After a very long hiatus, I'm back to talk about a new little novel that is worth sharing. I spent part of my break reading Carlene Bauer's first novel, an epistolary gem loosely based on the friendship between Flannery O'Connor and the poet, Robert Lowell. In Frances and Bernard, Bauer imagines an elegant and soulful exchange of letters between the two writers. While Frances, unlike Flannery, is neither Southern nor chronically ill, she shares with her real-life inspiration a deep Catholic faith and a biting wit.
As Frances and Bernard begin to slowly fall for one another, the reader falls in love with both of them. Their shared love of words and ideas makes their letters unbelievably clever and interesting. Her rigidity and his wildness add to the novel's richness.
The novel also includes letters between Frances and her dear friend Claire and Bernard and his best friend and former Harvard roommate, Ted. These additional characters allow the reader to see the two writers as they can only be seen through the eyes of those who love and understand them the best. At one point, Claire is trying to respond to Frances' romantic concerns about Bernard. Frances is unsure of his true feelings for her, unable to easily receive his admiration, and uneasy with the expectations that a love affair places on her. She is rather prim and uncomfortable with effusiveness, either in words or gestures. Claire, kind and wise friend that she is, tries to get Frances to relax and lean into this unexpected romance.
"Look at Bernard like a complimentary dish of baked Alaska brought to you by a fine and appreciative dining establishment--something you didn't know you wanted but now that it's being served up to you, you find it's impossible to resist."
Since the premise of this novel is a correspondence between two gifted writers, Bauer, also a gifted writer herself, is able to show off her masterful skill with language. You will find yourself re-reading lines just to marvel at the elegance of her prose. But don't take my word for it!! Here is the blurb from the back cover written by esteemed novelist, Jane Hamilton:
"There are so many reasons to love this perfect novel. not least because before our eyes Bauer quietly reveals the lovers to each other, and to themselves, while she explores all of the important problems of faith, work, art, marriage, passion, and how best to lead the life that you think you're meant to live. Frances and Bernard is smart and clear and deep and beautiful. I worship it."
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Why Am I Obsessed With Lena Dunham?
I have been delinquent in my blogging lately, but my newest obsession has drawn me back. At 2 a.m. last night (or this morning)I completed a marathon viewing session of all things Lena Dunham. If you somehow don't yet know who she is, let me clue you in.
Lena Dunham is a 26 year-old, Oberlin grad, actress/writer and, as of this month, a double Golden Globe winner. She is the creator, writer and actress of the HBO series "Girls" and the 2010 film, "Tiny Furniture." Since I am no longer an HBO subscriber, I missed the first season of "Girls" last year but after all the Golden Globe buzz, I was incredibly curious. Luckily, the internet can satisfy most unfulfilled desires, and I quickly downloaded the entire season including all interviews and promotional materials. After finishing all of that, and still craving more L.D., I streamed "Tiny Furniture" on Netflix.
First of all, I am amazed, impressed and probably a tiny bit jealous that she has accomplished so much at such a young age. Is it embarrassing to admit that I still feel that I have not quite hit my prime? And I am fascinated by her bravery especially since I was so very not brave in my twenties. I am also intensely curious about this generation of young people and their cavalier attitude towards sex. This is my children's generation and, after watching all of Dunham's work, it feels like they are playing by a completely different set of rules.
"Girls" is not for the fainthearted and the censorship guidelines on HBO are seemingly non-existent. In fact, the series makes traditional network sitcoms seem almost puritanical, Having said that, what is remarkable to me is the fact that Lena Dunham seems to feel perfectly fine about presenting her real and imperfect naked self to the world. Admittedly, that is something I certainly cannot even begin to imagine but I find it so refreshing and brave.
