December 20, 2007
Spending days
I have a talent for spending days. I am also quite good at wasting them too, but I can make the choice now, which is something. Particularly since I am on Christmas vacation. Oh my job is a wee bit dull, but one can’t complain for the pay is good and I don’t need to return there until January 7th. And I spent yesterday so utterly stimulated, reading through my manuscript, reading the entirety of Claire Cameron’s The Line Painter, unable to put down Canadian Notes and Queries, and chatting with the mailman in my track pants. I met my Creative Writing allies in the eve. Today I just finished reading my own manuscript, I’m reading When the World Was Steady by Claire Messud whose books never fail to give me a whole world, and at 3:00 I’m going to get my hair cut. And some people might find such days mundane, but then they just don’t understand magic.
The only Messud I’ve read is Emperor’s Children and I was not impressed. I can see she’s a good writer, but her characters were all in need of a good throttling. I’d be willing to give her another shot though; how’s her other stuff in comparison?
All her characters need throttlings, it seems. I first read Emperor’s Children and found it very tough for a while, but then fell in love a ways in. Since then I’ve read her novella The Hunters and now WTWWS. And I continue to love– Messud is a weird writer, very old fashioned, and when you think about her relative to Henry James, I find that what she’s up to makes a whole lot more sense.
Sounds like a day I might lead, if you add in a movie or too, and I can’t wait to hear what you thought of Claire’s book. In fact, as I wait patiently to pick up my brother, I am having one of those very days today. Listening to caroles, perusing the 1001 Books book, and contemplating all kinds of other lovely things. Happy holidays!
And to you D! Looking forward to our next lunch.