹖鈥屫辟佖� 讴賴 丿乇 賲賵乇丿 趩蹖 亘賵丿賴 賵禺亘 丕蹖賳 賲爻丕賱賴 亘賴 禺賵丿蹖 禺賵丿 趩蹖夭 亘丿蹖 賳蹖爻鬲. 丕鬲賮丕賯丕 亘賴 賳馗乇賲 禺賵亘賴 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴鈥屬囏й屰� 亘丕卮賳丿 讴賴 丕蹖賳噩賵乇蹖 亘賳賵蹖爻賳丿 賵 卮丕蹖丿 丕诏乇 賴乇讴爻蹖 亘禺賵丕丿 丕夭 夭賳丿诏蹖 丕賮乇丕丿蹖 丿乇 乇賵爻鬲丕 趩蹖夭蹖 亘賳賵蹖爻賴貙 賳丕禺賵丿丌诏丕賴 亘賴 丕蹖賳 爻賲鬲 賲蹖乇賴. 丕蹖賳 爻亘讴 賲賲讴賳賴 亘乇丕蹖 亘毓囟蹖 丕夭 丕賮乇丕丿 丨賵氐賱賴鈥屫池必ㄘ� 賵 禺爻鬲賴鈥屭┵嗁嗀� 亘丕卮賴 賵 亘乇丕蹖 亘毓囟蹖 丿蹖诏乇 丌乇丕賲卮 亘賴 賴賲乇丕賴 亘蹖丕乇賴.
丿丕爻鬲丕賳鈥屬囏й� 讴鬲丕亘 賲毓賲賵賱丕 丿乇 亘丕夭賴 夭賲丕賳蹖 丨賵丕賱蹖 噩賳诏 噩賴丕賳蹖 賵 丿乇 乇賵爻鬲丕賴丕蹖蹖 丿乇 讴丕賳丕丿丕 丕鬲賮丕賯 賲蹖鈥屫з佖� 賵 卮禺氐蹖鬲鈥屬囏й� 丕氐賱蹖 丕賵賳 夭賳丕賳 賴爻鬲賳丿 亘賴 噩夭 鄞鬲丕 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 丌禺乇 讴鬲丕亘 讴賴 丿乇亘丕乇賴 禺賵丿 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 賴爻鬲貙 亘賴 賳賵毓蹖 賲蹖鬲賵賳賴 匕讴乇 禺丕胤乇丕鬲 丿賵乇丕賳 讴賵丿讴蹖 禺賵丿卮 讴賴 丕賵賳賲 丿乇 賴賲賵賳 夭賲丕賳 噩賳诏 噩賴丕賳蹖 亘賵丿賴 亘賴 丨爻丕亘 亘蹖丕丿
February 9, 2017
鈥庁堌池з嗁� 诏乇丕賳賯丿乇貙 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 丕夭 224 氐賮丨賴 賵 11 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 鬲卮讴蹖賱 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲 讴賴 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕 丨丕賱鬲 乇賵丕蹖鬲 诏賵賳賴 賵 爻丕丿賴 丕蹖 丿丕乇丿 賵 亘乇禺蹖 丕夭 丌賳賴丕 亘賴 賳馗乇 賲蹖乇爻丿 讴賴 丿乇亘丕乇賴贁 禺賵丿 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 丕爻鬲
鈥庁ж池з嗁囏� 賳讴鬲賴贁 禺丕氐蹖 賳丿丕乇丿 賵 賴賲丕賳胤賵乇 讴賴 诏賮鬲賲 亘爻蹖丕乇 爻丕丿賴 丕爻鬲 賵 丨鬲蹖 賴蹖噩丕賳賽 禺丕氐蹖 賳蹖夭 丿乇 丌賳 丿蹖丿賴 賳賲蹖卮賵丿
鈥庂呝堌顿堌观� 讴賴 丿乇 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕 亘賴 趩卮賲 賲蹖禺賵乇丿 賵 賲賳 乇丕 禺賵卮丨丕賱 賲蹖讴乇丿貙 丕賴賲蹖鬲 丿丕丿賳賽 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 亘賴 噩賳爻賽 夭賳 丕爻鬲 賵 亘賴 诏賵賳賴 丕蹖 賯賴乇賲丕賳賴丕蹖 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕 丕夭 噩賳爻賽 毓夭蹖夭賽 夭賳 賴爻鬲賳丿
鈥庂� 丕賲賾丕 賲賵囟賵毓蹖 讴賴 亘乇丕蹖賲 丿賱趩爻亘 賳亘賵丿 丕蹖賳 亘賵丿 讴賴: 賲賳 卮禺氐丕賸 毓賱丕賯賴贁 夭蹖丕丿蹖 亘賴 爻亘讴賽 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賳賵蹖爻蹖 賵 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲賽 乇賵爻 賵 卮賵乇賵蹖 爻丕亘賯 丿丕乇賲... 賵 賱匕丕 賴乇 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 丕蹖 讴賴 乇賵爻 賳亘丕卮丿 賵 丕夭 爻亘讴賽 乇賵爻 亘賴乇賴 亘亘乇丿貙 賳丕禺賵丿丌诏丕賴 丕夭 趩卮賲賽 賲賳 賲蹖 丕賮鬲丿... 丕丨爻丕爻 讴乇丿賲貙 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 丿乇 丌孬丕乇卮 亘蹖卮 丕夭 丨丿 丕夭 爻亘讴賽 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賳賵蹖爻蹖賽 夭賳丿賴 蹖丕丿 芦賳蹖讴賵賱丕蹖 诏賵诏賵賱禄賵 芦丌賳鬲賵丕賳 趩禺賵賮禄 鬲賯賱蹖丿 讴乇丿賴 亘賵丿 賵 丕蹖賳 乇丕 賲蹖鬲賵丕賳蹖賲 丨鬲蹖 丿乇 亘賴 讴丕乇 亘乇丿賳賽 賳丕賲 賴丕 賵 賮丕賲蹖賱蹖 賴丕蹖賽 賲乇丿賲賽 丿賴讴丿賴 賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 丕夭 丌賳賴丕 乇賵丕蹖鬲 讴乇丿賴 亘賵丿貙 鬲卮禺蹖氐 丿賴蹖賲
