Thanks for the suggestions on the process, George! I love this course and the thoughtful comments. But it's been a little frustrating that there are SO many comments and I don't have time to read/absorb them all and am not able to sift through them in a useful way. Because of the way my job flows (I work Sunday to Thursday), I often comment/do the exercises late and feel like I'm TOO late. So putting some time between reading and commenting for everyone....I appreciate that.
I have taught with an organization called Prison Writes founded by Jessica Hall. You can contact her at contact@prisonwrites.org. I also run groups for medical professionals through the Arnold P. Gold Foundation. They might be able to identify a med student. Contact Brianne Alcala at balcala@gold-foundation.org.
Hello George. I am behind on the emails, but am enjoying the journey. I have an off-topic question. Ocean Vuong, in an interview with The Paris Review says this: "...if we must think in metaphoric structures, then I would rather say the novel is a town square - a space where people converge, where they'll see these characters, see me, see each other, then go on home, perfect just as they are." I admit I've never thought about storytelling in this way, but I do find it striking. (Reading Middlemarch for the third time, I'm particularly curious about viewing that novel through his metaphor.) I wonder if you have any response or reaction to the image. Thank you.
Has "An Incident" been posted yet? I watch for new installments of Story Club, but can't seem to become legit...that is, although I've paid my subscription, the email continue to go to Promotions instead of Inbox, and I'm pretty sure that club members' comments get lost... How can I get up to speed, please? Substack baffles me... Sorry, and thanks.
Another interesting factor in this approach, which I look forward to, is forming a view of the story without the comments. I gleaned tons from CatRain comments that I'd "missed" in the story, partly because of our piecemeal approach to it, and partly because I just miss lots of shit. I'll be interested to see how my opinion forms without so much help :)
Agree. I find little time to dive into comments and when I do it's often a deep and time consuming dive; beneficial and enjoyable, but not something I can do often. And when I don't comment or read, I feel very absent. And when I do, I always end up feeling there's just no way I can ever read all these great comments, and being someone who often needs very little encouragement to be discouraged, there it all goes.
That said, I do enjoy being here very much. I had a couple great classes in college that, for a variety of reasons, I had only sporadic attendance, and it was always a sad joy to return: sad to realize what I must have missed, joyful to be there.
I want so much more of this, but the sad cry of my life these days? There's not enough time! (There's not enough energy takes a close second). Working this hard at this age wasn't what I was aiming for.
A Lifer is sitting still. alone, in his isolated cell.
The Guard, the compassionate one, wraps the door and, on hearing The Lifer's "Come on in", does as he is bid.
"Not sure what this is Linus. There's at least some good news. It has cleared Censorship."
The Guard holds the envelope out towards Linus, close-up to the old guy's eyes. So that he can discern the word 'PASSED', officiously stamped big, brash and bright in Sherwood Forest Green, despite his macular degeneration issues.
"Why Boss? Why now? After so many years of being notified, way late, of 'RED - REJECTED' decisions by those gleeful bastards in Censorship?"
"Can't rightly say Linus, but what I do say is this. Let me slice this open, right away. Have me a looksee; then read it, quietly, aloud to you?"
"Sounds like a plan Boss. Go ahead. And, whatever it says, thanks Boss."
The Guard doesn't tear. He troubles to fish a flat edge from his shirt pocket and slices. He shucks the printed writing pad page out of its flimsier envelope, unfolds it, scans it and whistles.
Linus listens patiently. then says "What's it got to say for itself Boss?"
"Well, first up Linus its from some body or other callin' itself the 'George Saunders Story Club'."
"Never heard of any such . . . "
"But they've heard tell of you Linus . . . says here they hear you are legend . . . "
"I never saw let alone laid hands on that . . . "
"Hold up Linus. Listen. Relax. Let me finish . . . where was I . . . uhm, yes . . . 'legendary story teller' . . . tells it like he always has . . . exactly as he sees it."
"Aw! What's new Boss? I don't kowtow to anyone. Never did, never will. Everyone, short of a seriously pissed Duck Billed Platypus, knows how I can pull together, turn and tell a tale with a twist from scratch, given the least provocation."
"Seems, reading close and careful as I can, that this George Saunders guy and some, at least, of his Clubbers want to offer you a scholars' subscription for the full of the year ahead."
Usually I really struggle to learn from the authors I love most, Because every time I try to read them with the “learning hat” on, I slip into the beauty of their story, and before I know it, I have spent twenty minutes reading my favourite novel, enjoying it very much, but learning nothing about why I loved it. I’m so happy we will continue to read in slow motion. I look forward to reading Lu Hsun.
I feel so much regret from this narrator left empty by his influential career and haunted by an incident he cannot bring himself to accept for what it says about him. On my first time reading I was poised to judge him harshly, especially in comparison to the rickshaw driver, but returning to the story after a pause I see someone struggling (for years) to accept a truth about himself made plain by his actions that day. And as he cannot find that kindness for himself the memory grows stronger, the details more telling, until they become a recurring nightmare of sorts.
Thanks for the suggestions on the process, George! I love this course and the thoughtful comments. But it's been a little frustrating that there are SO many comments and I don't have time to read/absorb them all and am not able to sift through them in a useful way. Because of the way my job flows (I work Sunday to Thursday), I often comment/do the exercises late and feel like I'm TOO late. So putting some time between reading and commenting for everyone....I appreciate that.
