This has been another bad week for the death of authors, as we lost poet Donald Hall and the bad boy of science fiction, Harlan Ellison. We also lost Nina Baym, whose book on American women in literature I read in high school.
I was a big fan of Hall in my 20s, when I was introduced to his work in college. I remember wanting to visit his birthplace in New Hampshire back when I was in grad school and staying in Kittery Maine for the summer. Kittery was on the border of Maine and New Hampshire. I read his interview with the Globe the year I graduated from the master's program at Lesley College in Cambridge, MA. RIP, Mr Hall.
Obituary Note:
Donald Hall
Donald Hall
"a giant of
American poetry," died June 23 at Eagle Pond Farm in Wilmot,
N.H., "where
he hayed with his grandfather during boyhood summers and
later cultivated a
writer's life," the Concord Monitor reported. He was
89. Hall was
"a literary dynamo, writing poetry, memoir, criticism,
magazine articles,
plays, short stories and children's books." In
addition to winning
numerous awards and honors, Hall was appointed U.S.
poet laureate in
2006 by President George W. Bush. President Barack
Obama awarded him
the National Medal of the Arts in 2010.
He wrote almost to
the end of a career that spanned more than 60 years,
beginning with the
publication at 26 of his poetry collection Exiles and
Marriages and
continuing through his Essays after Eighty (2014) and
soon-to-be-published
A Carnival of Losses: Notes Nearing Ninety. His
last poetry
collection, The Selected Poems of Donald Hall, was released
in 2015.
In 1972, five
years after a divorce, Hall married Jane Kenyon, his
former student at
the University of Michigan. They eventually moved to
the New Hampshire
farm his family had owned for a century, a decision
that
"transformed his poetry," beginning with Kicking the Leaves (1978),
as well as his
life, the Monitor noted, adding that the "Hall-Kenyon
literary household
peaked in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Kenyon
wrote two popular
collections--Let Evening Come in 1990 and Constance in
1993. Hall turned
his poem 'The Ox-Cart Man' into a children's book that
sold well for
years. His book-length poem, The One Day, won the National
Book Critics
Circle Award and was a finalist for the Pulitzer."
After Kenyon's leukemia
diagnosis in 1993 and death at 47 in 1995,
Hall's "grief
ran long and deep," the Monitor wrote. He shepherded her
book Otherwise to
publication, appeared at events celebrating her life
and work, and
wrote poems (Without, 1999; The Painted Bed, 2003) and a
memoir (The Best
Day the Worst Day: Life with Jane Kenyon, 2006) about
losing her.
"Twenty years later, he still teared up talking about her,"
the Monitor noted.
"One does
write, indeed, to be loved
Hall told the
Boston Globe in 1985. "Fame is another word for love, an
impersonal word
for love. One wants people 200 years from now to love
your poetry. The
great pleasure of being a writer is in the act of
writing, and
surely there is some pleasure in being published and being
praised. I don't
mean to be complacent about what I have some of. But
the greater
pleasure is in the act. When you lose yourself in your work,
and you feel at
one with it, it is like love."
In 2012, he
announced that his poetry-writing days were over, and in a
New Yorker essay,
"Out the Window
observed:
"New poems no longer come to me, with their prodigies of
metaphor and
assonance. Prose endures. I feel the circles grow smaller,
and old age is a
ceremony of losses, which is on the whole preferable to
dying at
forty-seven or fifty-two. When I lament and darken over my
diminishments, I
accomplish nothing. It's better to sit at the window
all day, pleased
to watch birds, barns, and flowers. It is a pleasure to
write about what I
do."
From his poem
"Affirmation
Let us stifle
under mud at the pond's edge
and affirm that it
is fitting
and delicious to
lose everything.
Goddess bless Nina Baym for writing books and articles about overlooked women in American Literature. Back in the 70s, it was a huge task to get people to understand the importance of women's literature, and she didn't shy away from it at all. RIP Ms Baym.
Obituary Note:
Nina Baym
Nina Baym
a scholar
"who asked why so few women were represented in the American
literary canon,
then spent her career working to correct that
imbalance,"
died June 15, the New York Times reported. She was 82. Baym
taught English at
the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for
more than 40
years. In 1975, while writing a book about Nathaniel
Hawthorne she
began to wonder why 19th-century American literature was
so male-dominated,
noting that even Hawthorne himself had complained in
1855 that "a
damned mob of scribbling women" was cutting into his sales.
