Among the vast donations of books I’ve recently received was Elizabeth Costello by J. M. Coetzee. The cover caught my attention, as it cited the author as both a Nobel laureate (2003) and winner of the Booker Prize for two other novels. Although wonderfully written, I was disappointed. The story follows an aging female writer who speaks at various conferences. I found only two of her speeches interesting. A vegetarian and animal rights activist, she dares to compare what animals face to the Holocaust, intimating that they suffer similar slaughter every day. She receives rather mild rebuke for it, and moves on. A second presentation really engaged me. She has been deeply affected by a novel about the horrific fate suffered by the plotters of Hitler’s assassination, and wonders what damage probing the dark side of humanity does to writers. I identify with this profoundly. This may sound like bunk, but I had occasional nightmares about my first novel, Close to the Edge. I’d awaken panting, thinking I’d killed. It went on for at least a decade. Fortunately, the dreams did not occur regularly. I felt like a monster in hiding. I have had maybe one in the past 20 years, so perhaps, if a writer is young enough, the damage heals. Anyway, unbeknownst to Costello, the author of the book she that has affected her so deeply is participating at the very same conference. She approaches and warns him before she takes the stage. To my frustration, the guy is never heard from verbally or in written form. A confrontation that readers and writers salivate about, that makes drama compelling, does not occur. Also never heard from is the father of her two children, who does not enter her thoughts even once during the entire 230 pages. Her son, an academic, is at her side on two occasions. Her daughter is mentioned in passing. No doubt these minimalist portraits were intentional, showing how selfish a writer can be, but I was curious about these people and the lack of information about them contributed greatly to my dissatisfaction. I give Coetzee credit for producing a novel of interest only to a small audience. It is the ninth of his twelve in print. He was born in South Africa and spent considerable time in the U.S. and U.K. He was a Fulbright scholar at the University of Texas at Austin. While on the faculty at the State University at Buffalo N.Y., he was arrested at a protest against the Vietnam War. It cost him any chance at citizenship. He eventually found his way back to his homeland. In 2002 he retired to Australia, where he became a citizen. He was the first author to win the Booker Prize twice. Three of his novels have been adapted to the screen. I’ve seen Disgrace (2008), starring John Malkovich, but have only a vague recollection of it. There are 73 reviews of Elizabeth Costello at Amazon, averaging 3.4 of five. I suppose this will appear silly coming from a writer who has such paltry sales and has never been nominated for an award, but I rate it two, although I did relate to her confusion about life. She is approaching the end, has no idea what it’s about, and wonders if she would have been happier had she done something else. I don’t share that last part. At times I feel writing is the only thing I have gotten right, not in sales, perhaps not in literary value, but in terms of approaching full potential. (Facts culled from Wiki)
RIP Sid Caesar, 91, a pioneer of live television comedy, whose Show of Shows entertained millions. My parents didn't speak much English, but they understood and laughed at his work. Thank you, sir.
My thanks to the two Russian gentlemen who bought a total of six books in their first language. And now the area battens down the hatches for another storm. It's going to be the same wet, heavy stuff as last time, a lot of which is still around in mounds of ice and rock-like snow. The prediction is in the range of four to ten inches. If it's closer to the higher end, the floating book shop will be on indefinite hiatus. Parking will be the biggest problem. I'm fighting not to be depressed about it.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Horror Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx
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