Short Stories by Willa Cather: The Troll Garden and Others

After falling in love with Willa Cather's Prairie Trilogy (O Pioneers! Song of the Lark and My Antonia) I decided to read through all of her published works chronologically.  Even with how much I enjoyed those three books, however, this is quite a challenge for me for a couple of reasons:
  - first: I have a hard time staying on a single author, so this may take me forever
  - second: I like to choose books based on my mood, so this may take me forever.

Which is why I've only just finished #2 of her 19 published works.

The Troll Garden and Others is a collection of short stories, and is Willa Cather's second published work (first was April Twilights, a collection of poetry published in 1903.)  It was first published in 1905 and contains the following short stories: (titles link to an online copy of the story, titles in bold were my favorites)

The Troll Garden:
  - Flavia and Her Artists interesting peek at the artsy social scene at the turn of the century.
  - The Sculptor's Funeral layered, complex characters--felt like the Willa Cather I know
  - "A Death in the Desert" a sad look at the inequality of love
  - The Garden Lodge delightful little character sketch
  - The Marriage of Phaedra a story of art and artists
  - A Wagner Matinee another lovely happy/sad story with great insight into character
  - Paul's Case "A Study in Temperament" ...truly does feel more like a study than a story.

And Others:
  - On the Divide the old world in a new land--thought provoking look at culture clash
  - Eric Hermannson's Soul beautiful but saddening look at religion back in the revival days
  - The Enchanted Bluff a look at the dreams of boys and how the years pass
  - The Bohemian Girl community and family expectations are at odds with happiness

I have to mention that I've discovered I'm really no good at reading short story collections.  This took me forever to read, simply because I'd read one story and then be in the mood for other things.  I finally forced myself to just finish it already--and I'm glad I did!  This collection had some gems in it--much more poetic than her poetry, funny enough. Some of these stories have that spark of magic that make Willa Cather so easy to love.

The Garden Lodge 
Much of Cather's works seem to try to make sense of the disparity between poverty and art, and the choice between familial duty and pursuing dreams. The Garden Lodge, which at first glance seems to be a completely different type of story than the others, soon shows itself as exploring the same concept from another light.  This story is more lighthearted, yet in some ways more dramatic, than many of her other stories, and was a fun change of pace.  Apart from addressing poverty and art, this story also skillfully shows the internal struggle even the staunchest character may have with the choices made in life.

A Wagner Matinee
American grade schools exalt the Pioneer Spirit--the strength and sturdiness of the people who conquered the West--and rarely explore the more personal side (or drawbacks) to the lives they lived.  Cather's work sets some of this to rights.  In A Wagner Matinee, we experience the generational divide (as in O Pioneers!) that separated the strength of character  in the pioneers from the industrial innovation of their children.  Again, this story speaks to the love of art and following dreams, contrasted with convention and duty (and the poverty that often went along with that.)  This story is a precious peek into the wealth of feeling and experience that resides in the older generation.

Eric Hermannson's Soul
How sad is it that the one thing that should bring comfort and relief (namely, faith) is often the very source of contention and misery?  It would be nice if I could claim that the church was represented incorrectly in this book, but it felt painfully realistic.  Again, Cather explores the choice between pleasure in art and duty to family/community, but this time underpinned by religion.  The look at that "old time religion" was fascinating to me, and it was made even more poignant by the element of love.  We, as humans, are continually evaluating our priorities, whether consciously or not, and sometimes that requires a big decision--an eternal decision--to be made.

The Bohemian Girl
If the character sketches (like in The Garden Lodge and A Wagner Matinee) aren't really your thing, you might try The Bohemian Girl, which--as the longest story in the collection--has a more developed storyline.  Thematically, it still focuses on generations and expectations, choices in life, and love.  A young man returns home, to the surprise of his family, and makes some waves.  The story doesn't end with this young man or the Bohemian girl, however, but continues on to examine some of the consequences of their decisions.  Our choices rarely affect only ourselves, even if we are convinced that they do.