"I wanted to
know where these women were," she said in a 1987 Times
Baym's 1978 book, Woman's
Fiction: A Guide to Novels by and About Women
in America,
1820-1870, was "a foundational work in the field of feminist
literary history
and criticism," the Times noted. Her other titles
include Women
Writers of the American West, 1832-1927; Feminism and
American Literary
History; Shape of Hawthorne's Career; and The Scarlet
Letter: A Reading.
Baym also
"had a chance to have a direct impact on the literature
presented to
students when she served as general editor of several
editions of The Norton
Anthology of American Literature," the Times
wrote.
In response to the
news of Baym's death, University of Illinois English
professor
Catherine Prendergast tweeted: "Very sad to hear of the
passing of Nina
Baym, a titan of American literature, who mentored me at
many points during
our time together at Illinois. Please read some
American woman's
literature
memory."
Neil Gaiman noted that every writer he's ever encountered has a Harlan Ellison story to relate. I think that is an understatement. Ellison, as author John Scalzi noted, was a controversial figure, loved and loathed in equal measure, and while I must admit that he was a brilliant storyteller whose prose was fantastic, I also have to admit that his misogyny, as evidenced by his famed story "A Boy and His Dog" infuriated and nauseated me. (the story was about a dystopian future where roving boys used dogs to hunt down women/girls and rape/enslave them or kill them after they'd been abused). The story came out when I was in junior high school, and after reading it, two lumpen farm boys who were enormous and stupid, took the story as a blueprint for how to assuage their burgeoning hormones, and raped two girls in my class. One committed suicide and the other moved to another state. I vowed at that point to never read anything else by Harlan Ellison, though by that time I'd already read Dangerous Visions, I'd seen The City on the Edge of Forever and read "I have No Mouth But I Must Scream." Ellison,
who was a rude, crude and loud crank, would never apologize for anything he'd
written, so I have no doubt that hearing about the fate of two 13 year
old girls in Iowa would have meant nothing to him.So it is with conflicting emotions that I say rest in peace in Hades, Harlan.
Obituary Note:
Harlan Ellison
Harlan Ellison
"who emerged
as a major figure in the New Wave of science fiction
writers in the
1960s and became a legend in science fiction and fantasy
circles for his
award-winning stories and notoriously outspoken and
combative
persona," died June 28, the Los Angeles Times reported. He was
84.
"Ellison was
immensely talented, immensely argumentative and immensely
controversial, all
in equal measure," said author John Scalzi. "Loved or
loathed, he was
undeniably one of the great figures in science fiction."
Ellison won
multiple awards from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers
of America, the
Mystery Writers of America and the Horror Writers
Association. The
L.A. Times noted that he was the third most
anthologized
science fiction writer behind Ray Bradbury and Isaac
Asimov. In 2006,
Ellison received the SFWA's Grand Master Award for
lifetime
achievement. He also won four Writers Guild of America Awards
for TV work.
"He's one of
the major post-World War II American writers of science
fiction,"
said Rob Latham, a professor of English and a specialist in
science fiction at
UC Riverside, which awarded Ellison the university's
Eaton Award for
Lifetime Achievement in Science Fiction in 2011.
Ellison's story
collections include Strange Wine; The Beast that Shouted
Love at the Heart
of the World; Harlan Ellison's Watching; Deathbird
Stories; I Have No
Mouth and I Must Scream; and Stalking the Nightmare:
Stories and
Essays.
"There was no
one quite like him
in American
letters, and never
will be. Angry, funny, eloquent, hugely talented,"
Stephen King
tweeted. "If there's an afterlife, Harlan is already
kicking ass and
taking down names."
it "would be
a bizarre disservice to write an obituary for Harlan
Ellison, and not
mention his most famous story, ' "Repent, Harlequin!"
Said the
Ticktockman.' In this one, a future enslaved under strict
schedules is
invaded by a rogue figure intent on destroying the
'system.' If
Harlan Ellison was constantly presenting his middle finger
to the
establishment--whether that was science fiction, writing schools,
Hollywood, or just
an authority in general--then he is well represented
by the trickster
Harlequin, who flings jellybeans into the cogs of the
Orwellian
machines. Jellybeans!
