Ugh, too long since I’ve been involved in a novel. Missing that happy feeling of being immersed in a good book! Have decided upon First Light by Charles Baxter. I keep hearing he’s such a good writer, and this book has been recommended several places.
In the meantime, I’ve also been percolating on ideas for a new book for myself to write. Not a novel – yet. Still too intimidated by that. I’ll stick with what I know, non-fiction, for the time being. Not quite ready to tell you what ideas I’m considering, but for one idea I have I’m envisioning a small trim-size hardcover, the sort of book you give as a graduation gift. I see it as being illustrated with tiny delicate and expressive watercolors of various scenes. I thought about it for a while, and then realized what I was thinking of was the work of Elisha Cooper.
I discovered Cooper through his first book, A Year in New York. It is also one of those lovely tiny hardcovers chronicling the year he spent in New York City working as a messenger for The New Yorker and doing watercolor sketches of scenes he saw all around the city, from Zabar’s and Central Park to Coney Island to markets and subways and tiny neighborhood scenes. I just took out my old copy and have been happily leafing through the pages and admiring his art.
Looked him up on Amazon, and it looks like he’s been quite busy since this book came out in 1995, writing children’s books and a book on fatherhood. You can always tell what authors are doing in their lives by the books they write! But this older book is worth a look –it’s a gem!
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