The Hero of This Book: A Novel
The hook, for me, other than old Austin, was chatter about swimming in Barton Springs. Back in the aughts, even before then, I was a regular in the creek. Hot days, I was — still am — a fair-weather swimmer. Did so for a half-dozen years, maybe, formative times. Interesting place to start? Wait, that’s the author’s substack. The novel starts in London. The author was recommended by two different people in the span of less than a day. One was another author’s substack, and the other was client who still swims in Barton Creek (Austin).
The Hero of This Book: A Novel
Wry observations from a long-time teacher of writing?
“Writers are dull by themselves, intolerable when they gather.” Page 31.
Crosses more than one of my professions. In the current vernacular? “100%”
Just as a matter of form, for me, the Tate Modern is still a favorite museum, cf., page 55.
“Would I be a different writer if I hadn’t gotten my MFA? More original and unconstrained? Stubborner about my weaknesses and obsessions, as weird as I ever wanted to be, as strange as I still am? I wonder.” Page 65.
Food for thought, as I didn’t. But I am stubborn, obsessed, and as weird as ever.
But that’s me, a fortune teller.
The Hero of This Book: A Novel
The novel dances a line between metafiction and memoir mixed with a modicum of post-modernist narrative.
I was swept along, seems like a slim novel with a mighty punch, “though she is little she is fierce,” borrowed from Shakespeare’s Midsummer’s Night’s Dream (link).
The Hero of This Book: A Novel
Beautiful prose. It explores the intersection of childhood, mother-daughter, and families. Look back so we can move forward. But it’s not autobiographical, says the author.
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