"We can only
hope, when Ellison approaches the gates of the afterlife,
that they know
what they're in for. After he basically wrestled the
future to the
ground, how could the afterlife possibly prepare for
Harlan Ellison?
And what will they do if he's armed with a bag of
jellybeans?"
I am really excited for this movie, which is based on one of the best WWII books I've ever read.
A trailer is out
for The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society
http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz37451656,
based on the bestselling
novel by Mary Ann
Shaffer and Annie Barrows. People magazine also
from the movie,
which will be available for streaming on Netflix
starting August
10.
Directed by Mike
Newell (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Harry Potter and
the Goblet of
Fire), the film stars Lily James, Michiel Huisman,
Katherine
Parkinson, Matthew Goode, Glen Powell, Penelope Wilton,
Jessica Brown
Findlay and Tom Courtenay.
Witchmark by C.L. Polk was recommended to me as a fan of Gail Carriger's Soulless series, and though I had my doubts, I was pleasantly surprised by this supernatural adventure/mystery fantasy with a gay protagonist. Though I thought he was way too afraid of his evil father and his sister, I liked Dr Miles Singer, who only wants to use his magical powers to heal people, instead of being enslaved as a "magic battery" to his sister, who is a weather witch. Here's the blurb:
In an original world reminiscent of Edwardian England in the shadow
of a World War, cabals of noble families use their unique magical gifts
to control the fates of nations, while one young man seeks only to live a
life of his own.Magic marked Miles Singer for suffering the day he was born, doomed either to be enslaved to his family's interest or to be committed to a witches' asylum. He went to war to escape his destiny and came home a different man, but he couldn’t leave his past behind. The war between Aeland and Laneer leaves men changed, strangers to their friends and family, but even after faking his own death and reinventing himself as a doctor at a cash-strapped veterans' hospital, Miles can’t hide what he truly is.
When a fatally poisoned patient exposes Miles’ healing gift and his witchmark, he must put his anonymity and freedom at risk to investigate his patient’s murder. To find the truth he’ll need to rely on the family he despises, and on the kindness of the most gorgeous man he’s ever seen. Publisher's Weekly:
Polk’s stellar debut, set in an alternate early 20th century in an England-like land recovering from a WWI-like war, blends taut mystery, exciting political intrigue, and inventive fantasy. Miles Singer’s influential family of mages wants to turn him into a living battery of magic for his sister to draw on. Fearing this fate, he runs away to join the army and make use of his magical healing abilities, although—like all magic-users—he must hide his powers or risk being labeled insane and sent to an asylum. When Tristan Hunter, a handsome, suave gentleman who’s actually an angel in disguise, brings a dying stranger to Miles’s clinic, the two pair up to uncover the reason for the man’s mysterious death. The devastating war has left most young men shell-shocked, and many veterans are inexplicably killing their families. Miles struggles to find a socially acceptable physiological explanation for the veterans’ dark auras, while Tristan hopes to understand why no souls from this country have moved on to the afterlife. A sudden reunification with Miles’s social-climbing, deceitful sister upends progress on solving the riddles (and on the gently developing romance between Miles and Tristan) as she pulls him back into the secretive and manipulative world of powerful mages. Polk unfolds her mythology naturally, sufficiently explaining the class-based magical system and political machinations without getting bogged down. The final revelations are impossible to see coming and prove that Polk is a writer to watch for fans of clever, surprising period fantasy.
I loved the clean and dramatically pristine prose that helped along the swift and decisive plot, which never flagged,even for a moment. The characters were well wrought and the book itself a page-turner, which would have been called a "ripping good yarn" in the real Edwardian England. I'd give it an A, and recommend it to fans of Gail Carriger and those who love a good romantic supernatural fantasy.
Momo by Michael Ende, the German author who wrote The Never Ending Story (which was made into a wonderful, classic movie) has written many other books that are apparently famed as classics in other parts of the world, but have only recently been translated and produced here for an American audience. I was skeptical that I could love any of his works as much as I loved Never Ending Story, but my fears were laid to rest after the first 25 pages of Momo, which is a truly delightful tale of a little girl who changes the world by being able to listen. Here's the blurb: At the edge of the city, in the ruins of an old amphitheatre, there lives a little homelss girl called Momo.
Momo has a special talent which she uses to help all her friends who come to visit her. Then one day the sinister men in grey arrive and silently take over the city.
