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诏乇蹖夭倬丕
賲噩賲賵毓賴 丿丕爻鬲丕賳鈥屬囏й� 讴賵鬲丕賴 賲賵賳乇賵 鬲丕讴賳賵賳 亘賴 趩賳丿 夭亘丕賳 鬲乇噩賲賴 卮丿賴 賵 噩賵丕蹖夭 丕丿亘蹖 亘爻蹖丕乇蹖 讴爻亘 讴乇丿賴鈥屫з嗀�. 賲噩賲賵毓賴 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 诏乇蹖夭倬丕 賳蹖夭 噩丕蹖夭賴贁 诏蹖賱乇 (Giller) 爻丕賱 鄄郯郯鄞 乇丕 丕夭 丌賳 禺賵丿 讴乇丿賴 丕爻鬲.
鬲賳賴丕蹖蹖貙 亘丨乇丕賳 丿禺鬲乇丕賳 丿乇 爻賳 亘賱賵睾 賵 賲爻丕蹖賱 夭賳丕賳 丿乇 丿賵乇賴鈥屬囏й� 爻賳蹖 賲鬲賮丕賵鬲 丕夭 噩賲賱賴 賲囟丕賲蹖賳 丌孬丕乇 丌賱蹖爻 賲賵賳乇賵 丕爻鬲. 賲讴丕卮賮賴贁 卮禺氐蹖鬲鈥屬囏й� 丕賵 丿乇 丨蹖賳 鬲噩乇亘賴贁 夭賳丿诏蹖 亘賴 賴乇 乇賵蹖丿丕丿 賲毓賳丕蹖 禺丕氐蹖 賲蹖鈥屫ㄘ簇�. 賵丕賯毓鈥屭必й屰� 丌孬丕乇 丕蹖賳 亘丕賳賵蹖 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 賴賲鈥屫驰� 賲禺丕胤亘 賵 賲賳鬲賯丿 乇丕 亘乇賲蹖鈥屫з嗂屫藏� 丌賳 趩賳丕賳 讴賴 倬爻 丕夭 賴乇 丿丕爻鬲丕賳貙 丨爻 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 讴賴 禺賵丿 賳蹖夭 丌賳 賵丕賯毓賴 乇丕 夭蹖爻鬲賴 丕爻鬲.
爻毓蹖 讴乇丿 亘丕 丨賵丕爻 噩賲毓 亘賴 鬲賵乇賳鬲賵 賵 丕賵賱蹖賳 讴丕乇賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 丕夭 丌賳 亘賴 亘毓丿 亘丕蹖丿 丕賳噩丕賲 賲蹖鈥屫ж� 賮讴乇 讴賳丿: 鬲丕讴爻蹖. 禺丕賳賴鈥屫й� 讴賴 鬲丕 亘賴 丨丕賱 賳丿蹖丿賴 亘賵丿 賵 鬲禺鬲鈥屫堌жㄛ� 賳丕丌卮賳丕蹖蹖 讴賴 丨丕賱丕 賲蹖鈥屫ㄘй屫池� 亘賴 鬲賳賴丕蹖蹖 乇賵蹖 丌賳 賲蹖鈥屫堌жㄛ屫�. 賮乇丿丕 亘丕蹖丿 丿乇 丿賮鬲乇 乇丕賴賳賲丕蹖 鬲賱賮賳 賳卮丕賳蹖 丕氐胤亘賱鈥屬囏й� 丕爻亘 爻賵丕乇蹖 乇丕 倬蹖丿丕 賲蹖鈥屭┴必� 亘賴 丌賳噩丕 賲蹖鈥屫辟佖� 賵 鬲賯丕囟丕蹖 讴丕乇 賲蹖鈥屭┴必�.
鬲賳賴丕蹖蹖貙 亘丨乇丕賳 丿禺鬲乇丕賳 丿乇 爻賳 亘賱賵睾 賵 賲爻丕蹖賱 夭賳丕賳 丿乇 丿賵乇賴鈥屬囏й� 爻賳蹖 賲鬲賮丕賵鬲 丕夭 噩賲賱賴 賲囟丕賲蹖賳 丌孬丕乇 丌賱蹖爻 賲賵賳乇賵 丕爻鬲. 賲讴丕卮賮賴贁 卮禺氐蹖鬲鈥屬囏й� 丕賵 丿乇 丨蹖賳 鬲噩乇亘賴贁 夭賳丿诏蹖 亘賴 賴乇 乇賵蹖丿丕丿 賲毓賳丕蹖 禺丕氐蹖 賲蹖鈥屫ㄘ簇�. 賵丕賯毓鈥屭必й屰� 丌孬丕乇 丕蹖賳 亘丕賳賵蹖 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 賴賲鈥屫驰� 賲禺丕胤亘 賵 賲賳鬲賯丿 乇丕 亘乇賲蹖鈥屫з嗂屫藏� 丌賳 趩賳丕賳 讴賴 倬爻 丕夭 賴乇 丿丕爻鬲丕賳貙 丨爻 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 讴賴 禺賵丿 賳蹖夭 丌賳 賵丕賯毓賴 乇丕 夭蹖爻鬲賴 丕爻鬲.
爻毓蹖 讴乇丿 亘丕 丨賵丕爻 噩賲毓 亘賴 鬲賵乇賳鬲賵 賵 丕賵賱蹖賳 讴丕乇賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 丕夭 丌賳 亘賴 亘毓丿 亘丕蹖丿 丕賳噩丕賲 賲蹖鈥屫ж� 賮讴乇 讴賳丿: 鬲丕讴爻蹖. 禺丕賳賴鈥屫й� 讴賴 鬲丕 亘賴 丨丕賱 賳丿蹖丿賴 亘賵丿 賵 鬲禺鬲鈥屫堌жㄛ� 賳丕丌卮賳丕蹖蹖 讴賴 丨丕賱丕 賲蹖鈥屫ㄘй屫池� 亘賴 鬲賳賴丕蹖蹖 乇賵蹖 丌賳 賲蹖鈥屫堌жㄛ屫�. 賮乇丿丕 亘丕蹖丿 丿乇 丿賮鬲乇 乇丕賴賳賲丕蹖 鬲賱賮賳 賳卮丕賳蹖 丕氐胤亘賱鈥屬囏й� 丕爻亘 爻賵丕乇蹖 乇丕 倬蹖丿丕 賲蹖鈥屭┴必� 亘賴 丌賳噩丕 賲蹖鈥屫辟佖� 賵 鬲賯丕囟丕蹖 讴丕乇 賲蹖鈥屭┴必�.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
1987 people are currently reading
34031 people want to read
About the author
Alice Munro
228听books6,500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 2,867 reviews
September 19, 2014
Not, who has read more Alice Munro that I have, wants to know why she doesn't write novels. Her uncharitable hypothesis is that Munro is too lazy to do the necessary work; she'd rather just scribble down each idea in short story form and then move on to the next one. Other people criticize her for being "cerebral" or "contrived". I don't agree with any of this, but I can see where the accusations are coming from.
After some thought, I find a metaphor which sums up my own feelings. It's true that a Munro story can seem just a little too perfect. Everything fits together so elegantly; there is nothing wasted. A non-chessplayer might compare it to a chess game. But for someone who does play chess, the image doesn't work. A normal chess game is like a novel. It's a story with a beginning, a middle and an end, where things often go in unexpected directions and painfully have to be put back on track. Novelists can never quite control their characters (Proust somehow ended up putting in a couple more books than he had originally intended), and chessplayers have an even harder time controlling their pieces.
There is a small group of people in the chess world, however, who do something which feels more rewarding to them than playing games; they compose endgame studies. A study is a chess idea expressed in its purest form. Every piece is necessary, and there is only one sequence of moves that achieves the desired result, given best defence. If White's task is to win, then he has only one way to win, and if it is to draw, then he only has one way to draw. The composer has a key position in mind, which possesses some unusual or beautiful property. At first, the arrangement of the pieces appears pointless; but finally the solver realizes that in just this case a knight is worth more than a queen, or the king finds itself miraculously stalemated in the middle of the board, and they see what the composer is doing.
A Munro story feels to me rather like a study. There is a small group of people and a set of relationships between them. Nothing seems out of the ordinary. But somehow, as the story unfolds, a logical but completely unexpected scene arises. A woman with psychic powers, baking little dough mice in an institution; or a child, with a winter coat over her pyjamas, standing shivering in a snowdrift and helping scatter ashes. You suddenly understand that this is what the story was about.
Very few chessplayers are able to create worthwhile studies. I think Munro's gift is similar, and just as rare.
After some thought, I find a metaphor which sums up my own feelings. It's true that a Munro story can seem just a little too perfect. Everything fits together so elegantly; there is nothing wasted. A non-chessplayer might compare it to a chess game. But for someone who does play chess, the image doesn't work. A normal chess game is like a novel. It's a story with a beginning, a middle and an end, where things often go in unexpected directions and painfully have to be put back on track. Novelists can never quite control their characters (Proust somehow ended up putting in a couple more books than he had originally intended), and chessplayers have an even harder time controlling their pieces.
There is a small group of people in the chess world, however, who do something which feels more rewarding to them than playing games; they compose endgame studies. A study is a chess idea expressed in its purest form. Every piece is necessary, and there is only one sequence of moves that achieves the desired result, given best defence. If White's task is to win, then he has only one way to win, and if it is to draw, then he only has one way to draw. The composer has a key position in mind, which possesses some unusual or beautiful property. At first, the arrangement of the pieces appears pointless; but finally the solver realizes that in just this case a knight is worth more than a queen, or the king finds itself miraculously stalemated in the middle of the board, and they see what the composer is doing.
A Munro story feels to me rather like a study. There is a small group of people and a set of relationships between them. Nothing seems out of the ordinary. But somehow, as the story unfolds, a logical but completely unexpected scene arises. A woman with psychic powers, baking little dough mice in an institution; or a child, with a winter coat over her pyjamas, standing shivering in a snowdrift and helping scatter ashes. You suddenly understand that this is what the story was about.
Very few chessplayers are able to create worthwhile studies. I think Munro's gift is similar, and just as rare.
October 27, 2022
Escapada es un libro maravilloso de una autora maravillosa, y con este galard贸n que le otorgo son ya tres los premios que este libro de cuentos acumula tras haber recibido el Giller Prize y el Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize.
Las decisiones en momentos cruciales de las vidas de los protagonistas son uno de los puntos fijos alrededor de los cuales gira una buena parte de la narrativa de Alice Munro. Ya destaqu茅 este aspecto en el comentario sobre El amor de una mujer generosa, aunque en este caso el tema se aborda en muchos de los cuentos desde un punto de vista bien distinto. En esta ocasi贸n no se trata tanto de reflexionar sobre el camino elegido o el lugar alcanzado, como del propio acto de decidir, de las insondables razones que muchas veces est谩n en la base de nuestra toma de decisiones.
Porque no siempre resulta f谩cil conocer estas razones, y no siempre es por falta de valent铆a para enfrentarnos a ellas. En ocasiones parece que simplemente las tomamos o que son ellas las que nos toman a nosotros. Y si ya es dif铆cil su concreci贸n para el protagonista, para los espectadores puede llegar a ser un imposible. Las mujeres que pueblan estos relatos nos sorprender谩n con su forma de actuar tomando decisiones que parecen perjudiciales para ellas mismas, y, al mismo tiempo, la autora logra convencernos de que en el fondo nada pod铆a ser de otra manera o, mejor a煤n, nos da pistas, ni muchas ni pocas, para construir esas razones que nos permitan hacer pie, cada uno su pie, sabiendo que鈥�
"Siempre tenemos la idea de que hay una u otra raz贸n y seguimos intentando descubrir razones. Pero creo que la raz贸n no es algo tan f谩cil de sacar a la luz"
Otro punto que me ha parecido novedoso en estos relatos respecto a otros libros de Munro es la tensi贸n que envuelve a muchos de ellos. Una tensi贸n de desastre inminente que sobrevuela constantemente las relaciones existentes entre los personajes.
Por lo dem谩s, no faltan todos esos elementos que hacen grandes los relatos de esta excepcional escritora: la aparente sencillez con la que despliega ante nosotros la complejidad de los sentimientos; los reveladores detalles, contados como de pasada, que caracterizan una vida y pueden cambiarla por completo; los giros inesperados, los silencios, el deseo en todas sus posibilidades, la culpa, la esperanza, y la sensaci贸n, al terminar cada relato, de haber le铆do toda una novela, de haber asistido a toda una vida. Lean y disfruten comprobando lo dif铆cil que puede ser escapar, m谩xime si no se tiene muy claro de qu茅 escapas y la explosi贸n de sentimientos que te llev贸 a ello se ha desvanecido hasta dejarte vac铆o.
Oh, Alice Munro, por el placer que me ha sido concedido yo os declaro grande entre las grandes.
May 17, 2024
Runaway: Noun or Verb?
As a noun, 鈥渞unaway鈥� conjures a fairly specific character and situation.
Image: Runaway child with backpack
But as a phrasal verb, running away is often much broader and more metaphorical.
Right now, writing this, while sitting at my laptop, I鈥檓 running away from planning a conference presentation. In the past, I have run away from physical fear (trying to climb a net); a job I hated so much it was making me ill; and from potential rejection (and thus from possible acceptance).
But more often, consciously or not, I stiffen my British upper lip and focus on surviving immediate difficulties, either by denial or by distracting myself with fripperies, against a background of hopeful detachment.
Living in the present can be a coping strategy for those with past trauma or a fearful future. I鈥檓 not really in either camp. But maybe as a symptom of enjoying fiction, if times are tricky, I default to imagining alternative situations, rather than face the one I鈥檓 actually living.
Image: My life is more interesting inside my head (I can鈥檛 find the original artist)
Even doing nothing is a decision of sorts.
鈥�Never put off to tomorrow, what you can put off till next week.鈥�
- said no successful, famous, and content person, ever.
I see the patterns of my behaviour, but not a generalised solution, no way to discern which approach to use when. This is frustrating, because wilful ignorance is an accidentally recurring theme of my recent reading: Ford Madox Ford鈥檚 The Good Soldier (see my review HERE) and John Williams鈥� Nothing But the Night (see my review HERE), and now this.
Reading to Save Ourselves
My edition has an introduction by Jonathan Franzen. I read it in 2018, a year and a half into Trump鈥檚 presidency. But in 2004, Franzen wrote:
鈥�Hatred is entertaining. The great insight of media-age extremists. How else to explain the election of so many repellant zealots, the disintegration of political civility, the ascendancy of Fox New?鈥�
He ends up asking if a better kind of fiction can save the world, and concludes that鈥檚 unlikely, but it may save your soul.
That is why we read, and why we discuss on GR.
I think there is more worth in that thought than in some of these stories - except they are part of his solution.
A Mixed Bag
Three of the stories are episodes in the life of one character, Juliet, forming a novella. That is preceded and followed by other stories, which are unrelated, except they are all of similar length, have single-word titles, and share the general theme of a Canadian woman running away: from the past, from parents, from partners, from a child, from reality, from religion - and to it.
To quote from REM鈥檚 , they want 鈥淭o breathe at the thought of such freedom鈥� Opened the window, A breath, this song, how long, And knew, knew, belong.鈥�
There鈥檚 nothing inherently wrong with a mix of novella and short stories, but in this case, it added to the sense of unevenness in the collection.
The best of the stories were very good (though not superb, like Munro鈥檚 The Lives of Girls and Women (see my review HERE)), but the final one was a ridiculous, disjointed, unengaging mess!
THE STORIES
Runaway 3*
Carla ran away to marry Clark.
鈥�She saw him as the architect of the life ahead of them, herself as captive, her submission both proper and exquisite.鈥�
They now run a stables, not very successfully, and are married, not very successfully. Carla is fonder of her pet goat, Flora. You sense casual manipulation and overt put-downs: a 鈥渟ee-saw misery鈥�. Then, a more twisted plan, and a dash of almost magical-realism.
Chance (Juliet鈥檚 story, part 1) 4*
As a child in the suburbs, Juliet鈥檚 mother had wanted her to be popular, and her father to fit in:
鈥�Her sort of intelligence was often put in the same category as a limp or an extra thumb.鈥�
She鈥檚 now a young classics teacher who views and interprets the world and people in it by analogies in Greek mythology. She has a strange experience and a curious encounter on a train. Blood is relevant for two very different reasons. The parallel narratives mean you鈥檙e not initially clear how or if they鈥檙e connected, and whether one is imaginary.
