Good news (for me) - the ESSAY is making a come-back.
A new publisher has started in the UK, and they intend to specialise in essays. Good luck to them!
This is the form which suits my rambling mind the best, whether I am reading them or writing them. They're one step up from journalism as far as I can tell, and I stopped reading 'newspapers' years ago. The very word comes from the French 'to try something out' or 'test' it - like assayers do with gold, etc. Still sounds good to me.
Please give me a job before I am too old/bored/mad to pick up a hammer and chisel. Pretty please?
The picture is of Michel de Montaign - the 'inventor' of the form. I know nothing about him, but I will do within a week. I'll keep you posted.
ReplyDeleteWould you consider being the new Clive James? If not, I've left you with a nice little opening to write an essay/rant about him.
ReplyDeleteOr failing that, I've decided to hire a Senior Junior Assistant for my blog as my Junior Junior Assistant isn't sufficiently senior - interested?
I too love essays - both writing and reading of same. I think some journalists manage the form in their weekly column - Matthew Parris springs to mind.
ReplyDeleteI'll gladly accept the two posts you offer Mise, (but not the Clive James one, thanks). When do I start? When do I finish?
ReplyDeleteI think it does sound perfect for you, because not only do you have a strong written voice, you're knowledgeable about so many things and you also have a fantastic wit. I'm trying to think if it's Kurt Vonnegut that has written successfully with essay type material. You should look him up. But yeah, sounds like a great idea.
ReplyDeleteHere's a link for KV http://www.vonnegut.com/books.asp
Yes, Kurt Vonnegut wrote some brilliant essays based on his early life as a salesman for Saab cars in the USA when foreign cars were rare, and also he happened to be a Young G.I. who survived the bombing of Dresden by the British during WW2. He came out of a bunker after the fire-storm had burnt out, and was one of the few witnesses to have seen the aftermath at first hand. No wonder he had some good stories to tell.
ReplyDeleteHello Tom:
ReplyDeleteOh yes, the essay we are all for that. But please do not change a jot in how or what you write since it is a delicious confection that we have grown to savour!
The word has become associated with 'schooldays', but, as you say, it's a great medium. I have a book of essays by Proust, but what he was 'testing' I'm not sure; other than my capability in French.
ReplyDeleteI used to absolutely love doing essays at school, and fired straight into them with out a thought for where they were heading or what I would be talking about. Now I realise that things don't change at all - this is just how I approach these blogs, which is why I have John Aubrey as a hero, although I don't think I could ever get anywhere near his level of battyness or unstructured ranting. I have seen some of the original manuscript for 'Brief Lives' and there is scribbling going in all directions - up the margins, down the margins. It took them years to turn it into a reasonably coherent book. Thanks for the compliment, J&L.
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