鈥庂嗀з� 卮禺氐蹖鬲 賴丕 丌賵乇丿賴 賲蹖卮賵丿 賵 爻倬爻 丿乇 賲賵乇丿賽 馗丕賴乇 賵 卮禺氐蹖鬲 丌賳賴丕 鬲賵囟蹖丨 丿丕丿賴 賲蹖卮賵丿... 丕蹖賳 爻亘讴 亘乇丕蹖 賲丕 讴丕賲賱丕賸 丌卮賳丕爻鬲 賵 賳讴鬲賴贁 鬲丕夭賴 賵 噩丕賱亘蹖 丨丿丕賯賱 亘乇丕蹖 賲賳 賳丿丕卮鬲
鈥庁� 讴賱 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕蹖賽 丌禺乇 讴賴 丿乇 賲賵乇丿 禺賵丿賽 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 亘賵丿貙 亘乇丕蹖 賲賳 噩丕賱亘 鬲賵噩賴 賳亘賵丿 賵 禺爻鬲賴 讴賳賳丿賴 亘賵丿貙 诏賵蹖丕 賮賯胤 賳賵卮鬲賴 卮丿賴 亘賵丿 鬲丕 鬲毓丿丕丿 氐賮丨丕鬲 亘丕賱丕 乇賵丿
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鈥庁з呟屫堌ж辟� 丕夭 锟斤拷賵丕賳丿賳賽 丕蹖賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕 賱匕鬲 亘亘乇蹖丿
鈥庁关槽屫藏з嗁呚� 賲賲讴賳 丕爻鬲 卮賲丕 丕蹖賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕 乇丕 亘倬爻賳丿蹖丿... 亘賴 賴乇丨丕賱 亘丕乇賴丕 诏賮鬲賴 丕賲 讴賴 丿乇 賲賵乇丿賽 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賵 卮毓乇貙 爻賱蹖賯賴 賴丕 賲鬲賮丕賵鬲 丕爻鬲... 賲賳 賴賲 賮賯胤 賵 賮賯胤 賳馗乇賽 禺賵丿賲 乇丕 亘蹖丕賳 讴乇丿賲... 禺賵丕賳丿賳賽 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴丕蹖 讴賵鬲丕賴 丕夭 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳賽 亘爻蹖丕乇貙 爻亘亘 賲蹖卮賵丿 鬲丕 卮賲丕 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕蹖賽 讴賵鬲丕賴 乇丕 亘丕 賵爻賵丕爻 亘蹖卮鬲乇蹖 禺賵丕賳丿賴 賵 亘賴鬲乇 亘鬲賵丕賳蹖丿 丌賳賴丕 乇丕 賲賵乇丿 賳賯丿 賵 亘乇乇爻蹖 賯乇丕乇 亘丿賴蹖丿... 亘賴 禺氐賵氐 丕诏乇 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賳賵蹖爻 賴丕蹖蹖 賴賲趩賵賳 夭賳丿賴 蹖丕丿 芦氐丕丿賯 賴丿丕蹖鬲禄 賵 芦氐丕丿賯 趩賵亘讴禄 乇丕 丿乇 亘禺卮 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賳賵蹖爻蹖 讴賵鬲丕賴貙 丿乇 爻乇夭賲蹖賳鬲丕賳 丿丕卮鬲賴 亘丕卮蹖丿... 賱匕丕 賲毓蹖丕乇 卮賲丕 賲賯丕蹖爻賴 亘丕 丕蹖賳 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳賽 亘蹖賳馗蹖乇 賲蹖亘丕卮丿
鈥幝聚屫辟堌� 亘丕卮蹖丿 賵 丕蹖乇丕賳蹖禄
鈥庁ж池з嗁囏� 賳讴鬲賴贁 禺丕氐蹖 賳丿丕乇丿 賵 賴賲丕賳胤賵乇 讴賴 诏賮鬲賲 亘爻蹖丕乇 爻丕丿賴 丕爻鬲 賵 丨鬲蹖 賴蹖噩丕賳賽 禺丕氐蹖 賳蹖夭 丿乇 丌賳 丿蹖丿賴 賳賲蹖卮賵丿
鈥庂呝堌顿堌观� 讴賴 丿乇 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕 亘賴 趩卮賲 賲蹖禺賵乇丿 賵 賲賳 乇丕 禺賵卮丨丕賱 賲蹖讴乇丿貙 丕賴賲蹖鬲 丿丕丿賳賽 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 亘賴 噩賳爻賽 夭賳 丕爻鬲 賵 亘賴 诏賵賳賴 丕蹖 賯賴乇賲丕賳賴丕蹖 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕 丕夭 噩賳爻賽 毓夭蹖夭賽 夭賳 賴爻鬲賳丿