Soon (Juliet鈥檚 story, part 2) 3*
This opens with a description of a strange painting titled, 鈥淚 and the Village鈥�. Juliet takes her small daughter (Penelope) to visit her aging hippie parents, Sam and Sara, who 鈥渓ived in a curious but not unhappy isolation鈥�. Atheist Juliet is shocked that her mother has acquired some sort of faith, and angry when a priest friend of her mother鈥檚 criticizes her for depriving Penelope of a religious upbringing. It鈥檚 poignant, but firmly the middle part; it doesn鈥檛 work as well as a standalone story as parts 1 and 3.
Silence (Juliet鈥檚 story, part 3) 5*
Penelope is now 20, and has been away at a spiritual retreat for the last six months. Unlike the other stories in the collection, this one focuses on the one left behind, as she tries to join the dots, tormented by thoughts of what she should have done differently. It鈥檚 far more painful. Brilliantly so. There can be freedom in being abandoned. But freedom isn鈥檛 necessarily happiness.
Passion 4*
The risk of revisiting the past is that it has changed, gone, or is just irrelevant. Grace returns to the lake town where she had worked and fallen in love. Or rather, Maury fell in love with her. She seemed closer (though not in a sexual way) to his mother, who understood her passion for knowledge.
鈥�Mrs Travers would not start any sort of conversation until enough time had passed for Grace鈥檚 thoughts to have got loose from whatever book she had been in.鈥�
The title is as much about lack of passion (fear and inexperience made McEwan鈥檚 On Chesil Beach come to mind - see my review HERE) as misdirected passion. Two people running away from different things, in different ways, is not necessarily a recipe for a happy ending.
Trespasses 4*
The previous story started with a woman revisiting her past and ended with drama in a car. This separate story starts with four in a car, revisiting the past. The situation is intriguingly vague, as are the connections between the people, and the two timelines - rather like one of the characters:
鈥�She talked about her life without getting it in any kind of order.鈥�
It鈥檚 about identity and the sort of insecurities many children have about their place in the world, and especially their family. It looked as if it was going to be unoriginal and thus predictable. It was neither.
鈥�If there was one big thing she hadn鈥檛 known about, why could there not be another? This notion was unsettling, but it had a distant charm.鈥�
Tricks 5*
Robin (26) cares for her sickly older sister, Joanne. Her annual treat to herself is a trip to see a Shakespeare play, and his themes are the key to the story: lost and found, mistaken identity, opportunities lost by a sliver of chance, and the transformative effect of a curious and powerful connection.
鈥�Nothing faded for her鈥� Her memories, and the embroidery on her memories, just kept wearing a deeper groove.鈥�
Powers 1*
A first person narration (mostly), starting earlier than the others, in 1927. Nancy has recently left school, but is still rather naive and childish in her extrovert and teasing ways. A male friend wonders why he hangs out with her, when she is:
鈥�Not outstanding in any way, except perhaps in being spoiled, saucy, and egotistical.鈥�
Nancy herself:
鈥�Was truly, naturally reckless and full of some pure conviction that she led a charmed life.鈥�
I didn鈥檛 buy it. Her friend Tessa seemed more charmed, living in the woods, doing psychic consultations, mainly to help people find lost things - including bodies.
Anyway, Nancy gets implausibly engaged, and then married, then there鈥檚 an epistolary section, and a bit of discussion of parapsychology. Later, the story turns more to Tessa, and the consequences of moderate fame, infamy, and investigation. There are chance meetings that are too convenient. The characters are mostly inconsistent and not credible. There鈥檚 mention of people鈥檚 need to believe in alternative reality. Very bitty time hops. The ending was odd and confusing.
This story was a mess. I hated it, and most of all, I hated that it was the last one of an otherwise very good collection.
Other Quotes
鈥� 鈥淭he whole countryside was changing, shaking itself loose鈥� after a long period of endless rain.
鈥� 鈥淭hey [outings] were what people did before they understood the realities of their lives.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淗e was both a handsome man and a silly-looking man. Tall, lean, well built, but with a slouch that seemed artificial. A contrived, self-conscious air of menace鈥� a vain little moustache, eyes that appeared both hopeful and mocking, a boyish smile perpetually on the verge of a sulk.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淚t was as if she had a murderous needle somewhere in her lungs, and by breathing carefully, she could avoid feeling it. But every once in a while she had to take a deep breath, and it was still there.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淭rim abundance鈥� a few repetitive houses鈥� (suburbs).
鈥� 鈥淪he can tell by his voice that he is claiming her鈥� He advances on her and she feels herself ransacked from top to bottom, flooded with relief, assaulted by happiness.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淭he sort of card you send to an acquaintance whose tastes you cannot guess.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淭he memory of him in the daily and ordinary world was in retreat.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淭he smell did not make Grace hungry, exactly - it made her remember being hungry in other circumstances.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淗er casually provocative outfits.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淓verything might still be cheerful but the cheerfulness was hard as knives鈥� (a couple, after drinking).
鈥� 鈥淎 bachelor鈥檚 room, with everything deliberate and necessary proclaiming a certain austere satisfaction.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淭he conversation of kisses.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淪poradic and secret, but, on the whole, comforting鈥� (someone鈥檚 sex life).
As a noun, 鈥渞unaway鈥� conjures a fairly specific character and situation.
Image: Runaway child with backpack
But as a phrasal verb, running away is often much broader and more metaphorical.
Right now, writing this, while sitting at my laptop, I鈥檓 running away from planning a conference presentation. In the past, I have run away from physical fear (trying to climb a net); a job I hated so much it was making me ill; and from potential rejection (and thus from possible acceptance).
But more often, consciously or not, I stiffen my British upper lip and focus on surviving immediate difficulties, either by denial or by distracting myself with fripperies, against a background of hopeful detachment.
Living in the present can be a coping strategy for those with past trauma or a fearful future. I鈥檓 not really in either camp. But maybe as a symptom of enjoying fiction, if times are tricky, I default to imagining alternative situations, rather than face the one I鈥檓 actually living.
Image: My life is more interesting inside my head (I can鈥檛 find the original artist)
Even doing nothing is a decision of sorts.
鈥�Never put off to tomorrow, what you can put off till next week.鈥�
- said no successful, famous, and content person, ever.
I see the patterns of my behaviour, but not a generalised solution, no way to discern which approach to use when. This is frustrating, because wilful ignorance is an accidentally recurring theme of my recent reading: Ford Madox Ford鈥檚 The Good Soldier (see my review HERE) and John Williams鈥� Nothing But the Night (see my review HERE), and now this.
Reading to Save Ourselves
My edition has an introduction by Jonathan Franzen. I read it in 2018, a year and a half into Trump鈥檚 presidency. But in 2004, Franzen wrote:
鈥�Hatred is entertaining. The great insight of media-age extremists. How else to explain the election of so many repellant zealots, the disintegration of political civility, the ascendancy of Fox New?鈥�
He ends up asking if a better kind of fiction can save the world, and concludes that鈥檚 unlikely, but it may save your soul.
That is why we read, and why we discuss on GR.
I think there is more worth in that thought than in some of these stories - except they are part of his solution.
A Mixed Bag
Three of the stories are episodes in the life of one character, Juliet, forming a novella. That is preceded and followed by other stories, which are unrelated, except they are all of similar length, have single-word titles, and share the general theme of a Canadian woman running away: from the past, from parents, from partners, from a child, from reality, from religion - and to it.
To quote from REM鈥檚 , they want 鈥淭o breathe at the thought of such freedom鈥� Opened the window, A breath, this song, how long, And knew, knew, belong.鈥�
There鈥檚 nothing inherently wrong with a mix of novella and short stories, but in this case, it added to the sense of unevenness in the collection.
The best of the stories were very good (though not superb, like Munro鈥檚 The Lives of Girls and Women (see my review HERE)), but the final one was a ridiculous, disjointed, unengaging mess!
THE STORIES
Runaway 3*
Carla ran away to marry Clark.
鈥�She saw him as the architect of the life ahead of them, herself as captive, her submission both proper and exquisite.鈥�
They now run a stables, not very successfully, and are married, not very successfully. Carla is fonder of her pet goat, Flora. You sense casual manipulation and overt put-downs: a 鈥渟ee-saw misery鈥�. Then, a more twisted plan, and a dash of almost magical-realism.
Chance (Juliet鈥檚 story, part 1) 4*
As a child in the suburbs, Juliet鈥檚 mother had wanted her to be popular, and her father to fit in:
鈥�Her sort of intelligence was often put in the same category as a limp or an extra thumb.鈥�
She鈥檚 now a young classics teacher who views and interprets the world and people in it by analogies in Greek mythology. She has a strange experience and a curious encounter on a train. Blood is relevant for two very different reasons. The parallel narratives mean you鈥檙e not initially clear how or if they鈥檙e connected, and whether one is imaginary.
Soon (Juliet鈥檚 story, part 2) 3*
This opens with a description of a strange painting titled, 鈥淚 and the Village鈥�. Juliet takes her small daughter (Penelope) to visit her aging hippie parents, Sam and Sara, who 鈥渓ived in a curious but not unhappy isolation鈥�. Atheist Juliet is shocked that her mother has acquired some sort of faith, and angry when a priest friend of her mother鈥檚 criticizes her for depriving Penelope of a religious upbringing. It鈥檚 poignant, but firmly the middle part; it doesn鈥檛 work as well as a standalone story as parts 1 and 3.
Silence (Juliet鈥檚 story, part 3) 5*
Penelope is now 20, and has been away at a spiritual retreat for the last six months. Unlike the other stories in the collection, this one focuses on the one left behind, as she tries to join the dots, tormented by thoughts of what she should have done differently. It鈥檚 far more painful. Brilliantly so. There can be freedom in being abandoned. But freedom isn鈥檛 necessarily happiness.
Passion 4*
The risk of revisiting the past is that it has changed, gone, or is just irrelevant. Grace returns to the lake town where she had worked and fallen in love. Or rather, Maury fell in love with her. She seemed closer (though not in a sexual way) to his mother, who understood her passion for knowledge.
鈥�Mrs Travers would not start any sort of conversation until enough time had passed for Grace鈥檚 thoughts to have got loose from whatever book she had been in.鈥�
The title is as much about lack of passion (fear and inexperience made McEwan鈥檚 On Chesil Beach come to mind - see my review HERE) as misdirected passion. Two people running away from different things, in different ways, is not necessarily a recipe for a happy ending.
Trespasses 4*
The previous story started with a woman revisiting her past and ended with drama in a car. This separate story starts with four in a car, revisiting the past. The situation is intriguingly vague, as are the connections between the people, and the two timelines - rather like one of the characters:
鈥�She talked about her life without getting it in any kind of order.鈥�
It鈥檚 about identity and the sort of insecurities many children have about their place in the world, and especially their family. It looked as if it was going to be unoriginal and thus predictable. It was neither.
鈥�If there was one big thing she hadn鈥檛 known about, why could there not be another? This notion was unsettling, but it had a distant charm.鈥�
Tricks 5*
Robin (26) cares for her sickly older sister, Joanne. Her annual treat to herself is a trip to see a Shakespeare play, and his themes are the key to the story: lost and found, mistaken identity, opportunities lost by a sliver of chance, and the transformative effect of a curious and powerful connection.
鈥�Nothing faded for her鈥� Her memories, and the embroidery on her memories, just kept wearing a deeper groove.鈥�
Powers 1*
A first person narration (mostly), starting earlier than the others, in 1927. Nancy has recently left school, but is still rather naive and childish in her extrovert and teasing ways. A male friend wonders why he hangs out with her, when she is:
鈥�Not outstanding in any way, except perhaps in being spoiled, saucy, and egotistical.鈥�
Nancy herself:
鈥�Was truly, naturally reckless and full of some pure conviction that she led a charmed life.鈥�
I didn鈥檛 buy it. Her friend Tessa seemed more charmed, living in the woods, doing psychic consultations, mainly to help people find lost things - including bodies.
Anyway, Nancy gets implausibly engaged, and then married, then there鈥檚 an epistolary section, and a bit of discussion of parapsychology. Later, the story turns more to Tessa, and the consequences of moderate fame, infamy, and investigation. There are chance meetings that are too convenient. The characters are mostly inconsistent and not credible. There鈥檚 mention of people鈥檚 need to believe in alternative reality. Very bitty time hops. The ending was odd and confusing.
This story was a mess. I hated it, and most of all, I hated that it was the last one of an otherwise very good collection.
Other Quotes
鈥� 鈥淭he whole countryside was changing, shaking itself loose鈥� after a long period of endless rain.
鈥� 鈥淭hey [outings] were what people did before they understood the realities of their lives.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淗e was both a handsome man and a silly-looking man. Tall, lean, well built, but with a slouch that seemed artificial. A contrived, self-conscious air of menace鈥� a vain little moustache, eyes that appeared both hopeful and mocking, a boyish smile perpetually on the verge of a sulk.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淚t was as if she had a murderous needle somewhere in her lungs, and by breathing carefully, she could avoid feeling it. But every once in a while she had to take a deep breath, and it was still there.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淭rim abundance鈥� a few repetitive houses鈥� (suburbs).
鈥� 鈥淪he can tell by his voice that he is claiming her鈥� He advances on her and she feels herself ransacked from top to bottom, flooded with relief, assaulted by happiness.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淭he sort of card you send to an acquaintance whose tastes you cannot guess.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淭he memory of him in the daily and ordinary world was in retreat.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淭he smell did not make Grace hungry, exactly - it made her remember being hungry in other circumstances.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淗er casually provocative outfits.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淓verything might still be cheerful but the cheerfulness was hard as knives鈥� (a couple, after drinking).
鈥� 鈥淎 bachelor鈥檚 room, with everything deliberate and necessary proclaiming a certain austere satisfaction.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淭he conversation of kisses.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淪poradic and secret, but, on the whole, comforting鈥� (someone鈥檚 sex life).
October 1, 2020
Runaway: Stories, Alice Munro
Runaway is a book of short stories by Alice Munro. First published in 2004 by McClelland and Stewart, it was awarded that year's Giller Prize and Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize.
There are eight short stories in the book. Three of the stories ("Chance", "Soon", and "Silence") are about a single character named "Juliet Henderson".
"Runaway" 鈥� a woman is trapped in a bad marriage.
"Chance" 鈥� Juliet takes a train trip which leads to an affair.
"Soon" 鈥� Juliet visits her parents with her child Penelope.
"Silence" 鈥� Juliet hopes for news from her adult estranged daughter Penelope.
"Passion" 鈥� A lonely small town girl flees a passionless relationship with an outsider.
"Trespasses" 鈥� Lauren, a young girl, meets an older woman, Delphine, who is too interested in her.
"Tricks" 鈥� Robin, a lonely girl, lives life alone due to bad luck and misinterpretation.
"Powers," the eighth and final story in the collection, is divided into five parts.
