David Foster Wallace got me in with the first few words of his essay "Twenty-four word notes". They are: Utilize A noxious puff word. Oh yes! "Utilise" (as we down under spell it) is one of my pet peeves. Why use "utilise" when "use" is a perfectly good word? I regularly mutter. Wallace is a … Continue reading David Foster Wallace, Twenty-four word notes (Review)
American writers
David Foster Wallace, Federer as religious experience (Review)
David Foster Wallace's essay "Federer as religious experience" is several years old now. I did plan to read it a couple of years ago when I first came across it but, somehow, I didn't. However, this week, Lisa at ANZLitLovers reviewed a David Foster Wallace essay collection which includes this essay*. She decided not to … Continue reading David Foster Wallace, Federer as religious experience (Review)
Robert Frost, The question of a feather (Review)
Well I never! Never knew, that is, that Robert Frost wrote prose as well as poetry. I suppose I didn't know that he didn't do it, either, but now I know that he did! And how do I know? Through the Library of America of course! This week's story is "The question of a feather" … Continue reading Robert Frost, The question of a feather (Review)
Djuna Barnes, Come into the roof garden, Maud (Review)
Okay, I'll admit it, I've never heard of Djuna Barnes (1892-1982). However, I was intrigued when I saw her pop up in the Library of America's (LOA) Story of the Week program last month, and so decided to investigate. I discovered that, while I didn't know her, many did, such as, oh, ee cummings, TS Eliot, … Continue reading Djuna Barnes, Come into the roof garden, Maud (Review)
Kate Chopin, After the winter (Review)
I am, as many of you know, a Kate Chopin fan and I therefore tend to keep an eye out for her in the Library of America's (LOA) Story of the Week program. "After the winter", one of her earlier works, was an LOA story in April and so here I am for the fourth time … Continue reading Kate Chopin, After the winter (Review)
Elia Kazan, Audience tomorrow: Preview in New Guinea (Review)
In my previous life I worked in a film library and film archive, so I was drawn to this week's Library of America offering, "Audience tomorrow: Preview in New Guinea" by film director Elia Kazan*. My interest was strengthened by two more facts. Firstly, the title mentions New Guinea, which I visited twice in the late 1970s. Secondly, … Continue reading Elia Kazan, Audience tomorrow: Preview in New Guinea (Review)
Willa Cather, My Antonia (Review of eNotated edition)
I am a Willa Cather fan, and have read some of her novels and short stories, so was intrigued when eNotated Classics offered me an eNotated version of Cather's My Ántonia for review. eNotated? That sounded like something worth exploring so, although I've read the novel before, I decided to read it again. I wasn't sorry. … Continue reading Willa Cather, My Antonia (Review of eNotated edition)
Bettye Rice Hughes, A Negro tourist in Dixie (Review)
I have plenty to read at the moment, but when I see a Library of America story come through that is set in the early days of the Civil Rights Movement in the American South, well, I can't resist. I've never heard of the author Bettye Rice Hughes, which turns out to be not surprising … Continue reading Bettye Rice Hughes, A Negro tourist in Dixie (Review)
Ana Menéndez, Celebrations of Thanksgiving: Cuban offerings
I love food and I enjoy reading about food. I particularly enjoy reading about food - and food traditions - from other cultures. And so, when Ana Menéndez's story popped up on the Library of America last month I made a note to read it. The last piece of food writing that I read from LOA, … Continue reading Ana Menéndez, Celebrations of Thanksgiving: Cuban offerings
Henry James, Paste
It's been a while since I've read any Henry James though, like many readers, I did a few years ago read Colm Toibin's The master and David Lodge's Author Author. I was pleased, therefore, to see James pop up as Library of America's author last week. The story is "Paste" and it is a bit of … Continue reading Henry James, Paste
Whispering Gums 