Annie Proulx

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Sun, 2006-01-08 20:52

Annie Proulx

Just started reading some of her short stories (how do you pronounce her name??). Have been reluctant to do so previously as I dislike "westerns" and didn't think I'd enjoy what I thought would be tales of Wyoming rednecks but this was a joy - quite kooky cast of characters who turn up again and again in bizarre tales told with a lot of irony and, I think, some affection. Was delighted to read that a major film getting rave reviews - "Brokeback Mountain" - is based on one of her stories.

Mon, 2006-01-09 09:32

maddan

I love Annie Proulx. There's nobody I've read who can do descriptive prose as well as she can. Her novel The Shipping News was made into a film (which I have not seen) a few years ago, it's supposed to be quite good. Her short stories hang together better than her novels I think, her novels tend to read like a collection of short stories featuring the same cast (especially Ace In The Hole) but are still very good. I've no idea how you pronounce her name, or why she stopped calling herself 'E. Annie Proulx'

Thu, 2006-01-12 13:21

ivoryfishbone

i say - Proo ...

Thu, 2006-01-12 17:16

purplehaze

Great minds think alike, just bought her short stories on 3 for 2. (And a writer;s and artists yar book....for the first time ever!) I loved this film, I think it is a huge story. It is proo, www.annieproulx.com, got some intersting stuff from there too. Haven't started the stories yet, am finishing Tom Holt's 99p Ottakers buy first - as a matter of principle - although I am enjoying it. The Portable Door.

Purplehaze

Thu, 2006-01-12 17:17

purplehaze

meant year book obviously...not the pirate edition

Purplehaze

Mon, 2006-01-16 15:34

Kraut

I love Annie Proulx as well! Have neither read nor seen "Brokeback Mountain" (yet!) but am glad the film is making a comeback after initially being slated by the media a few months ago ('Who wants to see a film about gay cowboys...etc, etc). My favourite Proulx book is "The Shipping News" - watched the film a couple of times and its very watchable albeit nothing in comparison with the novel, which relfects the harsh and wind swept New Foundland setting with its language and goes a bit more into detail as regards the unfolding of its characters. In any case, it's a really nice story! I thought the "Accordion Crimes" was a bit long and couldn't help the feeling of it being a string of short stories - having said that, it was still very interesting and I thought the idea of illustrating US history over a century or so via the fate (or odyssey) of an accordion and all its different owners was quite an intriguing one. Apart from that, some of her short stories are very good!

Mon, 2006-01-23 12:56

archergirl

I've just finished 'Close Range: Wyoming Stories', from where Brokeback Mountain comes, and it's brilliant. Having grown up in the western US I can tell you that she has the scenery, the idioms, and the mindset down perfectly. Her writing style was surprising at first, very terse and spare, unususual punctuation; but I love it now. 'Close Range' is the first of her work I've read, and I confess to have purchased it after seeing the film 'Brokeback Mountain', which more than lives up to its brilliant reviews. The story is just as good, but I actually prefer the film as it pads out the spareness of the story very well. AND, she wrote her first novel at age 56, so when I feel, at 36, like I'm never going to get anywhere with writing, I take inspiration from her.

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