毓賳賵丕賳賴丕: 芦诏乇蹖夭倬丕禄貨 芦賮乇丕乇禄貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 丌賱蹖爻 賲賵賳乇賵貙 鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮: 賴卮鬲賲 賲丕賴 跇丕賳賵蹖賴 爻丕賱 2011賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳 蹖讴: 诏乇蹖夭倬丕貙 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 丌賱蹖爻 賲賵賳乇賵貙 賲鬲乇噩賲: 卮賯丕蹖賯 賯賳丿賴丕乇蹖貙 賳卮乇: 丕賮賯貙 賳賵亘鬲 趩丕倬: 爻賵賲貙 鬲丕乇蹖禺 趩丕倬: 1385貙 鬲毓丿丕丿 氐賮丨丕鬲: 192氐賮丨賴貙 賯胤毓 乇賯毓蹖貙 賳賵毓 噩賱丿 卮賵賲蹖夭貙 卮賲丕乇賴 卮丕亘讴 9643692930貨 賲賵囟賵毓 乇賲丕賳 賵 賲噩賲賵毓賴 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 亘夭乇诏爻丕賱貙 诏乇賵賴 爻賳蹖: 亘夭乇诏爻丕賱貙 爻丿賴 21賲
毓賳賵丕賳 丿賵: 賮乇丕乇貙 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 丌賱蹖爻 賲賵賳乇賵貙 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賲跇丿賴 丿賯蹖賯蹖貙 賲賵囟賵毓 乇賲丕賳 賵 賲噩賲賵毓賴 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 亘夭乇诏爻丕賱貙 诏乇賵賴 爻賳蹖: 亘夭乇诏爻丕賱貙 賳卮乇 賳蹖賱賵賮乇貙 賳賵亘鬲 趩丕倬 責貙 鬲丕乇蹖禺 趩丕倬 1389貙 鬲毓丿丕丿 氐賮丨丕鬲: 394氐賮丨賴貙 賯胤毓: 乇賯毓蹖貙 賳賵毓 噩賱丿: 卮賵賲蹖夭貨
賲噩賲賵毓賴 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 诏乇蹖夭倬丕 (賮乇丕乇)貙 噩丕蹖夭賴鈥� 蹖 芦诏蹖賱乇禄 爻丕賱 2004賲蹖賱丕丿蹖 乇丕 丕夭 丌賳 禺賵丿 讴乇丿賴 丕爻鬲貨 鬲賳賴丕蹖蹖貙 亘丨乇丕賳 丿禺鬲乇丕賳 丿乇 爻賳 亘賱賵睾貙 賵 賲爻丕蹖賱 夭賳丕賳 丿乇 丿賵乇賴鈥� 賴丕蹖 爻賳蹖 賲鬲賮丕賵鬲 丕夭 賲囟丕賲蹖賳 丌孬丕乇 芦丌賱蹖爻 賲賵賳乇賵禄 丕爻鬲貨 賲讴丕卮賮賴鈥� 蹖 卮禺氐蹖鬲鈥屬囏й� 丕賵 丿乇 丨蹖賳 鬲噩乇亘賴鈥� 蹖 夭賳丿诏蹖 亘賴 賴乇 乇賵蹖丿丕丿貙 賲毓賳丕蹖 賵蹖跇賴 丕蹖 賲蹖鈥屫ㄘ簇� 賵丕賯毓鈥屭必й屰� 丌孬丕乇 丕蹖賳 亘丕賳賵蹖 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴貙 賴賲鈥屫驰� 禺賵丕賳卮诏乇 賵 賲賳鬲賯丿 乇丕 亘乇賲蹖鈥屫з嗂屫藏� 丌賳鈥屭嗁嗀з� 讴賴 倬爻 丕夭 賴乇 丿丕爻鬲丕賳貙 丨爻 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 讴賴 禺賵丿 賳蹖夭 丌賳 乇禺丿丕丿 乇丕 夭蹖爻鬲賴 丕爻鬲
賳賯賱 丕夭 賲鬲賳 讴鬲丕亘: 芦爻毓蹖 讴乇丿 亘丕 丨賵丕爻 噩賲毓貙 亘賴 鬲賵乇賳鬲賵 賵 丕賵賱蹖賳 讴丕乇賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 丕夭 丌賳 亘賴 亘毓丿 亘丕蹖丿 丕賳噩丕賲 賲蹖鈥屫ж� 賮讴乇 讴賳丿: 鬲丕讴爻蹖. 禺丕賳賴鈥� 丕蹖 讴賴 鬲丕 亘賴 丨丕賱 賳丿蹖丿賴 亘賵丿貙 賵 鬲禺鬲鈥屫堌ж� 賳丕丌卮賳丕蹖蹖 讴賴 丨丕賱丕 賲蹖鈥屫ㄘй屫池� 亘賴 鬲賳賴丕蹖蹖 乇賵蹖 丌賳 賲蹖鈥屫堌жㄛ屫�. 賮乇丿丕 亘丕蹖丿 丿乇 丿賮鬲乇 乇丕賴賳賲丕蹖 鬲賱賮賳貙 賳卮丕賳蹖 丕氐胤亘賱鈥屬囏й� 丕爻亘 爻賵丕乇蹖 乇丕 倬蹖丿丕 賲蹖鈥屭┴必� 亘賴 丌賳噩丕 賲蹖鈥屫辟佖� 賵 鬲賯丕囟丕蹖 讴丕乇 賲蹖鈥屭┴必� 倬丕蹖丕賳 賳賯賱
鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 09/07/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
Runaway is a book of short stories by Alice Munro. First published in 2004 by McClelland and Stewart, it was awarded that year's Giller Prize and Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize.
There are eight short stories in the book. Three of the stories ("Chance", "Soon", and "Silence") are about a single character named "Juliet Henderson".
"Runaway" 鈥� a woman is trapped in a bad marriage.
"Chance" 鈥� Juliet takes a train trip which leads to an affair.
"Soon" 鈥� Juliet visits her parents with her child Penelope.
"Silence" 鈥� Juliet hopes for news from her adult estranged daughter Penelope.
"Passion" 鈥� A lonely small town girl flees a passionless relationship with an outsider.
"Trespasses" 鈥� Lauren, a young girl, meets an older woman, Delphine, who is too interested in her.
"Tricks" 鈥� Robin, a lonely girl, lives life alone due to bad luck and misinterpretation.
"Powers," the eighth and final story in the collection, is divided into five parts.
毓賳賵丕賳賴丕: 芦诏乇蹖夭倬丕禄貨 芦賮乇丕乇禄貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 丌賱蹖爻 賲賵賳乇賵貙 鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮: 賴卮鬲賲 賲丕賴 跇丕賳賵蹖賴 爻丕賱 2011賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳 蹖讴: 诏乇蹖夭倬丕貙 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 丌賱蹖爻 賲賵賳乇賵貙 賲鬲乇噩賲: 卮賯丕蹖賯 賯賳丿賴丕乇蹖貙 賳卮乇: 丕賮賯貙 賳賵亘鬲 趩丕倬: 爻賵賲貙 鬲丕乇蹖禺 趩丕倬: 1385貙 鬲毓丿丕丿 氐賮丨丕鬲: 192氐賮丨賴貙 賯胤毓 乇賯毓蹖貙 賳賵毓 噩賱丿 卮賵賲蹖夭貙 卮賲丕乇賴 卮丕亘讴 9643692930貨 賲賵囟賵毓 乇賲丕賳 賵 賲噩賲賵毓賴 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 亘夭乇诏爻丕賱貙 诏乇賵賴 爻賳蹖: 亘夭乇诏爻丕賱貙 爻丿賴 21賲
毓賳賵丕賳 丿賵: 賮乇丕乇貙 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 丌賱蹖爻 賲賵賳乇賵貙 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賲跇丿賴 丿賯蹖賯蹖貙 賲賵囟賵毓 乇賲丕賳 賵 賲噩賲賵毓賴 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 亘夭乇诏爻丕賱貙 诏乇賵賴 爻賳蹖: 亘夭乇诏爻丕賱貙 賳卮乇 賳蹖賱賵賮乇貙 賳賵亘鬲 趩丕倬 責貙 鬲丕乇蹖禺 趩丕倬 1389貙 鬲毓丿丕丿 氐賮丨丕鬲: 394氐賮丨賴貙 賯胤毓: 乇賯毓蹖貙 賳賵毓 噩賱丿: 卮賵賲蹖夭貨
賲噩賲賵毓賴 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 诏乇蹖夭倬丕 (賮乇丕乇)貙 噩丕蹖夭賴鈥� 蹖 芦诏蹖賱乇禄 爻丕賱 2004賲蹖賱丕丿蹖 乇丕 丕夭 丌賳 禺賵丿 讴乇丿賴 丕爻鬲貨 鬲賳賴丕蹖蹖貙 亘丨乇丕賳 丿禺鬲乇丕賳 丿乇 爻賳 亘賱賵睾貙 賵 賲爻丕蹖賱 夭賳丕賳 丿乇 丿賵乇賴鈥� 賴丕蹖 爻賳蹖 賲鬲賮丕賵鬲 丕夭 賲囟丕賲蹖賳 丌孬丕乇 芦丌賱蹖爻 賲賵賳乇賵禄 丕爻鬲貨 賲讴丕卮賮賴鈥� 蹖 卮禺氐蹖鬲鈥屬囏й� 丕賵 丿乇 丨蹖賳 鬲噩乇亘賴鈥� 蹖 夭賳丿诏蹖 亘賴 賴乇 乇賵蹖丿丕丿貙 賲毓賳丕蹖 賵蹖跇賴 丕蹖 賲蹖鈥屫ㄘ簇� 賵丕賯毓鈥屭必й屰� 丌孬丕乇 丕蹖賳 亘丕賳賵蹖 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴貙 賴賲鈥屫驰� 禺賵丕賳卮诏乇 賵 賲賳鬲賯丿 乇丕 亘乇賲蹖鈥屫з嗂屫藏� 丌賳鈥屭嗁嗀з� 讴賴 倬爻 丕夭 賴乇 丿丕爻鬲丕賳貙 丨爻 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 讴賴 禺賵丿 賳蹖夭 丌賳 乇禺丿丕丿 乇丕 夭蹖爻鬲賴 丕爻鬲
賳賯賱 丕夭 賲鬲賳 讴鬲丕亘: 芦爻毓蹖 讴乇丿 亘丕 丨賵丕爻 噩賲毓貙 亘賴 鬲賵乇賳鬲賵 賵 丕賵賱蹖賳 讴丕乇賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 丕夭 丌賳 亘賴 亘毓丿 亘丕蹖丿 丕賳噩丕賲 賲蹖鈥屫ж� 賮讴乇 讴賳丿: 鬲丕讴爻蹖. 禺丕賳賴鈥� 丕蹖 讴賴 鬲丕 亘賴 丨丕賱 賳丿蹖丿賴 亘賵丿貙 賵 鬲禺鬲鈥屫堌ж� 賳丕丌卮賳丕蹖蹖 讴賴 丨丕賱丕 賲蹖鈥屫ㄘй屫池� 亘賴 鬲賳賴丕蹖蹖 乇賵蹖 丌賳 賲蹖鈥屫堌жㄛ屫�. 賮乇丿丕 亘丕蹖丿 丿乇 丿賮鬲乇 乇丕賴賳賲丕蹖 鬲賱賮賳貙 賳卮丕賳蹖 丕氐胤亘賱鈥屬囏й� 丕爻亘 爻賵丕乇蹖 乇丕 倬蹖丿丕 賲蹖鈥屭┴必� 亘賴 丌賳噩丕 賲蹖鈥屫辟佖� 賵 鬲賯丕囟丕蹖 讴丕乇 賲蹖鈥屭┴必� 倬丕蹖丕賳 賳賯賱
鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 09/07/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
July 3, 2020
Another superb collection of stories by Alice Munro. The stories in this collection are longer and often make giant leaps forward in time so we get a sense of the entire life of her characters. She also uses the same character in three stories. As usual, her main theme is the lives of women who can't quite find an inspiring home in the world in which they're forced to live. Dysfunctional relationships, especially with men but sometimes with daughters, abound. She's so good at evoking the settling dust of disappointment.
February 23, 2012
As seen on
Like many readers, I claim quite often that I am not really a fan of short stories, that is, I claim that until I come across the next good short story collection, like 's . My imaginary dislike for shorts can surely be traced to reading too many poorly assembled multi-author anthologies. There are maybe two of them in existence that I can honestly call good. From my experience, single-author collections are much, much more satisfying.
, I have a podcast to thank for discovering a new great author - this time, . The moment I finished listening to Munro's "Axis," I went straight to my digital public library to download me more of her stories.
What 's stories remind me the most of are the works of another fabulous Canadian writer - , particularly and . (Maybe Canadian books, similar to Australian, have a specific regional "flavor"? I am starting to believe they do, Canadian fiction tends to evokes feelings of cold, emptiness, spaciousness and loneliness in me.)
Munro's stories have the same structure, they are told through a prism of many years past, usually by a mature female narrator, who looks back in time and recollects a specific experience of her youth that changed the whole course of her life. The stories are told from a position of maturity and understanding, but with a feeling of a mild regret. In the present, decades later, those life-turning events do not sting as much as they used to, but the narrator knows unequivocally, they have changed EVERYTHING.
These events that Munro writes so beautifully about, can be quite trivial on the surface (like going on a wild car ride with one's passionless fiance's brother or being momentarily rude to an annoying passenger on a train) or traumatizing (appearance of a strange woman in a child's life who makes the strangest insinuations about the child's birth), but whatever these events are, they affect the narrator in a major way.
Munro's prose is deceptively simple and straightforward, but what she achieves with it is tremendous. Her fame as one of finest short story writers is well deserved.
Like many readers, I claim quite often that I am not really a fan of short stories, that is, I claim that until I come across the next good short story collection, like 's . My imaginary dislike for shorts can surely be traced to reading too many poorly assembled multi-author anthologies. There are maybe two of them in existence that I can honestly call good. From my experience, single-author collections are much, much more satisfying.
, I have a podcast to thank for discovering a new great author - this time, . The moment I finished listening to Munro's "Axis," I went straight to my digital public library to download me more of her stories.
What 's stories remind me the most of are the works of another fabulous Canadian writer - , particularly and . (Maybe Canadian books, similar to Australian, have a specific regional "flavor"? I am starting to believe they do, Canadian fiction tends to evokes feelings of cold, emptiness, spaciousness and loneliness in me.)
Munro's stories have the same structure, they are told through a prism of many years past, usually by a mature female narrator, who looks back in time and recollects a specific experience of her youth that changed the whole course of her life. The stories are told from a position of maturity and understanding, but with a feeling of a mild regret. In the present, decades later, those life-turning events do not sting as much as they used to, but the narrator knows unequivocally, they have changed EVERYTHING.
These events that Munro writes so beautifully about, can be quite trivial on the surface (like going on a wild car ride with one's passionless fiance's brother or being momentarily rude to an annoying passenger on a train) or traumatizing (appearance of a strange woman in a child's life who makes the strangest insinuations about the child's birth), but whatever these events are, they affect the narrator in a major way.
Munro's prose is deceptively simple and straightforward, but what she achieves with it is tremendous. Her fame as one of finest short story writers is well deserved.
January 8, 2010
in 1997, the reigning king of redonda, a tiny island & micronation in the bahamas, was so moved by superstar spanish writer javier marias's novel todas las almas that he abdicated the throne and handed it to marias. weird shit. so marias confers the title of 'duke' and 'duchess' to certain people, amongst them:
john ashbery (duke of convexo)
pedro almodovar (duke of tr茅mula)
frank gehry (duke of nervi贸n)
w.g. sebald (duke of v茅rtigo)
guillermo cabrera infante (duke of tigres)
every year all the dukes and duchesses come together and vote for one person to receive a duchy. in 2005 they voted to cast amongst their ranks:
alice munro (duchess of ontario)
an island run by a spanish writer and a whole team of supercool artist royalty? i'm gonna ditch the by-now-boring united states of america and become redonda's only inhabitant.
here're my theories as to why redonda's royalty, most other writers, and lotsa readers have a huge boner for alice munro:
1. a) she's an old lady. b) she's canadian. c) she's a badass.
anyone who's alive in the world understands a few things:
a 鈮� c & b 鈮� c.
but somehow, in this instance: a + b = c.
this has gotta rattle the shit outta some people.
2. she bypasses all the tricks* lotsa contemporary writers employ** in order to tease out human behavior and all those lofty writery themes -- munro just sets it in motion and gets to the core quicker and with more poignancy than most others. contemporary writers who feel all the oldies peering over their shoulders & feel like they gotta do something new! & different! to distinguish themselves must secretly loathe munro for just spinning a yarn filled with more of the good shit than they pack into their stories of monsters-of-mud and comic books and hebraic constables etc.
3. y'know how francis ford coppola (the duke of megal贸polis. seriously.) elevated the doings of scuzzy gangsters to the level of olympian gods? well, alice munro manages to pull a variation of this with totally ordinary people. it's even more impressive, really: she manages to pull the 'elevate to olympian god' thing while simultaneously keeping her stories small and creaky and specific.
4. it's 1983 and i'm laying on my back in the #6 school library while mrs. greene reads to us with her cracky old-woman's voice... i close my eyes and take in that dusty book smell and just get totally lost in the world of a great story. munro does this for adults. her stories are what stories meant to us when we were kids.
5. this book is not one of her strongest. but, paraphrasing woody allen on orgasms: the worst one is right on the money, the 'worst' is still pretty great.
6. "alice munro is our chekhov" - cynthia ozick
* yes, yes. realism and straightforward storytelling is a 'trick', another mode of storytelling as artificial as any type of formalism. blahblahblah. you know exfuckingactly what i mean here.