My two favorite stories were A Wagner Matinee and Eric Hermannson's Soul.  Those two I'd highly recommend--and the good news is that you can read them online for free!  The other stories weren't bad, but unless you are a Cather fan or a short story fan, I don't think that this collection is a must-read.  However, the amount of growth in Cather's writing from her first published work (poetry) to her second (these short stories) seems quite significant.  In her poems, there were hints of her interest areas, but it seemed like she had a difficult time expressing herself.  In prose, however, she has really opened up.

Next up in my Willa Cather Journey: Alexander's Bridge--her first published novel.  First published in 1912, and weighing in at a slim 128 pages, it is the only novel published before the Prairie Trilogy.    I'm eager to see how it compares, especially since the setting is not the prairie but rather Boston, Canada, and London.  In my experience, it is Cather's ability to understand and draw a character that makes you feel their surroundings...we'll see if my theory holds true after reading this one!

Title: The Troll Garden and Others
Author: Willa Cather
Pages: 200
Published: 2006 Aegypan (orig. 1905)
Read For: personal challenge
My Rating: 4 stars

Sunday Salon: A Bouquet of Mini-Reviews

All the issues that Blogger had this week took the wind out of my blogging sails.  I have so many books to talk about, but I'm not so interested in pouring my thoughts into to a randomly flushing toilet.  I think I'm over it now, however, and thought it might be a good time to do some mini-reviews.  There are some books that I've read this year and just don't have a lot to say about, for whatever reason, but I still want to mention them.  Sounds like much more fun than cleaning out the garage, which is what I'm onto next!  

Flipped, Wendelin Van Draanen   (...this book has also been made into a movie...)  I heard about Flipped from one of my only book-loving friends.  It sounded like a nice little detour--(life has been so crazy this year that shorter books have been a mainstay in my literary diet)--something out of the ordinary.  And it was: short and sweet.  It is a rather innocent YA title that does the POV switch every chapter (one chapter is from his POV, the next is from hers).  What I liked is how it dealt with crushes, peer pressure, stereotypes and prejudice without being too gritty or age-inappropriate.  This is a title that I'll keep around for my girls to read.

Expiration Date, Sherril Jaffe  (...a LibraryThing Early Reviewer book...)  I was looking forward to reading Expiration Date because of the publisher.  I've become very interested in small press this year, and The Permanent Press is one that I had my eye on.  I'd previously read another of their books, and liked how different it was from mainstream Lit.  Both books however, in addition to sharing a uniqueness, also shared a very rough, unfinished feel.  They felt more like a first or second draft than a copy about to be published.  Expiration Date explores the idea of whether we'd live our lives differently if we knew when we were going to die...although the story ends up focusing less on this idea and more on the life and personality of the main character's mother.  I think it was supposed to be humorous, but it ended up just feeling tedious to me.  A good premise that fell flat.

The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins  (...read for one of my Book Clubs...)  I don't have a lot to say about this book because it has all been said already, has it not?  Apart from the disturbing premise, I enjoyed it a lot.  Good character development, plot, etc.  But I just couldn't stop thinking about the horrible idea that everything was based on.  I'm glad I read it because I love knowing what the buzz is all about, but I'm not a series girl so I won't be reading the rest.  My kids haven't really expressed an interest in reading it, which I find strange, but I'll keep it around in case they get the urge.

The Tapestry of Love, Rosy Thornton  (...a review copy was sent to me by the author--thank you, Rosy!)  To be honest, I was initially worried that this book would be too heavy on the romance for my taste, but it turned out to be pretty balanced.  I couldn't help being reminded of Under the Tuscan Sun, (although I've only seen the movie, haven't read the book) which is pretty inevitable considering that it is about a woman in a new phase of life that decides to move out of the country and become part of a small, foreign community.  In this case, a woman moves from England to France, and decides to start a tapestry/furnishing service in a small mountain community.  At times it was a bit too detailed, but I enjoyed experiencing the discovery of a new place and new people.  I can't help but be fascinated by the idea of relocating somewhere far away.  Although I'm not too familiar with the French countryside, reading this book felt like I was there...except without the amazing food and drink.  [pout]

