You misunderstood me on purpose!

October 27, 2021 9:54 AM

Short Story Filter: Grace Paley's "A Conversation with My Father" read by Ali Smith. Followed by a brief interview with Smith: "It's the life force right up against the brutality of life" Consider also George Saunders' tribute - Grace Paley: The Saint of Seeing.
posted by storybored (6 comments total)

I've loved Grace Paley for decades but haven't re-read her in a long time. That George Saunders essay is very good.
posted by Orlop at 12:59 PM on October 27, 2021 [3 favorites]

I quite like "House: Some Instructions". The way it transitions from house as burden, house as jealously, house as home and comfort.
posted by tavella at 2:27 PM on October 27, 2021 [1 favorite]

"Another writer might say, of a group of teachers just pre-Christmas, “They, each of them, were remembering some happy incident from their own childhood holidays, and this made them happy.” (Very nice.) Paley says, “They teachers became happier and happier. Their heads were ringing like the bells of childhood.” (Boom.) ... Which of us, trying to communicate to our sister that we feel she somewhat underestimates the extent of our worldliness, would think to tell her, as Aunt Rose does in “Goodbye and Good Luck,” that our “heart is a regular college of feelings and there is such information between my corset and me that (your) whole married life is a kindergarten.”"
posted by storybored at 3:54 PM on October 27, 2021 [1 favorite]

Wow, I love Grace Paley, and I'm recommending her. I can't wait to check these out!
posted by maggiemaggie at 4:21 PM on October 27, 2021

Arg, I meant to say I'm always recommending her to people. The George Saunders essay really encapsulated why I love Grace Paley - she loves people and she gives me hope.
posted by maggiemaggie at 5:11 PM on October 27, 2021 [1 favorite]

The New Yorker fiction podcast talks about 3 stories by Grace Paley. I've been listening to the episode with George Saunders ever since 2014. It's a comfort listen.

George Saunders Reads Grace Paley and Barry Hannah

Nell Freudenberger discusses Grace Paley

Allan Gurganus Reads Grace Paley
posted by kingless at 4:15 AM on October 28, 2021 [1 favorite]