Lily Brett's Blog, page 43
July 27, 2012
"Books that Have Had an Impact on Me" III
Marina Tsvetaeva’s ‘Selected Poems,’ translated by Elaine Feinstein, moved me to tears the first time I read it. I wept over Tsvetaeva’s struggle and her anguish, which in many ways and in different forms is the struggle and anguish of all of us. I still weep reading Tsvetaeva’s work. I weep reading the passion in her words. Passion is so easily dulled. And Tsvetaeva’s passion was never dulled. Neither was her joy. Or her anger. Or her tenderness. Her intelligence and her understanding of life are all there in every one of her words. Tsvetaeva’s intensity is on every page. Her writing makes me feel that everything matters. And it does.
From “Books that have had an impact on me,” The Age (Australia) 2008
July 26, 2012
At Caffe Dante my father could, in the time it takes me to have...
At Caffe Dante my father could, in the time it takes me to have a cup of fresh camomile tea with lemon, have a slice of cheesecake, some chocolate gelato and a hot chocolate. I often have a decaffeinated Americano coffee at Caffe Dante while my husband David has his espressos. David and most of the other Caffe Dante regulars agree that Caffe Dante has the best espresso in Manhattan.
July 25, 2012
July 23, 2012
This was the table setting for a special birthday celebration...
This was the table setting for a special birthday celebration for my father a few years ago. My father who has just turned 96 ate more than most of the other guests.
A glimpse inside the loft studio where my husband David Rankin...
A glimpse inside the loft studio where my husband David Rankin paints. This is one study of me that he has created.
July 20, 2012
"Books that Have Had an Impact on Me" II
Sylvia Rothchild’s Voices from the Holocaust which was published in 1975, gave me a life-changing insight into what my parents, two Auschwitz survivors, and millions of others had experienced. In small, compelling, sometimes humourous, heartbreaking and often horrifying detail Rothchild, who transcribed 650 of conversations with survivors, allows you to see the people she talked to. She shows you their heart and their soul. And makes it harder for us to slip survivors of catastrophes into a series of statistics or faceless graphs or dots on maps.
From “Books that have had an impact on me,” The Age (Australia) 2008
July 19, 2012
I love Caffe Dante on MacDougal Street. It reminds me of the...
I love Caffe Dante on MacDougal Street. It reminds me of the cafes in Melbourne, Australia, where I grew up. I also love it because nothing ever changes. You will never be able to order anything with skim milk or work on a laptop. It is also one of the few places where you can be guaranteed to hear snippets of conversations about Proust or Joyce.
July 18, 2012
Comparing the German cover and the American cover of my...
Comparing the German cover and the American cover of my collection of essays, Between Poland and Mexico.
July 17, 2012
Dancing with My Husband
“I can’t really dance. I cling to him and try to look relaxed, if not carefree, when I dance. He loves to dance. He won a dance marathon when he was fifteen, and with the prize money bought himself an olive green tailored green twill jacket. He can dance for hours. He swivels his hips and shakes his head and his arms and legs. He should have fronted a rock band. On the dance floor, I expend most of my energy trying not to look self-conscious. Trying to project an air of abandon. He abandons himself to the music.”
-Originally published as part of the essay, “The Man I Love,” in Art and Australia magazine
July 16, 2012
This is us at home. We are, despite the fact that we...
This is us at home. We are, despite the fact that we periodically cull our book collection, inevitably overrun by books.
