Happy Anniversary to both of you. And since we maybe have Paula’s attention here too.…thank you Paula for sharing your fabulous husband with us! We are all so lucky to be included in the Saunders adventure.
And...I just finished the podcast. George & Paula were so great, so sweet, honest, smart, grounded, wise, suited for each other. I could go on. You know I could. But I'll leave at this: Paula talks about how their writing is different but they both value writing that expresses 'a life of the spirit, seeing a spiritual humanity come forward, and how when that's missing, the writing seems false.' Absolutely beautiful. Mic drop. I'm all in.
Wonderful hearing you and Paula talking about your relationship and writing George. I am all ears when you talk about Syracuse. I was at Syracuse School of Architecture '68 - '72 . I lived on Westcott Street for a time. I moved to Maine in 1976 in a 1966 Ford pickup and even took along a kitchen sink. (The house had no plumbing to start). Some of the locals didn't like Fords, and one guy called it the "Fix Or Repair Daily" truck. Is that an Alaskan Camper?
Happy anniversary! Annie was a teacher at a program in Newark where I worked. She was a brilliant teacher and the girls adored her. Small world to learn about her work here on Substack!! Thanks for sharing this.
Congratulations and happy anniversary! My (now) husband and I also set out on a cross country road trip in my truck that same year. We read short stories aloud to each other while driving. Raymond Carver. It makes me pause to consider how other people's stories live in us. A gift.
Congratulations! Beautiful to see you celebrate 37 years married! And beautiful to see that not all writers have to be tortured Lord Byrons and Zeldas!
Often wondered just what do with those photographs taken? Just now, unexpectedly set wondering about those footsteps always left behind? Could any still be out there? Slip sliding, slowly into what'll be the fossil record of some distant day's discovery?
Wouldn't that just be the biggest hoot? To be reconstructed by posterity from the soles of my asymmetric feet upward? Could the consensus be "This was a Writer" or "This was character on the road to becoming a Writer"?
Only one thing they of the future will be sure of, which will be that whatever he wrote he couldn't have written, really written, without the sense of support that being amongst other Writers has, does and will always bring...
oh i loved listening to the two of you on that podcast. And i see why you appreciate and adore Paula. She's a prize--so calm, spiritual, smart and direct (among other things). Happy anniversary, you two love birds! (I just had my 38th--but that's divided over two husbands, so...) It cracked me up when she said every day you two want to write, meditate and....she paused right here and I thought "read!" and then she said "and go to the gym." Very sweet to be in the presence of you two together. Thanks for letting us all in. Love wins!
May all your years of happiness bring youj joy love and grandchildren. Thanks so much George for taking us seriously I myself felt very taken care of during this time together. Sending hugs.
To hear you both speaking together of the life of the human spirit expressed through the art of literature with such honesty and deep humility lifts my own sometimes despondent practice as a writer and I thank you for this. Paula said something about George being more like showman/shaman as if sharing bold and brash stories around a fire to a gathering of people, dancing, leaping, wowing his audience. Such a buzz to hear, as I've created an alter ego who does just this.
George, great to see you taking a shorter form with this Thursdays post in giving us this podcast from you lit friends, as, I guess, you save your brain for the current work in progress.
The truck in your picture looks very similar to one I drove growing up - did yours have a "floor shifter" gear shift (4 + push far right and back for reverse)? - we also had a camper and mounted a home-made dingy/boat over the truck cab and hood....
Happy Anniversary to both of you. And since we maybe have Paula’s attention here too.…thank you Paula for sharing your fabulous husband with us! We are all so lucky to be included in the Saunders adventure.
The Sauntering Saunders...an exceptional duo.
And...I just finished the podcast. George & Paula were so great, so sweet, honest, smart, grounded, wise, suited for each other. I could go on. You know I could. But I'll leave at this: Paula talks about how their writing is different but they both value writing that expresses 'a life of the spirit, seeing a spiritual humanity come forward, and how when that's missing, the writing seems false.' Absolutely beautiful. Mic drop. I'm all in.
Agreed! Happy Anniversary and have a great trip!
thanks for saying this so beautifully.
