Jacke Wilson's Blog, page 58
November 20, 2015
Cezanne’s Mystery Woman
What does a genius painter reach for when drafting a love letter? Why, the back of one of his canvases, of course. Who has time to look for paper when you are this tormented by love?
I saw you, and you let me kiss you, from that moment I have had no peace from profound turmoil. You will forgive the liberty that a soul tormented by anxiety takes in writing to you. I do not know how to describe to you that liberty that you may find so great, but how could I remain oppressed by this dejection? Is it not better to give expression to an emotion than to conceal it?
It’s the painter’s only known love letter, written when Cezanne was 46. And we know nothing about the woman except her effect on Cezanne.
Maria Popova has more of the fragmentary story.
Image Credit: Still Life with Bottle and Apple Basket, Paul Cezanne (1894)
November 19, 2015
Restless Mind Show #6 – The Trial of Shrimp Boy
Jacke and Gar take a break from the history of literature to discuss the development of Jacke’s new play, The Trial of Shrimp Boy, which has attracted interest from Bryan Cranston’s agent(!). Also: Gar builds fences and is not a good neighbor.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 58:27 — 40.5MB)
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November 18, 2015
Is This What Sappho Sounded Like?
Next Monday on the History of Literature podcast, we’ll be taking a look at Sappho. (It’s very interesting to contrast her with her near contemporary Homer, whom we looked at last time.)
One of the great tragedies of literature is how much of Sappho we’ve lost: not just the poetry but ALL of the accompanying music.
What did Sappho sound like? We don’t know. We can’t know.
But we can guess.
Here’s one version, courtesy of youtube:
That’s Sappho’s poem set to music by Eve Beglarian, sung in ancient Greek by Andrea Goodman, who is accompanying herself on a 7-string lyre. The clip comes from a production of the New York Greek Drama Company in 1987, directed by Peter Steadman.
Beautiful? It is to me. As beautiful as Sappho’s actual songs? Alas, we’ll never know.
November 17, 2015
On Protecting the Creative Process
Brilliant Reader (and hard-at-work novelist) CH considers our offer to share her first line and responds:
Although I’ve decided not to share my opening sentence here, I’m grateful for your post, Jacke. 18 K-plus words later, I honestly couldn’t remember what my first sentence was. Today was one of those days when I wondered if anything I had written thus far was worthwhile. Thanks to your post, I discovered that at least my first sentence and the paragraph that followed were worth keeping. The rest will have to wait until I’m finished writing and ready to edit from the beginning. Thank you for making me curious enough to look back today, at least for a moment :-)
Great to hear! Someday I hope to be mentioned in the novel’s acknowledgments, even if it’s just as “…and many others who offered their support along the way.”
Our contest is still open. And let me tell you, I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of the ones where the novelist calls our special number and reads their first line aloud, or clicks on our webpage that lets you just read it aloud to your computer. (Or the ones where people just read their favorite first lines from their favorite novels ever, which is a separate contest, also still open, and also with a free book giveaway at the end of it.)
Onward and upward, everyone!
November 16, 2015
History of Literature Episode 3A: Odysseus Leaves Calypso
Responding to a listener email, author Jacke Wilson takes a deeper look at one of the Odyssey’s most famous passages. Why does Odysseus leave Calypso, and what does it tell us about Homer and his genius? And is it fair to compare Achilles and Odysseus with Yosemite Sam and Bugs Bunny?
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 18:15 — 12.8MB)
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November 15, 2015
Sneak Preview: Abandoning a Goddess
Would you leave her?Dear Readers and Listeners,
It’s a heavy-hearted weekend for the world. All of our very best wishes for peace, love, and safety to our friends in Paris. Let’s hope we somehow learn to end the madness of hatred and violence.
This week on the History of Literature Podcast, we’ll take a deeper look at the passage in which Odysseus leaves the goddess Calypso. On Thursday, we’ll be back with another Restless Mind Show. In this episode, we update the world on our interaction with Bryan Cranston’s agent, whose feedback has inspired an exciting new Jacke Wilson project.
Don’t miss last week’s episodes:
The History of Literature 3: Homer
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 34:10 — 23.7MB)
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The Restless Mind Show 5: Gar Discovers a Lost Recording of Walt Whitman!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:27 — 20.5MB)
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Literature has been many things to many people over the years. A comfort, an escape… and a way to remind ourselves in humanity’s brightest sides as well as its darkest. I hope you and your loved ones find a way to connect this weekend, and that the world finds a way to see ourselves out of this dark tunnel we currently find ourselves in.
Love,
Jacke
November 14, 2015
Craunch the Marmoset, Buy Cat in Pocket: The Book Mark Twain Called “Perfect”
What happens when a Portuguese publisher who doesn’t know English attempts to bring out an English phrase book?
This great 2011 piece from Splitsider tells the whole story.
November 13, 2015
Just Because…
Because some days you just need 48 seconds like these to keep you going…
Check out our own look at a different Huh Oh Meh Eh Er by listening to the History of Literature Podcast Episode 3 – Homer:
He was a blind poet whose stories of heroes and gods helped launch an incredible era of literary and cultural flourishing. History of Literature host Jacke Wilson takes a look at the influence that Homer had on the minds of Ancient Greece – and the resonance that the epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey still have for us today.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 34:10 — 23.7MB)
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November 12, 2015
The Restless Mind Show 5 – Gar Discovers a Lost Recording of Walt Whitman!
Gar finds a lost recording of Walt Whitman reading his own poetry! Plus: Author Jacke Wilson gives an update on the Greatest First Lines contest.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:27 — 20.5MB)
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November 11, 2015
Exciting Discovery Revealed Tomorrow!
WOW!
I don’t want to overpromise until I hear more details, but it sounds like tomorrow will be a Very Big Day for The History of Literature Podcast. Here’s a hint:
Walt Whitman – silent no longer?Come back tomorrow for the Restless Mind Show when all will be revealed. Or just subscribe to the History of Literature Podcast (iTunes | Android | RSS | More Subscribe Options).
See you then!