** occasionally munro employs those o. henryesque endings. these are amongst her weakest stories.
john ashbery (duke of convexo)
pedro almodovar (duke of tr茅mula)
frank gehry (duke of nervi贸n)
w.g. sebald (duke of v茅rtigo)
guillermo cabrera infante (duke of tigres)
every year all the dukes and duchesses come together and vote for one person to receive a duchy. in 2005 they voted to cast amongst their ranks:
alice munro (duchess of ontario)
an island run by a spanish writer and a whole team of supercool artist royalty? i'm gonna ditch the by-now-boring united states of america and become redonda's only inhabitant.
here're my theories as to why redonda's royalty, most other writers, and lotsa readers have a huge boner for alice munro:
1. a) she's an old lady. b) she's canadian. c) she's a badass.
anyone who's alive in the world understands a few things:
a 鈮� c & b 鈮� c.
but somehow, in this instance: a + b = c.
this has gotta rattle the shit outta some people.
2. she bypasses all the tricks* lotsa contemporary writers employ** in order to tease out human behavior and all those lofty writery themes -- munro just sets it in motion and gets to the core quicker and with more poignancy than most others. contemporary writers who feel all the oldies peering over their shoulders & feel like they gotta do something new! & different! to distinguish themselves must secretly loathe munro for just spinning a yarn filled with more of the good shit than they pack into their stories of monsters-of-mud and comic books and hebraic constables etc.
3. y'know how francis ford coppola (the duke of megal贸polis. seriously.) elevated the doings of scuzzy gangsters to the level of olympian gods? well, alice munro manages to pull a variation of this with totally ordinary people. it's even more impressive, really: she manages to pull the 'elevate to olympian god' thing while simultaneously keeping her stories small and creaky and specific.
4. it's 1983 and i'm laying on my back in the #6 school library while mrs. greene reads to us with her cracky old-woman's voice... i close my eyes and take in that dusty book smell and just get totally lost in the world of a great story. munro does this for adults. her stories are what stories meant to us when we were kids.
5. this book is not one of her strongest. but, paraphrasing woody allen on orgasms: the worst one is right on the money, the 'worst' is still pretty great.
6. "alice munro is our chekhov" - cynthia ozick
* yes, yes. realism and straightforward storytelling is a 'trick', another mode of storytelling as artificial as any type of formalism. blahblahblah. you know exfuckingactly what i mean here.
** occasionally munro employs those o. henryesque endings. these are amongst her weakest stories.
February 9, 2020
I agree with those that claim Alice Munro stories are like novels, in that they are expansive. You're left feeling you've departed a journey with these characters that you've come to like, detest and feel disappointed in. Also, they're longer than the average short story. But Munro, in sweeping wonderful prose writes such striking characters in mostly small ordinary Canadian towns.
February 1, 2021
3.5鈽�
鈥淚n the brief note she left, she had used the word 鈥渁uthentic.鈥� I have always felt the need of a more authentic kind of life. I know I cannot expect you to understand this.鈥�
That was Carla's note to her parents when she ran away with Clark, a no-good drifter, as her stepfather called him. She says he saved up the money for a farm, so he can鈥檛 be all bad. But he IS temperamental.
鈥淐lark often had fights, and not just with the people he owed money to. His friendliness, compelling at first, could suddenly turn sour. There were places in town that he would not go into, because of some row.鈥�
Carla and Clark run a small riding school with very few clients and horses, and things are tight. They live in a mobile home which she keeps trying to fix up. She works a bit for an older, well-to-do university couple nearby.
Sylvia, the wife, is now a widow and has returned after a holiday in Greece. She compares Carla to to her students, the college girls who hang on her every word. That鈥檚 not Carla. Carla reminds her more of some girls she knew in high school, 鈥渂uoyant but not rambunctious. Naturally happy.鈥� (Dare I say 鈥渁uthentic鈥�?)
We know that Carla has made up some stories and is just a big kid in many ways. She often escapes to the barn to do what I suppose she thinks of as 鈥渁uthentic鈥� work, mucking out stables, while Clark juggles the bills and the books and real life. He has good reason to be irritable, but she鈥檚 unhappy and getting itchy feet again. She's also nervous about the consequences of her tall tales.
Lonely Sylvia tries to sit Carla down to talk (and talk and talk) about how wonderful Greece was, staying in a tiny village with nothing to do but go for walks. (More of that wonderfully simple, authentic life.)
Her influence on unhappy, naive Carla has dramatic repercussions. Alongside Carla鈥檚 escapades are those of a very small goat, Flora, who disappears, reappears, disappears. She starts off as company for the horses, but seems to represent more.
It's an interesting study of power and control. Oh, yes, and "authenticity". How could I forget the universal hankering for the romance of the simple life?
This was a story from The Bound Together Group鈥檚 short story discussion:
/topic/show/...
The story itself was in the New Yorker:
And there are links to more Alice Munro stories here:
鈥淚n the brief note she left, she had used the word 鈥渁uthentic.鈥� I have always felt the need of a more authentic kind of life. I know I cannot expect you to understand this.鈥�
That was Carla's note to her parents when she ran away with Clark, a no-good drifter, as her stepfather called him. She says he saved up the money for a farm, so he can鈥檛 be all bad. But he IS temperamental.
鈥淐lark often had fights, and not just with the people he owed money to. His friendliness, compelling at first, could suddenly turn sour. There were places in town that he would not go into, because of some row.鈥�
Carla and Clark run a small riding school with very few clients and horses, and things are tight. They live in a mobile home which she keeps trying to fix up. She works a bit for an older, well-to-do university couple nearby.
Sylvia, the wife, is now a widow and has returned after a holiday in Greece. She compares Carla to to her students, the college girls who hang on her every word. That鈥檚 not Carla. Carla reminds her more of some girls she knew in high school, 鈥渂uoyant but not rambunctious. Naturally happy.鈥� (Dare I say 鈥渁uthentic鈥�?)
We know that Carla has made up some stories and is just a big kid in many ways. She often escapes to the barn to do what I suppose she thinks of as 鈥渁uthentic鈥� work, mucking out stables, while Clark juggles the bills and the books and real life. He has good reason to be irritable, but she鈥檚 unhappy and getting itchy feet again. She's also nervous about the consequences of her tall tales.
Lonely Sylvia tries to sit Carla down to talk (and talk and talk) about how wonderful Greece was, staying in a tiny village with nothing to do but go for walks. (More of that wonderfully simple, authentic life.)
Her influence on unhappy, naive Carla has dramatic repercussions. Alongside Carla鈥檚 escapades are those of a very small goat, Flora, who disappears, reappears, disappears. She starts off as company for the horses, but seems to represent more.
It's an interesting study of power and control. Oh, yes, and "authenticity". How could I forget the universal hankering for the romance of the simple life?
This was a story from The Bound Together Group鈥檚 short story discussion:
/topic/show/...
The story itself was in the New Yorker:
And there are links to more Alice Munro stories here:
November 13, 2019
螠蔚 蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰 伪蠀蟿蠈 蟽蠀谓维谓蟿畏蟽伪 苇谓伪 蟺伪蟻维未慰尉慰.
螚 纬蟻伪蠁萎 蟿慰蠀 萎蟿伪谓 魏伪蟿伪蟺位畏魏蟿喂魏萎 - 渭喂位维渭蔚 纬喂伪 伪蟻喂蟽蟿慰蠀蟻纬畏渭伪蟿喂魏萎 蟽蔚 蟽畏渭蔚委伪 蟽畏渭蔚委伪 - 蟽蔚 尾伪胃渭蠈 蟺慰蠀 蠈蟿伪谓 蟿慰 苇蟺喂伪谓伪 蟽蟿伪 蠂苇蟻喂伪 渭慰蠀, 渭蠈谓慰 魏伪喂 渭蠈谓慰 纬喂 伪蠀蟿蠈 蟿慰 位蠈纬慰, 未蔚谓 渭蟺慰蟻慰蠉蟽伪 谓伪 蟿慰 伪蠁萎蟽蠅.
螆位伪 蠈渭蠅蟼 蟺慰蠀 未蔚谓 蔚委蠂伪 魏伪喂 喂未喂伪委蟿蔚蟻伪 蟿畏 未喂维胃蔚蟽畏 谓伪 蟿慰 蟺喂维蟽蠅 蟽蟿伪 蠂苇蟻喂伪 渭慰蠀! 螝伪喂 伪蠀蟿蠈 位蠈纬蠅 魏蠀蟻委蠅蟼 蟿慰蠀 蟺蔚蟻喂蔚蠂蠈渭蔚谓慰蠉 蟿慰蠀. 螌位蔚蟼 伪蠀蟿苇蟼 慰喂 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委蔚蟼 蟿蠅谓 魏慰蟻喂蟿蟽喂蠋谓 - 纬蠀谓伪喂魏蠋谓 蟺慰蠀 味慰蠉蟽伪谓, 蔚蟻蠅蟿蔚蠉慰谓蟿伪谓 魏伪喂 纬蔚蟻谓慰蠉蟽伪谓 渭苇蟽伪 蟽蔚 苇谓伪 纬位蠀魏蔚蟻蠈 蠁蠈谓蟿慰, 未蔚谓 渭蔚 维纬纬喂尉伪谓 魏伪胃蠈位慰蠀.
螖蔚谓 蟿慰 位苇蠅 渭蔚 魏伪胃蠈位慰蠀 蟻伪蟿蟽喂蟽蟿喂魏萎 萎 蠁伪位位慰魏蟻伪蟿喂魏萎 未喂维胃蔚蟽畏, 蟺蟻慰蟼 螛蔚慰蠉!
螒蟺位蠋蟼, 蟺蟻慰蠁伪谓蠋蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 未喂伪蠁慰蟻蔚蟿喂魏维 蟿伪 蟺蟻维纬渭伪蟿伪 蟺慰蠀 蟽蠀纬魏喂谓慰蠉谓 蟿慰谓 魏伪胃苇谓伪 渭伪蟼, 魏伪喂 纬喂伪 渭苇谓伪 尾喂尾位委伪 伪蠀蟿慰蠉 蟿慰蠀 蟿蠉蟺慰蠀 蠁伪委谓蔚蟿伪喂 蠈蟿喂 未蔚谓 蔚委谓伪喂 蟿慰蠀 蟽蟿蠀位 渭慰蠀.
螤喂蟽蟿蔚蠉蠅 蠈蟿喂 蔚委谓伪喂 苇谓伪 伪蟺蠈 蟿伪 尾喂尾位委伪 蟺慰蠀 蟺慰位位慰委 胃伪 伪纬伪蟺萎蟽慰蠀谓, 伪位位维 魏伪喂 蟺慰位位慰委 胃伪 渭喂蟽萎蟽慰蠀谓, 蠂蠅蟻委蟼 魏维蟺慰喂慰蟼 谓伪 苇蠂蔚喂 伪蟺伪蟻伪委蟿畏蟿伪 维未喂魏慰.
螚 纬蟻伪蠁萎 蟿慰蠀 萎蟿伪谓 魏伪蟿伪蟺位畏魏蟿喂魏萎 - 渭喂位维渭蔚 纬喂伪 伪蟻喂蟽蟿慰蠀蟻纬畏渭伪蟿喂魏萎 蟽蔚 蟽畏渭蔚委伪 蟽畏渭蔚委伪 - 蟽蔚 尾伪胃渭蠈 蟺慰蠀 蠈蟿伪谓 蟿慰 苇蟺喂伪谓伪 蟽蟿伪 蠂苇蟻喂伪 渭慰蠀, 渭蠈谓慰 魏伪喂 渭蠈谓慰 纬喂 伪蠀蟿蠈 蟿慰 位蠈纬慰, 未蔚谓 渭蟺慰蟻慰蠉蟽伪 谓伪 蟿慰 伪蠁萎蟽蠅.
螆位伪 蠈渭蠅蟼 蟺慰蠀 未蔚谓 蔚委蠂伪 魏伪喂 喂未喂伪委蟿蔚蟻伪 蟿畏 未喂维胃蔚蟽畏 谓伪 蟿慰 蟺喂维蟽蠅 蟽蟿伪 蠂苇蟻喂伪 渭慰蠀! 螝伪喂 伪蠀蟿蠈 位蠈纬蠅 魏蠀蟻委蠅蟼 蟿慰蠀 蟺蔚蟻喂蔚蠂蠈渭蔚谓慰蠉 蟿慰蠀. 螌位蔚蟼 伪蠀蟿苇蟼 慰喂 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委蔚蟼 蟿蠅谓 魏慰蟻喂蟿蟽喂蠋谓 - 纬蠀谓伪喂魏蠋谓 蟺慰蠀 味慰蠉蟽伪谓, 蔚蟻蠅蟿蔚蠉慰谓蟿伪谓 魏伪喂 纬蔚蟻谓慰蠉蟽伪谓 渭苇蟽伪 蟽蔚 苇谓伪 纬位蠀魏蔚蟻蠈 蠁蠈谓蟿慰, 未蔚谓 渭蔚 维纬纬喂尉伪谓 魏伪胃蠈位慰蠀.
螖蔚谓 蟿慰 位苇蠅 渭蔚 魏伪胃蠈位慰蠀 蟻伪蟿蟽喂蟽蟿喂魏萎 萎 蠁伪位位慰魏蟻伪蟿喂魏萎 未喂维胃蔚蟽畏, 蟺蟻慰蟼 螛蔚慰蠉!
螒蟺位蠋蟼, 蟺蟻慰蠁伪谓蠋蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 未喂伪蠁慰蟻蔚蟿喂魏维 蟿伪 蟺蟻维纬渭伪蟿伪 蟺慰蠀 蟽蠀纬魏喂谓慰蠉谓 蟿慰谓 魏伪胃苇谓伪 渭伪蟼, 魏伪喂 纬喂伪 渭苇谓伪 尾喂尾位委伪 伪蠀蟿慰蠉 蟿慰蠀 蟿蠉蟺慰蠀 蠁伪委谓蔚蟿伪喂 蠈蟿喂 未蔚谓 蔚委谓伪喂 蟿慰蠀 蟽蟿蠀位 渭慰蠀.
螤喂蟽蟿蔚蠉蠅 蠈蟿喂 蔚委谓伪喂 苇谓伪 伪蟺蠈 蟿伪 尾喂尾位委伪 蟺慰蠀 蟺慰位位慰委 胃伪 伪纬伪蟺萎蟽慰蠀谓, 伪位位维 魏伪喂 蟺慰位位慰委 胃伪 渭喂蟽萎蟽慰蠀谓, 蠂蠅蟻委蟼 魏维蟺慰喂慰蟼 谓伪 苇蠂蔚喂 伪蟺伪蟻伪委蟿畏蟿伪 维未喂魏慰.
September 7, 2022
讴鬲丕亘 卮丕賲賱 爻賴 鬲丕 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 亘賵丿 讴賴 賲賳 丿賵鬲丕蹖 丌禺乇 禺蹖賱蹖 丿爻鬲 丿丕卮鬲賲.馃憣馃徎
August 8, 2022
Short stories can be deeply unsatisfying. Too often the nuance overshadows character and plot development, as if the author is cruelly trying to offer the reader a tiny taste of a story before yanking it away again. No so with Alice Munro. She writes with simplicity and economy and mystery. The mystery arises from the way that she presents each story--just a few words at the outset, perfectly descriptive, but never overly so. And then the rest of it is just like (**alert**be prepared for tired metaphors) unwrapping a gift or watching a flower bloom in those sped-up photos. Except, of course, that these flowers bloom tantalizingly slowly as the story unfolds.
There's a wide range of human situations that Ms. Munro considers in Runaway, all of them complicated, most painful, some almost humorous, and many of them frustrating. This is much like life, I guess. Deeply imperfect and driven by chance and misunderstanding and weakness. And yet the way that she presents life makes me feel as if every bit of it is just exactly as it should be.
There's a wide range of human situations that Ms. Munro considers in Runaway, all of them complicated, most painful, some almost humorous, and many of them frustrating. This is much like life, I guess. Deeply imperfect and driven by chance and misunderstanding and weakness. And yet the way that she presents life makes me feel as if every bit of it is just exactly as it should be.
August 16, 2017
O realizador espanhol Pedro Almodovar adaptou ao cinema os contos Acaso, Em Breve e 厂颈濒锚苍肠颈辞 - com Juliet como protagonista.
Adoro contos...
