Permanent Revolution: Essays

by Gail Scott

Permanent Revolution traces Gail Scott’s seminal investigation of prose experiment to the present, including a recreation of the iconic Spaces Like Stairs, in a collection relating the matter of writing in sentences to ongoing social upheaval. "Where there is no emergency there is likely no real experiment," she writes.

In conversation with other writers across the continent identified with current queer/feminist avant-garde trajectories, including l’écriture-au féminin moment in Québec, and queer continental new narrative, Permanent Revolution is an evolutionary snapshot of contemporaneous Fe-male ground-breaking prose fiction.

"A writer may do as she pleases with her epoch. Except ignore it," said Scott. With Permanent Revolution, the writer interrogates her era, twice. Belonging in the canon alongside Maggie Nelson, Lydia Davis and Renee Gladman, Gail Scott is an important feminist thinker of our time.

Genres: Nonfiction, Essays

220 pages, Paperback

First published May 25, 2021

Reviews

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

PERMANENT REVOLUTION: Essays by Gail Scott is a very thoughtful and unique collection! This book was my first introduction to Scott’s writing and admittedly it took a moment to get used to. She definitely has a firm grasp on the written word and how she wants to use it. It was quite interesting her use of the + symbol instead of the word and. The topics she writes about from her past to present are all still relevant today including feminism, the narrative voice and prose in literature and the convergence of queer, female and Canadian. My fave essay was A Visit to Canada as she discusses traveling from Montréal on the east coast of Canada to Victoria on the west coast and how the cultures between those two places differ. I also loved reading her thoughts on works in translation because that’s an interesting topic to me since I love reading translated works but I only know one language. As she is a writer who knows more than one language it’s a fresh perspective to me especially her thoughts on French versus Québécois French versus English. All in all a great collection and I also enjoyed the introduction and afterword. The apt title reflects how literary works such as this one are important to continue to push the boundaries of traditional writing.
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Thank you to Bookhug Press for my gifted review copy!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I long for a time when writers wore upstart intellectual performances as a badge of honor. There is, in the CBC archives, a hilarious 1977 interview with a young Margaret Atwood suggesting on national TV that interviewer Hana Gartner would be better off reading Harlequin romances. This in response to Gartner's declaring she cannot empathize with Atwood's depressing stories. Atwood is no difficult writer but she is a Canadian literary figure who has not hesitated to don the mantle of bitch when the situation required. When will more of us return to speaking up? And in whose interest is it that we do not?" Pg. 29 from The Attack of Difficult Women Prose
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~THOUGHTS~
Permanent Revolution is a whip smart collection of old and new essays. This is a collection we need right now! Scott's words ring just as true today as when she wrote them decades ago. Giving us her intimate, queer, feminist ruminations and philosophies on art, literature, writers and feminism. I absolutely loved it! The way she plays with language, form and structure is wholly unique. I first fell for her writing when I read Heroine. It blew my mind! Such as Permanent Revolution has. I devoured this one but I know I will return to it for inspiration again and again. I enjoyed this whole collection, I just love the way Scott thinks and experiments with prose. Such a thought provoking read! Scott is one of those intelligent feminist writers that will stand the test of time again and again!

Thank you @bookhug_press for sending me with this one in exchange for an honest review.
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[b · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eminently readable, which I was surprised about. I guess I expected it to be a bit more, idk, rigorous? Was also grateful to realize Spaces Like Stairs, which I’ve never been able to find a copy of, was cherry-picked from and included herein. Lots of nice things I could quote here. And only just the slightest touch much of the self-congratulatory hoo-ha that folks successful in Canadian arts and letters are susceptible to.

[GwenViolet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think Gail Scott might be my fav writer ever (idk, it's hard) but what I love about her is I read and feel the total possibility of writing, contra a lot of "experimental" literature that feels about cultivating some dominant (masculine) mystique Scott seems to encourage "oh God, I could do that" ... well, maybe.

Most likely not as well

But one can hope

[Mic Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

She makes a playground out of language and I love this book because of that.