FFB' NORMAL PEOPLE, Sally Rooney

 

Normal People is the story of two teenagers, who fall in and out of love through the last years of high school and the first year of college. Connell's mother is a housekeeper for Marianne's family so there is a class difference. In high school, Connell is popular and Marianne, a loner. This changes over the years. Both are very smart and their relationship is sophisticated for their years. It is also about intellectual and political discussions and not just a sexual attraction. Both of them have periods teetering on mental illness. We root for them to find a way to be together and successful in their studies and happy in their friendships. The writing is beautiful and it's always fun to spend time in Ireland. There is also an excellent TV series based on this book on Hulu, I believe.

Short Story Wednesday' DANCE OF THE HAPPY SHADES-title story

 

Munro's first collection of stories won the Governor's Award in Canada. The stories are set in southwestern Ontario. The title story concerns a teenage girl and her mother who attend a recital at her piano teacher's house. Much is made of this yearly event among the adults especially. How it has become tiresome and shows a decline in the teacher. The food is not appealing and haven't they all done this so many times. At the end of the poorly-attended recital, a new group of children enter the house. It is clear they are from some sort of institution and their appearance suggests they are Downs Syndrome children. The final pianist is very talented, which seems to put everyone on guard. It seems like a trick,, perhaps to embarrass the audience in some way. It is not acceptable for such a girl to have this gift. Except to the piano teacher. (The title was the title of the song she played). A wonderful collection, many of the stories are about Munro's father. 

Kevin Tipple

George Kelley 

TracyK 

Todd Mason

Casual Debris 

Jerry House

Monday, Monday

Since Tracy and Jeff have occasional problems posting here, please copy your comments before posting and send them to me if they don't post (pattinaseabbott@gmail.com) I certainly miss it when I don't hear from all of you. 

Well, Winter arrived this week. It is 8 degrees here today. We had snow off and on for a few days and although it didn't amount to much, it was horrible for driving as it switched from sleet, to snow, to rain and the winds are ferocious. Of course, I don't drive so I look out here from the 8th floor and worry about accidents.

Watched MASTER GARDENER last night. This is the last of a trilogy by Paul Schrader about men who have committed terrible crimes but then sought to redeem themselves. I like this one but not as much as FIRST REFORMED or THE CARD COUNTER.

Finished up FOR ALL MANKIND (Apple), and although I will probably watch another season, I am tired of watching men floating about in space. And REACHER (Prime) has become disappointing with way too many scenes of extreme violence. Waiting for MONSIEUR SPADE and TRUE CRIME tonight although I will have to watch the Detroit Lions too. A show I have always enjoyed is BREEDERS on Hulu, although I think this is its last season. I will certainly miss SLOW HORSES (Apple). I am catching up with BEEF (Netflix) also.

Finished the SISKEL AND EBERT book, which somehow didn't spend enough time on some things I expected it to. Like looking analytically at why they so often differed in their opinions. I can't imagine there is enough to say for another book though. Still struggling to finish THE FIREKEEPER'S DAUGHTER, which is way too long. 

How about you?

FFB: MY BEST SCIENCE FICTION STORY. Edited by Margulies and Friend

 (from the archives: reviewed by Bill Crider)

Forgotten Books: My Best Science Fiction Story -- Edited by Leo Margulies & Oscar J. Friend

Is anyone but old guys like me interested in the history of certain genres these days? I've seen blog posts from whippersnappers who don't have any interest at all in reading the older books in their area of interest.  I can understand, however, since I have little interest in reading the newer ones.

But for somebody who does care about the history of SF, this would seem to be an essential book. It's fun because of the stories, of course, but each writer provides a short introduction to explain why a particular story was picked for the collection. (My favorite line in these is the final one in Henry Kuttner's intro: "Anyway, my wife wrote it.")

You have to wonder, considering the date of the collection (1949) if the writers would have chosen different stories later on in their careers. Too bad they're not around to ask. Cheap copies abound around the Internet, so why not pick one up an give it a try. See if you agree with the authors' choices.

Posted by Unknown at 6:30 AM 7 comments:

Short Story Wednesday: "A Conversation with My Father" Grace Paley

 

In this story, a daughter is visiting her 86-year old father on his deathbed. He asks for a story but is dissatisfied with the one she gives him, a one with many possible outcomes. He asks for one like Chekhov or another Russian writer would write. He wants the details that make the story come alive for him. She is unwilling to propel her character into an old-fashioned type plot. She wants her character to be free. 

Her story is about a woman whose son has become a drug-addict and how she takes up drugs to share his experience. As the daughter provides more and more of the details that her father craves, we see her unwillingness to tell the whole story is related to her father's dying and his willingness to hear it all signals his acceptance of what's ahead. A very post-modern story but lots to think about. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAe0aR_imms

 

Jerry House 

Kevin Tipple

George Kelley  

Todd Mason

Casual Debris

What Stephen Soderbergh watched, read, in 2023. (How does he have time to make movies?)

 https://thefilmstage.com/everything-steven-soderbergh-watched-and-read-in-2023/