Only Momo has the power to resist them, and with the help of Professor Hora and his strange tortoise, Cassiopeia, she travels beyond the boundaries of time to uncover their dark secrets. School Library Journal: A reissued classic celebrating its 40th anniversary from the author of The Neverending Story. This is a classic fantasy novel whose title character is a young girl of mysterious origin, a most loved orphan living in present-day anywhere (but probably a small village in Italy). Momo doesn't know how old she is but says, "As far as I remember, I've always been around," and she has built strong friendships with her fellow villagers based on her extraordinary listening ability. Around the time the mysterious men in gray start appearing, Momo's friends start to have less time to spend enjoying life or hanging out with her. Momo sets out to get her friends and their time back. The tale of Momo is driven by its plot and moves at a comfortable pace, engaging readers as if they are villagers in the story. Ende is a captivating storyteller, and this edition of the book includes occasional illustrations, adding a bit of shaping and mood to the descriptions. Some mild profanity may make this selection unsuitable for more sensitive readers. Sure to delight readers of classic fantasy.—Sara Jurek, Children's English Library, Stuttgart, Germany
Momo has a special talent which she uses to help all her friends who come to visit her. Then one day the sinister men in grey arrive and silently take over the city.
Only Momo has the power to resist them, and with the help of Professor Hora and his strange tortoise, Cassiopeia, she travels beyond the boundaries of time to uncover their dark secrets. School Library Journal: A reissued classic celebrating its 40th anniversary from the author of The Neverending Story. This is a classic fantasy novel whose title character is a young girl of mysterious origin, a most loved orphan living in present-day anywhere (but probably a small village in Italy). Momo doesn't know how old she is but says, "As far as I remember, I've always been around," and she has built strong friendships with her fellow villagers based on her extraordinary listening ability. Around the time the mysterious men in gray start appearing, Momo's friends start to have less time to spend enjoying life or hanging out with her. Momo sets out to get her friends and their time back. The tale of Momo is driven by its plot and moves at a comfortable pace, engaging readers as if they are villagers in the story. Ende is a captivating storyteller, and this edition of the book includes occasional illustrations, adding a bit of shaping and mood to the descriptions. Some mild profanity may make this selection unsuitable for more sensitive readers. Sure to delight readers of classic fantasy.—Sara Jurek, Children's English Library, Stuttgart, Germany
This really is a classic, beautiful tale of the power of play, of joy and stories and of connecting with people in your community everyday to make life worth living in the face of consumerism and greed. I found the prose to be simple but not silly, and the plot was twisty but not slow. It had me laughing and crying and wishing I could meet Momo and the other real-seeming characters. A well wrought tale that deserves an A, and a recommendation to anyone who needs to remember why life is worth living, and the real value of our time here on earth.
Rock Paper Scissors by Devon Monk is basically three paranormal romance stories written with each Reed sister as the protagonist of their own novella. Here's the blurb:
Three novellas now in paperback! Rock Candy, Paper Stars, Scissor Kisses have been previously published in ebook format.Just an Ordinary Halloween...
Police officer Jean Reed doesn't normally mind pulling the graveyard shift in Ordinary Oregon. But one mob of cursed gnomes, one haunted harbor festival, and one chilling visit from Death makes this October stranger than most.
One magical holiday. Some assembly required...
Police Chief Delaney Reed loves the holidays in Ordinary, Oregon. But when a demon, a dragon, and a god bearing unusual gifts get thrown on top of her to do list, Delaney must roll up her sleeves and make this holiday unforgettable.
This Valentine's Day there's more than hearts at risk...
Police officer Myra Reed prefers her life orderly, predictable, and logical. But she must take on a stalker, a crossroads deal, and a dangerous spell that could reveal the one secret she's buried deep: she might be falling in love with a demon.
I have loved all the Ordinary Magic books right from the outset, but then, I've not read anything by Monk that I haven't adored. She never disappoints with her outstanding and witty prose, her swift and clean plots and her charming protagonists who are so well drawn they seem like some one you could meet for coffee at your local cafe. I think my favorite of the three stories was Delaney's tale, which was set during Christmas, so the shenanigans were that much more festive and fun. But really all of the stories were riveting and marvelous. I'd give them an A, and recommend this book of three stories to anyone who has read any of the other books in the series and wants to know more about the Reed sisters love life and relationships.
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