Thank you for this wonderful post, Kate. Your description of the day spent in London with your son was beautiful and enchanting. And as a former film theory student, your essay took me back to a moment in time. Distant but happy memories.
Thanks so much, Victoria. A film student? Fascinating, I didn't know this about you. But I can see you are likewise interested in visual art + literature and so it doesn't surprise me. :)
Love that. Even though my phd focus was film within a cultural studies context, I never had the classic film base like that. It’s mostly self study. Sounds so fab to take courses in…
It's so good to hear from you, Kate! And nothing appears unpolished here at all. I love your word sketch at the end; I could see The Boy and the bicycle and remember those afternoons with my own kids. My youngest was distraught when we came upon a dead bird or squirrel and often required "a funeral" for them.
I'm sorry this year has been so stressful for you; I know you will have put your heart and soul into the job. I hope you can start to find yourself back in your notebooks very soon ❤️ as for graphic novels: youngest child mentioned above (now doing A levels!! Eeek!!) loved graphic novels and is a brilliant reader (and writer!) now. They were in fact just highly commended for a fairly large writing competition (apropos of nothing except I wanted to brag 😄)!
Finally, I read The Details a couple of months ago and think you'll love it! It's (literally) like a fever dream!
Brag away, Kate. That's great stuff! Thanks for sharing all the resonance for you. Makes it worth writing.
Cool that you read The Details...will have to compare notes. I'm loving 'Volume' and may have to get my hands on the 4 other volumes to figure out what it's all about. Leave it to the Scandinavians to do things differently.
I have to be honest, I've missed your regular posts, however, I quite understand why you've been away.. Japan will be a real experience for you and your family, and I hope you will have more time for creativity. I love your work and would love to see more.It will be a wonderful education for your young lad too.
I really enjoyed your piece on your trip with your son to Marylebone. I used work for the BHF in Fitzeharding St, nearby and frequently went to the amazing Daunt's, which must be among the most beautiful bookshops in London. I also used to visit the Oxfam bookshop further up the road and a antique market near Bond Street which had a good selection of first editions. This was a good use of my lunchtime and I still have the books now I am home in Devon.
Clare, what a lovely neighborhood to inhabit regularly. I'm jealous! I must spend a little more time lingering and finding some of these other gems in the area.
I appreciate very much being missed! Sorry that it's had to be this way, but yes, change is coming. Japan sounds exotic and exciting (and it is) but really I'm most looking forward to just having more peace and time for small things due to the way our whole work/life situation will shift.
That’s good. I loved London, but recent changes seem problematic, efficient ULEZ rows etc. it's peaceful in Devon, I an walk to the coast path in less than 5 minutes, my garden is sheltered for summer reading, and Dartmoor is close by.. I've wanted to go to Japansince I read the Tale of Genji last year.
Sounds incredible, Clare. London will always have such amazing culture to offer, but I agree many parts are a pain right now. (My train is often cancelled due to "rain"...) We will always come back as we have friends and family here, so let's see.
I must read Take of Genji. Love Japanese literature. Thanks so much.
I finally decided that London for retirees is not sat it was , and plays , concerts and the opera are wonderful, but as in was born in a rural area of Devon, I need grass under my bare feet to feel rooted, veg grown in my garden, and quiet to walk, think and a garden to read an study in. The materialism, greed and corruption there turns what used to be a wonderful city into a continual fight to survive and acquire contentment, so not for me or my partner any more.
Never heard of "On the Calculation..." before and then twice in one day! Well this was a lovely surprise, I can't remember such a dreamy, meditative reflection from you before, Kate - I would like to sit down at a cafe with a coffee and a bun and read a slim volume of more such, or even better, a lovely chat with the author. 🩵
Twice today?? A must read then! I can't wait to get my hands on Volume 2.
Yes, days like this are so fantastic, I think I should recreate it soon. And yes, a chat with Mr Troy Ford the author would be a nice addition. Thanks Troy :)
I know, isn't that always the way? The same thing happened with Macallan whisky - never even heard of it, and then it popped up in like five different shows recently.