I have taught with an organization called Prison Writes founded by Jessica Hall. You can contact her at contact@prisonwrites.org. I also run groups for medical professionals through the Arnold P. Gold Foundation. They might be able to identify a med student. Contact Brianne Alcala at balcala@gold-foundation.org.
Re scholarships: I reached out to colleagues at The Telling Room in Maine. I'll keep you posted. https://www.tellingroom.org/
Marion
Thank you for your remarkable generosity
I work with several organizations that support higher education in prison settings— mostly it’s STEM Ed, but I’ll ask about writing programs.
Hello George. I am behind on the emails, but am enjoying the journey. I have an off-topic question. Ocean Vuong, in an interview with The Paris Review says this: "...if we must think in metaphoric structures, then I would rather say the novel is a town square - a space where people converge, where they'll see these characters, see me, see each other, then go on home, perfect just as they are." I admit I've never thought about storytelling in this way, but I do find it striking. (Reading Middlemarch for the third time, I'm particularly curious about viewing that novel through his metaphor.) I wonder if you have any response or reaction to the image. Thank you.
Question: is it possible to post a picture of the drawing/chart/whatever on here?
Has "An Incident" been posted yet? I watch for new installments of Story Club, but can't seem to become legit...that is, although I've paid my subscription, the email continue to go to Promotions instead of Inbox, and I'm pretty sure that club members' comments get lost... How can I get up to speed, please? Substack baffles me... Sorry, and thanks.
Another interesting factor in this approach, which I look forward to, is forming a view of the story without the comments. I gleaned tons from CatRain comments that I'd "missed" in the story, partly because of our piecemeal approach to it, and partly because I just miss lots of shit. I'll be interested to see how my opinion forms without so much help :)
Agree. I find little time to dive into comments and when I do it's often a deep and time consuming dive; beneficial and enjoyable, but not something I can do often. And when I don't comment or read, I feel very absent. And when I do, I always end up feeling there's just no way I can ever read all these great comments, and being someone who often needs very little encouragement to be discouraged, there it all goes.
That said, I do enjoy being here very much. I had a couple great classes in college that, for a variety of reasons, I had only sporadic attendance, and it was always a sad joy to return: sad to realize what I must have missed, joyful to be there.
I want so much more of this, but the sad cry of my life these days? There's not enough time! (There's not enough energy takes a close second). Working this hard at this age wasn't what I was aiming for.
A Lifer is sitting still. alone, in his isolated cell.
The Guard, the compassionate one, wraps the door and, on hearing The Lifer's "Come on in", does as he is bid.
"Not sure what this is Linus. There's at least some good news. It has cleared Censorship."
The Guard holds the envelope out towards Linus, close-up to the old guy's eyes. So that he can discern the word 'PASSED', officiously stamped big, brash and bright in Sherwood Forest Green, despite his macular degeneration issues.
"Why Boss? Why now? After so many years of being notified, way late, of 'RED - REJECTED' decisions by those gleeful bastards in Censorship?"
"Can't rightly say Linus, but what I do say is this. Let me slice this open, right away. Have me a looksee; then read it, quietly, aloud to you?"
"Sounds like a plan Boss. Go ahead. And, whatever it says, thanks Boss."
The Guard doesn't tear. He troubles to fish a flat edge from his shirt pocket and slices. He shucks the printed writing pad page out of its flimsier envelope, unfolds it, scans it and whistles.
Linus listens patiently. then says "What's it got to say for itself Boss?"
"Well, first up Linus its from some body or other callin' itself the 'George Saunders Story Club'."
"Never heard of any such . . . "
"But they've heard tell of you Linus . . . says here they hear you are legend . . . "
"I never saw let alone laid hands on that . . . "
"Hold up Linus. Listen. Relax. Let me finish . . . where was I . . . uhm, yes . . . 'legendary story teller' . . . tells it like he always has . . . exactly as he sees it."
"Aw! What's new Boss? I don't kowtow to anyone. Never did, never will. Everyone, short of a seriously pissed Duck Billed Platypus, knows how I can pull together, turn and tell a tale with a twist from scratch, given the least provocation."
"Seems, reading close and careful as I can, that this George Saunders guy and some, at least, of his Clubbers want to offer you a scholars' subscription for the full of the year ahead."
"What?"
"No I'm suspicious.
Usually I really struggle to learn from the authors I love most, Because every time I try to read them with the “learning hat” on, I slip into the beauty of their story, and before I know it, I have spent twenty minutes reading my favourite novel, enjoying it very much, but learning nothing about why I loved it. I’m so happy we will continue to read in slow motion. I look forward to reading Lu Hsun.
What's the catch George? Will we have to "just read" the story upside down? Spinning in a chair? Dancing under the light of the full moon?
I think this model is a good idea. And perhaps some questions for us to think about as we’re free-writing?
I thought of Write Girl right away. This is the org that Amanda Gorman was a part of as a teen. https://www.writegirl.org/
I feel so much regret from this narrator left empty by his influential career and haunted by an incident he cannot bring himself to accept for what it says about him. On my first time reading I was poised to judge him harshly, especially in comparison to the rickshaw driver, but returning to the story after a pause I see someone struggling (for years) to accept a truth about himself made plain by his actions that day. And as he cannot find that kindness for himself the memory grows stronger, the details more telling, until they become a recurring nightmare of sorts.
Thanks for the guidance to reading.