Fortunate Fields Forever

Well, David Wroblewski turned out to be the modest, charming Mid-Westerner we imagined him to be. Thoughtfulness, I think, was one of the hallmarks of his reading--from the selection of three vivid passages (which help form the disobedience strand from the long "braid" that is the novel) to his discussion with friend and fellow novelist Robert Boswell.

To use Robert Boswell's term, they did get down to talk about "process," and that metaphor of the braid was particularly striking, and instructive to other novelists, and would-be novelists, in the audience. I really liked the notion that, especially in a long work, what the writer is working with is a cluster of ongoing concerns and themes, which take their turn coming to the surface of the narrative, and then slipping below the surface again, to re-emerge later ... I picture a pod of dolphins shadowing a ship, taking turns to come up for air, and thrill the watchers. Hey, David Wroblewski is right (see earlier post on poetry and science): this metaphor thing is addictive.

I'm off to teach. I imagine The Story of Edgar Sawtelle is already making its way on to high school and college reading lists. That book's a keeper.

Posted on Tue, January 26, 2010 by Robert Cremins

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