Wonderful to hear from you Kate. Loved all of this. I hope all is OK with the job and there is some breathing space in sight. It's strange, I think this has happened to a few of us in sync, for various different reasons. Work has battered my brain about to the point where I've lost my rhythm of published and the more that happens the harder it seems to right that, even though I know nothing gives me more joy than finding the time and space to submit to writing. Silvio has been frantic with moving and I miss him and his writing dearly, too. Same with Alexander, who with a lot going on hasn't been around. Perhaps there's also some nadir for a brief period on Substack that one must work through to get to the other side.
Anyway, I'm waffling and pulling away from your piece.
You're an awesome mom and that bookstore looks amazing.
"I also recently viewed Conclave (along with the rest of the world) and was similarly struck by Stéphane Fontaine’s camera work of endless interiors that mimicked the imprisoned minds of the still-human cardinals (wasn’t that a brilliant film?). In these films, the camera work tells the story as much as the actors or the plot. And this is precisely what I’m wondering: how the words on the page can mimic the lens. Is it even possible?" -- we watched this last weekend! I was also struck by the camera work. This is a great read of the cinematography.
I'm 400 pages into 2666 now (reading, like writing, took a big hit these last months) and I am astounded by the book and the many things it is doing. Fate's entire chapter felt like "the words on the page mimicking the lens" because it was like experiencing a scene from a movie. Incredible.
Hope you're taking the time to look after yourself and that Japan on the horizon is exciting.
Hi Nathan! Good to see you here, too (as well as your recent fiction). I was thinking about that recently. It's not a Substack issue (as some are discussing as of late). In fact, it was good to reflect that (for me at least) it's NOT a platform issue at all and just a life thing. I'm trying to just accept that's what it is and maybe I've said this before, but it makes me appreciate more how much I enjoy writing here and that I see purpose on several levels. One of these - a big one - is the connection with other writers, writer-friends, like yourself. I do think many in our circle are going through different time pulls now and maybe that makes it easier somehow. Even if it takes you longer to come back more fully, we will still be here. And yeah - perhaps the nadir leads to something even better. I'm feeling now like experimenting a lot to lead to 'what's next'. This might not look like a massive change on my newsletter. Rather, it's a way to use my/our voice(s).
Happy you liked Conclave. I found it so subtly amazing!
Enjoy 2666! Makes me want to go back to it. I borrowed it from someone many years ago now so don't have it on the shelf. Such a brilliant book.
And thank you so much for your lovely comments. It's especially meaningful because with this work thing, the biggest problem is not having enough time with my son. It's probably the first reason we are going to Japan. Although there are many other great things about it!!
Lovely reply, Kate. At some point, I'd really like to get all my thoughts together about the whole writing journey for me, and the influence and time here on Substack, but you're absolutely right about the connection and community and what that has made here. But yeah, it's always here and returning and nestling into the community here is so lovely.
I think one of my biggest issues and mental barriers is this: for every day that I'm pulled away by work and don't find time here, my inbox fills with posts and I begin to feel a deep sense of disappointment in myself for not making it to the posts in time, and this exacerbates day by day and it's like a giant mountain I can't climb and the presence of the mountain also prevents me from writing. It's like I can't write because my first priority should be to be reading all the posts I want to read. Vicious, silly circle, but such is my stupid brain.
Anyway, 2666. Adore it. It's so all over the place in the best possible way. I'm deep into the "Crimes" part now. It's going to be housed in the special part of my brain (and bookshelf) reserved for the likes of Solenoid, 1Q84...
I'm glad you found some quality time with your son and that the move to Japan will help that further. 🤗
Oh yes, you’ve identified part of the issue that actually is Substack — it is a pharmakon I guess 😉 Each newsletter is like its own community as well, so it’s reading and interacting which is great but also incredibly time consuming. Look forward to considering what it all might look like together…
Not finished yet, but have to pause to say "On the Calculation of Volume, by Solvej Balle (translated from the Danish by Barbara J. Haveland), is part of a five-part set about a time loop that Balle originally self-published despite previous ‘mainstream success’ to maintain full control and is in the process of being translated." -- OMG is this now actually in print? Yay. It's been on my list to read. The title alone is absolutely my thing.
