Geoff Dyer and Frances Wilson: D.H. Lawrence
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Geoff Dyer talks to Frances Wilson about D.H. Lawrence, in this event from 16 July 2019.
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Geoff Dyer's 'Out of Sheer Rage', published in 1997, is a brilliant account of attempting to write, and most often failing, a book about his great hero D.H. Lawrence. Now, more than two decades later, he has edited a selection of Lawrence's essays for Penguin. Subjects covered in this freewheeling volume include art, morality, obscenity, songbirds, Italy, Thomas Hardy, the death of a porcupine in the Rocky Mountains and, presciently, the narcissism of photographing ourselves.
Dyer is in conversation with historian and biographer Frances Wilson whose most recent book is 'Guilty Thing: A Life of Thomas de Quincey'.
Read more from Geoff Dyer in the London Review of Books: lrb.me/geoffdyeryt
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Пікірлер: 20
Just wonderful. We are so starved for this sort of discussion, so loving and respectful of Lawrence and of each other. Stunning, charming, funny, stimulating. Great.
Such a fascinating discussion between 2 people who so evidently 'get' Lawrence - an insight, a kind of stepping into that personal world Lawrence occupied.
Thank you for reconsidering Frieda. I have long waited for Frieda to get at least a smidgen of recognition for the tremendous influence she had on Lawrence, instead of being so often derided, ridiculed, put down, or just ignored. She was at the least his Muse, which is an often undervalued position. Freida was definitely the love of his life, she was his friend and constant companion, she was his co-conspirator and sounding board... not to mention the amount of editing she must have caused. Freida still has her spotlight coming, stay tuned.
This was great.
Not only did Lawrence write his way from pit-poverty to power & freedom in the wider world but like Blake he showed in his novels the portal of Faerie for all to follow...which makes him Epic...
Anaïs Nin also wrote a book about Lawrence, in the early thirties, but I don't believe she knew him; the book was an overall appreciation, if I remember correctly, though actually I've never read it. Regarding the dreaded Kate Millett -- Camille Paglia has written and spoken a lot about this subject. Millett also went after Henry Miller, and others, and got them kicked off the syllabus, and out of the school bookstore. I'm old enough to remember it all in real time -- it was such a Stalinist move. How could women not like Lawrence, when he wrote so interestingly about them? From what I remember, women were his readers. In the late sixties, his most popular novels were published in a beautiful paperback edition, white covers with vintage lettering and designs, and so many women I knew had these, and they read them, and really connected with them. The 1969 Ken Russell film also brought a lot of people to the books, especially a lot of women. But by then Kate Millett was already stirring the cauldron, practicing her witchcraft.
Thank you, great and inspiring discussion.
Nice interview above, especially with Frances Wilson. Being a fan of Lawrence I picked up Dyer's book - 'out of sheer rage.' well after reading the first 32 pages in the tub - in a rage of my own - I was reminded of his book on Tarkovsy's Stalker where I threw that book out the window in frustration - and now his Lawrence book - I held it under the bath water till all the bubbles were out of the damn thing. In the first 32 pages Dyer only talks of his inability with settling down to write a book about Lawrence. It's all dad humor. Bad Woody Allen. It's frankly unreadable. Someone must have told Dyer he's another Oscar Wilde. If Dyer thinks anyone cares about what country he should write the book in, or the neurotic conditions he needs to write the book or the novel he wants to also write, etc - OK - an editor in some publishing house thought it was a good idea. Wow... I can't think of a more masturbatory beginning of a book. Sorry to be a hater.
Terrific programme what a great team they are.
Very remarkable programne
Lawrence & Frieda were the John & Yoko of their day..
Whoa!
Odd coupling: vibrant, passionate and uncouth Lawrence and a polite yet essentially sedentary man like Geoff Dyer.
Lawrence on Whitman
Geoff Dyer is a bit patronising towards Frances Wilson. Can`t wait to read A Burning Man.
@copperdoor43
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Not as patronising as he usually is.I thought they were a good team.
Very interesting, but please ask kindly to me man in the middle to sit down.
ugh authors too full of themselves. Frances saying "im not interested at all in what Lawrence says about sex". How dry and insipid. I guess one experiences literature from within the context of ones own mind and experiences. Sorry you dont like sexx! the last commenter voiced the confused reaction of the audience, speakers just trying to show off their erudition than focus on the essence of what makes Lawrence an incredible writer