Saunders, George. Pastoralia. New York: The Berkely Publishing Group, 2000.
4/6/20 (vast majority) – 4/7/20
Given to me by [] for my birthday.
Cover subtly flashes with little stars and shooting stars.
Immediately not what I thought it was, but so fitting that it is only the simulacrum of pastoralism. One of the books those books that is stunningly beautiful and yet not a single line underlined: propulsive not because of the stylishness of its prose but its character, its insight. Of course none of the characters in this book would say a beautiful thing — in fact, Cummings in “The Falls” is kind of a mockery of that — but they are beautiful and the things they do and which befall them are beautiful in a fucked up, I want to say strictly American way (Tom Rodgers, for instance, the name and what he does so absurdly American). I’m thinking of Jade and Min (Asian?) and how dumb they are and yet the charming ness of the things they say, the perfect charming ness that some people I know possess (I don’t).
“What Chuck Palahniuk wishes he was.”
I also thought, the American Dubliners.
- (188) “The girls saw him now and with their hands appeared to be trying to explain that they would be dead soon. My God, did they think he was blind? Did they think he was stupid? Was he their father? Did they think he was Christ? They were dead. They were frantic, calling out to him, but they were dead, as dead as the ancient dead, and he was alive, he was needed at home, it was a no-brainer, no one could possibly blame him for this one, and making a low sound of despair in his throat he kicked off his loafers and threw his long ugly body out across the water.”
-
- Got shivers, again, transcribing this just now. This is SO GOOD. What a great fucking way to end too with something redemptive and yet naive.
-
- “Just read “Sea Oak.” Literally open-mouthed laughing. Literally said, “what?” laughing. Omg. Ah!”
-
- This story absolutely fucking stunned me. This convinces me anything can be written about if the writer is good enough. Question is…
-
- “Amber Mist.” Choices like that are just so perfect.
- The Barber, too: the Redemption