So I finished it in just two 'breaths' - evening rests on the couch. So so good! And now of course I need volume 2! Apparently 1 & 2 are out in English and the rest are coming soon? It's a good marketing strategy from the author as she's about to get about 70 pounds from me when I get the whole set. Ha.
It is highly experimental as well as refreshingly simple in some ways. Think you would love it! We can discuss...
Ooo, even better to hear it's so easy to inhale the book. I'm hunting this down asap and probably bumping it up my TBR pile.
Definitely up for discussing down the track. I see there's a bit of a divide on Goodreads, although things are so subjective and it's not always the best place to find reviews.
Daunt was my happy place when I studied at the Royal Academy of Music a few blocks away, just off the northern end of the high street. That "internationalist" room is just breathtaking! You and your son recreated many a weekday afternoon I spent reading over a coffee and croissant. 😃
Congrats on the move to Japan, and all the best for the rest of your term! 💙
What a beautiful piece Kate. If anyone can find a new language for writing it's you. I found that last piece sparkly and moving at the same time and yes - very cinematic.
It's so good to get news of your plans. It sounds like it has been a gruelling year and I am so excited that you are headed for Japan. Best of luck with your plans.
Thanks for mentioning The Dialectic. That was a lovely surprise 😍
As for the books featured in this piece, it looks like Bunny vs Monkey may be just up my street. I hope you will be reviewing it in The Matterhorn🤓
First on the writing vibe -- I do get what you mean and I feel this tension, too. I look to Joyce and Mansfield short stories for the ability to do both. Woolf a bit as well, think it's a real modernist success. But still, I often think about moving to different perspectives solely for that reason of what you describe. I guess a film is unique because you can get the interiority through a character if they reveal themselves but the camera is not typically their view. Does that make sense??
Hyde is not far from Daunt...London parks are the best. Plus they are usually a stone's throw from some incredible culture of streets you can flaneurize as you wish.
Thanks for all the lovely comments and the share, Garrett! I also realize I didn't get back to our discussion in a different thread. I shall attempt to find it now...maybe continue on dm. So good to have you back here (know it's been a while but still).
Thank you for this wonderful post, Kate. Your description of the day spent in London with your son was beautiful and enchanting. And as a former film theory student, your essay took me back to a moment in time. Distant but happy memories.
Thanks so much, Victoria. A film student? Fascinating, I didn't know this about you. But I can see you are likewise interested in visual art + literature and so it doesn't surprise me. :)
I had some really enthusiastic and passionate lecturers too. I remember one who used to end up almost standing on the desk…
Love it! Like Dead Poet's Society. :)
It was really interesting… French New Wave, German Expressionism, Italian Neo-Realism, Second World War + British Cinema of the 1980s :)
Love that. Even though my phd focus was film within a cultural studies context, I never had the classic film base like that. It’s mostly self study. Sounds so fab to take courses in…
It's so good to hear from you, Kate! And nothing appears unpolished here at all. I love your word sketch at the end; I could see The Boy and the bicycle and remember those afternoons with my own kids. My youngest was distraught when we came upon a dead bird or squirrel and often required "a funeral" for them.
I'm sorry this year has been so stressful for you; I know you will have put your heart and soul into the job. I hope you can start to find yourself back in your notebooks very soon ❤️ as for graphic novels: youngest child mentioned above (now doing A levels!! Eeek!!) loved graphic novels and is a brilliant reader (and writer!) now. They were in fact just highly commended for a fairly large writing competition (apropos of nothing except I wanted to brag 😄)!
Finally, I read The Details a couple of months ago and think you'll love it! It's (literally) like a fever dream!
Brag away, Kate. That's great stuff! Thanks for sharing all the resonance for you. Makes it worth writing.
