Category Archives: LITERATURE

LITERATURE: Reading Group

Posted on December 27, 2005 by Susan

Oh poop.  I’m always a day late and a dollar short.  Haven’t gotten but halfway through Cannery Row, and I’m using that as an excuse not to go join a reading group tonight.  If I’m a reluctant writer (not in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: Cannery Row – Narrative Structure through Setting

Posted on December 27, 2005 by susan

While there seems to be a narrative structure introduced by “In the evening, just at dusk, a curious thing happened on Cannery Row.” (p. 24) for example, the chapters appear more to be unrelated episodes from the overall lives of … Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: A Perfect Stranger – Wrap Up

Posted on December 25, 2005 by susan

Robinson’s writing is flowing without flowery, descriptive and intimate.  Experience of observation and a keen understanding of human nature and relationships is woven into each story of this collection.  Shame:  Friends gather at the New Mexico ranch of a rather … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: A Perfect Stranger

Posted on December 24, 2005 by susan

Catching up with Roxana Robinson’s A Perfect Stranger: Blind Man:  We are along for a rough traffic drive on a highway, with a man who has someplace to go, and worries to think about on the way.  Backstory gives us … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE & WRITING: A Battle

Posted on December 24, 2005 by Susan

There’s been a noticeable lack of posting on the readings, but that mystery is easily cleared up: I’ve been taken hostage by a story I’m working on. I should know better, but it just seems so much clearer now, it … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: A Perfect Stranger – Story

Posted on December 19, 2005 by susan

There is a style that shows in Roxana Robinson’s stories that produces a defined reality that holds them together. My mother was a librarian at my elementary school, and my father was a doctor.  We lived in an old stone … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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BLOGGING & WRITING & LITERATURE: Excuses

Posted on December 18, 2005 by Susan

So yes, I’ve milked out this Typepad shutout problem longer than it existed.  I have the framework of two postings on LIT for both Robinson’s A Perfect Stranger and Aristotle’s Poetics.  I have Steinbeck’s Cannery Row laying in wait.  I … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: Audio Books

Posted on December 15, 2005 by Susan

Very interesting direction, although not new except in answer to the writers’ need to get their work read (or in this case, heard) and today’s technology, visit Metaxucafe member Dave Munger in his entry on podcasting his book, Small Journeys … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: Reviews

Posted on December 14, 2005 by Susan

I have to laugh; having turned Spinning more in the direction of writing and literature analysis and review, here I am reading lit journals that are a year old (I hope to catch up over the holidays, though having just … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: A Perfect Stranger – Style

Posted on December 13, 2005 by susan

A Perfect Stranger, by Roxana Robinson is a collection of short stories by this author of Sweetwater along with two other novels, two short story collections, and a biography of Georgia O’Keefe, four of which have been named Notable Books … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: Ploughshares – Vol. 30, Nos. 2 & 3

Posted on December 12, 2005 by susan

Dragged my way through to the end, and found something of real interest in this edition.  Out of twelve authors whose work is presented, only one has never been published.  Most of the rest are published in their own novels … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: The Grinch Who Stole Christmas

Posted on December 10, 2005 by Susan

I have no idea why it’s on so late, but am watching Jim Carrey and an adorable little Molly Shannon as Cindy Lou Who in this movie that I hadn’t seen.  It’s based on Dr. Seuss’ poem, of course, and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: Ploughshares: Parallel Plots

Posted on December 10, 2005 by susan

In the next to last story I’m reading in this issue, Lady of The Wild Beasts by Debra Spark, the narrative structure is a case of braiding two stories together.  The opening story is of a man in an office … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: Ploughshares

Posted on December 10, 2005 by susan

S’um bitch.  One of the stories I really didn’t like because it seemed just another neurotic sitting at a desk with his memories and daydreams and problems with alcohol is included in a newly published collection by this writer.  While … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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LITERATURE: Aristotle’s Poetics

Posted on December 8, 2005 by susan

From Section 1, Part I (Yes, I did get further along than this, the second paragraph, but figured I’d better start posting on it): Epic poetry and Tragedy, Comedy also and Dithyrambic poetry, and the music of the flute and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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