As I watched this Lena Dunham marathon, I was also struck by how smart and not smart her character is. She is witty and bright and observant and yet confused and tentative and unsure. She makes shockingly awful mistakes when it comes to life and love and then sometimes things bloom into an odd version of perfection. Her hook-up partner, Adam, is one such example. At the beginning of the season, he is ridiculously odd and uncaring and this viewer was shocked at how little he gave her and how little she was willing to settle for. However, by the end of the season, Adam is more open and caring and it is Lena's character, Hannah, who seems reluctant to move their casual sex to a deeper, more committed level.
After my hours and hours of viewing, I am left with a sense of compassion and curiosity about these twenty-somethings. On the one hand, I wish that I had been more willing to take risks, less rushed to be a grown-up, less concerned with what everyone would think of me. I wish that I was in a greater hurry to make my mark on the world and less worried about making mistakes. Maybe its not too late. Maybe some of their bravado and passion is still available to those of us who have already crossed the midway mark. I think that there are actually a lot of things we could learn from each other if we could engage in honest dialogue. I would tell the "Girls" to experience life but not to be so afraid of intimacy. I would remind them that no one, old or young, has all the answers. Life is a map you draw as you go. I would humbly suggest that, while I guarded my body too zealously, they may be sharing their most private selves too cavalierly. Finally, I would say "Bravo" to you for grabbing life by the balls and for not being afraid to own your own genius and let it shine!
Lena Dunham is a 26 year-old, Oberlin grad, actress/writer and, as of this month, a double Golden Globe winner. She is the creator, writer and actress of the HBO series "Girls" and the 2010 film, "Tiny Furniture." Since I am no longer an HBO subscriber, I missed the first season of "Girls" last year but after all the Golden Globe buzz, I was incredibly curious. Luckily, the internet can satisfy most unfulfilled desires, and I quickly downloaded the entire season including all interviews and promotional materials. After finishing all of that, and still craving more L.D., I streamed "Tiny Furniture" on Netflix.
First of all, I am amazed, impressed and probably a tiny bit jealous that she has accomplished so much at such a young age. Is it embarrassing to admit that I still feel that I have not quite hit my prime? And I am fascinated by her bravery especially since I was so very not brave in my twenties. I am also intensely curious about this generation of young people and their cavalier attitude towards sex. This is my children's generation and, after watching all of Dunham's work, it feels like they are playing by a completely different set of rules.
"Girls" is not for the fainthearted and the censorship guidelines on HBO are seemingly non-existent. In fact, the series makes traditional network sitcoms seem almost puritanical, Having said that, what is remarkable to me is the fact that Lena Dunham seems to feel perfectly fine about presenting her real and imperfect naked self to the world. Admittedly, that is something I certainly cannot even begin to imagine but I find it so refreshing and brave.
As I watched this Lena Dunham marathon, I was also struck by how smart and not smart her character is. She is witty and bright and observant and yet confused and tentative and unsure. She makes shockingly awful mistakes when it comes to life and love and then sometimes things bloom into an odd version of perfection. Her hook-up partner, Adam, is one such example. At the beginning of the season, he is ridiculously odd and uncaring and this viewer was shocked at how little he gave her and how little she was willing to settle for. However, by the end of the season, Adam is more open and caring and it is Lena's character, Hannah, who seems reluctant to move their casual sex to a deeper, more committed level.
After my hours and hours of viewing, I am left with a sense of compassion and curiosity about these twenty-somethings. On the one hand, I wish that I had been more willing to take risks, less rushed to be a grown-up, less concerned with what everyone would think of me. I wish that I was in a greater hurry to make my mark on the world and less worried about making mistakes. Maybe its not too late. Maybe some of their bravado and passion is still available to those of us who have already crossed the midway mark. I think that there are actually a lot of things we could learn from each other if we could engage in honest dialogue. I would tell the "Girls" to experience life but not to be so afraid of intimacy. I would remind them that no one, old or young, has all the answers. Life is a map you draw as you go. I would humbly suggest that, while I guarded my body too zealously, they may be sharing their most private selves too cavalierly. Finally, I would say "Bravo" to you for grabbing life by the balls and for not being afraid to own your own genius and let it shine!
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