My day yesterday was immeasurably improved by reading Autumn by Ali Smith. I'd only vaguely known of her as a famous, Booker prize level of writing fame, writer.
But the other participant in our Tiny Email Book Group was rereading it, a bit puzzled but game, so I got it on Kindle, and started.
Several hours later I emerged from the kind of dream state I got into on first reading Virginia Woolf and James Joyce, that headlong rush of thoughts and images and time shifting back and forward, and shafts of wisdom, and I returned reluctantly to the everyday.
In order to say I wish I'd read it years ago, but glad to be already familiar with a lot of its raw material, Joyce, Woolf, the Profumo scandal, pop artist barrier breaker Pauline Doty, postwar treatment of women collaborators, Klee, Kandinsky, sexism in the world of art history, so as to distinguish the factual history from the work of the storyteller.
At one point the two main characters, an old man and a young girl, discuss taking raw material, an accepted story, and changing it for better truth telling. Facts are not synonymous with truth, is the underlying message. And the storyteller, the magician herself, is showing us the secret behind the illusion, right at the moment of performing the illusion. It's not really a book to read, more of an experience to have. See if you agree.
On a more material plane, lunch. Yesterday I had that broccoli dish, with enough for two more meals. It was okay but a bit incomplete. So I thought briefly about making it into pie, putting frozen flaky pastry on the grocery list, then decided to just make a simple tortilla type pastry, and make Cornish pasties.
I like food you can pick up and eat, and made the dough right away.
So I made circles, stuffed two circles with the broccoli mixture, folded over, sealed the edges with a fork, couple of holes in the top, baked at 400f for about 25 minutes, and here's one of them, a nice workmanlike lunch, to pick up and eat.
This is another possibility for sausage and mushrooms, come to think of it.
Later today the Misfits box arrives. We'll see what happens then.
looks good, I would call those empanadas. I doubt I'll read Autumn, sounds like too much brain work.
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of cultures have versions of food in pastry. Thanks for empanadas, I've heard of them but not seen them.
DeleteThe food looks good.
DeleteProper Cornish Pasties have the frilly bit at the top.
ReplyDeleteAnd have meat and veg at one end and apple at the other end.
I'll put that book on my list at the library. I read a book by Ali Smith a long time ago, can't remember the title, but I know I didn't like it, so will have to see if this one is OK on your recommendation.
Maybe mine are improper Cornish pasties!
DeleteLet's see if you like Autumn.
Glad you enjoyed the book!
ReplyDeleteIt's not often I get completely swept up in a book. This one was da bomb.
DeleteIsn't it delightful to be absolutely swept off one's feet by a book? And happy Year of the Ox to you!
ReplyDeleteChris from Boise
Thank you! I once got my Year and character checked, and I'm an Earth Tiger. I like this so I'm sticking with it
DeleteI haven't found myself that engrossed in a book in a long time. Your telling about it was pretty compelling. Your pasty looks yummy. Ellen's comment above reminded me of empanadas I had recently from a Peruvian sandwich shop. They were interesting, had a sprinkling of powdered sugar on them. My first thought was "that's not right - powdered sugar on a meat (beef) pie". But it worked! Your cooking adventures are always interesting, Liz.
ReplyDeleteI must remember that sugar idea. Not one I'd have thought of.
DeleteThat does sound a good book, probably one that would help in my own writing. Another for my wish list.
ReplyDeleteThat's an interesting thought, to see it as a self teaching manual. a great idea, if you can analyze the magic of her prose.
DeleteI misspelled Pauline Boty, just noticed. Correction coming up.
DeleteDon't you love starting a book and realizing immediately that you are in good hands with this author?
ReplyDeleteA wonderful feeling.
Your pasties look marvelous!
That's exactly right, about the good hands. So much mediocre stuff is being pushed out that when you find a gem it just lifts you up.
DeleteI make pasties regularly - they're good and easy and encompass everything in one handy package.
ReplyDeleteA good book re-sets our world, or at least the view we have on it in the present moment. I've read a number of books in the past while but none have really been overly impressive, beyond Barack Obama's 'The Promised Land' which I really found interesting.
ReplyDeleteYour food is never boring, Boud!
ReplyDelete