A escritora canadiana Alice Munro (n. 1931) 鈥� de quem li recentemente 鈥漁 Progresso do Amor鈥� (1985 - 1986) - 4*, Falsos Segredos (1994) - 5* e 鈥澝揹io, Amizade, Namoro, Amor, Casamento鈥� (2001) - 4* - Pr茅mio Nobel da Literatura em 2013 茅 uma 鈥渆specialista鈥� na narrativa curta, reconhecida e aclamada como um 鈥漨estre do conto contempor芒neo鈥�, apenas com um 煤nico romance publicado em 1971,鈥漋idas de Raparigas e Mulheres鈥�.
鈥滷耻驳补蝉鈥� (2004) 茅 mais uma deslumbrante colect芒nea de oito contos 鈥� sobre mulheres 鈥渞eais鈥�, nos seus sentimentos e na sua complexidade emocional, de todas as idades, de todas as classes sociais, de todos os n铆veis de instru莽茫o acad茅mica 鈥� com descri莽玫es profundas, impregnadas de sequ锚ncias simb贸licas, com reflex玫es sociol贸gicas e filos贸ficas absorventes.
Por vezes, Alice Munro cria algum suspense na narrativa, interrompendo-o um pouco mais 脿 frente, deixando o leitor levemente insatisfeito; mas retomando-o mais tarde como um momento culminante da hist贸ria.
A escrita em 鈥滷耻驳补蝉鈥� nunca desilude, inteligente e met贸dica, num mundo fict铆cio de Alice Munro, que se vai tornando real e profundo para o leitor, onde quase todas as hist贸rias nos falam sobre o passado e sobre o presente, com in煤meras lacunas e saltos temporais, algumas de meses, outros de mais de quarenta anos; mas que nos envolvem invariavelmente no seu dia-a-dia, nos seus problemas, na sua felicidade e na suas tristezas; algumas jovens mulheres que actuam sobre o desejo de serem felizes, da realiza莽茫o sexual ou rom芒ntica, de se libertarem definitivamente do preconceito social, de enveredarem pela mudan莽a e pela estabilidade afectiva.
Os dois melhores contos:
1 - Fugida - 5*
Carla e o seu marido, Clark vivem numa quinta 鈥� com cavalari莽as 鈥� tratando de cavalos e 茅guas; dedicam-se, simultaneamente, ao ensino da equita莽茫o a jovens.
Sylvia Jamieson a vizinha, recentemente vi煤va, percebe que a uni茫o de Carla e o temperamental Clark est谩 em crise.
鈥滿rs. Jamieson (鈥�) temia ter-se envolvido demais na vida de Carla e que cometera o erro de supor que a felicidade e a liberdade de Carla eram uma e a mesma coisa.鈥� (P谩g. 41)
Flora, uma pequena cabrinha branca desaparece misteriosamente da quinta; acaba por aparecer mais tarde de uma forma misteriosa.
O destino de Carla e de Flora est茫o intimamente ligados鈥�
鈥滳om a aproxima莽茫o dos dias dourados e secos do outono 鈥� uma esta莽茫o produtiva e motivante 鈥� Carla descobriu que se habituara ao pensamento pontiagudo que nela se alojara. J谩 n茫o era t茫o pontiagudo; ali谩s, j谩 n茫o a surpreendia. E agora sentia-se invadida por uma ideia quase sedutora, uma tenta莽茫o em constante lat锚ncia.
S贸 tinha de erguer os olhos, s贸 tinha de olhar numa certa direc莽茫o, para saber para onde podia ir.鈥� (P谩g. 42)
7 - Truques - 5*
Robin 茅 uma jovem que realiza uma viagem anual para Stratord com o intuito de ver uma pe莽a de teatro de Skakespeare.
Numa dessas viagens perde a carteira e encontra Danilo Adzic.
厂别鈥�
鈥漁s g茅meos s茫o frequentemente causa de mal-entendidos e acidentes em Skakespeare. Um meio para um fim, 茅 o que se sup玫e serem esses truques. E no fim resolvem-se os mist茅rios, perdoam-se as partidas, reacende-se o amor verdadeiro ou algo que o valha, e os que foram enganados t锚m bom g茅nio e n茫o reclamam.鈥� (P谩g. 210)
鈥滵if铆cil imaginar agora, pela maneira como as coisas eram ent茫o.
Foi tudo estragado num dia, em alguns minutos, n茫o aos solu莽os, com v谩rios esfor莽os e conflitos, esperan莽as e perdas, no modo esgotante como se costumam estragar as coisas. E se 茅 verdade que geralmente se estragam, n茫o seria essa maneira r谩pida a mais f谩cil de suportar?
Mas n茫o 茅 assim que se v锚em as coisas, n茫o quando somos n贸s que estamos implicados.鈥�
May 17, 2020
Runaway is another wonderful collection of short stories from the masterful Alice Munro. This is the second book of hers that I've read and I'm starting to see a common theme emerge. The protagonists are usually women, and the stories usually revolve around a crucial moment in their lives. They often look back on the decisions they have made with a mixture of regret and remorse.
Three of the stories focus on Juliet, a teacher, at different stages of her life. In Chance, she meets her future husband on an eventful train journey. In the second story, Soon, she brings baby Penelope to see her parents, and becomes dismayed at the changes she sees in them. Then in Silence, a grown-up Penelope distances herself from her mother, and Juliet sadly learns to accept her role in their heartbreaking rift. Other stories I enjoyed included Tricks, in which a lonely girl loses out on her one chance of a meaningful relationship, due to a simple misunderstanding. And the title tale, where a young woman struggles to leave her overbearing husband.
I think the reason I love Munro's writing so much is because there is such emotional intelligence to it. She is so good at capturing the interior lives of her characters, that you feel like you understand them deeply, over the course of just a few pages. Her best stories tend to linger in my mind for days afterwards. I feel excited about her work that I have yet to read.
Favourite Quotes:
"Juliet knew that, to many people, she might seem to be odd and solitary鈥攁nd so, in a way, she was. But she had also had the experience, for much of her life, of feeling surrounded by people who wanted to drain away her attention and her time and her soul. And usually, she let them."
"That is what happens. You put it away for a little while, and now and again you look in the closet for something else and you remember, and you think, soon. Then it becomes something that is just there, in the closet, and other things get crowded in front of it and on top of it and finally you don鈥檛 think about it at all. The thing that was your bright treasure. You don鈥檛 think about it. A loss you could not contemplate at one time, and now it becomes something you can barely remember. That is what happens."
"She thought about Eric in this way all the time. It was not that she failed to realize that Eric was dead鈥攖hat did not happen for a moment. But nevertheless she kept constantly referring to him, in her mind, as if he was still the person to whom her existence mattered more than it could to anyone else. As if he was still the person in whose eyes she hoped to shine. Also the person to whom she presented arguments, information, surprises. This was such a habit with her, and took place so automatically, that the fact of his death did not seem to interfere with it."
"She never felt more at ease than at these times, surrounded by strangers. After the play she would walk downtown, along the river, and find some inexpensive place to eat鈥攗sually a sandwich, as she sat on a stool at the counter. And at twenty to eight she would catch the train home. That was all. Yet those few hours filled her with an assurance that the life she was going back to, which seemed so makeshift and unsatisfactory, was only temporary and could easily be put up with. And there was a radiance behind it, behind that life, behind everything, expressed by the sunlight seen through the train windows. The sunlight and long shadows on the summer fields, like the remains of the play in her head."
Three of the stories focus on Juliet, a teacher, at different stages of her life. In Chance, she meets her future husband on an eventful train journey. In the second story, Soon, she brings baby Penelope to see her parents, and becomes dismayed at the changes she sees in them. Then in Silence, a grown-up Penelope distances herself from her mother, and Juliet sadly learns to accept her role in their heartbreaking rift. Other stories I enjoyed included Tricks, in which a lonely girl loses out on her one chance of a meaningful relationship, due to a simple misunderstanding. And the title tale, where a young woman struggles to leave her overbearing husband.
I think the reason I love Munro's writing so much is because there is such emotional intelligence to it. She is so good at capturing the interior lives of her characters, that you feel like you understand them deeply, over the course of just a few pages. Her best stories tend to linger in my mind for days afterwards. I feel excited about her work that I have yet to read.
Favourite Quotes:
"Juliet knew that, to many people, she might seem to be odd and solitary鈥攁nd so, in a way, she was. But she had also had the experience, for much of her life, of feeling surrounded by people who wanted to drain away her attention and her time and her soul. And usually, she let them."
"That is what happens. You put it away for a little while, and now and again you look in the closet for something else and you remember, and you think, soon. Then it becomes something that is just there, in the closet, and other things get crowded in front of it and on top of it and finally you don鈥檛 think about it at all. The thing that was your bright treasure. You don鈥檛 think about it. A loss you could not contemplate at one time, and now it becomes something you can barely remember. That is what happens."
"She thought about Eric in this way all the time. It was not that she failed to realize that Eric was dead鈥攖hat did not happen for a moment. But nevertheless she kept constantly referring to him, in her mind, as if he was still the person to whom her existence mattered more than it could to anyone else. As if he was still the person in whose eyes she hoped to shine. Also the person to whom she presented arguments, information, surprises. This was such a habit with her, and took place so automatically, that the fact of his death did not seem to interfere with it."
"She never felt more at ease than at these times, surrounded by strangers. After the play she would walk downtown, along the river, and find some inexpensive place to eat鈥攗sually a sandwich, as she sat on a stool at the counter. And at twenty to eight she would catch the train home. That was all. Yet those few hours filled her with an assurance that the life she was going back to, which seemed so makeshift and unsatisfactory, was only temporary and could easily be put up with. And there was a radiance behind it, behind that life, behind everything, expressed by the sunlight seen through the train windows. The sunlight and long shadows on the summer fields, like the remains of the play in her head."
May 7, 2011
Here's what Jonathan Franzen said about this book in the NY Times Book Review:
Basically, Runaway is so good that I don't want to talk about it here. Quotation can't do the book justice, and neither can synopsis. The way to do it justice is to read it.
But here's what Michiko Kakutani says about it in the NY Times:
Instead of assuming the organic, musical form of real life, they feel like self-conscious, overworked tales, relying on awkwardly withheld secrets and O'Henryesque twists to create narrative suspense.
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENNG. WRONG.
Franzen's right. Just read it. It's good. It's not THAT good, it's too simple and straightforward to really rock your world on a spiritual level, but it's really really good. Her stories are long (sometimes a bit too) and have a ton of emotional weight, which a lot of these tricky young writers seem to forget to include in the name of fun. No tricks here. Just good stories. That's the Alice Munro promise.
Basically, Runaway is so good that I don't want to talk about it here. Quotation can't do the book justice, and neither can synopsis. The way to do it justice is to read it.
But here's what Michiko Kakutani says about it in the NY Times:
Instead of assuming the organic, musical form of real life, they feel like self-conscious, overworked tales, relying on awkwardly withheld secrets and O'Henryesque twists to create narrative suspense.
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENNG. WRONG.
Franzen's right. Just read it. It's good. It's not THAT good, it's too simple and straightforward to really rock your world on a spiritual level, but it's really really good. Her stories are long (sometimes a bit too) and have a ton of emotional weight, which a lot of these tricky young writers seem to forget to include in the name of fun. No tricks here. Just good stories. That's the Alice Munro promise.
April 28, 2015
One of Munro's best books, Runaway is also one of her most thematically consistent collections. The idea of "running away" or "escape" permeates each tale. And what to make of the fact that the book consists of clipped, one-word titles? Intriguing.
I love the linked sequence of three narratives ("Chance," "Soon," and "Silence"), and if you read carefully you'll see each of those words is repeated significantly in other stories, especially "chance." (Think of the chain of events in "Tricks," the sudden swerve in the plot in "Passion," another word that resonates throughout the book.)
There are echoes of previous Munro stories here: the two sisters from "Tricks" and "Powers" recall those in "The Peace Of Utrecht" and "Something I've Been Meaning To Tell You"; Juliet's journalism career recalls Rose's career in Who Do You Think You Are/The Beggar Maid; there's a spooky feel in the title story that reminds me a bit of "Save The Reaper"; the hapless husbands or husbands-to-be in "Passion" and "Powers" recall previous ones like Patrick Blatchford.
Of course Munro once again sees everything about her characters and compresses entire lives into a couple dozen pages. The scope of the final story, "Powers," is astonishing, as is the protagonist's hard-to-read motivations.
I'll definitely revisit these stories later, especially "Passion," one of her best, and "Runaway," one of her most mysterious.
If there were half stars I'd give this 4 1/2. But I'm rounding up, because, well, she's one of the best writers in the world.
**
Here's my review of 2009's Too Much Happiness:
I love the linked sequence of three narratives ("Chance," "Soon," and "Silence"), and if you read carefully you'll see each of those words is repeated significantly in other stories, especially "chance." (Think of the chain of events in "Tricks," the sudden swerve in the plot in "Passion," another word that resonates throughout the book.)
There are echoes of previous Munro stories here: the two sisters from "Tricks" and "Powers" recall those in "The Peace Of Utrecht" and "Something I've Been Meaning To Tell You"; Juliet's journalism career recalls Rose's career in Who Do You Think You Are/The Beggar Maid; there's a spooky feel in the title story that reminds me a bit of "Save The Reaper"; the hapless husbands or husbands-to-be in "Passion" and "Powers" recall previous ones like Patrick Blatchford.
Of course Munro once again sees everything about her characters and compresses entire lives into a couple dozen pages. The scope of the final story, "Powers," is astonishing, as is the protagonist's hard-to-read motivations.
I'll definitely revisit these stories later, especially "Passion," one of her best, and "Runaway," one of her most mysterious.
If there were half stars I'd give this 4 1/2. But I'm rounding up, because, well, she's one of the best writers in the world.
**
Here's my review of 2009's Too Much Happiness:
October 17, 2017
Runaway is one of the short story collections of 2013 Nobel Prize winner, Canadian Alice Munro. I listened to the book, and really liked it, though I am a white middle-class, late-middle-aged man, and this book features white middle-class Canadian (particularly from Ontario) women, many of them late-middle aged. The focus is on stories of women and girls, on relationships, sometimes with men, and the every day, in every day language. They are unfussy, unpretentious, realistic literary fiction. I initially had to slow down to appreciate the style, as it is so elegant and understated, and then I found myself hooked.
We have stories here of mothers estranged from their daughters, of lonely women hoping for passion of some kind, stories of aging, stories of ordinary grief and madness.
I think my two favorite stories are the opening, title story, 鈥淩unaway,鈥� and the closing story, 鈥淧owers.鈥�
In 鈥淩unaway,鈥漚 young woman confides in a neighbor about her unhappy marriage, and the older woman assists in helping her escape to Toronto. Here鈥檚 a passage from the woman as she rides on the bus:
鈥淪he could not picture it. Herself riding on the subway or streetcar, caring for new horses, talking to new people, living among hordes of people every day who were not Clark.
A life, a place, chosen for that specific reason鈥撯€搕hat it would not contain Clark.
The strange and terrible thing coming clear to her about that world of the future, as she now pictured it, was that she would not exist there. She would only walk around, and open her mouth and speak, and do this and do that. She would not really be there. And what was strange about it was that she was doing all this, she was riding on this bus in the hope of recovering herself. As Mrs. Jamieson might say鈥撯€揳nd as she herself might with satisfaction have said鈥撯€搕aking charge of her own life. With nobody glowering over her, nobody's mood infecting her with misery.
But what would she care about? How would she know that she was alive?
While she was running away from him鈥撯€搉ow鈥撯€揅lark still kept his place in her life. But when she was finished running away, when she just went on, what would she put in his place? What else鈥撯€搘ho else鈥撯€揷ould ever be so vivid a challenge?鈥�
The story is ultimately powerfully sad; we know this woman; she is our neighbor, she cannot do the thing she needs to do.
"Powers," the eighth and final story in the collection, is divided into five parts, featuring a woman, Nancy, who imagines greatness for herself but ends up marrying a guy, Wilff, she has little affection for. Oops, Nancy, so much for greatness! As she is preparing for her wedding, Nancy meets a woman with psychic powers, Tessa. At one point Tessa correctly identifies all of the items in a guy named Ollie's pockets. Ollie soon marries (the remarkable and fascinating) Tessa (!!) and they actually get involved in a Vaudeville act showcasing Tessa鈥檚 abilities. But in a later part of the story, Nancy visits Tessa in a mental hospital, where she has received electroshock treatment and can鈥檛 recall her past with Ollie, whom she expects has died. In another part Nancy meets Ollie, who tells her Tessa had died. Nancy doesn鈥檛 contradict Ollie. As a much older woman, Nancy dreams of Tessa and Ollie.
