There are a couple of reasons why I decided to read James Herman Banning's (1899-1933) short essay, The day I sprouted wings, which was this week's offering from the Library of America. Firstly, it is about the first male* African-American who achieved his pilot's licence, which ties in nicely with the novel, Caleb's Crossing, that I … Continue reading J. Herman Banning, The day I sprouted wings
American writers
Mary Austin, The scavengers
I've never heard of Mary Austin but when I saw this story (essay), "The scavengers", appear as a Library of America offering, I had to read it, because it's about the deserts of California - and I love those deserts. Mary Austin (1868-1934) was an early nature writer about the American southwest. LOA's notes tell us that she moved … Continue reading Mary Austin, The scavengers
Willa Cather, When I knew Stephen Crane
I haven't reviewed a Library of America offering for a while and so have decided it's time I dipped again into its offerings. Willa Cather's essay/journalistic piece "When I knew Stephen Crane", which they published last month, appealed to me because of a couple of synchronicities. One is that Lisa of ANZLitLovers reviewed Crane's The red … Continue reading Willa Cather, When I knew Stephen Crane
Willa Cather, A Wagner matinée
Willa Cather's short story, "A Wagner matinée", was Library of America's "Story of the Week" back in May. However, I was busy then, but I like Cather, so I put it aside to read later. And later has finally come! I've reviewed another Cather short story here, "The sentimentality of William Tavener", which was published in … Continue reading Willa Cather, A Wagner matinée
Kate Chopin, A morning walk
It's been some time since I read (and therefore reviewed) a Library of America offering, but when I saw another Kate Chopin offering pop up a few weeks ago, I couldn't resist it. And so, I printed it off, but have only just managed to read it. Well, what a surprise... I thought about starting … Continue reading Kate Chopin, A morning walk
Joyce Carol Oates, Beasts
If we wanted to be writers we must examine the world with fresh, sceptical eyes. Beasts is, I'm ashamed to say, my first Joyce Carol Oates. She's one of those writers who has kept crossing my path but whom I've never quite got to read. I bought Beasts a couple of years ago when I … Continue reading Joyce Carol Oates, Beasts
David Foster Wallace, All that
I have not yet read anything by David Foster Wallace and so when I came across his short story*, "All that", in The New Yorker, I jumped at the chance of an introduction. It has a first person narrator, who is looking back on his childhood and recalling, in particular, his fascination with magic and … Continue reading David Foster Wallace, All that
Helene Hanff, 84 Charing Cross Road
Before you all (well, those of you of a certain age at least) gasp and wonder how it could be that I haven't read this delightful little tome before, I assure you that I have. However, on our drive home today from our week at the coast, we listened to an unabridged audiobook version, and … Continue reading Helene Hanff, 84 Charing Cross Road
Jonathan Franzen, Freedom
Hmm ... where to start? Half way through this book I was tiring. I wanted to say to Franzen "Enough already" (which, if you've read the book, has a certain appositeness). I also started to think of those song lines, so well-known to my generation: Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose. In … Continue reading Jonathan Franzen, Freedom
Mary Church Terrell, What it means to be colored in the capital of the United States
I heard a radio interview this week with Jane Elliott of the brown-eye-blue-eye experiment fame, and she suggested that racism is still an issue in the USA (through the efforts of a vocal minority) and is best demonstrated by the determination in certain quarters that Barack Obama will not win a second term*. It's therefore … Continue reading Mary Church Terrell, What it means to be colored in the capital of the United States
Whispering Gums 