What Comes Next is my favorite of Abby's books, which is saying something. Favorite line: "It's too late for either of us to make another old friend." If you don't already know the Stephen Dobyns poem that inspired the title, you have a discovery coming. I'm glad your mother's doing better and felt in my bones your description of the sounds at her bedside. That line about Philip Glass...
Beautiful, Deirdre, we need to find that humanity and humor always. I am reading Abigail Thomas’ memoirs too. She’s a remarkable storyteller as are you. Congratulations on Liz Gilbert’s well deserved nod to your Snaps as her favorite Substack in Cultured Magazine 😀.
'Managgia' you did it again... "mom’s oxygen machine sounds like a Philip Glass concerto that you don’t know the end of" I've listened to that concerto and heard the end.
And this too " He’d sigh like he was never going to get over what you had just told him." I love the way you write that, almost as if you too are sighing...
thanks, Holly.I can’t believe this is the first thing I’ve ever read of Abigail’s ..I learned about her when I first read her substack here! She is so great.
Wow Deirdre I just love this. Both parts. My mother was on an oxygen machine and I’ve been writing about her a lot lately. We are so lucky to be able to frame what we feel and what we see.
Also so well put and now I want to read the book you mention.
The oxygen machine like a Philip Glass concerto. Great description. Hope your mum is comfortable, Deirdre.
I love all Abigail Thomas’s memoirs and the way they trace major events and relationships in her life without being strictly chronological. Just stunning.
The book you are reading... the things we do just because we want to, in the moment. Because we can. But thinking about this, it's almost with no real thought just actions> go. We do the thing, innocently?, with stream of consciousness, no consciousness?
childlike play, unknowing something given free and easy?
Because we can the waters part and we go. But we didn't part the waters? Did we by wanting? It's often that another goes along with it,
What Comes Next is my favorite of Abby's books, which is saying something. Favorite line: "It's too late for either of us to make another old friend." If you don't already know the Stephen Dobyns poem that inspired the title, you have a discovery coming. I'm glad your mother's doing better and felt in my bones your description of the sounds at her bedside. That line about Philip Glass...
The poem by Stephen Dobyns is new to me, Rona. I just tracked it down and - wow! Thank you.
Yes, I agree, what a beauty!
Beautiful, Deirdre, we need to find that humanity and humor always. I am reading Abigail Thomas’ memoirs too. She’s a remarkable storyteller as are you. Congratulations on Liz Gilbert’s well deserved nod to your Snaps as her favorite Substack in Cultured Magazine 😀.
'Managgia' you did it again... "mom’s oxygen machine sounds like a Philip Glass concerto that you don’t know the end of" I've listened to that concerto and heard the end.
And this too " He’d sigh like he was never going to get over what you had just told him." I love the way you write that, almost as if you too are sighing...
Now I have to look up Abigail Thomas...
Reverse rimshot is SO devastatingly good…and terrible and beautiful. Sending love to you and your mother, dear one.
Oh, Deirdre, I felt these descriptions of the sounds of your mother’s oxygen machine deeply.
And I love all things Abigail Thomas.
thanks, Holly.I can’t believe this is the first thing I’ve ever read of Abigail’s ..I learned about her when I first read her substack here! She is so great.
Best book review ever. And wow, the Philip Glass soundtrack to your mom’s living (leaving?)…unforgettable.
Good read. It was a gas!
heehee thanks for reposting
Wow Deirdre I just love this. Both parts. My mother was on an oxygen machine and I’ve been writing about her a lot lately. We are so lucky to be able to frame what we feel and what we see.
Also so well put and now I want to read the book you mention.
The oxygen machine like a Philip Glass concerto. Great description. Hope your mum is comfortable, Deirdre.
I love all Abigail Thomas’s memoirs and the way they trace major events and relationships in her life without being strictly chronological. Just stunning.
Thanks Wendy and I agree, it’s the first book I’ve read in a while that only took a couple days to finish.
The book you are reading... the things we do just because we want to, in the moment. Because we can. But thinking about this, it's almost with no real thought just actions> go. We do the thing, innocently?, with stream of consciousness, no consciousness?
childlike play, unknowing something given free and easy?
Because we can the waters part and we go. But we didn't part the waters? Did we by wanting? It's often that another goes along with it,
too. Play or actions that then effect karma.
I don’t know that one. I will definitely read it. Thank you, Rona.