Tuesday, September 28, 2021

Just A Quick Literary Post, Girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


                                                    After seven years of waiting, going rhapsodic over Anthony Doerr's previous novel, "All The Light We Cannot See," which I cried upon finishing, because I wanted it to go on forever, out he comes with his newest, "Cloud Cuckoo Land."  I went to Three Lives--where else?--and bought it today.  However, much as I look forward to sinking my teeth into it,  I cannot, because I am current halfway through--



                                                    

                                        "I, The King," by Frances Parkinson Keyes--Oh, my God, Frances Parkinson Keyes!  If ever an author needs to be rediscovered, it is she.  She haunted my childhood, as we had,  in the house I grew up in, a copy of her book, "Dinner At Antoine's," which I wish I had kept.  Its colored illustration of the interior of Antoine's Restaurant, in New Orleans, started me on my fascination with the city.  I have actually dined at Antoine's twice, and I am telling you, their Cafe Diable will knock you to the floor!!!!!!!!!!! Mmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   I  found this volume in one of our neighborhood book bird houses,  and I just had to grab it.  I want to start a Frances Parkinson Keyes and Taylor Caldwell collection.  Wish me luck, girls, because I need space.  They may have been trash in their day, but let me tell you, they write  better than any of today's trashers out  there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



                                            However,  you really MUST read--



                                                                      

                                      "The Magician," by Colm Toibin--The most satisfying piece of fiction  I have read so far,  this year.  I loved "The Master," but, darlings, this is even better--gorgeously written,  mixing history and literature, the Holocaust, Venice, wrapped in a package that will have you glued to your seat, enraptured, as I was.  I had been so disappointed up to now, having not found even one contender for Book Of The Year; only now to be hit with a whole galaxy of them.  This may not make  it, but let me  tell you,  it is a GREAT start!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



                                          Back to Frances, girls!!!!!!!!!!!  We'll talk soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



                                                                                   



                                                     

2 comments:

  1. My mother loved Frances Parkington Keyes

    ReplyDelete
  2. Marty049,

    These books, and their covers, were
    the kind read by my mother and her friends.
    They were plentiful around the house growing up,
    and I became a fan of Keyes and Caldwell.

    They write better than what passes for them
    today!

    ReplyDelete