This story has the most remarkable character, Tessa, I guess, but it is, like all the other stories, also about ordinary people living lives of quiet desperation. It haunts me; they haunt me.
We have stories here of mothers estranged from their daughters, of lonely women hoping for passion of some kind, stories of aging, stories of ordinary grief and madness.
I think my two favorite stories are the opening, title story, 鈥淩unaway,鈥� and the closing story, 鈥淧owers.鈥�
In 鈥淩unaway,鈥漚 young woman confides in a neighbor about her unhappy marriage, and the older woman assists in helping her escape to Toronto. Here鈥檚 a passage from the woman as she rides on the bus:
鈥淪he could not picture it. Herself riding on the subway or streetcar, caring for new horses, talking to new people, living among hordes of people every day who were not Clark.
A life, a place, chosen for that specific reason鈥撯€搕hat it would not contain Clark.
The strange and terrible thing coming clear to her about that world of the future, as she now pictured it, was that she would not exist there. She would only walk around, and open her mouth and speak, and do this and do that. She would not really be there. And what was strange about it was that she was doing all this, she was riding on this bus in the hope of recovering herself. As Mrs. Jamieson might say鈥撯€揳nd as she herself might with satisfaction have said鈥撯€搕aking charge of her own life. With nobody glowering over her, nobody's mood infecting her with misery.
But what would she care about? How would she know that she was alive?
While she was running away from him鈥撯€搉ow鈥撯€揅lark still kept his place in her life. But when she was finished running away, when she just went on, what would she put in his place? What else鈥撯€搘ho else鈥撯€揷ould ever be so vivid a challenge?鈥�
The story is ultimately powerfully sad; we know this woman; she is our neighbor, she cannot do the thing she needs to do.
"Powers," the eighth and final story in the collection, is divided into five parts, featuring a woman, Nancy, who imagines greatness for herself but ends up marrying a guy, Wilff, she has little affection for. Oops, Nancy, so much for greatness! As she is preparing for her wedding, Nancy meets a woman with psychic powers, Tessa. At one point Tessa correctly identifies all of the items in a guy named Ollie's pockets. Ollie soon marries (the remarkable and fascinating) Tessa (!!) and they actually get involved in a Vaudeville act showcasing Tessa鈥檚 abilities. But in a later part of the story, Nancy visits Tessa in a mental hospital, where she has received electroshock treatment and can鈥檛 recall her past with Ollie, whom she expects has died. In another part Nancy meets Ollie, who tells her Tessa had died. Nancy doesn鈥檛 contradict Ollie. As a much older woman, Nancy dreams of Tessa and Ollie.
This story has the most remarkable character, Tessa, I guess, but it is, like all the other stories, also about ordinary people living lives of quiet desperation. It haunts me; they haunt me.
October 16, 2016
枚yk眉lerde detayl谋 ve derinle艧en b枚l眉mlerle, uzun zaman aral谋klar谋, olay 枚rg眉s眉nde bo艧luklar ve da臒谋n谋kl谋k i莽 i莽e. alice munro sanki aralarda s枚z al谋p yol g枚steriyor ve sonras谋n谋 okura b谋rak谋yor. 枚yk眉leri tamamlamak, anlamland谋rmak ve hatta hayatta olaylar谋 de臒erlendirmek, insanlar谋 anlamak i莽in munro anlat谋s谋n谋n verdi臒i s谋r ise 枚l莽眉l眉 ve incelikli olmak.
alice munro'yu d眉nyan谋n en iyi 枚yk眉c眉lerinden biri yapan 枚l莽眉l眉l眉臒眉 ve inceli臒i. olaylar谋 felaketler ya da mucizeler olarak g枚rm眉yoruz 枚yk眉lerinde. insanlar ne ma臒dur ne su莽lu ne de kahraman. duygulara bo臒ulmuyoruz, hayat hakk谋nda s枚ylev dinlemiyoruz. 枚yk眉ler, evet b枚yle akar diyoruz, zaman b枚yle ge莽er, insanlar b枚yledir...yarg谋lamadan, y眉celtmeden ya da a艧a臒谋lamadan anlama hissi kal谋yor 枚yk眉lerden geriye. anlama, anlamadan 莽ok anlay谋艧.
alice munro'yu d眉nyan谋n en iyi 枚yk眉c眉lerinden biri yapan 枚l莽眉l眉l眉臒眉 ve inceli臒i. olaylar谋 felaketler ya da mucizeler olarak g枚rm眉yoruz 枚yk眉lerinde. insanlar ne ma臒dur ne su莽lu ne de kahraman. duygulara bo臒ulmuyoruz, hayat hakk谋nda s枚ylev dinlemiyoruz. 枚yk眉ler, evet b枚yle akar diyoruz, zaman b枚yle ge莽er, insanlar b枚yledir...yarg谋lamadan, y眉celtmeden ya da a艧a臒谋lamadan anlama hissi kal谋yor 枚yk眉lerden geriye. anlama, anlamadan 莽ok anlay谋艧.
November 16, 2015
Sau khi 膽峄峜 xong Something I've Been Meaning to Tell You v脿 膽峄峜 g岷 h岷縯 Runaway c峄 Alice Munro (b岷 d峄媍h ti岷縩g Vi峄噒 l脿 Tr峄憂 ch岷), c贸 th峄� k岷縯 lu岷璶 r岷眓g tuy Alice Munro 膽o岷 gi岷 Nobel, nh瓢ng b脿 岷 vi岷縯 hay, th岷璵 ch铆 r岷 hay ^.^ Ch岷痗 s岷� ti岷縩 ngay sang cu峄憂 th峄� ba l脿 Cu峄檆 膽峄漣 y锚u d岷.
Ch岷 li峄噓 truy峄噉 c峄 b脿 gi岷 d峄�. B脿 kh么ng thu峄檆 d岷g nh脿 v膬n b峄媋 ra nh峄痭g t矛nh hu峄憂g d峄� th瓢峄漬g, k峄� qu谩i hay g芒y s峄慶, n锚n c贸 ng瓢峄漣 b岷 v膬n b脿 t岷�. M矛nh th矛 th岷 kh么ng t岷� ch煤t n脿o. L煤c n脿o 膽峄峜 b脿, c农ng h矛nh dung ra m峄檛 b脿 gi脿 ng峄搃 trong x贸 b岷縫 m脿 bi岷縯 h岷縯 chuy峄噉 th岷� gian, hi峄僽 h岷縯 l岷� 膽峄漣, th岷 su峄憈 t芒m can con ng瓢峄漣, b峄焛 l岷� truy峄噉 c峄 b脿 cho th岷 con ng瓢峄漣 l脿 m峄檛 膽峄檔g v岷璽 c峄眂 k峄� ph峄ヽ t岷 nh瓢 膽煤ng l脿 nh瓢 th岷�. V矛 sao m峄檛 c么 con g谩i s峄憂g v峄沬 m岷� hai m峄憈 n膬m tr峄漣, r峄搃 b峄梟g d瓢ng ra 膽i, kh么ng 膽峄� l岷 b岷 c峄� tin nh岷痭 hay c谩ch th峄ヽ li锚n l岷 n脿o, tr峄� t岷 thi峄噋 kh么ng c贸 d貌ng ch峄� n脿o g峄璱 v峄� cho m岷� v脿o 膽煤ng d峄媝 sinh nh岷璽 m矛nh? V矛 sao m峄檛 c么 g谩i c贸 ng瓢峄漣 y锚u s岷痯 l岷 nhau 膽岷縩 n啤i l岷 b峄� 膽i, t岷璶 h瓢峄焠g hoan l岷 v峄沬 m峄檛 th岷眓g ph岷 gi贸 n谩t r瓢峄? Nh峄痭g chuy峄噉 岷, th瓢峄漬g ng瓢峄漣 ta s岷� t岷穋 l瓢峄 b岷 kh么ng sao hi峄僽 n峄昳, c农ng nh瓢 kh么ng th峄� n脿o hi峄僽 n峄昳 m峄檛 nh脿 th啤 c贸 t脿i v脿 c贸 ti岷縩g m峄檛 ng脿y 膽岷筽 tr峄漣 b峄梟g d瓢ng xoay sang 膽岷 th啤! Nh瓢ng, con ng瓢峄漣 m脿, ph峄ヽ t岷 l岷痬, c贸 bao gi峄� 膽啤n gi岷, m峄檛 chi峄乽 膽芒u, v脿 Munro hi峄僽 r玫 膽i峄乽 岷.
N岷縰 m矛nh l脿 ng瓢峄漣 vi岷縯 truy峄噉 ng岷痭, m矛nh s岷� ch峄峮 Alice Munro (v脿 Raymond Carver v脿 Chekhov) l脿m th岷, thay v矛 Kafka hay Borges, v矛 Alice Munro c贸 th峄� h峄峜 theo 膽瓢峄, ch峄� hai 膽峄搉g ch铆 kia l脿 ca kh贸, qu谩 kh贸.
Ch岷 li峄噓 truy峄噉 c峄 b脿 gi岷 d峄�. B脿 kh么ng thu峄檆 d岷g nh脿 v膬n b峄媋 ra nh峄痭g t矛nh hu峄憂g d峄� th瓢峄漬g, k峄� qu谩i hay g芒y s峄慶, n锚n c贸 ng瓢峄漣 b岷 v膬n b脿 t岷�. M矛nh th矛 th岷 kh么ng t岷� ch煤t n脿o. L煤c n脿o 膽峄峜 b脿, c农ng h矛nh dung ra m峄檛 b脿 gi脿 ng峄搃 trong x贸 b岷縫 m脿 bi岷縯 h岷縯 chuy峄噉 th岷� gian, hi峄僽 h岷縯 l岷� 膽峄漣, th岷 su峄憈 t芒m can con ng瓢峄漣, b峄焛 l岷� truy峄噉 c峄 b脿 cho th岷 con ng瓢峄漣 l脿 m峄檛 膽峄檔g v岷璽 c峄眂 k峄� ph峄ヽ t岷 nh瓢 膽煤ng l脿 nh瓢 th岷�. V矛 sao m峄檛 c么 con g谩i s峄憂g v峄沬 m岷� hai m峄憈 n膬m tr峄漣, r峄搃 b峄梟g d瓢ng ra 膽i, kh么ng 膽峄� l岷 b岷 c峄� tin nh岷痭 hay c谩ch th峄ヽ li锚n l岷 n脿o, tr峄� t岷 thi峄噋 kh么ng c贸 d貌ng ch峄� n脿o g峄璱 v峄� cho m岷� v脿o 膽煤ng d峄媝 sinh nh岷璽 m矛nh? V矛 sao m峄檛 c么 g谩i c贸 ng瓢峄漣 y锚u s岷痯 l岷 nhau 膽岷縩 n啤i l岷 b峄� 膽i, t岷璶 h瓢峄焠g hoan l岷 v峄沬 m峄檛 th岷眓g ph岷 gi贸 n谩t r瓢峄? Nh峄痭g chuy峄噉 岷, th瓢峄漬g ng瓢峄漣 ta s岷� t岷穋 l瓢峄 b岷 kh么ng sao hi峄僽 n峄昳, c农ng nh瓢 kh么ng th峄� n脿o hi峄僽 n峄昳 m峄檛 nh脿 th啤 c贸 t脿i v脿 c贸 ti岷縩g m峄檛 ng脿y 膽岷筽 tr峄漣 b峄梟g d瓢ng xoay sang 膽岷 th啤! Nh瓢ng, con ng瓢峄漣 m脿, ph峄ヽ t岷 l岷痬, c贸 bao gi峄� 膽啤n gi岷, m峄檛 chi峄乽 膽芒u, v脿 Munro hi峄僽 r玫 膽i峄乽 岷.
N岷縰 m矛nh l脿 ng瓢峄漣 vi岷縯 truy峄噉 ng岷痭, m矛nh s岷� ch峄峮 Alice Munro (v脿 Raymond Carver v脿 Chekhov) l脿m th岷, thay v矛 Kafka hay Borges, v矛 Alice Munro c贸 th峄� h峄峜 theo 膽瓢峄, ch峄� hai 膽峄搉g ch铆 kia l脿 ca kh贸, qu谩 kh贸.
June 9, 2016
I do not usually prefer short stories, but Alice Munro's "Runaway" is an exception. Munro's work as a whole, in fact. Everybody knows that short stories are more difficult to perfect than the novel, thus the lack of well-written ones.
What makes her sorry stories stand out? One notable difference is that Munro's short stories are actually not that short. Strictly in words, many lean towards the lengthier "definition". (Short stories are not defined by length as much as structure. Although there's is no official demarcation for length, the range has been loosely defined at 1 to 20 thousand words, and that it can be read in an hour at the most; shorter than a novel [typically 80 to 100 thousand words]). Moreover, her readers will quickly realize that they are quite similar to novels in the feeling and immersing story they offer. Munro's stories have the scope of a novel, but without any obvious speeding up or trimming. How exactly she does this is arguable an art.
Two, I love that the same theme- sometimes obvious, other times more difficult to decipher- runs through the entire book, further creating the feeling for a cohesive novel rather than sorry stories. (For example, this collection. Each of the protagonists is running from something; hiding, escaping, trying to find themselves. Runaway emotions, running from the truth, literally running away from their residences. A feeling of loneliness in a room full of others, of needing to overcome much despite outward appearances of needing nothing. Multiple interpretations for the title word, from slang to straightforward, are used throughout.)
Thirdly, All the stories are from a female protagonist's point of view ("Powers" lends a portion to a male point of view). They all go through something significant during the narration; they all change, though not always in a positive way. For many, this change is a life-altering one.
Munro's collection of the same title, concerns two runaways: "Carla, whose abusive husband, Clark, inspires her to run away, and Sylvia, her neighbor who encourages Carla's runaway attempt. Sylvia's husband has passed away, and she comes to rely on Carla for help around her house and develops an obsessive concern for her abused friend. Sylvia's friends describe her affection for Carla as a crush. While Carla resents Clark's abuse, it seems apparent that without Sylvia's planning and urging she would not have taken a bus out of town, only to get off the bus and call Clark to come and get her. Significantly, Carla, who is wearing some of Sylvia's clothes, decides that the clothes do not 鈥渇it鈥� her.
Sylvia, who later moves to an apartment in town, also may be considered a runaway. Besides the two women, there is another runaway: Flora, Carla's pet goat, who mysteriously vanishes and returns in supernatural fashion when Clark threatens Sylvia physically. The goat's sudden appearance saves Sylvia, and then Flora again vanishes. After Carla returns to Clark, she finds Flora's bones in the woods. She speculates about how Flora died and then absolves Clark of any guilt鈥攕omething she has to do if she is to go on living with him. In effect, she runs away from the truth; Flora's fate could become hers."
There next three chapters are actually about the same characters, with tears in between. This circumvents the loose definitions for short stories actually, (perhaps purposely). "We meet Juliet first as a studious young teacher, then as a young mother visiting her elderly parents, and finally as a late middle-aged woman sundered from her own grown-up daughter. It turns out that the independence and rationalism we have admired in Juliet have alienated her child, who has left in search of the spiritual things she never had at home."
"In "Tricks", Robin, a young nurse who goes off by herself each year to see a Shakespeare play at Stratford, Ontario, is caught up in, and caught out by, a bit of plotting as artificial as a Shakespearean comedy. What if, Munro seems to say, the romantic susceptibilities of an inexperienced young woman were to be exposed to the comic doublings of a Twelfth Night or The Comedy of Errors. Another illustration of Munro's scope, this reminded me of O. Henry's " The Gift of the Magi", but covering an adult lifetime rather than one Christmas, the confusion of identity sorted out, not at the end of the evening, but a whole adult lifetime later. As exceedingly frustrating and small chances of actually happening, but certainly believable, it was actually my favorite.
"Trespasses" is similar, an examination of finding out unknown identities, a frustrating coincidence with a narrow possibility of occurring but definitely believable; a life-changing, both fortunate and unfortunate (depending in one's philosophy of "ignorance is bliss") happenstance for all the characters involved.
