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More to say, essays & appreciations, Ann Beattie ; selected and introduced by the author

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essays

More to say

1323328013

Ann Beattie ; selected and introduced by the author

essays & appreciations

"As deeply rewarding as her fiction, a selection of Ann Beattie's essays, chosen and introduced by the author. From appreciations of writers, photographers, and other artists, to notes on the craft of writing itself, this is a wide-ranging, and always penetrating collection of writing never before published in book form. Ann Beattie, a master storyteller, has been delighting readers since the publication of her short stories in the 1970s and her first novel, Chilly Scenes of Winter. But as her literary acclaim grew and she was hailed 'the voice of her generation,' Ms. Beattie was also moonlighting as a nonfiction writer. As she writes in her introduction to this collection, 'Nonfiction always gave me a thrill, even if it provided only an illusion of freedom. Freedom and flexibility-for me, those are the conditions under which imagination sparks.' These gimlet-eyed essays are stories unto themselves, observations and appreciations of life and art. The reader travels with Ms. Beattie to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to learn about the legacy of the painter, Grant Wood, and his iconic painting American Gothic; to the New York City studio of photographer Joel Meyerowitz; to Key West, Florida for New Years with writer and translator, Harry Mathews; to a roadside near Boston in a broken-down car with the wheelchair-bound writer Andre Dubus. There are explorations of novels, short stories, paintings, and photographs by artists ranging from Alice Munro to Elmore Leonard, from Sally Mann to John Loengard. Whatever the subject, Ms. Beattie brings penetrating insight into literature and art that's both familiar and unfamiliar-as she writes, 'This, I think, is what artists want to do: Find a way to lure the reader or viewer into an alternate realm, to overcome the audience's resistance to being taken away from their own lives and interests and priorities.' Ann Beattie's nonfiction (originally published in Esquire, The American Scholar, Life, The New Yorker, The New York Times, among others) is a new way to enjoy one of the great writers of her generation. Readers will find much to love in this journey with a curious and fascinating mind"--, Provided by publisher

Introduction -- On writers. A dream of a writer: Peter Taylor ; Alice Munro's amazingly ordinary world ; Andre Dubus's spotlights: introduction to We don't live here anymore ; Borderlines, real and imaginary: Elizabeth Spencer's "The runaways" ; Craig Nova casts a line: foreword to Brook Trout and the writing life ; First, let's kill the lawyer: review of Elmore Leonard's Mr. Paradise ; Tell it slant: Nancy Hale's "Flotsam" ; Fire and fireworks: Richard Bausch's "Consolation" ; David Markson's visions and revisions: introduction to This is not a novel & other novels ; My regards to Leo Lerman: review of The grand surprise ; Watching screwball comedies with Harry Mathews ; John Updike's sense of wonder ; My life in bingo -- On photographers & other artists. Placing Lincoln: from Lincoln Perry's Charlottesville ; The distillation of lavender: Jayne Hinds Bidaut's photographs ; Scott McDowell's painterly porcelains ; We are their mirror, they are ours: introduction to Sally Mann's At twelve ; Richard Rew's sculpture ; Grant Wood country: a return to the Iowa of the famed painter ; Simpatico in Southbury, Connecticut: Georgia Sheron's photographs: introduction to Uncle John: portraits of a true Yankee farmer ; Questioning the quotidian: Tricia Orr's paintings ; The sirens' call: Joel Meyerowitz's photographs ; The fates' valentine: Holly Wright's unavoidable resonance ; Animating the unextraordinary: the photographs of John Loengard, sleuth: introduction to As I see it ; Andrea Modica and the stuff of fiction ; George Burk's brush-and-ink drawings ; An abbreviated adage underlies Curt Richter's fully developed portraits: introduction to Thousand words ; Bob Adelman brings Raymond Carver's world into focus: introduction to Carver country

More to say, essays and appreciations