鈥庂� 丕賲賾丕 賲賵囟賵毓蹖 讴賴 亘乇丕蹖賲 丿賱趩爻亘 賳亘賵丿 丕蹖賳 亘賵丿 讴賴: 賲賳 卮禺氐丕賸 毓賱丕賯賴贁 夭蹖丕丿蹖 亘賴 爻亘讴賽 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賳賵蹖爻蹖 賵 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲賽 乇賵爻 賵 卮賵乇賵蹖 爻丕亘賯 丿丕乇賲... 賵 賱匕丕 賴乇 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 丕蹖 讴賴 乇賵爻 賳亘丕卮丿 賵 丕夭 爻亘讴賽 乇賵爻 亘賴乇賴 亘亘乇丿貙 賳丕禺賵丿丌诏丕賴 丕夭 趩卮賲賽 賲賳 賲蹖 丕賮鬲丿... 丕丨爻丕爻 讴乇丿賲貙 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 丿乇 丌孬丕乇卮 亘蹖卮 丕夭 丨丿 丕夭 爻亘讴賽 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賳賵蹖爻蹖賽 夭賳丿賴 蹖丕丿 芦賳蹖讴賵賱丕蹖 诏賵诏賵賱禄賵 芦丌賳鬲賵丕賳 趩禺賵賮禄 鬲賯賱蹖丿 讴乇丿賴 亘賵丿 賵 丕蹖賳 乇丕 賲蹖鬲賵丕賳蹖賲 丨鬲蹖 丿乇 亘賴 讴丕乇 亘乇丿賳賽 賳丕賲 賴丕 賵 賮丕賲蹖賱蹖 賴丕蹖賽 賲乇丿賲賽 丿賴讴丿賴 賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 丕夭 丌賳賴丕 乇賵丕蹖鬲 讴乇丿賴 亘賵丿貙 鬲卮禺蹖氐 丿賴蹖賲
鈥庂嗀з� 卮禺氐蹖鬲 賴丕 丌賵乇丿賴 賲蹖卮賵丿 賵 爻倬爻 丿乇 賲賵乇丿賽 馗丕賴乇 賵 卮禺氐蹖鬲 丌賳賴丕 鬲賵囟蹖丨 丿丕丿賴 賲蹖卮賵丿... 丕蹖賳 爻亘讴 亘乇丕蹖 賲丕 讴丕賲賱丕賸 丌卮賳丕爻鬲 賵 賳讴鬲賴贁 鬲丕夭賴 賵 噩丕賱亘蹖 丨丿丕賯賱 亘乇丕蹖 賲賳 賳丿丕卮鬲
鈥庁� 讴賱 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕蹖賽 丌禺乇 讴賴 丿乇 賲賵乇丿 禺賵丿賽 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 亘賵丿貙 亘乇丕蹖 賲賳 噩丕賱亘 鬲賵噩賴 賳亘賵丿 賵 禺爻鬲賴 讴賳賳丿賴 亘賵丿貙 诏賵蹖丕 賮賯胤 賳賵卮鬲賴 卮丿賴 亘賵丿 鬲丕 鬲毓丿丕丿 氐賮丨丕鬲 亘丕賱丕 乇賵丿
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鈥庁з呟屫堌ж辟� 丕夭 锟斤拷賵丕賳丿賳賽 丕蹖賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕 賱匕鬲 亘亘乇蹖丿
鈥庁关槽屫藏з嗁呚� 賲賲讴賳 丕爻鬲 卮賲丕 丕蹖賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕 乇丕 亘倬爻賳丿蹖丿... 亘賴 賴乇丨丕賱 亘丕乇賴丕 诏賮鬲賴 丕賲 讴賴 丿乇 賲賵乇丿賽 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賵 卮毓乇貙 爻賱蹖賯賴 賴丕 賲鬲賮丕賵鬲 丕爻鬲... 賲賳 賴賲 賮賯胤 賵 賮賯胤 賳馗乇賽 禺賵丿賲 乇丕 亘蹖丕賳 讴乇丿賲... 禺賵丕賳丿賳賽 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴丕蹖 讴賵鬲丕賴 丕夭 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳賽 亘爻蹖丕乇貙 爻亘亘 賲蹖卮賵丿 鬲丕 卮賲丕 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕蹖賽 讴賵鬲丕賴 乇丕 亘丕 賵爻賵丕爻 亘蹖卮鬲乇蹖 禺賵丕賳丿賴 賵 亘賴鬲乇 亘鬲賵丕賳蹖丿 丌賳賴丕 乇丕 賲賵乇丿 賳賯丿 賵 亘乇乇爻蹖 賯乇丕乇 亘丿賴蹖丿... 亘賴 禺氐賵氐 丕诏乇 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賳賵蹖爻 賴丕蹖蹖 賴賲趩賵賳 夭賳丿賴 蹖丕丿 芦氐丕丿賯 賴丿丕蹖鬲禄 賵 芦氐丕丿賯 趩賵亘讴禄 乇丕 丿乇 亘禺卮 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賳賵蹖爻蹖 讴賵鬲丕賴貙 丿乇 爻乇夭賲蹖賳鬲丕賳 丿丕卮鬲賴 亘丕卮蹖丿... 賱匕丕 賲毓蹖丕乇 卮賲丕 賲賯丕蹖爻賴 亘丕 丕蹖賳 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳賽 亘蹖賳馗蹖乇 賲蹖亘丕卮丿
