What interesting readings and connections. Might these ever be reworked into a book, either about Gallant directly or about the writing process more generally with your relationship with Gallant and hers with Plath and others as specific examples?
BTW, I agree with you about the Pacino/ Streep Angels in America. But also see National Theatre Live's equally compelling version with Nathan Lane as Cohn, Andrew Garfield as Prior Walter and Russell Tovey as Joseph Pitt.
Thanks Allan -- that sounds like an amazing cast. I hope you know how much it means (i.e. to me, and, as we all know, it's all about me) that you're paying attention to these. truly. thanks. a million. more even. xo
How could I not? Here's videos and more info. It won 2017 Tonys for Best Revival, and best actor and featured actor for Garfield and Lane. So many other noms, and also Best Revival and actress at the Olivier Awards. https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/shows/angels-in-america
Catching up with your diary entries, Bill. Each a gift. This one brought back memories of being a library page during high school and undergrad years. Sylvia Plath's mother lived down the street from my hometown library. She was the best friend of Mrs. C., a YA novel writer (they shared college days, I think?) who in turn became a friend to me, the 'kid.' Sometimes Mrs. Plath's grand-children (Hughes kids) visited her during the summer. They visited the library but I can't recall their faces, just the fact they were there. There were always whisperings at the main desk about Mrs. Plath and 'something'--little did I realize, teen that I was, too busy shelving those returned books properly, what those shared tidbits must have been about. I wish now I'd kept in touch with Mrs. C. (now long-passed) and asked about Mrs. Plath and her talented daughter! Regrets.....
Great stuff. Thank you. Somehow I missed (or don't remember) "Virus X". It's not in any of the collections I have; I'll wrestle with the NYer archive to read it tonight. And now I even feel the urge to re-read The Bell Jar....
Virus X is in Home Truths, I'm pretty sure. Oh hang on, I'll just check. (30 seconds later) Yes. In Home Truths. That website is fine once you get to where you want to go, but that can be a bit of an issue, for sure. Thanks, really appreciate that you took the time to read and respond.
Thanks for the tip - alas I don't have HT, just 6 other MG collections, plus the doorstop Selected - but do subscribe to NYer and have learned to cope with its archival complexities. Look forward to your commentary.
Bill, I love the connections you are making in these posts. And the gravestones today were particularly poignant. I have a photo of me somewhere at KM’s grave. The names Vera and Lottie appear frequently in her (Katherine’s) autobiographical stories and of course Vera was the name of her older sister. Wow!
Hey Linda! Hi, nice to see you here. I don't see any future for them, but lord knows I appreciate the sentiment. I appreciate all sentiment. Sentiment. It's what I'm best at. Where are you these days? Thanks so much. mwah!
The paragraph that begins, "Writers read. They gather from other writers" is sublime. Well, they all are. And this blog is is about so much more than MG; it is, as we all know, about Life. I'm hither and yon these days, deep into my SFU studies, but I will be in town next weekend. The Sylvia!
Thanks for your generosity in reading and commenting, Kim. They're fun to write. I hope I can keep posting through August 11 - maybe less frequently and lord knows they'd benefit from more discipline and brevity. But I'm not trying for perfection, just for early morning stream of consciousness. It's one of those things you get or you don't, I think. Like everything else, in that regard. You're incredibly kind. Thank you.
Linda! Thanks! I hadn't realized you were seeing these, that means a lot to me. Would love to chat sometime, would you be willing? Hope you're doing very well, appreciate your kindness, b
What interesting readings and connections. Might these ever be reworked into a book, either about Gallant directly or about the writing process more generally with your relationship with Gallant and hers with Plath and others as specific examples?
BTW, I agree with you about the Pacino/ Streep Angels in America. But also see National Theatre Live's equally compelling version with Nathan Lane as Cohn, Andrew Garfield as Prior Walter and Russell Tovey as Joseph Pitt.
Thanks Allan -- that sounds like an amazing cast. I hope you know how much it means (i.e. to me, and, as we all know, it's all about me) that you're paying attention to these. truly. thanks. a million. more even. xo
How could I not? Here's videos and more info. It won 2017 Tonys for Best Revival, and best actor and featured actor for Garfield and Lane. So many other noms, and also Best Revival and actress at the Olivier Awards. https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/shows/angels-in-america
Catching up with your diary entries, Bill. Each a gift. This one brought back memories of being a library page during high school and undergrad years. Sylvia Plath's mother lived down the street from my hometown library. She was the best friend of Mrs. C., a YA novel writer (they shared college days, I think?) who in turn became a friend to me, the 'kid.' Sometimes Mrs. Plath's grand-children (Hughes kids) visited her during the summer. They visited the library but I can't recall their faces, just the fact they were there. There were always whisperings at the main desk about Mrs. Plath and 'something'--little did I realize, teen that I was, too busy shelving those returned books properly, what those shared tidbits must have been about. I wish now I'd kept in touch with Mrs. C. (now long-passed) and asked about Mrs. Plath and her talented daughter! Regrets.....
Linda! That is amazing, truly. So lovely to see you here, thanks a million. At work, can’t dally, just to say gracias!
If you're ever back in Toronto I'll buy some BB-date Greek yogurt and we can find a bench for a breezy chat. Happy May Day, Slim!
Great stuff. Thank you. Somehow I missed (or don't remember) "Virus X". It's not in any of the collections I have; I'll wrestle with the NYer archive to read it tonight. And now I even feel the urge to re-read The Bell Jar....
Virus X is in Home Truths, I'm pretty sure. Oh hang on, I'll just check. (30 seconds later) Yes. In Home Truths. That website is fine once you get to where you want to go, but that can be a bit of an issue, for sure. Thanks, really appreciate that you took the time to read and respond.
Thanks for the tip - alas I don't have HT, just 6 other MG collections, plus the doorstop Selected - but do subscribe to NYer and have learned to cope with its archival complexities. Look forward to your commentary.
Bill, I love the connections you are making in these posts. And the gravestones today were particularly poignant. I have a photo of me somewhere at KM’s grave. The names Vera and Lottie appear frequently in her (Katherine’s) autobiographical stories and of course Vera was the name of her older sister. Wow!
Oh golly! I haven’t read enough KM to have picked up on that. Thanks, Jenny!
I was just about to come on here and say these dispatches will become a book, I'm sure of it.
Hey Linda! Hi, nice to see you here. I don't see any future for them, but lord knows I appreciate the sentiment. I appreciate all sentiment. Sentiment. It's what I'm best at. Where are you these days? Thanks so much. mwah!
The paragraph that begins, "Writers read. They gather from other writers" is sublime. Well, they all are. And this blog is is about so much more than MG; it is, as we all know, about Life. I'm hither and yon these days, deep into my SFU studies, but I will be in town next weekend. The Sylvia!
These are fabulous Bill! Thanks for your generosity in sharing!!
Thanks for your generosity in reading and commenting, Kim. They're fun to write. I hope I can keep posting through August 11 - maybe less frequently and lord knows they'd benefit from more discipline and brevity. But I'm not trying for perfection, just for early morning stream of consciousness. It's one of those things you get or you don't, I think. Like everything else, in that regard. You're incredibly kind. Thank you.
Hi Linda - can you email me? wmjrichardson@gmail.com. thanks!
Linda! Thanks! I hadn't realized you were seeing these, that means a lot to me. Would love to chat sometime, would you be willing? Hope you're doing very well, appreciate your kindness, b