"You expected to be sad in the fall. Part of you died each year when the leaves fell from the trees and their branches were bare against the wind and the cold, wintery light. But you knew there would always be spring, as you knew the river would flow again after it was frozen.
A couple weeks ago I watched 60 Minutes with my little brother, solely to see Eminem's interview with Anderson Cooper.
The white rapper can definitely write. If you're any kind of fan of Eminem, you know he uses some creative (sometimes explicit) lyrics. It was fascinating to listen to him talk about words and the process of writing lyrics and how he jots down all these ideas...even if they never come to fruition.
Here's one particular take from the interview to give you just a glimpse:
The man reads the dictionary for inspiration! What could be more writerly? Watching 60 Minutes definitely upped my level of respect for the music artist.
"Tom took his whipping and went back to his seat not at all broken-hearted, for he thought it was possible that he had unknowingly upset the ink on the spelling-book himself, in some skylarking bout--he had denied it for form's sake and because it was custom, he had stuck to the denial from principle."
Summer Crossing is a book I have had on my bookshelf for years after I my aunt gave me her duplicate copy. In between book club books, I needed a short read. So I picked up Summer Crossing, not having read any of Capote's other works. I didn't realize until after I had finished that the book was the first novel he wrote--although the last to be published.
Truman Capote is a great writer. Even this first book, which the author himself abandoned at one point in time, showcases his talent. I did not love the story, but it was intriguing. It's coming-of-age, meets class-conflict, meets love story meets tragic ending. And all in just six chapters.
The main character, Grady McNeil, reminds me, in some ways, of Undine Spragg in Wharton's The Custom of the Country. You can just see the irrevocable spiraling out of control in her decisions and choices during a whirlwind summer.
The ending is abrupt and leaves one wondering. I can't help but think what Capote may have changed and added had he had the change to truly revise and refine the story before his death.
All in all I enjoyed the writing style and voice and liked it well enough to read some of his more well-known works in the future.