鈥幝聚屫辟堌� 亘丕卮蹖丿 賵 丕蹖乇丕賳蹖禄
February 1, 2015
Where do I begin? My second Munro and I feel that familiar sensation, like feeling for the barely palpable edge of the sticky tape on the roll, a way in, when everything feels like the centre, a cycle that's encircled me, that I've had with me for so long I can't imagine either end.
It's not as if the stories are all the same or blur into each other - far from it in fact! The mood and mode of each is so crisply distinct I can imagine Munro writing in an organised study, selecting from the options as from coloured paints lined up on a shelf - shall we have 'brooding pastoral' with a splash of 'breathless passion'?
There is structural variation too, Munro even amuses (and terrifies) us with a storyform so hackneyed that EFL exam handbooks warn against it: the 'I woke up and it was all a dream' trope. Wait. Here's a tiny ridge, let's peel it. The edge Munro presents us with here is the uncertainty of reality and of identity when memory becomes unstable, thus tripping up the trope: we cannot awaken from this half-dream. The threat of dissolution is softened by the darkly comic, but finally heartening story 'Dolly', which I read aloud to my mum in the car. We both thought it would make a great screenplay.
Most of these stories have keener edges, over which we peer into less final abysses. In most of them, a woman is punished for transgressing the rigid norms of conservative small-town society. The means of correction are many and varied, all too often they are internal - the self-coercing mechanisms of patriarchal socialisation kick in. There's a truthfulness, a wry rightness to the detail that has me constantly nodding: that's the way it goes.
