BetterMost, Wyoming & Brokeback Mountain Forum
Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond => Brokeback Mountain Open Forum => All Things Brokeback: Books, Interviews and More => Topic started by: Front-Ranger on May 29, 2009, 09:12:38 am
-
Where is the thread for this located? It seems like it should be here!
-
I have often fanticized about writing a book about Brokeback Mountain, and I even wrote the chapter headings for it once. But that's as far as I got. Has anyone else done this, besides Daniel, whose book I have?
-
I have often fanticized about writing a book about Brokeback Mountain, and I even wrote the chapter headings for it once. But that's as far as I got. Has anyone else done this, besides Daniel, whose book I have?
What´s the title of Daniel´s book, Lee?
I´m sure you would do Brokeback justice, would you ever try to complete your book, Lee.
-
What´s the title of Daniel´s book, Lee?
His book is titled Dreamfilm and it includes discussion of the film, poems, and essays. It's very interesting and a loving tribute to the movie.
-
Where is the thread for this located? It seems like it should be here!
Do you mean a thread about a book that is to be written, or that has been written?
-
Do you mean a thread about a book that is to be written, or that has been written?
Apparently one has been written, but won't be published till November. I'm just sure I read about it, but I can't find the post enniwhere!
-
I posted it under the Culture Tent. It's pretty far down the screen. I will repost it right here...
And yet, another book about Brokeback Mountain scheduled
« on: May 23, 2009, 06:57:07 PM »
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
for release in November. The book seems more focused on the short story then the movie. An excellent choice if your book group will be reading Brokeback Mountain.
Annie Proulx's Brokeback Mountain and Postcards (Continuum Contemporaries) (Paperback)
by Mark Asquith
"Product Description
This title presents an accessible and informative introduction to two texts from one of America's most experimental and provocative authors. This guide to Annie Proulx's novel "Postcards" and her short story "Brokeback Mountain" features a biography of the author, a full-length analysis of the texts, a summary of the their popular and critical reception, a discussion of the recent film adaptation of "Brokeback Mountain" and its reception and a great deal more. If you're studying either text, reading them for your book club, or if you simply want to know more, you'll find this guide informative, intelligent, and helpful."
If you want to preorder the book, here's the link. And they do allow you to preorder pretty early on Amazon.com.
http://www.amazon.com/Brokeback-Mountain-Postcards-Continuum-Contemporaries/dp/1847064558/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244145507&sr=1-17
-
I can't find the post enniwhere!
;D *brokie love*
-
His book is titled Dreamfilm and it includes discussion of the film, poems, and essays. It's very interesting and a loving tribute to the movie.
ooohh I have so much reading material about Brokeback to catch up on!
-
Hmmmm.....I wonder if the book would be a success.
-
I posted it under the Culture Tent. It's pretty far down the screen. I will repost it right here...
And yet, another book about Brokeback Mountain scheduled
« on: May 23, 2009, 06:57:07 PM »
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
for release in November. The book seems more focused on the short story then the movie. An excellent choice if your book group will be reading Brokeback Mountain.
Annie Proulx's Brokeback Mountain and Postcards (Continuum Contemporaries) (Paperback)
by Mark Asquith
"Product Description
This title presents an accessible and informative introduction to two texts from one of America's most experimental and provocative authors. This guide to Annie Proulx's novel "Postcards" and her short story "Brokeback Mountain" features a biography of the author, a full-length analysis of the texts, a summary of the their popular and critical reception, a discussion of the recent film adaptation of "Brokeback Mountain" and its reception and a great deal more. If you're studying either text, reading them for your book club, or if you simply want to know more, you'll find this guide informative, intelligent, and helpful."
If you want to preorder the book, here's the link. And they do allow you to preorder pretty early on Amazon.com.
http://www.amazon.com/Brokeback-Mountain-Postcards-Continuum-Contemporaries/dp/1847064558/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244145507&sr=1-17
I just bought this book on ebay.
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Pg2dD1vKL._SS500_.jpg)
-
I have it on order too.