If I Stay, Gayle Forman  (...given to me by my 10 year old daughter for Mother's Day--what a sweetie!)  While I'm not a huge fan of YA fiction, I'm not opposed to reading it either.  Especially since reading Speak, (Laurie Halse Anderson) because I have a hope to hold onto that I'll find another YA book that manages to be everything it should be: gripping, realistic, well written, and not too irreverent in language/content.  If I Stay did pretty good at these things.  It was gripping, it felt fairly realistic, the writing was average, language/content was a tad more than it needed to be in my opinion...only because those are the parts that didn't feel realistic. The storyline was fascinating, and pulled me straight through to the end of the book: If you were in a coma and had to decided whether to stay with the friends/family who remain, or go with those who didn't make it, how would you decide?  The characters, if not fully developed, were at least unique people.  All in all it was a book I didn't want to put down until I'd read the last page.

Contemplating Success

Defining "success" is not as simple as looking it up in the dictionary.  My dictionary (so hefty it has its own stand) says this:

succeed: to prosper
successful: turning out to be as was hoped for
success: a favorable or satisfactory outcome or result

You see, it's all relative: prosperity, hope, favor, satisfaction.  These are all things that are individually interpreted and personally defined.

I've thought about success before--quite often, actually--but the kicker is that even your own personal definition is likely to be different depending on the context.

As a mother, I base my success on whether I have loved and nurtured to the best of my capability.  As a wife, I feel successful if my husband feels appreciated and valued.  In finances, I think success relates to what you do with what you've been given (not just monetary stewardship, but also time, education, and talent.)

For me, success is intertwined with continued growth and effort.  It is less about the goal than it is about the journey.  Of course, the little bonuses are always nice: a car or house, a happy family, etc. and I'm not discounting those, but there needs to be a balance...you can't base everything on tangible rewards.

One area in which I haven't solidified my opinion of success is in regards to writing.  I love to write--to create in general--but I'm constantly torn between wanting to create for the artistic experience alone, and striving for outside validation.

I was flipping through Ordinary Genius: A Guide for the Poet Within today and ran across this question:
What is your definition of success as a writer?

I had to stop and think about it.  As a writer?  Well, I'd love to be published.  Of course I would.  But that is only one measure of success.  We all know that there is amazing work that remains unpublished, just as well as we know that there is published work that is undeserving.

And there is part of me that feels like I don't want anything less than my best published...and since I'm still growing, still learning, still experimenting with my preferred medium, I may never reach my best.  I waffle...thinking about that goal makes it harder for me to enjoy the journey, makes it easier for that doubt to creep in (the last line from the movie Doubt has been surging through my head lately: Meryl Streep cries, "I have doubts. I have such doubts.")  At which point I force myself to look back and remind myself that it is less about the goal than it is about the journey.

My definition of success as a writer, or as a reader, must be the same as anything else I devote time to: continued growth and joy in the journey.  Perhaps, at some point, the validation and other little bonuses are part of that process...perhaps at some point I am happy enough with my work to seek publication...perhaps at some point I get published.  But perhaps I don't.  And perhaps it is okay to feel successful either way.  

How do you define success in your reading or writing?  Do you work more on tangible goals than I do?  I'd love to hear another perspective--what works for you?

The guide words in my dictionary explain everything:
"succeed" is on the same page as "suck" ...which is why
it is so easy to waffle between the two!

Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer

This is book is so....much.  I don't know quite how to explain it, but there was so much more in the book than I was expecting.  Although I hadn't seen the movie, (I watched it after reading the book,) what the movie covered was more what I was expecting...a story of a guy looking for his roots in Eastern Europe...perhaps that was based on seeing the trailer back when it was released?  (Now that I've mentioned the movie I have to say that it is no where NEAR the experience the book is.  VERY different.  So don't got saying well I've seen the movie...it doesn't count. At all.)

There is so much creativity in the writing, for one thing.  From the fact that Jonathan Safran Foer is himself a character in the book, to the huge chunks of dialogue all smooshed into a single paragraph (which shouldn't work, but does) to the eye-dialect written so well that I often found myself reading aloud just for the fun of it.

