In the New Yorker...

[Jeff Wrangler]

I also read Louise Erdrich's one-page time-travel thing -- apparently they assigned half a dozen writers to write about time travel. Hers was meh, but since I haven't read the others yet I can't tell if it's a problem with the assignment itself or her execution.

Shoot! I just realized I gave away the fiction issue and forgot to read her story. I always read her when she's in TNY. 

[Front-Ranger]

It's all available online to subscribers, Jeff, and I think for a limited time to nonsubscribers also. Failing that, I would be happy to scan and email it to you. I didn't read that story yet, myself.

[Jeff Wrangler]

It's all available online to subscribers, Jeff, and I think for a limited time to nonsubscribers also. Failing that, I would be happy to scan and email it to you. I didn't read that story yet, myself.

Well, that's a mighty kind offer, FRiend, but if I really get motivated to read it, I'll do it on line.    Thanks for reminding me that me that these things are available on line! 

[Jeff Wrangler]

OK, never mind me, I'm just very confused.

I do still have the issue with the Louise Erdrich that I want to read: June 29, with her story, "The Flower."

[Jeff Wrangler]

Rachel Aviv's article, "Revenge Killing," in the July 6 & 13 issue, is a real horror story and a must-read--and very interesting to read the week the Confederate battle flag is removed from the grounds of the South Carolina state capitol building.

[serious crayons]

I am in the middle of "The Flower" and liking it a lot so far. I love how she can describe horrible people and events in such lyrical language. Have you guys read any of her books? I highly recommend "Love Medicine," her first, as well as some of her others. I haven't read all of them -- maybe half at most -- but they're all at least pretty good.

I interviewed her years ago. She was polite but sort of distant and cool. She had a new bookstore and a new baby. But only a year earlier she'd been embroiled in a big horrifying tragic scandal, so of course I felt obliged to ask her about that. And of course she knew I was going to ask her. She said she didn't want to talk about it, I said fine and we moved on.

Rachel Aviv's article, "Revenge Killing," in the July 6 & 13 issue, is a real horror story and a must-read--and very interesting to read the week the Confederate battle flag is removed from the grounds of the South Carolina state capitol building.

I'll make sure to read that one!

[Jeff Wrangler]

I interviewed her years ago. She was polite but sort of distant and cool. She had a new bookstore and a new baby. But only a year earlier she'd been embroiled in a big horrifying tragic scandal, so of course I felt obliged to ask her about that. And of course she knew I was going to ask her. She said she didn't want to talk about it, I said fine and we moved on.

I remember that.    But it's not really pertinent to the thread, I guess, so let be, let be.

[serious crayons]

I remember that.    But it's not really pertinent to the thread, I guess, so let be, let be.

I didn't want to go into all the details, so I looked on Wikipedia to see if I could just cut and paste a paragraph or so, but her entry doesn't get into it at all. The entry on her late husband Michael Dorris goes into more detail.

Now I feel like I should just say it and get it over with. Long story short, Louise and Michael had seemed like this perfect literary couple -- glamorous, happy, in love, editing each other's work, both successful and respected; like Scott and Zelda without the mental illness. They had six kids, three that he had adopted while he was single, and three they had together biologically. Then suddenly they separated, then it was revealed that he was being investigated for abusing his children -- physically and/or sexually. In the midst of all this, he committed suicide.

An arts writer at my paper wrote a long piece about it at the time, and it turned out that -- surprise, surprise -- their public image did not really reflect their home life.

I finished her story and had mixed feelings. For one thing, it turned out to contain magical realism, which I don't like. And I didn't really "get" the ending.

If anybody else finishes it, I'd like to know your thoughts.

[Jeff Wrangler]

I didn't want to go into all the details, so I looked on Wikipedia to see if I could just cut and paste a paragraph or so, but her entry doesn't get into it at all. The entry on her late husband Michael Dorris goes into more detail.

Now I feel like I should just say it and get it over with. Long story short, Louise and Michael had seemed like this perfect literary couple -- glamorous, happy, in love, editing each other's work, both successful and respected; like Scott and Zelda without the mental illness. They had six kids, three that he had adopted while he was single, and three they had together biologically. Then suddenly they separated, then it was revealed that he was being investigated for abusing his children -- physically and/or sexually. In the midst of all this, he committed suicide.

I forgot the suicide part. 

I finished her story and had mixed feelings. For one thing, it turned out to contain magical realism, which I don't like. And I didn't really "get" the ending.

If anybody else finishes it, I'd like to know your thoughts.

I didn't really get the ending, either.

[Front-Ranger]

I haven't read the story and I kind of like magical realism, so I'll tackle it and let you know.

How awkward that must have been interviewing her! Without the child abuse part, I had a somewhat similar experience this past weekend. My erstwhile husband, who moved out and left me two years ago this month, volunteered to take our grandsons for the weekend and I went up to his house to help him. On Sunday late morning we went over to the playground and he was pushing them on the swings. My younger grandson sometimes gets the giggles when he is swinging and started laughing uncontrollably. Soon, we all were laughing. Swinging and laughing and singing. I looked over and saw a young woman with two children admiring us. "She must think we are the perfect couple, laughing and having fun with our grandchildren," I thought. And for the moment at least, it was true.

Another amazing thing that happened was that a neighbor who has horses allowed us to put the boys on the horses and pet them. We were talking and she complemented me on the boys. I suddenly realized that she thought I was their mother!! I said I couldn't take the credit, it was due to my daughter, but thanks for the compliment! Okay, none of this has to do with anything in the New Yorker! Oh well!