But plotwise it isn't the way it goes, it's always fresh and surprising, the page yields up a shock, the heart drops a beat and races. It's only the texture of everyday life that is so utterly real, so well worn and worn well on the strong frames of Munro's direct, unadorned sentences, her many quiet, clear voices that allow precise evocation, and make a calm and light background for strange small horrors and delights to leap out from all the more vividly.
Generational gaps are important in a collection that examines a period of shifting cultural values. There are a few young characters imbued with potentially rebellious, transformative energy, especially disruptive, gregarious, voluble Mary in 'Amundsen', who, although she transforms the narrator Vivien into Miss Hyde, seems to make generous efforts to preserve her threatened vivacity. The narrator of 'Haven', a tale in which the deadly patriarchal morality of a passing era is deftly explored, also has a certain energy and freedom about her. These lively, unrestrained young girls remind me of The Madwoman in the Attic in which Gilbert and Gubar share their divination of a sad yearning on the part of C19th women authors for lively spirited girls like Catherine Earnshaw in Wuthering Heights to be able to grow up into autonomy and subjectivity, instead of being imprisoned by sex roles.
In 'Haven' as in other stories, the reader is not spared discomfort. I found myself anguished by even subtle hints of the narrator's increased socialisation into patriarchy. Munro is not afraid to offer the unpleasant; her tactic is to confront it, and there is a therapeutic value in this, a learning that unpleasant things exist, which helps to deal with them or put them in their place. In one of the concluding semi-autobiographical pieces, 'Voices', the narrator shares how her father helped her to deal with terrifying thoughts of killing her sister by telling her that 'everyone thinks things like that', reassuring her thus that the unwanted thought is not an intention. Munro's stories sometimes deal with unwanted thoughts and panic in helpful ways.
