Freedom...Thus Far

It is at the point in the story, where one would probably say "I have finished the prologue."
It feels weird that this book is the talk of the town.  Let's both agree that at the same time a new book by Neil Gaiman or China Mieville would not get the circuit, nor the publicity, but have a stake at the same if not better literary achievement.


There seems to be a reputation as with any public popularity that is either "IN" or "OUT".  


Does it have Oprah's "O" sticker?  If not, then well, life is too short to read.
How reviews and judgements can make or break an artist and thereby the judgements of a few will limit the imagination of the masses.


In the case of this book. I know that there will come a moment where I will say out loud, "this is a good book".  At this point in time, I have yet to make that claim.


I for one am the first to admit when I am wrong, I do it every day it seems.  How can a person not admit when they are wrong, when they have children.  But, hindsight is twenty twenty.


I have to say that this is the first novel that I have read in which I can say I have a fairly large distaste for the protagonist.  Which usually means the literature is a tragedy, like Ethan Frome or MacBeth.  Time will tell.


For now, I read on.

To Post Up, Like In Basketball

I think the beginnings are the hardest.  Hence, diversions, digressions, dissonance.  Right?

Starting a project like this must come with the tests of the universe.  The kind that take us into our day-to-day lives and shred us into a thousand pieces.

I came back to work this week, and yesterday (which feels like a million miles ago) at 10:34am, the file server at Abbott crashed.  It crashed hard like a metal against metal on I-5.  It waited for my paternity leave to end, like a grandmother waits for her grandson to come home before dying of cancer.

I know...very morbid.  Sorry.

I am not sure where you are in your journey with Roald or Jonathan, but I sit here at the Triple Door Music Bar, waiting to pick up my will call ticket and sit to hear Jonathan Franzen speak.  Like Patty before her big basketball game, after realizing her personal life DOES have an effect on her professional career...

I am forgetting it all, relaxing until I must face it all again.  For now, literature, creativity, writing, and dance of fate upon my fingers on these keys.

I love this project and I will see it to the end.

May Ray Bradbury live forever.

The Frame Story...

Freedom by Jonathan Franzen is one of those literary novels that you can tell within the first 50 pages will be nominated for the Pulitzer.  But it isn't necessarily Pulitzer material, just something about it.  The characters come alive and the plot, always a distant hill top usually difficult to see from the vantage point of the characters, but nonetheless worth it.

I have been working on a novel myself for some time.  I have written many, to completion, but the one I have been working on, my nemesis of sorts, very character driven.  Full of depth and long back story.  Plot available, but not as prominent as the characters.  I struggled for several months and then realized my protagonist needs something, a style, maybe a voice, or a herald from somewhere outside of the normal flow of the creek that he stands upon.  He finds a diary of his late mother, and this diary is a long life journey beginning when she is just beginning college and continues all the way through her life until her final entry, which is written as her suicide note.

In many ways, I am reminded and inspired about my novel, its wishfulness, when I read Jonathan Franzen's Freedom.  Much of what I have read thus far is a brief synopsis of a life on Ramsey Hill, and then the life's autobiography written as an autobiography, rather than a day-to-day journal.  It is something...

I continue to read Freedom now at the same time as reading Ray Bradbury's biography.  For some reason, maybe due to the fact that on August 22 2010 it was Ray's 90th birthday, but I feel that his end is nearer than we think, and I am getting nostalgic and wanting to indulge in his life before he departs this world.

A Digression Of Sorts...

As in any project, or in any new goal setting.  There will be digression.  It is like DNA variation.  A slight maneuver here and quick mutation there, and all of sudden, the Mud Fish is born.

Not really, but in this case, due to my birthday and maybe a drive to please my 4 1/2 year old son in the wake of a new baby girl in the house, we took a trip to the Science Fiction Museum.  There was a new exhibit that included many Star Wars items, R2-D2, Yoda, the Death Star.  Very cool.  But on this journey I saw one of my greatest heroes of all time.  Ray Bradbury.  I saw his face in the hall of fame.  I saw his hand made "Imagination" comic book.  Needless to say, my inspiration was enlightened.

I purchased Ray Bradbury's biography by Sam Weller and had to read many pages last night.  Even though I have been reading Jonathan Franzen's, I do not have a posting at this time, because my mind is on the great inked man.

The Roald to Franzen...

Roald Dahl has a way by which he can deliver a story, as a story teller.  I am not surprised to hear he was a decorated RAF pilot.  His stories reflect a very memoir like feel.  His characters continue to additional stories, like Fin and Paddy, and Monkey his CO.

But most importantly, we feel him age as a character, his stories become darker, and more melancholy, as I would imagine the war would have this effect, his stories allowing for a release, maybe.

Today, I began reading Freedom by Jonathan Franzen.  Primarily for two reasons.  I recently found out that Jonathan will be visiting the Seattle Arts and Lecture Series - next Tuesday September 14th, his will open the season.  His release of Freedom is probably one of the most anticipated of the year.

I am dedicated to Roald and will finish the first segment, which includes "Death of an Old Man" and "Madame Rosette".  After which I will give my full attention to Freedom.

How to choose

I started with Roal Dahl.  Since he was one of the reasons that this whole project was created.  I read "The Sound Machine" and like a lightbulb I was immediately taken to the idea of creating a journal documenting my experience reading great works.

I read the introduction by Jeremy Treglown, which was very interesting.  He obviously has a vast knowledge of Roald.  I particularly was interested in the inspiration and beginning of Roald's career.  Mr. Dahl's favorites being O'Henry and Saki, or at least Jeremy likened Roald's stories to these greats.  I have a feeling before the end of this experience I will probably need to pick up a biography of him.

I also read the first story - "An African Story" which was fun and a great start into what was to come - creepy and mischievous.  

I have decided to begin this project with a phase of Roald's short stories, then move to one of the other selections, and then come back to the stories, taking a segment of 10-12 stories at a time.  Considering they are written in chronological order, by the time this project is over, I will have moved through his career as a writer.

It begins here...

Dear Mom,
Here it is.  The forum, the space, the journal.  A private space to share your thoughts, beliefs, inspiration, aspiration and perspiration.

Think of this as your online journal - a safe space to dump your brain.  Be long winded, short fused, thoughtful or impudent.  It is up to you.

My hope is that each page of the books we read, bring about a thoughtful moment of inspiration, and then you put it in your hand written journal.
At times, you may not have that journal, and want to brain dump.  Here it is.

I will be putting words in here and words there. 
My whole intent is to journal the process of reading and sharing them with you.

I hope this works.  I am very excited.

Love
Paponey