Ask the Author: Jim Coughenour
Answered Questions (4)
Jim Coughenour
Hi Marc. What a kind comment. As you might guess I have no special advice other than the obvious - read what interests you. Books are full of echoes of other books, allusions, references — that’s part of what I look for in a writer I like, finding out what that writer likes and hates so I can go hunting on my own. But as for reading for meaning, as I grow older I realize that the same book can mean different things at different times, it’s always a part of whatever it is that I’m living at the moment. There’s a review of Dostoyevsky’s Notes from Underground that I wrote years ago, noting how my impression of what the book “meant” shifted completely over the years. So, to say again more strongly what I started with: read what you love. Life’s too short for any other approach. And what you love will become deeper and richer. The “Eros” of reading, that’s my final answer :)
Jim Coughenour
First, apologies Christina, I’m just now seeing this note, which proves what a bad goodreader I am. The chapbook version from the 1990s was a lark. I can’t believe you still have a copy! I’m still playing with short short stories & cartoons, whether it will come together is anyone’s guess. But I’ll stay away from Twitter, as it seems people are more excitable now. Back then it seemed more obvious, maybe, that we are all cartoons.
Jim Coughenour
Hi Kelly - Thank you for a smile, for remembering those cards. That must have been MANY years ago. I no longer have those cards in any form, I’m sorry to say. They were all created as a joke (of course) for a few friends who were into astrology, and I did do research, interviewing people who were REALLY into astrology, because I knew nothing about it. So much of that work, including the little books, were of their time and place, and have mostly disappeared.
Jim Coughenour
Hi Tom. I wonder what Doug gave you – maybe the Castro Manifesto? That was fun, a lot of the text was from him and I wrote it as a lark. Unfortunately I have sad news about Doug - he died a few years ago. He was a wonderful friend and he's still missed by many of us in San Francisco. If you want to write me more directly, you can reach me at jimc0@me.com
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