I am just (barely) back from the National Book Award celebrations and will write something about them anon--for now, I'm just linking to critic D. G. Myers' choices for the best fiction of 2012. His choices are not quite the same as the fiction judging panel. Amid much brouhaha, he was just fired from Commentary, so the list is at his A Commonplace Blog. Be sure and look at the end of the list (you know, where XY and Z live.)
As I admire his forthright criticism, I am pleased to have crossed his radar. Last week he put Catherwood on a list of historical novels that make good use of historical settings "to instruct and delight."
Seek Giacometti’s “The Palace at 4 a.m.” Go back two hours. See towers and curtain walls of matchsticks, marble, marbles, light, cloud at stasis. Walk in. The beggar queen is dreaming on her throne of words… You have arrived at the web home of Marly Youmans, maker of novels, poems, and stories, as well as the occasional fantasy. D. G. Myers: "A writer who has more resolutely stood her ground against the tide of literary fashion would be difficult to name."
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Thursday, November 15, 2012
3 comments:
Alas, I must once again remind large numbers of Chinese salesmen and other worldwide peddlers that if they fall into the Gulf of Spam, they will be eaten by roaming Balrogs. The rest of you, lovers of grace, poetry, and horses (nod to Yeats--you do not have to be fond of horses), feel free to leave fascinating missives and curious arguments.
Congrats again, Marly, for making the list with A Death at the Camellia Orphanage. I'm presently doubly enjoying a reread! Hilary Mantel seems to be on my radar a lot lately too - just need more time for them.
ReplyDeleteBet you're enjoying being home again!
Thanks, Marja-Leena; I love rereading. Alas, my husband the cook has flown to Miami. I must put on the apron!
ReplyDeleteWondering about blogging versus facebook/twitter. A comment and a link to something like this will elicit a lot of responses on, say, facebook, but few comments here.
ReplyDeleteThere seem to be posts that are right for one way of telling, and others right for another--at least if you go by the comments and where they appear. Does one ignore this, or is there a kind of craft to all this social media madness, and one should post certain kinds of things in one venue and not another? Or are facebook and twitter annexes to the blog and not really to be considered separately, so that comments for one appear on another site entirely? Or are some things boring on the blog but interesting on more ephemeral venues? Or do people just like posting where there's no chance of word verification? Should one give up blogging because all the comments appearing elsewhere means people are really more involved in the other places? Why do I have no idea about any of this?
Eyes crossed.
Is there a magic article that explains these things?
Do I care? Does it matter?
Muddled. Send clarity.