BookLust

TRANSITory Reading 9

Ok, I didn't actually see this guy on a subway or bus, but I was in transit so to speak, when I saw him, 'cuz I was waiting in a coffee shop before a meeting with some editors (a subject which I hope I can talk about in the near future).

An older gentleman sat down across from me in one of those comfy chairs that are so much in demand at Starbucks. I could not help but notice that he had two very different kinds of books in his possession – some Stephen King book, whose title I could not read, and the Selected Poems of Frank O'Hara. Me being me, I had to say something, so I casually said, "Your reading selection runs from the sublime to the...I don't quite know". He laughed, and replied that he had only just started reading King, having had a good recommendation from a friend. We both agreed that Stephen King was a great storyteller. I said that I was aware of Frank O'Hara, but didn't know his poetry. In fact, I said, I had a terrible habit of mixing Frank O'Hara up with the writer John O'Hara, the author of Butterfield 8. He said that he'd never heard of John O'Hara, or Butterfield 8. Hmmm. The man obviously never watched any Elizabeth Taylor movies in his youth. He then insisted that I read this one poem by Frank O'Hara, so he turned the pages until he found it, and then passed it to me:

ANIMALS

 
 Have you forgotten what we were like then
 when we were still first rate
 and the day came fat with an apple in its mouth
 
 it's no use worrying about Time
 but we did have a few tricks up our sleeves
 and turned some sharp corners
 
 the whole pasture looked like our meal
 we didn't need speedometers
 we could manage cocktails out of ice and water
 
 I wouldn't want to be faster
 or greener than now if you were with me O you
 were the best of all my days

Lovely, I said, as I handed the book back to him. I don't read enough poetry. 
I read too much, he replied. Are you a writer?, I asked. 
No, I'm a painter, he said. Actually, he said, I'm quite famous. 
He handed me his card. I'm a commercial illustrator, I replied. 
Actually, I said, I'm not famous at all.

He did not ask for my business card. 

TRANSITory Reading 8

Actually, I really should title this post TRANSITory Evesdropping, 'cuz that's what I was honestly doing on the subway yesterday morning. But I couldn't help myself!

I was travelling on the subway, happily reading Bill Gaston's amazing collection of short stories, Gargoyles, when I suddenly heard a very familiar voice. It was, of all people, Evan Solomon, co-host of CBC's SUNDAY as well as the book program Hot Type. Well there Evan was, standing right in front of me on the subway, chatting to a friend he just happened to bump into on the train. Now I confess that I have been rather critical of Mr. Solomon in the past (he can come across as so arrogant on TV), but I gotta say that he was very warm and friendly and personable (and rather good-looking, I must say), as I hid behind my book pretending to read a story by Mr. Gaston. Just goes to show that so often media types are not how they appear on televison. Does this mean I may even like George Stoumboulopoulos if I met him in person? Hmmm...

Anyway, Evan's friend was talking about his future trip to Cuba, and how he wants to do more writing, but wasn't sure what kind of writing he should do, since he felt that he had to take into consideration what the market was interested in publishing. Evan told his friend that one could try to write 'what sells' but in the long run it was best to write about what you are interested in, what you are passionate about, because the writing will of course be authentic and true, and in the end, most editors will pick up on that. He used the example of Mordecai Richler, who apparently when he first tried his hand at writing, made the attempt to write myseries, because he figured that kind of genre would sell. Well, we all know Richler never published any mysteries, because according to Solomon, he just couldn't write that kind of book. Solomon also used a similar example with the author Martin Amis, but I couldn't quite hear the example used, because remember I was evesdropping on a conversation on the subway. (But let's face it – I know damn well I wasn't the only one listening in on these two, ok? These guys were a tad loud and very energetic and interesting).

It was a surreal experience to put it mildly. Here I was, listening to this media dude, whom I have often watched interview authors on his show Hot Type, who was now standing right in front of me, talking about books, writing and authors. It was like one of his book shows on TV, except that if I had wanted to, I could just reach over and touch him! (Of course I wouldn't do that, silly).

