tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7632029549152237270.post2756907285961769285..comments2023-11-03T03:46:35.665-07:00Comments on Tom Russell: Notes from the Borderland: Knife Thrower's SonataTom Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03134977181127153226noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7632029549152237270.post-14845539584338757052010-07-06T07:17:10.382-07:002010-07-06T07:17:10.382-07:00Now critics are falling all over themselves to pra...Now critics are falling all over themselves to praise both men, and Poe--who was dismissed as "drivel for children." Critics, professional academics who wouldn't know why art was art if it bit them in the ass. <br /><br />BY the way, though he's now known as the guy who wrote the novel the film Revolutionary Road, Richard Yates was a hell of a short story writer and influenced Carver's voice. I swear it. Check out his collected short stories. My favorite quote from an interview (and he wrote like this): "I'm only interested in stories that are about the crushing of the human heart."Burningbluesoulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12627689813196654775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7632029549152237270.post-15958912306401148692010-03-31T19:41:28.189-07:002010-03-31T19:41:28.189-07:00Love Chandler and Carver, not a big Joyce Carol Oa...Love Chandler and Carver, not a big Joyce Carol Oates fan, but she did write a pretty good boxing novella called "The Man Who Fought Roland La Starza" in the anthology "Murder on the Ropes." As a boxing fan, I think you'd like it--and the same anthology has a long story by FX Toole. Peace, JayJay Esshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18119395783540735028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7632029549152237270.post-5362393533858944882010-03-09T10:46:06.222-08:002010-03-09T10:46:06.222-08:00Here's a quote for ya from Sgt. Rory Miller, a...Here's a quote for ya from Sgt. Rory Miller, a corrections officer, author of "Meditations on Violence anda thinking man's tough guy, from his blog:<br /><br />"So for writers: angst is not terror.<br />This is for me, I know I'm not your target audience... but damn, people. Please. If your protagonist is in fear for her life, if she is looking into the eyes of a man who wants to beat, destroy, kill and humiliate her it is a different animal than dealing with a broken heart. Do not try to extrapolate from the embarrassing pimple you had in eighth grade to the terror of imminent annihilation. Do not try to recall your childhood heartbreak of flushing you goldfish down the toilet to write touchingly of a couple who just lost their baby. Please.<br /><br />"I know some will anyway. It might be okay for the readers who also have never been to the deep places. But the rest of us can tell."<br /><br />I like that.Seems to get at a lot of what's being expressed here.editorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18298399110078317876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7632029549152237270.post-20911737651277503122010-02-22T19:38:10.478-08:002010-02-22T19:38:10.478-08:00I'll lead off on this one ... Great piece Toma...I'll lead off on this one ... Great piece Tomas! <br />A loose quote to add regarding Joseph Mitchell. A dinner guest and staff writer at The New Yorker asked Joseph Mitchell what the great writers who contributed to The New Yorker all had in common. Joseph Mitchell replied in his slow drawl " Well, none of them could spell; but they all had a wild exactitude in their writing ". I won't wring out any litany of names. Hemingway was a force of nature we will never see repeated. He left enough and suffered enough and without self pity. As far as Raymond Carver being depressive to read. Far from it. I love him for his wry sense <br />of humor and self deprecation. It helps if you've been there. Check out the Criterion Collection's version of Altman's film of " Short Cuts " where the supplements alone<br /> are worth the premium price of the DVD. No Carver fan will be disappointed. Keep bringing out the jewells Tom. We have lost our way and know it. <br /><br /><br />-saddle tramp<br />Via: Marlboro, NY on a winery to winery coast to coast toast so to speak. Mission Bell Winery - Madera, CA to Kedem Winery in Marlboro ... A 3,000 mile gig. California crushed grapes delivered.Saddle Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15640646036914910941noreply@blogger.com