Here's a quote (from page 3, in the words of Alex--the Ukrainian translator) that will give you an idea of the dialect, the audacity, and the humor:

I will be truthful again and mention that before the voyage I had the opinion that Jewish people were having shit between their brains.  This is because all I knew of Jewish people was that they paid Father very much currency in order to make vacations from America to Ukraine.  But then I met Jonathan Safran Foer, and I will tell you, he is not having shit between his brains.  He is an ingenious Jew.

I can understand now why people talk about this book like they do...it leaves an impression, regardless of your ultimate opinion.  There were times while reading that I was thinking I love this!  So much fun! and other times when I was cringing at the irreverence:  oo, a little too much...hope my book club can handle it.  But neither impression lasts for long: just as soon as I'd almost had too much oddity, I was plunged back into fascinating humor or touching insight.

From page 78:

She was a genius of sadness, immersing herself in it, separating its numerous strands, appreciating its subtle nuances.  She was a prism through which sadness could be divided into its infinite spectrum.

This is a story of an American traveling to the Ukraine to research his ancestry; it is a story of Jewish heritage and oppression; it is a balance between characters and caricatures, old world and new world, past and present.  I laughed and cried many times--by the end of the book the people inside were dear to me, even with all their quirks.  Not your typical reading experience, this is a book to go to when you are in the mood for something unique.

Title: Everything is Illuminated
Author: Jonathan Safran Foer
Pages: 276
Published: Harper Perennial 2003 (orig. 2002)
Read For: Book Club 1
My Rating: 4.5 stars

For the Record: April 2011

April was a much more satisfying reading month than the last couple of months.  Mostly, this was due to finishing the bible and leaving my DailyLit subscriptions suspended (Our Mutual Friend and Daniel Deronda).  Less required reading = Happier reader.  Honestly, I don't care too much for Our Mutual Friend, but will probably complete it at some point anyhow.  I do want to read Daniel Deronda, I was just getting bored.  Maybe this summer/maybe not.

10 Books Read in April:(41 Year-to-Date)
1 for book club:
  - Tattoos on the Heart, Gregory Boyle (3.5)
3 ARCs:
  - The Bride's House, Sandra Dallas (3)
  - Tapestry of Love, Rosy Thornton (3)
  - Ten Thousand Saints, Eleanor Henderson (4/4.5)
6 just for fun:
  - After Hours at the Almost Home, Tara Yellen (4)
  - Leavings, Wendell Berry (Poetry) (3.5)
  - The Reese Chronological Bible, Edward Reese--King James (5)
  - Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, Winifred Watson (5)
  - At Home, Bill Bryson (4)
  - Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, Cohn & Levithan (3)





1 DNF:  - The Tortilla Curtain,   T.C. Boyle--this was a book club selection, and I'm usually so very good at reading those whether I like them or not, but I gave myself a break this time around.  This was just too dramatic and opinionated for me.  Every time I read it I got more frustrated.

5 Current Reads: (2 are the same as last month)
  - Miss Entropia and the Adam Bomb by George Rabasa
  - Ghost Light by Joseph O'Connor
  - If There is Something to Desire by Vera Pavlova (poetry)
  - The Troll Garden and Others by Willa Cather (short stories)
  - The Story of Christianity Vol. I by Justo L. Gonzalez (nonfiction)


On My Nightstand:
  - Chocolat by Joanne Harris (for Book Club)
  - Townie by Andre Dubus III (current Indiespensible book)
  - Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen
  - many other books, but these are the top of the stack right now.


Plan for May:
  - Make a dent in my Back to the Classics Challenge.  I have moved those book selections from my shelf to my nightstand--the equivalent of putting them on my To-Do list.  Hopefully having to look at them all the time will get me to read them.

  - Catch up on some book reviews!  I've fallen behind this year, but I think that May just might be my month to get back on schedule.

  - Finally finish reading The Troll Garden...I don't know if you're sick of seeing it languish around my blog, but I'm sick of seeing it languish on my nightstand.