I have rarely read such a ‘big’ short novel as this novel by Joyce Carol Oates. Under 100 pages in length yet it addresses the complex inner life of a woman, the issues of race and the varieties of love. I want to read this novel again before posting a full review, but I found it a very powerful and potent read.
The added, unexpected, delight for me was that the secondhand copy I had bought was once upon a time owned by one favourite writer (A S Byatt) and signed and dedicated to her by another favourite writer (Joyce Carol Oates). I’m afraid Antonia, if you were wondering where it was and wanting it back – no way! As I read it I imagined ASB reading it on the flight home from Princeton, she turned 3 page corners down, and probably read the whole on the flight! Well, that’s what my imagination creates. Perhaps her companion on the journey read it!
Finding a treasure like that in a used book shop would have lifted my spirits over the moon, kind of like finding the Hope diamond in a bag of oatmeal from the bulk store. I can just picture the astonishment on your face as you realised what you had in your hands. Wonderful bit of happenstance, Caroline.
ReplyDeleteI know Tiffin, it was on the Amazon Marketplace bookshop. I guess they don't necessarily look closely at paperbacks! That'll teach 'em! I was delighted with such a treasure.
ReplyDeleteAmazing. I'd have been overjoyed too!
ReplyDeleteHi Caroline, I was on LibraryThing and as I often do, I followed your blog link to find, at the other end, your wonderful Emerald City blog. I would love to follow it but since you don't have a link to follow, I will jot down your blog site and your e-mail and contact you that way. I have a blog also, but I am not overly satisfied with the two I am working on. I think they are just not nearly booky? or bookish? enough for me yet. But I will continue to work on them until they give me the same feeling that yours does, almost as if I was curling up in front of the fireplace with a lovely Virginia Woolf book. Maybe we can chat about Stegner. I am amazed at the amount of writing he has accomplished and would like to follow some of it myself, I will start with "Angle of Repose" which I have in my TBR pile and got at the suggestion of several LTer's whose opinions I respect. I hope to see more of your sites over the coming days and feel as if I have discovered a kindred spirit. Sincerely, Pagedove/Mary Beth
ReplyDeleteHi Mary Beth, lovely to hear from you and delighted you are enjoying the blog. I am sure you will enjoy 'Angle of Repose'. I love a book that comes back regularly to my mind, either a situation, an image, or a character, and I have found this happening a lot with the characters in this novel. I certainly plan to read another of his novels soon, and am dipping into Stegner essays regularly.
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