In the book "The Art Of Mending" by Elizabeth Berg there is a passage that descibes the scene surrounding a photo taken of the narrator and her younger sister when they were children at Easter time:
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"I remember that the moment the photo was taken, I dropped Caroline's hand and ran toward the car. "Wait for me!" she called, but I did not. I claimed the coveted seat by the window and then wiped the hand that had touched Caroline against the skirt of my new dress...over and over again. I think I might have used my purse to try to block anyone from seeing. But I can't be sure that is not just my horrified adult self, editing. Well, yes. That is what it is. Because now I remember that when Caroline got in the car she was carrying both her own purse and mine, which I'd left behind. She held it out to me, all hope, saying excitedly, "Here, Laura, you forgot this! You forgot our new purse!" "I don't want it, "I said, staring straight ahead, "I don't even like it." It was the possessive pronoun I objected to. From the corner of my eye, I saw her hesitate, then put the purse gently down on the seat between us. I saw her straighten it just the tiniest bit, then struggle to move herslf into a comfortable position without distrubing anything."
**
In that passage the girls are maybe 5 and 7. It breaks my heart every time I read it because of its honesty. I want to pick that little Caroline up and smother her in my arms and tell her she is perfect just the way she is. This is why I love Berg's writing. She takes life and puts it on a page with the soulfullness of what is true. I have read her "Talk Before Sleep" probably 2 dozen times and it still brings me to tears. There is something to be said about the lives of women, and she says it beautifully.
I also enjoy Jodi Piccoult for taking events and placing a new perspective on them. "My Sister's Keeper" is outstanding. And Anita Shreve, her novels all full of historic reference, is so unususal, I am never sure of the ending even when I think I am sure: "The Pilot's Wife" is great, and I think the title is "The Last Thing He Said" but the ending was such a shock I threw the book across the room in disbelief then ran to get it and re-read the last paragraphs to be sure it really ended that way.
I have visited postsecret.com every week since I checked a book out of the library with the featured post cards. The premise: we all have secrets and some are just screaming to get out. The man in charge of post secret calls for people to mail postcards with their deepest secrets creatively placed on them and he posts a new set every Sunday. A natural voyeur, I am fascinated by these.
My favorite blogger is Catherine Newman, who hosts a parenting blog on Wondertime.com called the Dali Mama. It is full of the sublime ups and downs of parenting small children and I applaud her honesty.
My brother Joe has worked exhaustively to document the fall of Grossinger's Resort in the Catskills of New York and the tribute is lovingly displayed on his website joe4speed.com.
My new wish is to have my favorite photgraphs transformed on mydavinci.com. They take your favorite and can do anything from a pencil sketch to an oil painting of it. My birthday is coming..... ;-)
My favorite thing in the world is spending time with my beloved family from the kids to cousins I hardly am ever lucky enough to get to see. But some I saw this past weekend and was so touched by the fact that no matter how long we go between visits, we have the kind of family that can just pick up where we left off as if one of us had just run to the market instead of being separated by miles and years. I love you all.
ps. Thank you, Judy, for your kind words. I hoard them like the treasure they are.
**
"I remember that the moment the photo was taken, I dropped Caroline's hand and ran toward the car. "Wait for me!" she called, but I did not. I claimed the coveted seat by the window and then wiped the hand that had touched Caroline against the skirt of my new dress...over and over again. I think I might have used my purse to try to block anyone from seeing. But I can't be sure that is not just my horrified adult self, editing. Well, yes. That is what it is. Because now I remember that when Caroline got in the car she was carrying both her own purse and mine, which I'd left behind. She held it out to me, all hope, saying excitedly, "Here, Laura, you forgot this! You forgot our new purse!" "I don't want it, "I said, staring straight ahead, "I don't even like it." It was the possessive pronoun I objected to. From the corner of my eye, I saw her hesitate, then put the purse gently down on the seat between us. I saw her straighten it just the tiniest bit, then struggle to move herslf into a comfortable position without distrubing anything."
**
In that passage the girls are maybe 5 and 7. It breaks my heart every time I read it because of its honesty. I want to pick that little Caroline up and smother her in my arms and tell her she is perfect just the way she is. This is why I love Berg's writing. She takes life and puts it on a page with the soulfullness of what is true. I have read her "Talk Before Sleep" probably 2 dozen times and it still brings me to tears. There is something to be said about the lives of women, and she says it beautifully.
I also enjoy Jodi Piccoult for taking events and placing a new perspective on them. "My Sister's Keeper" is outstanding. And Anita Shreve, her novels all full of historic reference, is so unususal, I am never sure of the ending even when I think I am sure: "The Pilot's Wife" is great, and I think the title is "The Last Thing He Said" but the ending was such a shock I threw the book across the room in disbelief then ran to get it and re-read the last paragraphs to be sure it really ended that way.
I have visited postsecret.com every week since I checked a book out of the library with the featured post cards. The premise: we all have secrets and some are just screaming to get out. The man in charge of post secret calls for people to mail postcards with their deepest secrets creatively placed on them and he posts a new set every Sunday. A natural voyeur, I am fascinated by these.
My favorite blogger is Catherine Newman, who hosts a parenting blog on Wondertime.com called the Dali Mama. It is full of the sublime ups and downs of parenting small children and I applaud her honesty.
My brother Joe has worked exhaustively to document the fall of Grossinger's Resort in the Catskills of New York and the tribute is lovingly displayed on his website joe4speed.com.
My new wish is to have my favorite photgraphs transformed on mydavinci.com. They take your favorite and can do anything from a pencil sketch to an oil painting of it. My birthday is coming..... ;-)
My favorite thing in the world is spending time with my beloved family from the kids to cousins I hardly am ever lucky enough to get to see. But some I saw this past weekend and was so touched by the fact that no matter how long we go between visits, we have the kind of family that can just pick up where we left off as if one of us had just run to the market instead of being separated by miles and years. I love you all.
ps. Thank you, Judy, for your kind words. I hoard them like the treasure they are.
1 comment:
Although the books I read most are mystery or courtroom types I do read these ladies books when they come out. I truly enjoy them too and they are hard to put down. Jodi wrote "19 Minutes" about a school shooting, (I think that was the title), I found it disturbing but it certainly kept me reading!
We have a wonderful family and even if we do live miles and miles apart I always know there are there for us through anything. We should all nurture our relationship with our siblings. They are the people who you will know you longer than anyone else in your life. And love you anyway!!
Love you,
Mom
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