Friday, November 18, 2005

Another Great MotherTalk

Last night's MotherTalk was wonderful, set off by Marion Winik, reading from her new book, Above Us Only Sky, and Andi Buchanan reading from her new book, It's a Boy. I moderated, which mostly meant I got to sit next to these two fabulous authors and bask in their glow.

For me the evening was about moms getting together, it was also about realizing again and again the power of the personal essay. When writing becomes so personal, when good writing becomes so personal, it takes a 180 degree turn. We may think it's narcissism, we may think it's about something so narrow it only pertains to one person's experience, but there's the turn, waiting to surprise us. Just when we think it's just about the particular, the writing flowers and it's about the biggest broadest expanse of human life. It's breathtaking when it happens.

2 comments:

Lauren D. McKinney said...

I so wanted to go to this . . . I'll be tuned in to see when the next one is!

oldhall said...

Do you have any idea how much time and effort it would take on my part to leave a reasonable comment on your blog? I mean, I'd probably have to read the book, right?

Anything I say, ANYTHING, may very well be explored in your book... or maybe not. I could mention the role of fathers, or the environmental differences that neccessitate different approaches to parenthood, or a hundred other things, but for all I know you'll just roll your eyes, and say (through gritted teeth) 'yes, I KNOW'.

Enjoy your day...