"Powers," the eighth and final story in the collection, is divided into five parts. (Interesting to consider it as an example of Freytag's pyramid theory). The first part comprises the diaries of Nancy, a self-centered young woman convinced that she is destined to have some great importance. She startles the town doctor, Wilf, on April Fool's Day by pretending to have a terminal illness; when she later tries to apologize to him, he unexpectedly proposes to her. Nancy, ashamed of her conduct, accepts his proposal although she feels little affection for him. She expresses surprise that her life has proved so mundane after all.
The second part shifts into third-person narration and takes place several months after the first part. Nancy and Wilf are engaged and preparing for their wedding. Wilf's cousin Ollie is in town to attend the ceremony, and Nancy becomes fascinated by his worldly affectations. In an attempt to impress him, she takes Ollie to visit Tessa, a friend of hers that lives on the outskirts of town. Tessa has psychic abilities that allow her to see through objects; she correctly identifies all of the items in Ollie's pockets. Ollie seemingly dismisses her, but Nancy fears that he is hiding a deeper interest. She writes Tessa, warning her to avoid Ollie. Tessa responds, revealing that she and Ollie have already eloped to the United States. They intend to get married and test her abilities scientifically.
Nancy is now an aging woman visiting an American mental hospital. The facility is shutting down, but she has received a letter asking that Nancy retrieve Tessa, who has lived there for some time. Nancy has no intention of doing so, and she arranges with the management to leave alone after she has spoken with Tessa. When the two former friends meet, Nancy attempts to learn about Ollie and his life with Tessa. Tessa, however, cannot remember anything; electroshock therapy has ruined her memory. She claims that Ollie may have hanged himself, and that it wasn't his fault, but she recalls nothing else. Tessa then guesses that Nancy plans to abandon her at the facility. Feeling guilty, Nancy promises to write her after she leaves, although she never does.
The fourth part moves forward a few more years. Wilf has died from the complications of a stroke, and Nancy takes the opportunity to travel. She is in a large city when she randomly encounters Ollie. She and Ollie have a long discussion, in which he discusses his travels with Tessa in the United States. He says that funding for research disappeared after World War II, forcing he and Tessa to work on the vaudeville circuit. The strain of performing gave Tessa horrible headaches and gradually eroded her powers, but she and he developed an intricate system with which to deceive their audiences. Eventually, Ollie says, Tessa died. Nancy does not contradict him; she instead asks him to walk her to his hotel. (One of those things I have always had a difficult time understanding, as personally I always prefer the truth, no matter how painful; I am opposed to the "ignorance is bliss" theory.) Upon arriving, however, Ollie refuses to go up to her room. Nancy, shamed by his honesty, resolves to find Tessa again. She does not succeed.
The fifth part takes place decades later. Nancy has become a very old woman, whose children worry that she is living in the past.
Munro is considered a national treasure in Canada. She had received both the Man Booker International and Nobel Prize in literature in recent years, among other accolades. I can see why.
What makes her sorry stories stand out? One notable difference is that Munro's short stories are actually not that short. Strictly in words, many lean towards the lengthier "definition". (Short stories are not defined by length as much as structure. Although there's is no official demarcation for length, the range has been loosely defined at 1 to 20 thousand words, and that it can be read in an hour at the most; shorter than a novel [typically 80 to 100 thousand words]). Moreover, her readers will quickly realize that they are quite similar to novels in the feeling and immersing story they offer. Munro's stories have the scope of a novel, but without any obvious speeding up or trimming. How exactly she does this is arguable an art.
Two, I love that the same theme- sometimes obvious, other times more difficult to decipher- runs through the entire book, further creating the feeling for a cohesive novel rather than sorry stories. (For example, this collection. Each of the protagonists is running from something; hiding, escaping, trying to find themselves. Runaway emotions, running from the truth, literally running away from their residences. A feeling of loneliness in a room full of others, of needing to overcome much despite outward appearances of needing nothing. Multiple interpretations for the title word, from slang to straightforward, are used throughout.)
Thirdly, All the stories are from a female protagonist's point of view ("Powers" lends a portion to a male point of view). They all go through something significant during the narration; they all change, though not always in a positive way. For many, this change is a life-altering one.
Munro's collection of the same title, concerns two runaways: "Carla, whose abusive husband, Clark, inspires her to run away, and Sylvia, her neighbor who encourages Carla's runaway attempt. Sylvia's husband has passed away, and she comes to rely on Carla for help around her house and develops an obsessive concern for her abused friend. Sylvia's friends describe her affection for Carla as a crush. While Carla resents Clark's abuse, it seems apparent that without Sylvia's planning and urging she would not have taken a bus out of town, only to get off the bus and call Clark to come and get her. Significantly, Carla, who is wearing some of Sylvia's clothes, decides that the clothes do not 鈥渇it鈥� her.
Sylvia, who later moves to an apartment in town, also may be considered a runaway. Besides the two women, there is another runaway: Flora, Carla's pet goat, who mysteriously vanishes and returns in supernatural fashion when Clark threatens Sylvia physically. The goat's sudden appearance saves Sylvia, and then Flora again vanishes. After Carla returns to Clark, she finds Flora's bones in the woods. She speculates about how Flora died and then absolves Clark of any guilt鈥攕omething she has to do if she is to go on living with him. In effect, she runs away from the truth; Flora's fate could become hers."
There next three chapters are actually about the same characters, with tears in between. This circumvents the loose definitions for short stories actually, (perhaps purposely). "We meet Juliet first as a studious young teacher, then as a young mother visiting her elderly parents, and finally as a late middle-aged woman sundered from her own grown-up daughter. It turns out that the independence and rationalism we have admired in Juliet have alienated her child, who has left in search of the spiritual things she never had at home."
"In "Tricks", Robin, a young nurse who goes off by herself each year to see a Shakespeare play at Stratford, Ontario, is caught up in, and caught out by, a bit of plotting as artificial as a Shakespearean comedy. What if, Munro seems to say, the romantic susceptibilities of an inexperienced young woman were to be exposed to the comic doublings of a Twelfth Night or The Comedy of Errors. Another illustration of Munro's scope, this reminded me of O. Henry's " The Gift of the Magi", but covering an adult lifetime rather than one Christmas, the confusion of identity sorted out, not at the end of the evening, but a whole adult lifetime later. As exceedingly frustrating and small chances of actually happening, but certainly believable, it was actually my favorite.
"Trespasses" is similar, an examination of finding out unknown identities, a frustrating coincidence with a narrow possibility of occurring but definitely believable; a life-changing, both fortunate and unfortunate (depending in one's philosophy of "ignorance is bliss") happenstance for all the characters involved.
"Powers," the eighth and final story in the collection, is divided into five parts. (Interesting to consider it as an example of Freytag's pyramid theory). The first part comprises the diaries of Nancy, a self-centered young woman convinced that she is destined to have some great importance. She startles the town doctor, Wilf, on April Fool's Day by pretending to have a terminal illness; when she later tries to apologize to him, he unexpectedly proposes to her. Nancy, ashamed of her conduct, accepts his proposal although she feels little affection for him. She expresses surprise that her life has proved so mundane after all.
The second part shifts into third-person narration and takes place several months after the first part. Nancy and Wilf are engaged and preparing for their wedding. Wilf's cousin Ollie is in town to attend the ceremony, and Nancy becomes fascinated by his worldly affectations. In an attempt to impress him, she takes Ollie to visit Tessa, a friend of hers that lives on the outskirts of town. Tessa has psychic abilities that allow her to see through objects; she correctly identifies all of the items in Ollie's pockets. Ollie seemingly dismisses her, but Nancy fears that he is hiding a deeper interest. She writes Tessa, warning her to avoid Ollie. Tessa responds, revealing that she and Ollie have already eloped to the United States. They intend to get married and test her abilities scientifically.
Nancy is now an aging woman visiting an American mental hospital. The facility is shutting down, but she has received a letter asking that Nancy retrieve Tessa, who has lived there for some time. Nancy has no intention of doing so, and she arranges with the management to leave alone after she has spoken with Tessa. When the two former friends meet, Nancy attempts to learn about Ollie and his life with Tessa. Tessa, however, cannot remember anything; electroshock therapy has ruined her memory. She claims that Ollie may have hanged himself, and that it wasn't his fault, but she recalls nothing else. Tessa then guesses that Nancy plans to abandon her at the facility. Feeling guilty, Nancy promises to write her after she leaves, although she never does.
The fourth part moves forward a few more years. Wilf has died from the complications of a stroke, and Nancy takes the opportunity to travel. She is in a large city when she randomly encounters Ollie. She and Ollie have a long discussion, in which he discusses his travels with Tessa in the United States. He says that funding for research disappeared after World War II, forcing he and Tessa to work on the vaudeville circuit. The strain of performing gave Tessa horrible headaches and gradually eroded her powers, but she and he developed an intricate system with which to deceive their audiences. Eventually, Ollie says, Tessa died. Nancy does not contradict him; she instead asks him to walk her to his hotel. (One of those things I have always had a difficult time understanding, as personally I always prefer the truth, no matter how painful; I am opposed to the "ignorance is bliss" theory.) Upon arriving, however, Ollie refuses to go up to her room. Nancy, shamed by his honesty, resolves to find Tessa again. She does not succeed.
The fifth part takes place decades later. Nancy has become a very old woman, whose children worry that she is living in the past.
Munro is considered a national treasure in Canada. She had received both the Man Booker International and Nobel Prize in literature in recent years, among other accolades. I can see why.
June 11, 2018
Carla is a young woman who eloped with Clark, his former horse-riding teacher, to live her farm dream. As it usually happens in real life, the dream turns out to be a rather gloomy nightmare. Clark has fits of moodiness and treats her with despise and coldness.
Carla's neighbor Sylvie hires her to take care of the house while she tends to her moribund husband. A strong bond develops between the two women, and for a moment, the reader has high hopes for Carla: will she be resilient enough to escape the claws of a life lived in fear and misery?
The story has a mystifying ending that blends a bit of magic with the kind of horror that comes with the realization of the petrifying things we are capable of when trapped in a situation that subjugates us. Blood-chillingly good.
Carla's neighbor Sylvie hires her to take care of the house while she tends to her moribund husband. A strong bond develops between the two women, and for a moment, the reader has high hopes for Carla: will she be resilient enough to escape the claws of a life lived in fear and misery?
The story has a mystifying ending that blends a bit of magic with the kind of horror that comes with the realization of the petrifying things we are capable of when trapped in a situation that subjugates us. Blood-chillingly good.
July 30, 2019
Alice Munro'yu 莽ok seviyorum. Baz谋 yerlerde hep Murakami ile kar艧谋la艧t谋r谋ld谋臒谋n谋 g枚r眉yor Nobel'i Murakami'nin yerine Munro'nun almas谋n谋n kimilerince 'haks谋zl谋k' olarak nitelendirildi臒ini g枚r眉yorum. Hi莽 Murakami okumad谋m; fakat Alice Munro'ya da haks谋zl谋k yap谋ld谋臒谋n谋 d眉艧眉n眉yorum. Munro'nun bana olduk莽a ba艧ka gelen bir havas谋 var. Asl谋nda 莽ok 'de臒i艧ik' insanlar谋 anlatm谋yor; ancak o hep kar艧谋m谋za 莽谋kabilecek insanlar谋 枚yle iyi bir 艧ekilde anlat谋yor ki kap谋l谋p gidiyorsunuz. San谋r谋m bu sebeple "Kanada'n谋n 脟ehov'u" deniyor kendisine. Bilemiyorum, ben Alice Munro okumaktan ger莽ekten 莽ok b眉y眉k keyif al谋yorum.
Firar'a gelirsem... Asl谋nda 'firar etmek isteyen, firar eden' kad谋nlar谋 anlatm谋艧 kitaptaki sekiz 枚yk眉de de. Bir yerlerden, bir 艧eylerden, birilerinden uzakla艧mak, ka莽mak isteyen insanlar谋 okuyoruz. Baz谋 枚yk眉ler birbirleriyle ba臒lant谋l谋; bu da bence okuyucuya ayr谋 bir keyif veriyor.
Yay谋mlanan di臒er 枚yk眉lerini de en k谋sa zamanda okuyabilmeyi diliyorum.
Firar'a gelirsem... Asl谋nda 'firar etmek isteyen, firar eden' kad谋nlar谋 anlatm谋艧 kitaptaki sekiz 枚yk眉de de. Bir yerlerden, bir 艧eylerden, birilerinden uzakla艧mak, ka莽mak isteyen insanlar谋 okuyoruz. Baz谋 枚yk眉ler birbirleriyle ba臒lant谋l谋; bu da bence okuyucuya ayr谋 bir keyif veriyor.
Yay谋mlanan di臒er 枚yk眉lerini de en k谋sa zamanda okuyabilmeyi diliyorum.
December 8, 2020
Firar etmek isteyen, bir 艧eylerden ka莽an kad谋nlar谋n 枚yk眉leri var bu kitapta.
Anlat谋m hi莽bir 艧eyi dramatikle艧tirmeden ola臒an bir 艧ekilde gidiyor hep, 莽ok yal谋n s眉slemeye gerek duymam谋艧. Kimse 莽ok hakl谋 ya da tam tersi de臒il.
馃専
Anlat谋m hi莽bir 艧eyi dramatikle艧tirmeden ola臒an bir 艧ekilde gidiyor hep, 莽ok yal谋n s眉slemeye gerek duymam谋艧. Kimse 莽ok hakl谋 ya da tam tersi de臒il.
馃専
February 17, 2016
兀賱賷爻 丕賱兀賲乇 賲睾乇賷丕 亘丨賯責 兀賳 鬲賳夭毓 毓賳賰 毓賽卮乇丞 廿賳爻丕賳 兀孬賯賱 毓賱賷賰 丨賷丕鬲賰責 兀賳 鬲亘丿兀 亘丿丕賷丞 賳丕氐毓丞 禺丕賱賷丞 賲賳 鬲賵丕亘毓 丕賱賲丕囟賷 賵毓孬乇丕鬲賴責 兀賲乇 乇丕卅毓貙 睾賷乇 兀賳 丕賱兀賲賵乇 鬲爻鬲毓氐賷 毓賱賶 丕賱鬲亘爻賷胤貙 賵丕賱毓賯亘丞 丕賱兀賵賱賶 賴賷 丕賱賳賮爻. 爻兀賰賮 毓賳 丕賱兀賱睾丕夭 賵丕鬲乇賰賰 賱鬲賯乇兀 賯氐丞 (丕賱賴丕乇亘丞) 賱賱賳賵亘賱賷丞 兀賱賷爻 賲賵賳乇賵.
賱賲 鬲賰鬲亘 賲賵賳乇賵 匕賱賰 丕賱賳賵毓 賲賳 丕賱兀丿亘 丕賱兀賳孬賵賷 丕賱匕賷 賷爻鬲丨囟乇 丕賱乇噩賱 賮賯胤 賱賷乇賰賱 賲丐禺乇鬲賴 胤賵丕賱 丕賱賳氐貙 亘賱 胤乇丨鬲 賯囟丕賷丕 兀爻賲賶 賵兀乇賯賶. 毓賳 兀賳氐丕賮 丕賱賳賵丕賷丕 賰鬲亘鬲貙 毓賳 卮亘賴 丕賱乇睾亘丞貙 毓賳 亘毓囟 賲賳 丕賱鬲賴賵乇 賵亘毓囟 丕賱賳丿賲. 鬲丨丿孬鬲 毓賳 丕賱賵丨丿丞貙 毓賳 丕賱囟毓賮 丕賱兀賳孬賵賷 丕賱毓匕亘貙 毓賳 賯賱丞 丕賱丨賷賱丞 賵丕賱丕爻鬲爻賱丕賲 賱爻賷乇賵乇丞 丕賱兀賷丕賲.
