Le Divorce

Important

Poet of the Sound

We are very doleful at the news of John Updike's passing. He is among my most favorite authors (though I have mostly spent time with his early novels and not been so good as to catch up with recent work). Updike was a master (a prolific one) at making Connecticut and its citizens seem vivid, difficult, and passionate, like heroes and heroines of the French and Italian New Wave. What an achievement: to catch an American region and moment in deep and poignant frieze. Much miss, Sir. Love, affection, and appreciation.

Remembrance For Thursday

Verses

These past two weeks I've hoped to find the time to stay in bed for a few and watch Ken Burns' Civil War (there is, after all, an untouched bottle of Maker's in the cupboard). Sadly, I've had to content myself with stolen half-hours in the midst of some holiday times socializing and my attempts to wrench out this Britney Spears book proposal. I have not visited the War Between the States in some time, having been pretty morbidly preoccupied with it as a girl. But I find now, as ever, the most remarkable bit of perusing its history is listening to Shelby Foote. Our dearly departed fellow Midtown Memphian has knowledge, ease and presence, the likes of which will ne'er be seen again.

The Red and the Black