You know, even though I could not stand let alone finish Solomon's novel Crossing The Distance, I agree wholeheartedly with his sentiments on writing. I may have not enjoyed Solomon's book, but he wrote what he was interested in, what he was passionate about, and hats off to him for doing that. And I was so in agreement with what he was saying to his friend, it was all I could do to control myself and not jump out of my seat exclaiming, "Yes! Yes! Oh Evan you media cutie, you're so right!!" Thank goodness common sense prevailed in this instance.

So the lesson here is...always pay attention to what is around you, even on the subway! You never know when and where you will find inspiration!

TRANSITory Reading 7

Father and young son travelling on subway together. Son is initially entranced with The Sesame Street Treasury, but gradually becomes more and more intrigued by the copy of Auto Mart that father is reading, until eventually kid discards Big Bird and all his friends so that he can look at all the cool car pics with dad. Let's hope this isn't the sign of reading habits in the future for this kid.

TRANSITory Reading 6

Cute young guy slouching in seat on subway, casually holding a copy of Robert Bringhurst's The Elements of Typographic Style.

Call me old-fashioned, but if you're gonna be holding that book, then you should sit up straight, sonny.

TRANSITory Reading 5

Not too long ago I saw some fellow on the subway reading a book of poetry. I thought that was rather impressive. One doesn't see someone reading poetry out in public very often. But that impressive image was slightly soiled when I noticed that as he was reading said poetry, he was eating. In fact, he was chowing down on a bag of pork rinds! I don't know, for some reason poetry and pork rinds just make a kind of odd mix for me. And as he stuffed those greasy rinds in his salty mouth he would smack his lips and lick his fingers, and then repeat the whole sordid process over again.

So if I don't like the thought of eating greasy grimey pork rinds while reading poetry, it begs the question: is there any appropriate food one can eat while reading poetry?

TRANSITory Reading 4

Middle-aged man on the subway holding a book open in his hands. Occasionally reading said book, then looking off into space, lips quietly moving, obviously memorizing what was in book. Am fascinated. What is in the book? Why is this man doing this? What's the title of the damn book? Can't read it. Keep staring at him. He sees me staring at him. He looks back at me. No, no, I'm not hitting on you, buddy. Ahhhhh.... I see the title of the book. It's a play. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. So why is this guy memorizing lines on a subway? Is he on his way to a play? Did he not study his lines hard enough? Is he memorizing these lines to impress somebody? To piss off his wife who is driving him nuts? Or is he just memorizing these lines from this play because he's nuts?

TRANSITory Reading 3

On the way home from work yesterday, a young man sat down next to me on the subway. He pulled out a book from his knapsack. That got my attention. Then I looked at his book. He was half-way through Dostoyevsky's The Idiot. Hmmm. Good thing I'm married. It doesn't matter what the fellow looks like, if he's reading a good book, he's gorgeous. Of course, he could have been a complete idiot; not understanding a word of what he's reading, just trying to impress any idiot girl he can find who thinks guys who read classics are cool. Fortunately, I won't ever have to find that out. I can just hang on to my idiot fantasy.

TRANSITory Reading 2

Oh what the heck, I'll make this a semi-regular feature, too. It's fun to check out what other folks are dipping into, to and from work. I must confess that so far on my travels I see more women reading fiction than men. Would it turn me on to see a man reading something like say, Barney's Version? Probably.

Any hoo-how, my latest TRANSITory observations came up with folks reading the following: Middlesex, A Complicated Kindness, and Alias Grace. Not bad at all!

But on my way to work today, I sat next to this guy who was reading the Bible. What is up with that? And why is it that it just looks odd for a person to be reading the Bible on the subway, especially a guy? Sorry fellah, it didn't turn my crank.

TRANSITory Reading

Last month Michiel commented on what people were reading while travelling on public transit. So yesterday, I decided to take note of people's reading material myself. In a very small radius around me in my subway car, I saw 4 different people reading the following books: Life of Pi by Yann Martel, Atonement by Ian McEwan, Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, and God's Secretaries by Adam Nicolson.

So yes, Michiel, there is hope. But I did also see someone reading People Magazine, but we won't talk about that.