Factory Girl

I just recently read the tragic life story of Edie Sedgwick.

Told entirely by the recollections of those who knew her, Edie - American Girl, published in 1982, is a fascinating, though sad, portrait of the "swinging" 60s.

Aristrocratic and vivacious, Edie was the "it girl" of the 60s, photographed for Vogue and Life. She became Andy Warhol's companion and star of his underground movies.

She was also the subject of some of Bob Dylan's songs. "People'd call, say, 'beware doll, you're bound to fall.' You thought they were all kiddin' you"

It's sad to read about Edie's drug abuse and emotional instability. What a shame and what a waste.

She was ruined by wealth and drugs and 15 minutes of fame. And when her 15 minutes were over there was no one to help her, or care for her - not her family, not a doctor, not a lover or a friend, and not even Warhol, who later claimed he hardly knew her.


Poor Edie.
She died of an overdose at the age of 28. Her story is tragic, but it's a mesmerizing account of an extraordinary time.

Alice Munro

I recently finished reading Carried Away, a brilliant collection of short fiction by Alice Munro. It includes seventeen of her favorite stories from some of her earliest to her most recent, ending with "The Bear Came Over The Mountain" from which the movie Away From Her was made.
I'd heard of Alice Munro, but hadn't read her stories until I got this book and now I'm a huge fan. I'm a little sorry it took so long for me to discover her, but better late than never I guess. Alice Munro has been described as one of the best fiction writers of our age, and I'd certaily have to agree with that. She's now my all time favorite writer.

A Canadian, Alice writes about ordinary events in ordinary lives with amazing insight about human nature, and particulairly about the lives of women and girls.
She's been writing since her twenties, publishing fourteen books of beautifully constructed stories, and is now 79 years old.


"Memory is the way we keep telling ourselves our stories - and telling other people a somewhat different version of our stories." Alice Munro

Joni

I just finished reading an excellent book about Joni Mitchell. "Will You Take Me As I Am - Joni Mitchell's Blue Period" by Michelle Mercer. The book is a fascinating examination of Joni's development as an artist, focusing mainly on the years between the recording of Blue and Hejira.

Not a straightforward biography, the book delves into the influence of landscape on music, and the topic of "confessional" songwriting, but also explores her wanderlust, and relationships with Graham Nash, Leonard Cohen, James Taylor, and Sam Shepard, among others.

So, I'm feeling slightly Joni obsessed at the moment. I've hauled out all my old albums and I've been listening to my CDs with an ear for all the new Joni information and insight that I've absorbed. This is mostly a good thing, except that Joni's highly expressive, evocative music and poetic lyrics can have such an influence on my mood.

I'd like to write an essay about Joni and what she's meant in my life, but I've got other writing I need to be doing, and anyway dwelling on Joni might just take a little too much out of me right now.

"Like her, I had a dream to fly."

Galileo

Today is the day (in 1633) that Galileo stood trial before the Roman Inquisition to defend the publication of his book about the Copernican view of the universe.

This revolutionary idea (that the Earth and other celestial objects revolved around the sun) was at odds with the understanding - legitimized by the church - that Earth was the center.

The pope condemned Galileo to imprisonment, banned his book from publication, and forbid him to speak or write on the mobility of the Earth or stability of the Sun. It wasn't until 1822 that the church's ban on Galileo's book was lifted. And it wasn't until 1992 that the church expressed regret and acknowledged it's errors concerning Galileo. (Funny how a guy who is supposedly infallible could actually be wrong.)

Colette

Today is the birthday of Colette, the french novelist. She was born on January 28, 1873, and died on August 3, 1954.

I discovered her novel, The Vagabond, when I was in my early 20s and became a great admirer of her writing and her life. The heroine of The Vagabond is a creative, independent woman who'd rather be on the road with a music-hall troupe than stuck in a dull marriage.

Early in her career Colette was a controversial stage performer. She had both male and female lovers, and wrote more than 50 novels, many of them autobiographical, including Gigi and Cheri. Her poetic prose led her to become a national icon in France and she recieved a state funeral when she died. "What a wonderful life I've had," she said. "I only wish I'd realized it sooner!"

Hurray! Jill Sobule's new CD arrived in the mail from Amazon today. This is the first CD I've bought in a long time (rather than downloading from itunes,) but had to have this one because I LOVE Jill Sobule and because this CD is so unique. It was funded entirely by Jill's fans.

She raised $75,000 in donations in order to produce the CD, with perks awarded for levels of giving. For ten bucks you got a digital download, for $200 free admission to her concerts for a year, $500 got your name in a song, for $2,500 you got to be listed as an executive producer, and for $10,000 one woman got to sing on the album.

I'm listening to the CD as I write this and it's such a treat - as always. I love Jill's funny, observational story songs, and her heartbreaking honesty.