Archive for the ‘Literature’ Category

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That’s what they call Kafkaesque

Saturday, July 24, 2010
Namesti Franze Kafky (Franz Kafka Square, in Czech)

Namesti Franze Kafky (Franz Kafka Square, in Czech)

There’s a great scene near the end of The Castle where K, after wending his way through mountains of bureaucracy to get to an official in the outer rim of the Castle, has to sit through a rather boring lecture from that official and falls asleep from the exhaustion of his efforts in even getting that far. That, to me, is a perfect reaction to legalese.

My friend sent me a link to a recent article on BBC News, “Swiss bank to lift lid on hidden Kafka works.” Max Brod left the K papers to his secretary, Esther Hoffe, who then left them to her daughters, who are now in their 70s. A legal battle has been in the works (more…)

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Robot with flowers

Thursday, June 24, 2010
masterbuilder121

You won't ever see him gathering flowers.

The library in Woodstock has a good selection of science fiction–and they even have a whole list of post-apocalyptic fiction titles in a binder full of genre-specific lists behind the circulation desk; they can order any of these titles from interlibrary loan, and I’ve decided just to work my way down the list, excepting of course the ones I’ve already read (Riddley Walker, Parable of the Sower, etc). My brief scare with “The Day After” has not put me off post-apocalyptic fiction, thank goodness, because otherwise what would I do with myself?

I also enjoy just browsing the shelves. Last week I checked out a book from the shelf called Man in His Time: The Best Science Fiction Stories of Brian W. Aldiss.

I keep thinking about one of these stories: “The Girl and the Robot with Flowers.” I keep thinking about it because my mind always turns down the same path when I write a story (more…)

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Settling in

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Woodstock library and courthouse

I stayed up too late last night arranging the living room in my new apartment. I was going to climb Mount Tom today, but never got to it … it’s cold and drizzly. Mount Tom was shrouded in clouds all day.

I did take a short walk through Woodstock in spite of the wet weather. When I walked by the covered bridge I saw a wedding party in front of it, taking photos. All the covered bridges around here hit it home: I’m really living in Vermont!

I also finally visited the library in town (the building on the left. Obviously I took this photo on a clearer day). It’s gorgeous inside, with high wood-beam ceilings. It has a pretty good selection, too. I haven’t gotten a library card yet because I didn’t have the right proof of residence with me at the time. But when I get one, I’m going to check out The Brief History of the Dead, which I saw on the shelf. I’ve wanted to read it for a long time.

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Mezzo Cammin

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Dante in the Dark WoodOn my very first apartment-hunting trip to Portland, in March–before I actually moved–I took the bus downtown from the airport with little idea of how to get to my B&B, the Percy Inn. The people on the bus gave me directions to Pine Street by telling me to “turn left at the statue of Longfellow.”

I live about five minutes or so from that poet’s statue now. Longfellow was a native of Portland, so he’s kind of a big deal around here. But I must sheepishly admit that the only poem of his I really know is “Mezzo Cammin.”

The poem begins: “Half of my life is gone (more…)

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Melancholy ruins

Saturday, October 24, 2009

It’s raining today. A good day to stay inside and work on my oh-so-many unfinished stories. Days like this always make me feel wistful and melancholy. Sort of like the Romantic feeling you might get when visiting overgrown ruins, or walking through a cemetery: Once there was sun; once this ruined building was whole; once these markers were people alive. And now they are gone.

But the rain, and ruin, and stately graves are still beautiful in their way.

Someday I want to write a Gothic novel. These novels often took place in old abbeys or castles whose brooding stone corridors concealed secret dungeons and whatnot, freaking out the various protagonists (more…)

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