Wonderful hearing you and Paula talking about your relationship and writing George. I am all ears when you talk about Syracuse. I was at Syracuse School of Architecture '68 - '72 . I lived on Westcott Street for a time. I moved to Maine in 1976 in a 1966 Ford pickup and even took along a kitchen sink. (The house had no plumbing to start). Some of the locals didn't like Fords, and one guy called it the "Fix Or Repair Daily" truck. Is that an Alaskan Camper?
Happy anniversary! Annie was a teacher at a program in Newark where I worked. She was a brilliant teacher and the girls adored her. Small world to learn about her work here on Substack!! Thanks for sharing this.
Congratulations and happy anniversary! My (now) husband and I also set out on a cross country road trip in my truck that same year. We read short stories aloud to each other while driving. Raymond Carver. It makes me pause to consider how other people's stories live in us. A gift.
Congratulations! Beautiful to see you celebrate 37 years married! And beautiful to see that not all writers have to be tortured Lord Byrons and Zeldas!
'Snapshots: A Shared Life Journey'
Often wondered just what do with those photographs taken? Just now, unexpectedly set wondering about those footsteps always left behind? Could any still be out there? Slip sliding, slowly into what'll be the fossil record of some distant day's discovery?
Wouldn't that just be the biggest hoot? To be reconstructed by posterity from the soles of my asymmetric feet upward? Could the consensus be "This was a Writer" or "This was character on the road to becoming a Writer"?
Only one thing they of the future will be sure of, which will be that whatever he wrote he couldn't have written, really written, without the sense of support that being amongst other Writers has, does and will always bring...
Many champagne bubbles on the anniversary, George, and a second glass for Paula on the new book.
And today in the Poets and Writers newsletter, they referenced an old interview of yours from 2017 on Lincoln in the Bardo: https://www.pw.org/content/the_emotional_realist_talks_to_ghosts_a_qa_with_george_saunders?article_page=1
Look at that: you were offering savvy and humane insights into storytelling way back when, and the delight continues...
Happy anniversary to you and Paula! What an adorable photo. That camper van has so much personality, it's like there are 3 smiling faces that pic. :)
oh i loved listening to the two of you on that podcast. And i see why you appreciate and adore Paula. She's a prize--so calm, spiritual, smart and direct (among other things). Happy anniversary, you two love birds! (I just had my 38th--but that's divided over two husbands, so...) It cracked me up when she said every day you two want to write, meditate and....she paused right here and I thought "read!" and then she said "and go to the gym." Very sweet to be in the presence of you two together. Thanks for letting us all in. Love wins!
Happy Anniversaries Mary! I'm not sure I have seen the math done this way before, but hey, why not?
I lived through every one of those years, so I'm taking the credit! (And thank you!)
May all your years of happiness bring youj joy love and grandchildren. Thanks so much George for taking us seriously I myself felt very taken care of during this time together. Sending hugs.
Dear Paula and George,
To hear you both speaking together of the life of the human spirit expressed through the art of literature with such honesty and deep humility lifts my own sometimes despondent practice as a writer and I thank you for this. Paula said something about George being more like showman/shaman as if sharing bold and brash stories around a fire to a gathering of people, dancing, leaping, wowing his audience. Such a buzz to hear, as I've created an alter ego who does just this.
Billy the Bard: https://www.facebook.com/Staryteller
George, great to see you taking a shorter form with this Thursdays post in giving us this podcast from you lit friends, as, I guess, you save your brain for the current work in progress.
Happiest of days to you both,
Iam, a New Zealander.
Congratulations to you both. What a wonderful achievement. And not at all competitive on the writing front it seems… :)
Married writers? There's a story waiting there : )
The truck in your picture looks very similar to one I drove growing up - did yours have a "floor shifter" gear shift (4 + push far right and back for reverse)? - we also had a camper and mounted a home-made dingy/boat over the truck cab and hood....
Yes, exactly. It was a 1966 Ford.
Happy Anniversary! Where in SoDak?
Lovely. Just lovely and I like it so much that you shared that darling picture!