This is not Jeanette Winterson's first encounter with the British literary journal GRANTA - in fact, it is her fourth - nor with Gertrude Stein, whose work and daring attitude are analyzed in "Art Objects" and this short story is available entirely to be read on their site here as part of the 115th issue devoted to Feminism (which is not such a bad word, after all :) )
As with other short stories in which Winterson mingles her passions and interest with the almighty creativity (in "Goldrush Girl" she mixes parts of Puccini's opera "La Fanciulla del West - one of her favorite operas - with the story of the two lovers) here, in "All I know about Gertrude Stein" she sets her story in Paris - Jeanette has been musing for a long time whether to settle or not in the city of lights - and names her character Louise (that's a clue for the more avid Winterson readers), while she also juxtaposes anecdotes from the lives of Stein and her lover, Alice B. Toklas.
If you want to discover how women can love you will truly savour this short story and why not, become a Winterson fan, just like myself.
"But love has no limits. Love seems to be a continuous condition like the universe. But the universe is remote except for this planet we call home, and love means nothing unless it is real and in our hands."
4 comments:
Thanks for this link. All I know about Gertrude Stein I know from Hemingway's book. I liked the story a lot.
It is a beautiful story, that's true, and so Wintersonlike :)
Well I am a Winterson fan anyway: her novels are great and the issues she tackles are different. I love her style and she is very unassuming when you actually listen to her talking to an audience. I must read this story! Thanks
Glad to hear you like Winterson. Have you had the chance to listen to her speaking? I have only seen her in interviews, and I think she's so daring and she can really speak her mind.
Post a Comment