The fine gents over at Brandywine Books (the first blog I ever read) have revealed (to me) the existence of an audio recording of Flannery O’Connor reading A Good Man is Hard to Find at Vanderbilt University in 1959. Thanks, Phil.
I have mixed feelings about O’Connor. I appreciate her work on many levels and yet I am not –to my surprise, given the wide agreement I share with her many admirers– very much taken with her work. I have guessed that it is a matter of seasons of life. In another season, I shall likely find her a treasure. This kind of thing happens.
But, if you are, or are not, captivated by the spell of this Southern treasure, you may enjoy this fascinating recording. I really enjoyed it.
I am sure I shall finally and fully be convinced of O’Connor’s brilliance when I read this upcoming book by my friend and fellow pants-wearer, Jonathan Rogers.
Hmm. You might like the little poem-thing I coincidentally scheduled to post on my blog today… http://jameswitmer.blogspot.com/2011/12/concerning-novelists-poem.html
Weirdly convergent, no?
Wow. That is really something. Nicely put, James.
Thanks! You’re very kind. I was talking with a home-school family about their early high-school literature curriculum. Discussing American Lit. led to that.