Re: desertion in the face of the enemy
Camille Scaysbrook (verona_beach@geocities.com)
Wed, 23 Dec 1998 10:55:53 +1100
Wow! Sincere and heartfelt thanks for this peripheral, Will! Talk about
making my Christmas for me (: I know the secret enclave of Bananafish
writers sometimes cop some flak for thrusting our writerly
trifles/neuroses/egos onto a simple list of JD Salinger discussion - but
any reader will know the joy of happening upon something that, to
paraphrase Emily Bronte, `changes the colour of your mind'. The only
difference for a writer is that you wrote it yourself. Which makes it all
the more nice when someone has such words of praise - and perhaps better
still that he has words of criticism which are in many ways far more
helpful than praise. So allow us our folly and maybe we can change the
colour of some other minds too (:
Thanks again Will!
Camille
verona_beach@geocities.com
@ THE ARTS HOLE www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Theater/6442
@ THE INVERTED FOREST www.angelfire.com/pa/invertedforest
> Desertion isn't likely-- but have to admit that I'm enjoying the list
> silence for a change,
> possibly because I've been reading some lovely stories from Camille
> Scaysbrook. I'm going to say a few words about her first two stories
> because she's really Esme, and because her writing is fine and may be a
> bit of our silence now.
>
> First of all, she's her own writer--her love of Salinger is
> not reflected in the styling of the two stories I've read so far--her
> words taste to me more like the rich coffee of Borges or Cortazar...I
> know, I know, the wrong "down under" will, she's australian not south
> american, (and there you again losing Scottie in your poor metaphors...)
> but this fine lady can write and set one's mind in motion...BIG TIME!
>
> In her first story, "Translation," Camille Scaysbrook dances with poetry
> in fiction in ways that demand one remember Borges. Her craft avoids the
> obscure or trick for the heart and wisdom of making a fictional poet's
> few stanzas into a quick meditation and fine story. For us bananafish, I
> think this means she achieves some of Salinger's effects without needing
> his idiom..."Starr," her second story, was less successful for me but
> works on a premise I imagine Camille will use again...the dance with
> pre-history and irony in this story was a bit brief and I didn't get as
> much at the end as the beginning set up. The idea of the story is
> wonderful, but the last paragraph of it stumped me more than eded the
> story...I'll have to read it again of course but for now, I'm just
dazzled
> with the flashes of her fine short story writing...(with all her stars
> out!)
>
> I have to admit I put down _Under the Tuscan Sun_ by Francis Mayes to
read
> Camille and the two voices (both keen women from far away) almost make me
> know the way some of us are travelling to a pub is the way for all us to
> toast good words, and yes, even our silence and distance!
>
> Night Out
>
>
> When Dad donned his tux
> he put studs in his shirt,
> dressing gold and gaudy
>
> Mommy always admired such
> baubles bewildering Marxist me,
> but not love
>
> What sweet shit they said
> may have made me write, stay
> sane, stray from heritage to river
>
> I don't know the family name
> for having one's tongue
> removed as punishment
>
> It must be linked to torture,
> Trappists, or redeeming
> poetry pure
>
> Fine wordless forms fuck
> dreams into flora and fauna
> shading the truth of silence
>
> What is a writer's bloodline
> but a dressing gown, going to town,
> tugging tongue
>
> Ear, finger, nose,
> and eye to the ball? Look,
> can we dance now?
>
> c will hochman l998