flight paths discussion

it might be raining, but o the flowers!

This year seems to be zipping by! I'm in that interim state quite missing the characters I bonded with in the last month, just beginning a new cycle. Kind of silly, but I'm really missing Ifemelu and Gwen.

I love when I'm so bonded with characters!

I just read the most wonderful book about writing, and living: Colum McCann's Letters to a Young Writer: Some Practical and Philosophical Advice. I also loved his Let the Great World Spin and Transatlantic and now I want to read everything else he's written.

I'm a bit sick-too sick to read actually-but I've been trying to keep reading both Demons (slowly but I love it) and Stephen Dobyns' Next Word, Better Word: The Craft of Writing Poetry. It's the hardest book I've ever read I think, at least on writing poetry and that's saying something but it's been enlightening on reading poetry. And I love all the language about writing poetry; even when I don't understand it, I find it incandescent.

I have to go back to bed now but look forward to how everyone is doing.

Calmed down now enough to rewrite my response which I lost when I must have accidentally pressed the key for dictation. Be that as it may, the message vanished as I tried to shut the thing down. These 'smart' phones can be quite pushy! And not good for the health.
Ellie! Not being able to read is more than a bit sick. I hope you are taking good care of yourself.
I found that lying still offered me the chance to come to terms with a number of unresolved issues.Like an inability to let myself just be instead of pushing myself.
Let the Great World Spin is on the favorite shelf for me.

It seems that when my comments get too long, there's more of a risk for losing, so I paused there and checked the titles CMcC has to his name, and its Dancer that started me on his trail. He is,may I steal your word Ellie, incandescent. Dont you think it fits?
I'm struggling a bit with Dennis Cooley.the old Dharma Bum from Winnipeg, yes I can appreciate his sly playfulness but it isn't my cuppa. Wyslawa Szymborska I can relate to however. I dont have much patience these days, tho being frail for such an extended period has deepened my tolerance somewhat

I just finished The Enchanted by Rene Denfeld. It blew me away. I'm a bit surprised that this book isn't better known.
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

sounds intriguing Petra I've put a hold on it.
can't remember you raving about a book so emphatically!

dear Ellie, Hope you are not still sick! its been almost a week since you posted...

Petra wrote: "I just finished The Enchanted by Rene Denfeld. It blew me away. I'm a bit surprised that this book isn't better known.
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/sh..."

Sounds like a great book, Petra.

I'm reading The Little Red Chairs by one of my favorite authors, Edna O'Brien (I've been reading her now for 30 years, such lush beautiful prose and interesting themes). So far, as beautifully written as her other work and a disturbing and interesting topic (it's partly about whether innocence is always a good thing; I personally-watching the students with whom I work-think it can be dangerous to a person).

Magdelanye wrote: "dear Ellie, Hope you are not still sick! its been almost a week since you posted..."

I haven't been well but I'm much better now. Other than there is something wrong with my leg and I'm having trouble walking (there's always something isn't there?). Work is as troublesome as ever and I'm moving so slowly with Next Word, Better Word: The Craft of Writing Poetry-although I read the last chapter on revision fairly quickly and found it extremely practical and helpful.

Good morning!
Ellie, I hope your leg sorts itself out. I worry about your issue with walking. That doesn't sound good.

I hope I haven't raised expectations on The Enchanted. I was blown away but books are different for all people. The way this story was told made me really feel for these people, even those who have committed the worst of crimes. There's cruelty in the pages; not graphic.

Ellie, The Little Red Chairs is one that I want to read, too. I've never heard of this author.

I'm not sure what we're doing today. I went for a run yesterday. I should measure the front yard. We're having the yard redone and I'd like to plan a layout. Hubby wants an in-ground irrigation system. That company is coming next Friday to give a quote. I think it's a good thing to have, considering the brutal watering restrictions we've been having (4am watering times!!). Our lawn has been a mess since the extra restrictions have been in place, mostly because we can't water it enough.
I don't know much about shrubbery and arrangements and such, so I've got a lot to figure out.

How are things with everyone?

I finished listening to Ulysses today. This isn't my first time reading it but is my first time listening to it.
I loved it. The narration is musical and my ear picked up on a lot of details that I missed when reading.
It's also easier to determine the actions from the stream of consciousness "thinking" that goes on in people's minds.

The flowers (roses) are in England - Ravenspur: Rise of the Tudors

Yes Petra! You've reminded me of how mesmerized i was listening to the audio records. In fact, I'm quite sure that I would not have been able to slog through some bits of Ullysses without that inspiration.