廿匕丕 賰賳鬲 賲賳 毓卮丕賯 丕賱兀丨丿丕孬 丕賱賲鬲爻丕乇毓丞 賵丕賱賳賴丕賷丕鬲 丕賱賲丿賴卮丞 賵丕賱卮禺氐賷丕鬲 丕賱亘乇丕賯丞 賮賱賳 鬲乇賵賯 賱賰 賴匕賴 丕賱賲噩賲賵毓丞 丕賱賯氐氐賷丞. 賮丕賱兀丨丿丕孬 賲丨囟乇丞 毓賱賶 賳丕乇 賴丕丿卅丞貙 丕賱卮禺氐賷丕鬲 賲賮乇胤丞 賮賷 丕賱賵丕賯毓賷丞 賵丕賱賳賴丕賷丕鬲 賴賷 賮賷 丕賱睾丕賱亘 賲賮鬲賵丨丞. 鬲鬲賮丕賵鬲 噩賵丿丞 丕賱賯氐氐 賵丿乇噩丞 丕賲鬲丕毓賴丕 賱賰賳賳賷 鬲賱匕匕鬲 賰孬賷乇丕 亘賯氐氐: (丕賱賴丕乇亘丞) 賵賴賷 毓賳 夭賵噩丞 鬲賯乇乇 丕賱賮乇丕乇 賲賳 夭賵噩賴丕 賱鬲亘丿兀 丨賷丕丞 噩丿賷丿丞; 賴賷 毓賲賱 爻丕丨乇 鬲乇賰 賮賷 丕賱賳賮爻 賵賲賷囟丕 禺丕賮鬲丕 賱丕 兀毓賱賲 賱賴 爻亘亘丕. 兀丨亘亘鬲 賯氐丞 (氐賲鬲) 丕賱鬲賷 鬲氐賵乇 丨賷乇丞 兀賲 睾丕丿乇鬲賴丕 丕亘賳鬲賴丕 丕賱卮丕亘丞 賮賷 乇丨賱丞 鬲兀賲賱 賵丕賳賯胤毓鬲 兀禺亘丕乇賴丕. 孬賲 賯氐丞 (睾乇丕賲) 丕賱鬲賷 鬲丨賰賷 毓賳 賮鬲丕丞 鬲乇鬲亘胤 亘禺胤賷亘 丿賵賳 毓丕胤賮丞 噩賷丕卮丞.
賲噩賲賵毓丞 賯氐氐賷丞 賱兀丿賷亘丞 賰賳丿賷丞貙 亘毓匕賵亘丞 兀賳孬賵賷丞貙 賵賳賰賴丞 鬲卮賷賰賵賮賷丞 鬲爻鬲丨賯 丕賱賯乇丕亍丞 丿賵賳 卮賰.
賱賲 鬲賰鬲亘 賲賵賳乇賵 匕賱賰 丕賱賳賵毓 賲賳 丕賱兀丿亘 丕賱兀賳孬賵賷 丕賱匕賷 賷爻鬲丨囟乇 丕賱乇噩賱 賮賯胤 賱賷乇賰賱 賲丐禺乇鬲賴 胤賵丕賱 丕賱賳氐貙 亘賱 胤乇丨鬲 賯囟丕賷丕 兀爻賲賶 賵兀乇賯賶. 毓賳 兀賳氐丕賮 丕賱賳賵丕賷丕 賰鬲亘鬲貙 毓賳 卮亘賴 丕賱乇睾亘丞貙 毓賳 亘毓囟 賲賳 丕賱鬲賴賵乇 賵亘毓囟 丕賱賳丿賲. 鬲丨丿孬鬲 毓賳 丕賱賵丨丿丞貙 毓賳 丕賱囟毓賮 丕賱兀賳孬賵賷 丕賱毓匕亘貙 毓賳 賯賱丞 丕賱丨賷賱丞 賵丕賱丕爻鬲爻賱丕賲 賱爻賷乇賵乇丞 丕賱兀賷丕賲.
廿匕丕 賰賳鬲 賲賳 毓卮丕賯 丕賱兀丨丿丕孬 丕賱賲鬲爻丕乇毓丞 賵丕賱賳賴丕賷丕鬲 丕賱賲丿賴卮丞 賵丕賱卮禺氐賷丕鬲 丕賱亘乇丕賯丞 賮賱賳 鬲乇賵賯 賱賰 賴匕賴 丕賱賲噩賲賵毓丞 丕賱賯氐氐賷丞. 賮丕賱兀丨丿丕孬 賲丨囟乇丞 毓賱賶 賳丕乇 賴丕丿卅丞貙 丕賱卮禺氐賷丕鬲 賲賮乇胤丞 賮賷 丕賱賵丕賯毓賷丞 賵丕賱賳賴丕賷丕鬲 賴賷 賮賷 丕賱睾丕賱亘 賲賮鬲賵丨丞. 鬲鬲賮丕賵鬲 噩賵丿丞 丕賱賯氐氐 賵丿乇噩丞 丕賲鬲丕毓賴丕 賱賰賳賳賷 鬲賱匕匕鬲 賰孬賷乇丕 亘賯氐氐: (丕賱賴丕乇亘丞) 賵賴賷 毓賳 夭賵噩丞 鬲賯乇乇 丕賱賮乇丕乇 賲賳 夭賵噩賴丕 賱鬲亘丿兀 丨賷丕丞 噩丿賷丿丞; 賴賷 毓賲賱 爻丕丨乇 鬲乇賰 賮賷 丕賱賳賮爻 賵賲賷囟丕 禺丕賮鬲丕 賱丕 兀毓賱賲 賱賴 爻亘亘丕. 兀丨亘亘鬲 賯氐丞 (氐賲鬲) 丕賱鬲賷 鬲氐賵乇 丨賷乇丞 兀賲 睾丕丿乇鬲賴丕 丕亘賳鬲賴丕 丕賱卮丕亘丞 賮賷 乇丨賱丞 鬲兀賲賱 賵丕賳賯胤毓鬲 兀禺亘丕乇賴丕. 孬賲 賯氐丞 (睾乇丕賲) 丕賱鬲賷 鬲丨賰賷 毓賳 賮鬲丕丞 鬲乇鬲亘胤 亘禺胤賷亘 丿賵賳 毓丕胤賮丞 噩賷丕卮丞.
賲噩賲賵毓丞 賯氐氐賷丞 賱兀丿賷亘丞 賰賳丿賷丞貙 亘毓匕賵亘丞 兀賳孬賵賷丞貙 賵賳賰賴丞 鬲卮賷賰賵賮賷丞 鬲爻鬲丨賯 丕賱賯乇丕亍丞 丿賵賳 卮賰.
June 5, 2014
If you need someone to sell you on short stories, go to Alice Munro. Her writing is straightforward and easy to grasp, yet it still conveys a wide range of striking and subtle emotions. In Runaway, most of the stories involve a middle-aged woman reflecting on her past and how an event has affected her life. The premise of each story appears simple - a woman has a passionate love affair with a married man, a daughter fails to comfort her mom - which allows Munro to weave in truths about human relationships through her plain prose. These short stories stick to the longer side, but Munro wields every word to make memorable moments and connections between and within her characters.
Recommended for those who want a solid collection of short stories about human relationships, as well as for those who desire some Canadian literature. I read a couple of stories from Runaway every week and discussed them with a friend, which let me savor Munro's prose and her penchant for subtlety that says a lot.
Recommended for those who want a solid collection of short stories about human relationships, as well as for those who desire some Canadian literature. I read a couple of stories from Runaway every week and discussed them with a friend, which let me savor Munro's prose and her penchant for subtlety that says a lot.
May 15, 2024
RIP Alice Munro.
One hell of a satisfying Alice Munro read.
The tales in this collection are twisty, shifting with humor and sorrow throughout its pages. I could not help but feel extremely emotional and attached to the characters with whom I've had the privilege of reading about.
All the stories in this particular collection are stellar, and they all carry a sense that death is always impending and near.
Three interlinking takes are about Juliet- first as a scholar of classics, and who falls for a fisherman named Eric, and their daughter Penelope. Juliet meets Eric after a suicide on a train in which she's riding causes an accident; and of Penelope's conception. Then afterwards, the second story is about Juliet's strained relations with her father and senile mother; and of her mother's attempt at being affectionate with her in which Juliet cruelly rebuffs.
The final story, appropriately called "Silence" now has Juliet worrying about the whereabouts of Penelope and if whether or not she has disappeared with a religious cult. And of whether or not she might see her daughter again?
"Tricks" and "Passion" are my favorites- and are haunting. Tricks is the story of a spinster nurse Robin who often once a year sneaks into town to watch Shakespeare productions, and on one fateful day after losing her pocketbook, befriends and passionately embraces a clockmaker who asks her to meet him the at the same time again, next year. But a cruel twist of mistaken identity forces these two apart in which ends in a finale that is comical, absurd, yet tragic.
鈥淧assion", like "Tricks" is about how a moment of passion leads to tragedy as well. Grace falls for Neil, the brother of her fiancee Maury. Neil is intelligent, well-rounded and has helped Grace treat a swollen foot from the emergency room. Spending the night with him on the way back home in his car, they fall for one another Richard Linklater style: through conversations and personal connection.
Neil drops a soda in which spills onto Grace's hand, and he licks her hand, leading to feelings of sexual desire and frustration. However after this brief interlude, Neil commits suicide leaving a thousand dollars for Grace's perusal; and she ends up leaving Maury and into her future alone.
I could go on and on summarizing the tales from this masterful and enriching collection, but I could not help but feel an ethereal and bittersweetness like no other, in having read enough of her works. I began reading Alice Munro by her collection "The Love of a Good Woman", then "Open Secrets", "Too Much Happiness", "Hateship, Friendship", "Dear Life", "The View on Castle Rock" and now this.
All are masterpieces in their own right. She is a perfect storyteller and forces you to savor each word and each plot, freshly imagined and fleshed out. But this collection is where I found myself brimming with tears, because they reminded me so much of myself personally. It's not for the faint of heart, or those who are sentimental, that's for sure.
Like the film "Boyhood", this collection forced me to think of my own significance as a person, and as a teacher. And it is truly an astonishing work of art.
One hell of a satisfying Alice Munro read.
The tales in this collection are twisty, shifting with humor and sorrow throughout its pages. I could not help but feel extremely emotional and attached to the characters with whom I've had the privilege of reading about.
All the stories in this particular collection are stellar, and they all carry a sense that death is always impending and near.
Three interlinking takes are about Juliet- first as a scholar of classics, and who falls for a fisherman named Eric, and their daughter Penelope. Juliet meets Eric after a suicide on a train in which she's riding causes an accident; and of Penelope's conception. Then afterwards, the second story is about Juliet's strained relations with her father and senile mother; and of her mother's attempt at being affectionate with her in which Juliet cruelly rebuffs.
The final story, appropriately called "Silence" now has Juliet worrying about the whereabouts of Penelope and if whether or not she has disappeared with a religious cult. And of whether or not she might see her daughter again?
"Tricks" and "Passion" are my favorites- and are haunting. Tricks is the story of a spinster nurse Robin who often once a year sneaks into town to watch Shakespeare productions, and on one fateful day after losing her pocketbook, befriends and passionately embraces a clockmaker who asks her to meet him the at the same time again, next year. But a cruel twist of mistaken identity forces these two apart in which ends in a finale that is comical, absurd, yet tragic.
鈥淧assion", like "Tricks" is about how a moment of passion leads to tragedy as well. Grace falls for Neil, the brother of her fiancee Maury. Neil is intelligent, well-rounded and has helped Grace treat a swollen foot from the emergency room. Spending the night with him on the way back home in his car, they fall for one another Richard Linklater style: through conversations and personal connection.
Neil drops a soda in which spills onto Grace's hand, and he licks her hand, leading to feelings of sexual desire and frustration. However after this brief interlude, Neil commits suicide leaving a thousand dollars for Grace's perusal; and she ends up leaving Maury and into her future alone.
I could go on and on summarizing the tales from this masterful and enriching collection, but I could not help but feel an ethereal and bittersweetness like no other, in having read enough of her works. I began reading Alice Munro by her collection "The Love of a Good Woman", then "Open Secrets", "Too Much Happiness", "Hateship, Friendship", "Dear Life", "The View on Castle Rock" and now this.
All are masterpieces in their own right. She is a perfect storyteller and forces you to savor each word and each plot, freshly imagined and fleshed out. But this collection is where I found myself brimming with tears, because they reminded me so much of myself personally. It's not for the faint of heart, or those who are sentimental, that's for sure.
Like the film "Boyhood", this collection forced me to think of my own significance as a person, and as a teacher. And it is truly an astonishing work of art.
February 13, 2022
There are some very powerful short stories in this book, some gorgeous writing and sadness too. One of my 欧宝娱乐 friends said in his review that one of these stories will leave you with a hole in your heart. I felt that way about 2 of them. I won't forget this book anytime soon.
"The trees of the hardwood forest laced their branches overhead. The leaves were late to turn this year because of the strangely warm weather, so these branches were still green, except for the odd one here and there that flashed out like a banner."
"The trees of the hardwood forest laced their branches overhead. The leaves were late to turn this year because of the strangely warm weather, so these branches were still green, except for the odd one here and there that flashed out like a banner."
July 24, 2015
亘賴 丌賱蹖爻 賲賵賳乇賵 丕毓鬲賲丕丿 丿丕乇賲. 亘賴 賳孬乇卮貙 乇賵丕蹖鬲卮貙 禺胤 丿丕爻鬲丕賳卮貙 亘賴 卮禺氐蹖鬲鈥屬囏ж� 讴賴 賳賴 禺蹖賱蹖 禺丕氐賳 賳賴 禺蹖賱蹖 丿賵乇賳诏乇丕貙 賳賴 毓噩蹖亘 賵 睾乇蹖亘. 賲毓賲賵賱蹖 賵 毓丕丿蹖賳. 亘賴卮 丕毓鬲賲丕丿 丿丕乇賲 趩賵賳 賲蹖鈥屫堎嗁� 亘賱丿賴. 賴賲賴 趩蹖夭 乇賵 賲蹖鈥屫堎嗁�. 亘丕 馗乇丕賮鬲 蹖賴 亘丕賳賵蹖 讴丕賳丕丿丕蹖蹖 賲蹖丿賵賳賴 讴噩丕 趩蹖讴丕乇 讴賳賴. 賲孬賱 賵賯鬲蹖 讴賴 禺胤 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賲孬 蹖賴 賳賲賵丿丕乇 爻蹖賳賵爻蹖 卮蹖亘卮 毓賵囟 賲蹖鈥屫促� 賵 禺賵丕賳賳丿賴 亘丕 蹖賴 讴卮賮 賵 卮賴賵丿 亘賴 賱匕鬲 丿賵趩賳丿丕賳 賲蹖鈥屫必迟�.
September 2, 2020
賮乇丕乇 賲噩賲賵毓賴鈥屰� 賴卮鬲 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 讴賵鬲丕賴 丕夭 丌賱蹖爻 賲賵賳乇賵 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴鈥屰� 丿乇 賯蹖丿 丨蹖丕鬲 讴丕賳丕丿丕蹖蹖賴. 趩蹖夭蹖 讴賴 亘乇丕賲 禺蹖賱蹖 噩丕賱亘 亘賵丿 丕蹖賳 丿乇 趩賴丕乇趩賵亘 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 讴賵鬲丕賴 賳亘賵丿賳 賲賵賳乇賵 亘賵丿貙 鬲毓丿丿 卮禺氐蹖鬲鈥屬囏ж� 鬲毓丿丿 賲讴丕賳 賴丕 賵 鬲丕蹖賲 賱丕蹖賳 夭賲丕賳蹖 賯氐賴 賴丕 亘蹖卮鬲乇 丕夭 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 讴賵鬲丕賴 亘賴 乇賲丕賳 卮亘丕賴鬲 丿丕乇賴.
鬲賵蹖 讴鬲丕亘 爻賴 鬲丕 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴爻鬲 讴賴 卮禺氐蹖鬲鈥屬囏� 蹖讴蹖 賴爻鬲賳丿 : 丕鬲賮丕賯/亘賴 夭賵丿蹖/ 爻讴賵鬲.
賵 賲賳 禺蹖賱蹖 丿賵爻卮賵賳 丿丕卮鬲賲.
鬲賵蹖 讴鬲丕亘 爻賴 鬲丕 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴爻鬲 讴賴 卮禺氐蹖鬲鈥屬囏� 蹖讴蹖 賴爻鬲賳丿 : 丕鬲賮丕賯/亘賴 夭賵丿蹖/ 爻讴賵鬲.
賵 賲賳 禺蹖賱蹖 丿賵爻卮賵賳 丿丕卮鬲賲.
December 11, 2020
丕賵賱蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘蹖 讴賴 丕夭 賲賵賳乇賵 禺賵賳丿賲 賵亘爻蹖丕乇 乇丕囟蹖賲 亘蹖卮鬲乇 丕夭 賴賲賴 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賮乇蹖亘 賴丕 乇賵 丿賵爻鬲 丿丕卮鬲賲 馃挍
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