Annie Proulx's memoir.

[Front-Ranger]

I'm about to find out...I picked up the sound recording at the library today and listened to half of Chapter One on the way home. It's too early to say, but the book starts out wonderfully with an insightful description of the Bird Cloud rock formation and its environs, comparing it to some of the revered monoliths of Central Australia. And then Annie (for it is she meme reading the first chapter only) segues into a remembrance of houses past which morphs into her family history.

I'll try not to give away too many spoilers, but here's a little tidbit that struck me personally. Her mother's favorite book was Stratton's Girl of the Limberlost. I own and have read that book recently!!

[Front-Ranger]

Listened to more of the memoirs on the way to work. Joan Allen takes over the narration duties from Annie after the first chapter. I liked Annie's reading but Joan's is much better. It's like having Judy Collins sing a song by Joni Mitchell. Much smoother. You don't focus on the reader, you focus on the story. Chapter 2 talks about Annie's early life. It really IS like a memoir so far. It's very interesting to hear about early experiences and connect the dots to some of the things in her stories. Her recollections, even of things that happened fifty or more years ago are very vivid. I wish I had that talent.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Chapter 2 talks about Annie's early life. It really IS like a memoir so far. It's very interesting to hear about early experiences and connect the dots to some of the things in her stories. Her recollections, even of things that happened fifty or more years ago are very vivid. I wish I had that talent.

That would fascinate me, that and reading about her family background. This sort of thing always does--why I love Who Do You Think You Are on TV. 

[Front-Ranger]

It IS fascinating, friend. In fact, I'm thinking of just driving around during my lunch hour so I can listen to it!!

Later: On the way home, I listened to tales of the planning of the new house and its site. I started wondering if Annie Proulx would like to buy my house! It does not have the North Platte River running by it, but it does have nice views and abundant wildlife. There are interesting pieces of light because it has several round and half-round windows, more than a dozen French doors with mullions, skylights, etc. and a large central room for books, a dining room with a large table, a pantry, a laundry room with room for fishing rods, and a large walk-in closet (actually a separate room off the master bath for clothing). It's dead quiet at night. It doesn't have a room with tatami mats but I could rip out some carpeting and install some. And it would be a lot less than $3.7 million!!

[Front-Ranger]

I finished listening to this yesterday. What a wonderful way to spend time if you have to commute four a couple of hours a day...listening to Annie Proulx's account of her year and the summers of other years at her home "Bird Cloud" on the banks of the North Platte River in Central Wyoming. After a chapter or two devoted to the actual building of the house, she writes about the history of the area, Michenor-style, and then a chapter on birds, especially birds of prey. It was a very interesting book and much different than the accounts and reviews of it. Methinks some of those reviewers must have had hidden agendas (agendae?)

Even the parts about the various contractors that worked on the house. I haven't ever built a house from scratch but I've renovated, including a major gutting of a kitchen. I'm familiar with the hassles she had about contractor no-shows and things that don't turn out the way they were promised. In my opinion, she was very patient with the two-year construction schedule and heaped praise and respect on nearly all of the contractors. "The James Gang" in particular, a group of four brothers who built and landscaped the house, were portrayed as near saints in the book. There are a few times when she comes across as a bit naive, but I want that in a novelist...and a person!

[Jeff Wrangler]

Jesus H., it sounds like all those spiteful reviewers read an entirely different book. 

[serious crayons]

Jesus H., it sounds like all those spiteful reviewers read an entirely different book. 

Spiteful? I wonder why several different reviewers would feel spite toward AP.

I'm thinking it's probably just that different people hold different opinions. Though I would say that Lee, completely understandably, probably went into the book with the opposite of spite toward AP.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Spiteful? I wonder why several different reviewers would feel spite toward AP.

Professional jealousy, maybe.

[serious crayons]

Professional jealousy, maybe.

If reviewers gave bad reviews to writers they felt was better than them, then no good book would ever get a good review. Only bad writing would get good reviews.

[Front-Ranger]

Jesus H., it sounds like all those spiteful reviewers read an entirely different book.  

Well, I kept thinking, okay, when is it going to get nasty? I was actually looking forward to it!!

As Paul clarified earlier, the Garner review from the New York Times was the most negative of all the reviews he saw. I also noticed that The New Yorker review was kind of meh. Most other reviews have been neutral or positive.

The fact that I llistened to it on CD might have also been a factor. When you hear the author's voice, you have a more positive reaction than when you just read black words on white paper.