-
I wasn't expecting this to be published until November, but it has arrived and I'm about half finished with it already! Very well written and I'm enjoying it very much. It contains the most thorough profile of the author I've read with a great deal of insight.
-
I hadn´t heard about it before. Thanks. This is definately a must-buy.
-
His book is titled Dreamfilm and it includes discussion of the film, poems, and essays. It's very interesting and a loving tribute to the movie.
I've never heard of this book. Sounds very interesting.
Is it still available?
Where can it be bought?
-
I hadn´t heard about it before. Thanks. This is definately a must-buy.
Yep.
-
My copy just arrived too. Glad you're liking it, Lee.
I've seen it at amazon and on ebay. Best to search the author's name.
-
I've seen it at amazon and on ebay. Best to search the author's name.
You mean Dreamfilm? (what is the author's name?)
Or the Mark Asquith book?
-
I wasn't expecting this to be published until November, but it has arrived and I'm about half finished with it already! Very well written and I'm enjoying it very much. It contains the most thorough profile of the author I've read with a great deal of insight.
That would be fascinating, I'm sure. I'm always interested in someone's "back story."
-
So cool, I have not heard of this book until just now. I am a big fan of Postcards, it is a heartbreaking tale. Glad to see some commentary about both.
-
You mean Dreamfilm? (what is the author's name?)
Or the Mark Asquith book?
I'm talking about the Asquith book.
-
Ok.
Does anyone know where the Dreamfilm book is to be found?
-
Ok.
Does anyone know where the Dreamfilm book is to be found?
here, Sonja
http://www.amazon.com/Dreamfilm-Daniel-Bates/dp/1425750036/ref=pd_sim_b_2/189-7435185-2683715
-
Tack Monika!!!
How come this book's been around for over 2 years and I've never heard of it..... ???
Very strange....
-
I have just finished reading this new book by Mark Asquith. I thought I would post some reflections on it in case anybody is wondering whether to buy it or not. So here goes:
This latest book on Brokeback Mountain is part of a series called Continuum Contemporaries. Each volume
in this series is an exploration of a contemporary novel, though, in this case, Mark Asquith discusses not one but two works by Annie Proulx: Postcards and Brokeback Mountain. However, as each work is discussed in separate sections a reading of the Brokeback section can be undertaken without any prior knowledge of Postcards. Indeed, as far as I can see, few links between the two works are established.
Overall, I thought this was a thoughtful and intelligent reading of Brokeback Mountain. However, before undertaking his examination of the two works, Mark Asquith provides the reader with a useful overview of Annie Proulx's life. He not only presents us with the essential facts and dates - three marriages, three divorces, four children etc. - but also investigates her creation of her 'persona' as a writer of fiction: the down-to-earth, independent and somewhat enigmatic chronicler of rural life in America,
His discussion of Brokeback Mountain is concerned more with the short story than the film but the film is far from negelected. However, before examining the short story itself, Mark Asquith successfully places the story within the larger tradition of pastoral literature in the West, a tradition that starts in Classical times and is transferred to America by Walt Whitman who "...recognized in the splendour and marginality of the untamed American landscape a freedom for male love to express itself away from social confrontation"(p.80). Along with this, he briefly explores the relationship between Brokeback Mountain the biblical story of the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden.
Of interest as well is his exploration of the creation of the cowboy myth in the nineteenth century through the medium of paintings and novels, a myth which portrays the cowboy as an archetype of masculinity. This myth, of course, is far from dead as the movies featuring John Wayne and others clearly demonstrates. It is a myth which Jack and Ennis largely buy into. Of less interest, for me at least, was his psychological exploration of Jack and Ennis
where both of them are portrayed as existing in a state of arrested development.
His reading of the short story itself as a pastoral tragedy I found convincing. It is perceptive, detailed and often illuminating. Some of the aspects that he touches on - like the domestic imprisonment of both men - could easily form discussion topics for a board like this.