'Pride' and 'Corrie' deal with sexuality around physical disabilities, making space in the discussion for differences of gender and social class. Cultural assumptions about male desire are thrown into relief, as are those about women as empathic carers. 'Train' forms something of a counterpoint to these stories in that is deals with an apparently asexual man. Compulsory heterosexuality keeps him more or less on the run from one safe-space to another, yet such freedom is clearly a gendered prerogative - he finds work anywhere and is (explicitly) assumed to be trustworthy. A lone woman would not have such mobility, unless, perhaps, she were a sex-worker, which would come at the cost of social exclusion.
In general the stories have harmony with each other, in their shades of like and unlike. Occasionally there is a sunny clearing, as in the loving older couple in 'Leaving Maverly'. The natural world, beautifully sketched, is ever-present and significant (sometimes it seems that everything is significant in Munro, every detail has a polysemous aura, which discussion helped me to read), though arguably it only once, at the end of 'Pride' intervenes and utters the last, transcendent, cryptic, unanswerable word.
It's not as if the stories are all the same or blur into each other - far from it in fact! The mood and mode of each is so crisply distinct I can imagine Munro writing in an organised study, selecting from the options as from coloured paints lined up on a shelf - shall we have 'brooding pastoral' with a splash of 'breathless passion'?
There is structural variation too, Munro even amuses (and terrifies) us with a storyform so hackneyed that EFL exam handbooks warn against it: the 'I woke up and it was all a dream' trope. Wait. Here's a tiny ridge, let's peel it. The edge Munro presents us with here is the uncertainty of reality and of identity when memory becomes unstable, thus tripping up the trope: we cannot awaken from this half-dream. The threat of dissolution is softened by the darkly comic, but finally heartening story 'Dolly', which I read aloud to my mum in the car. We both thought it would make a great screenplay.
Most of these stories have keener edges, over which we peer into less final abysses. In most of them, a woman is punished for transgressing the rigid norms of conservative small-town society. The means of correction are many and varied, all too often they are internal - the self-coercing mechanisms of patriarchal socialisation kick in. There's a truthfulness, a wry rightness to the detail that has me constantly nodding: that's the way it goes.
But plotwise it isn't the way it goes, it's always fresh and surprising, the page yields up a shock, the heart drops a beat and races. It's only the texture of everyday life that is so utterly real, so well worn and worn well on the strong frames of Munro's direct, unadorned sentences, her many quiet, clear voices that allow precise evocation, and make a calm and light background for strange small horrors and delights to leap out from all the more vividly.
Generational gaps are important in a collection that examines a period of shifting cultural values. There are a few young characters imbued with potentially rebellious, transformative energy, especially disruptive, gregarious, voluble Mary in 'Amundsen', who, although she transforms the narrator Vivien into Miss Hyde, seems to make generous efforts to preserve her threatened vivacity. The narrator of 'Haven', a tale in which the deadly patriarchal morality of a passing era is deftly explored, also has a certain energy and freedom about her. These lively, unrestrained young girls remind me of The Madwoman in the Attic in which Gilbert and Gubar share their divination of a sad yearning on the part of C19th women authors for lively spirited girls like Catherine Earnshaw in Wuthering Heights to be able to grow up into autonomy and subjectivity, instead of being imprisoned by sex roles.