Have you considered a vegetal patch in your shrubbery? An intensive but fun project.

Ellie I do hope you are feeling better! And not discombobulated by the rain back east.

I'm housesitting for ten days with a break in the middle to go to a little job in Surrey. Its kind of strange, being in this big empty house. At the same time I am trapped again in the Arctic on an ice flow with Steven Heighton and a tense group of castaways, under pressure from the library to finish before Wednesday.

@Ice Pilgrim Bear
I liked both books by him that I've read, and probably a good idea to read the whole series
You are on the last one, does it hold up?
I have shied away from series since my big binge.
I'm feeling ready for a really good one!
Let us know what you feel

hmm, for some reason the first sentence got cut off, mentioning Con Iggulden
Odd, and I had to go back and reverse the change spell check wanted to say Contact

Conn Iggulden is what I would term as a holiday read covering a bit of history. I find more depth in the series by Toby Clements as this tends to focus on the ordinary folk caught up by the political ambitions of others : Kingmaker: Broken FaithKingmaker: Divided SoulsKingmaker: Kingdom ComeKingmaker: Winter Pilgrims

actually, I discovered CI whilst I was on holiday, in a hostel book exchange!
As for the TC series, it certainly has garnered some thrilled reviews. It seems wrong then that our library system doesn't list him. May be exclusive to your part of the world

Ellie, I'm struggling to get into the Fish book. I can only read a bit and then I'm put off. Isn't this the one you found easy?

@MaryAnne Steven Heighton is coming to the Sechelt Writers fest in August. Just finished
Afterlands, which in fact was not lighthearted and required some effort, a harrowing story told with his unique obtuse brilliance. I will snag a copy of Nightingales asap

@ Magdelanye I saw Stephen Heighton in Ottawa when I lived there. He is a very modest, almost shy person, who is serious about writing. I liked his other novels and hope to read some of his poetry soon.

Looking forward to meeting him myself.
His writing is such a balance of clear and dense, certainly After - lands took me a gruelling ways outside my comfort zone. always enlightening

Still struggling with the Fish. By now I'm on to him, but still wish he was less precious. And I have seen some viscous reviews, so the support from this corner has been crucial. This book is way beyond my comfort zone.
Ellie I really want to know what you think of Dennis Cooley, who played with form.
Come to think of it, 3 of the books I've just been reading have taken me out of my comfort zone. Its not just the spring that's making me restless.
Its fiction that's my comfort zone, but I have to laugh, what did I pick up when I realized it had been days since I had a novel? A book about the situation in Japan immediately after WWll during the American occupation. Certainly not a comforting situation.
Because it is fiction, and well written I can slip right into it without struggling.
Hoping that everybody is enjoying the blissful sun, that would include you Ice on the other side of the worldwide.Devastated to hear about the concert attack. Its very difficult to maintain equanimity in the face of such a thing.
Petra, I am imagining you at the river at some point over the last lovely days.In the forest its still a chilly wind but the sun and the light make up for it.

Magdelanye wrote: "Looking forward to meeting him myself.
His writing is such a balance of clear and dense, certainly After - lands took me a gruelling ways outside my comfort zone. always enlightening

Still struggl..."

I'm looking for Dennis Cooley-sounds like something I'd find interesting.

I just wondered how everyone is doing.

I'm reading The Long Goodbye, a memoir of grief by Meghan O'Rourke. It's beautifully written (she's a poet-have you read any of her stuff?) but so painful. It's bringing back many painful memories of my own mother's death-so many years ago you wouldn't imagine I could still remember the pain or feel it.

I'm also reading It's Kind of a Funny Story, a YA novel about a depressed boy in a psychiatric hospital. But compared to the O'Rourke, it's positively jovial!

Before this, aside from Julian Barnes' The Noise of Time (which was serious but not depressing), I've been hiding out in old Agatha Christie mysteries, mostly Poirot. I may return to them after these sad excursions.

I'm thinking of taking another poetry class this summer. I may make the radical decision to not work and just write (and read) instead. The thought makes me very happy.

How are you? And anyone else out there?