His discussion of the movie version is briefer but often insightful. It is largely concerned with the ways in which the film altered or added to the short story, such as making Ennis a more caring father figure in the movie as compared to the short story. As well as such general topics, however, from time to time he does focus on individual items, like the meaning and significance of the straight road that we see outside of Ennis`s trailer in the closing shot of the movie.
It is a fairly easy read, with about forty smallish pages given over to Brokeback Mountain. That said, Mark Asquith covers a lot of ground with insight, intelligence and admirable lucidity.
-
Thanks for your review, Chow! I also found the book interesting, although I was somewhat taken aback at the author's painting of Annie Proulx as a calculated brand manager. Somehow I don't equate that image with the privacy-loving scholarly, gentle woman I met several times!
-
Thanks for your review, Chow! I also found the book interesting, although I was somewhat taken aback at the author's painting of Annie Proulx as a calculated brand manager. Somehow I don't equate that image with the privacy-loving scholarly, gentle woman I met several times!
Wow! So you've actually met Annie Proulx on more than one occasion. Any way I could persuade you to tell us more?
-
Wow! So you've actually met Annie Proulx on more than one occasion. Any way I could persuade you to tell us more?
Sure! Quite a few of us have met her, especially those fortunate enuff to live in or near NYC! Here are some links to where I've discussed this:
At the Literary Festival in Casper, WY, October 20, 2006 (http://bettermost.net/forum/index.php/topic,4224.new.html#new) and at the University of Boulder (http://bettermost.net/forum/index.php/topic,6122.0/all.html) in late November 2006 when she talked about a book she was writing an essay for on the Red Desert. Also, check out My Year of Heaven (http://bettermost.net/forum/index.php/topic,36462.0/all.html) in my blog where I discuss these meetings and the subsequent things I did between October 2006 and November 2007.
-
I just reread this book by Mark Asquith this morning. I flagged about a dozen interesting points that I'll discuss at more length in other posts. I have a few quibbles with this book; first, that it's way too short. Of the 117 pages of text, only about 40 are devoted to Brokeback Mountain; the rest are about Proulx's novel Postcards. And of those 40 pages, a chapter is devoted to the movie, so the result is that the author merely scrapes the surface of the story (with a few exceptions that I flagged). Secondly, Asquith keeps talking about a narrator, a "he" who is calling the shots in the story. Occasionally he refers to Proulx but most of the time it's this "narrator" who gets all the credit. Asquith is obviously British, so maybe that's a Brit thing, along with his sometimes unusual punctuation and capitalization.
There seem to be a few errors in the critique. The most glaring one was when he discussed Jack and Ennis' tryst at the Phoenix motel. Phoenix? I thought it was the Siesta Motel! Hello!! Calling it the Phoenix motel does make some symbolic sense but the Siesta Motel works better because it was a respite from the world for Jack and Ennis, it foreshadowed Jack's "visits to Mexico" and besides, there IS a Siesta Motel in Kaycee, Wyoming that fits the bill very well!!!
-
One of the themes explored in this book by Mark Asquith is the tradition of male love that blossoms in the natural environment. The author cites many instances of this theme going all the way back to ancient Greece, to the myth of Hercules and Hylas. Its further development takes place among the British Romantics with Shelley and Keats in Adonais and Walt Whitman expressed it in American fashion in the Calamus poems. When the tradition moved into the American West, it grew stronger but was also sanitized into a "blood brother" or male bonding type of story, beginning with the Virginian by Owen Wister (the author mistakenly calls him Wistler) and extending through the art of Catlin and Remington and the novels of Buffalo Bill all the way to John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, and Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove. But it was not until Proulx's Brokeback Mountain that the myth comes full circle back to the notion of the expression of male love in the natural environment. This notion is a bit shocking as nowadays we're used to seeing male couples in the cities and even Jack said that people in his situation "go to Denver" (the nearest large city to Wyoming). Does the natural environment really inspire young gays to express themselves more freely? Why don't we see more gay hiking groups and other outdoors clubs then? Stories of gay women in nature are even rarer...I can't think of a one off the top of my head. Would like to know your thoughts!