Topic: The Mystery of Annie Proulx

[JerBear418720]

If I had read BBM without knowing the gender of the author, I'd have "bet the ranch" that it was written by a man - AND a man who had had at least one homosexual experience.

When I found out it was written by a straight woman almost old enough to be my mother, I was completely blown away.

I know that she's very gifted.  I know that she put the story through 60 rewrites.  I know how she agonized over it.  What I CAN'T for the life me understand is how well she understands masculinity and how deeply she was able to delve into the male psyche.  I mean, OMG, she understands men well enough to be one!

Any thoughts?

[scruffy]

You have a great question.

My grandmother used to say, "You don't have to get hit by a bus to imagine what it feels like."  But Grandma was one of those empathetic souls that would literally feel the pain when a child fell down.  There is no doubt that Annie is a gifted writer who is brutally aware of the social condition.  This reminds me of another great work "Wuthering Heights" which was written by a virgin who had no real life experience with a true love.  Just what made these women so incredibly aware of things they never experienced first hand.  I don't know but I would like to ask Annie that question.

[CherryCake]

I have been reading Annie for years and I am not surprised at all she wrote BBM.  She is very gifted.  If you liked BMM you would love Heartsongs and Other Stories.  She tells writes from both male and female perspectives and voices wonderfully in many types of setting, mostly rural.  But the thing about her is her sense of humour!  She has made me laugh out loud many times! .  Being that she is a historian she has a keen eye for detail but most importantly, as a writer, she describe things brilliantly and poetically.

[Cowboy Cody]

If you have time, read the other Wyoming Stories, but Bad Dirt: Wyoming Stories 2. They are all excellent. She has a command of human nature, male or female.

[monicita]

I would say, it means that all of us are human beings, first and foremost. Whether gay, straight, male, female, or whatever else people might turn out to be: All of that are just trappings, and Annie is able to transcend those trappings.

monicita

[Cowboy Cody]

I would say, it means that all of us are human beings, first and foremost. Whether gay, straight, male, female, or whatever else people might turn out to be: All of that are just trappings, and Annie is able to transcend those trappings.

monicita

Monicita...thanks for the thoughts!

[rabjr1]

If I had read BBM without knowing the gender of the author, I'd have "bet the ranch" that it was written by a man - AND a man who had had at least one homosexual experience.

When I found out it was written by a straight woman almost old enough to be my mother, I was completely blown away.

I know that she's very gifted.  I know that she put the story through 60 rewrites.  I know how she agonized over it.  What I CAN'T for the life me understand is how well she understands masculinity and how deeply she was able to delve into the male psyche.  I mean, OMG, she understands men well enough to be one!

Any thoughts?

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    "You don't have to be a chicken to know how to lay an egg"
                         Mary Richards

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irate husband to wife:  "How do you know how a "house dick"  acts?"  (house dick - hotel detective or in these days hotel security)

smart wife:                  "I can read, can't I?!"

(I forget the name of this 30's movie but I think it starred James Cagney.

[Cowboy Cody]

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    "You don't have to be a chicken to know how to lay an egg"
                         Mary Richards

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RAB - You just earned bonus points!

[JerBear418720]

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    "You don't have to be a chicken to know how to lay an egg"
                         Mary Richards

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RAB - You just earned bonus points!

I just love RAB's post - so wry - as opposed to whole wheat.....