Good to hear from you Ellie!
I did answer already, but i had to put it aside when the ferry arrived. Backstory: my fone which was giving me such problems, finally died. Had to go into Vancouver to get a new one. This is it!
Curiously im reading a book now with the protagonist name of O'Rouke. Its Joshua Ferris s To Rise Again at a Decent Hour. I'm enjoying it but must say I am completely engrossed in Clarice Lispectors mammoth collection of short stories.
As for Dennis Cooley, hope you can locate this Canadian poet. Not that i adore him, but theoretically he is one of the fathers of avant garde and as such holds a lot of interest. If you can get By word of Mouth that would be a good place to start.
Hope you continue to feel better Ellie. Somehow its harder to be sick when its lovely outside.
Hope everyone is enjoying!

i see i still didnt make it clear that i was responding @MaryAnne and commenting on the work of Steven Heighton in the opening of the comment you were responding to. Its SH Im looking forward to meeting at the writers fest.
Also need to add some encouragement for you to take the summer off if you have the option. It will do you good!

Another weekend is almost over. Gosh, they fly by quickly. Retirement keeps looking better and better. :D

I was out in the garden today. A large tree branch had fallen into our backyard. We had hoped that the contractor who owns the lot would have cleared the tree and fixed the fence by now. Today, we had to cut the lowest branches away so that we could mow the lawn.
While hubby was mowing, I cut back 2 leggy, not very pretty shrubs along the fence, down to the trunk. We'll dig them out next weekend.
We've almost finalized plans for the front yard. A landscapist will put in an in-ground sprinkling system, new dirt, level the yard, put in new sod and a new flowerbed and hedge. At the moment, our front yard is an eye-sore. ....with the broken fence and the branch hanging in mid air, so is our back yard but no one can see that except us.
I've been looking through garden design books, looking for inspiration and reading shorter books. I've read 2 really good ones on Chanie Wenjack, a young boy who lost his life trying to find his way home from a Residential School. His story is such a sad one; yet without his sacrifice, the schools may still be running today. He was the catalyst towards change.
I'm now continuing with Proust. The third volume, The Guermantes Way, is not riveting. Very slow and tedious. Hope it picks up.
In between, I've started A Town Like Alice and am really enjoying it.

Magdelayne, congrats on getting the new phone. It's always nice to have a phone you can rely on.

Magdelanye wrote: "Good to hear from you Ellie!
I did answer already, but i had to put it aside when the ferry arrived. Backstory: my fone which was giving me such problems, finally died. Had to go into Vancouver to ..."

I've bought a collection of some of Cooley's poetry. I look forward to reading it.

I am a huage fan of Lispector. I have the giant volume of her stories but have only read some. That's the kind of book I'm looking forward to in retirement!

Petra wrote: "Another weekend is almost over. Gosh, they fly by quickly. Retirement keeps looking better and better. :D

I was out in the garden today. A large tree branch had fallen into our backyard. We had ho..."

Your gardening makes me wistful for an outdoor space. There are some in the Bronx, of course, but we are in an apartment. It's a pretty nice one, we like it anyway, but in the summer I always wish we had a house.

I liked A Town Like Alice very much. I'd like to reread it. Shute is a very good writer.

The residential school books sound interesting. What are the names? What kind of residential schools? For disturbed children or for indigenous populations?

My phone is still working but just barely. It's time for a new one but I've been too lazy to get it. You put me to shame, Magdelanye! I'm glad you've gotten a new one. I'd be lost without mine (and I use it a lot less than my kids do!).

My health is much better. Once my teeth are taken care of, I'll be downright healthy!

Ellie wrote: "The residential school books sound interesting. What are the names? What kind of residential schools? For disturbed children or for indigenous populations? .."

Residential schools for indigenous people.
These were 2 short books about the same young boy, Chanie Wenjack:
Secret Path (a graphic novel)
Wenjack
You could read both of these in an evening.

I was so ignorant of the situation. I truly thought the schools had been disbanded in the 50s but they weren't until 1996! I found that shocking. I want to read more books on the topic now, too.

Glad to hear that you're feeling better, Ellie!

@ellie which Cooley did you get?
finally finished wrestling with the slippery Fish. I did not love it but by the end Id had some fun and learned a thing or three.
@petra* did you look at permaculture approaches to lawn design. That old tree really has to go! Hope you are enjoying this remarkably nice weather.
i have friends that say g's way is their favorite of the lot. Hope it picks up for you.
I m just getting used to the new device. It doesnt seem quite so trigger happy and the font is more clear. But the dangers of these devices might just overwhelm their convenience and it annoys me no end when i realize ive list a whole hour to

did i say not trigger happy?
lost to the device is what i wanted to say.
Paradoxically, i treasure my exchanges with this group and really enjoy my other few groups and GR friends.
Im about to begin the street sweepers....