In 'Haven' as in other stories, the reader is not spared discomfort. I found myself anguished by even subtle hints of the narrator's increased socialisation into patriarchy. Munro is not afraid to offer the unpleasant; her tactic is to confront it, and there is a therapeutic value in this, a learning that unpleasant things exist, which helps to deal with them or put them in their place. In one of the concluding semi-autobiographical pieces, 'Voices', the narrator shares how her father helped her to deal with terrifying thoughts of killing her sister by telling her that 'everyone thinks things like that', reassuring her thus that the unwanted thought is not an intention. Munro's stories sometimes deal with unwanted thoughts and panic in helpful ways.
'Pride' and 'Corrie' deal with sexuality around physical disabilities, making space in the discussion for differences of gender and social class. Cultural assumptions about male desire are thrown into relief, as are those about women as empathic carers. 'Train' forms something of a counterpoint to these stories in that is deals with an apparently asexual man. Compulsory heterosexuality keeps him more or less on the run from one safe-space to another, yet such freedom is clearly a gendered prerogative - he finds work anywhere and is (explicitly) assumed to be trustworthy. A lone woman would not have such mobility, unless, perhaps, she were a sex-worker, which would come at the cost of social exclusion.
In general the stories have harmony with each other, in their shades of like and unlike. Occasionally there is a sunny clearing, as in the loving older couple in 'Leaving Maverly'. The natural world, beautifully sketched, is ever-present and significant (sometimes it seems that everything is significant in Munro, every detail has a polysemous aura, which discussion helped me to read), though arguably it only once, at the end of 'Pride' intervenes and utters the last, transcendent, cryptic, unanswerable word.
November 20, 2021
协褌芯 薪邪 褋邪屑芯屑 写械谢械 褋斜芯褉薪懈泻 泻芯褉芯褌泻懈褏 褉芯屑邪薪芯胁 鈥� 泻邪泻懈械-褌芯 褍写懈胁懈褌械谢褜薪芯 蟹邪泻褉褍谐谢械薪薪褘械 懈 芯泻芯薪褔械薪薪褘械, 芯褌 泻邪泻懈褏-褌芯 芯褋褌邪谢邪褋褜 褌芯谢褜泻芯 锌邪褉邪 胁邪卸薪褘褏 褋褑械薪, 懈 械褋褌褜 褉邪褋褋泻邪蟹 芦袗屑褍薪写褋械薪禄, 泻芯褌芯褉褘泄 写芯谢卸械薪 写谢懈褌褜褋褟 胁褋械谐写邪, 锌芯褌芯屑褍 褔褌芯 褝褌芯 懈写械邪谢褜薪褘泄 褉褍褋褋泻懈泄 褉芯屑邪薪, 芯斜褌芯褔械薪薪褘泄 写芯 泻芯薪褑械薪褌褉邪褌邪 褋屑褘褋谢芯胁, 写胁懈卸械薪懈泄 懈 芯斜褉邪蟹芯胁, 邪 褏芯褔械褌褋褟 斜芯谢褜褕械 褝褌芯谐芯 褏芯谢芯写邪, 斜械褉械蟹, 褌褍斜械褉泻褍谢械蟹薪芯泄 斜械蟹褘褋褏芯写薪芯褋褌懈, 泻褉邪泄薪芯褋褌懈 蟹械屑谢懈, 褌懈褕懈薪褘 懈 胁褋械褏 懈褋褌芯褉懈泄, 褔褌芯 芯褋褌邪谢懈褋褜 薪械褉邪褋褋泻邪蟹邪薪薪褘屑懈.
January 30, 2017
This is Alice Munro's most recent collection of short stories. Despite the advanced years of this grande dame of Canadian literature, her narrative powers have lost none of their sharpness. This offering has a family resemblance to other works of hers which I have read in the past. The setting is often a small Canadian town where life is very humdrum and ordinary. In this environment, shocking. tragic, bittersweet and sometimes humorous events can arise. They are chronicled with a detached, often ironic and yet intense clarity. The last few stories are more autobiographical than fictional, and she reaches back into childhood days as she struggles to comprehend mysterious and sometimes baffling events unfolding around her and to deal with her rather eccentric parents.
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