Cool that you read The Details...will have to compare notes. I'm loving 'Volume' and may have to get my hands on the 4 other volumes to figure out what it's all about. Leave it to the Scandinavians to do things differently.
I have to be honest, I've missed your regular posts, however, I quite understand why you've been away.. Japan will be a real experience for you and your family, and I hope you will have more time for creativity. I love your work and would love to see more.It will be a wonderful education for your young lad too.
I really enjoyed your piece on your trip with your son to Marylebone. I used work for the BHF in Fitzeharding St, nearby and frequently went to the amazing Daunt's, which must be among the most beautiful bookshops in London. I also used to visit the Oxfam bookshop further up the road and a antique market near Bond Street which had a good selection of first editions. This was a good use of my lunchtime and I still have the books now I am home in Devon.
Clare, what a lovely neighborhood to inhabit regularly. I'm jealous! I must spend a little more time lingering and finding some of these other gems in the area.
I appreciate very much being missed! Sorry that it's had to be this way, but yes, change is coming. Japan sounds exotic and exciting (and it is) but really I'm most looking forward to just having more peace and time for small things due to the way our whole work/life situation will shift.
That’s good. I loved London, but recent changes seem problematic, efficient ULEZ rows etc. it's peaceful in Devon, I an walk to the coast path in less than 5 minutes, my garden is sheltered for summer reading, and Dartmoor is close by.. I've wanted to go to Japansince I read the Tale of Genji last year.
I wish you bon voyage to Japan.
Sounds incredible, Clare. London will always have such amazing culture to offer, but I agree many parts are a pain right now. (My train is often cancelled due to "rain"...) We will always come back as we have friends and family here, so let's see.
I must read Take of Genji. Love Japanese literature. Thanks so much.
I finally decided that London for retirees is not sat it was , and plays , concerts and the opera are wonderful, but as in was born in a rural area of Devon, I need grass under my bare feet to feel rooted, veg grown in my garden, and quiet to walk, think and a garden to read an study in. The materialism, greed and corruption there turns what used to be a wonderful city into a continual fight to survive and acquire contentment, so not for me or my partner any more.
Never heard of "On the Calculation..." before and then twice in one day! Well this was a lovely surprise, I can't remember such a dreamy, meditative reflection from you before, Kate - I would like to sit down at a cafe with a coffee and a bun and read a slim volume of more such, or even better, a lovely chat with the author. 🩵
Twice today?? A must read then! I can't wait to get my hands on Volume 2.
Yes, days like this are so fantastic, I think I should recreate it soon. And yes, a chat with Mr Troy Ford the author would be a nice addition. Thanks Troy :)
I know, isn't that always the way? The same thing happened with Macallan whisky - never even heard of it, and then it popped up in like five different shows recently.
Is it good?!
Wonderful to hear from you Kate. Loved all of this. I hope all is OK with the job and there is some breathing space in sight. It's strange, I think this has happened to a few of us in sync, for various different reasons. Work has battered my brain about to the point where I've lost my rhythm of published and the more that happens the harder it seems to right that, even though I know nothing gives me more joy than finding the time and space to submit to writing. Silvio has been frantic with moving and I miss him and his writing dearly, too. Same with Alexander, who with a lot going on hasn't been around. Perhaps there's also some nadir for a brief period on Substack that one must work through to get to the other side.
Anyway, I'm waffling and pulling away from your piece.
You're an awesome mom and that bookstore looks amazing.
"I also recently viewed Conclave (along with the rest of the world) and was similarly struck by Stéphane Fontaine’s camera work of endless interiors that mimicked the imprisoned minds of the still-human cardinals (wasn’t that a brilliant film?). In these films, the camera work tells the story as much as the actors or the plot. And this is precisely what I’m wondering: how the words on the page can mimic the lens. Is it even possible?" -- we watched this last weekend! I was also struck by the camera work. This is a great read of the cinematography.
I'm 400 pages into 2666 now (reading, like writing, took a big hit these last months) and I am astounded by the book and the many things it is doing. Fate's entire chapter felt like "the words on the page mimicking the lens" because it was like experiencing a scene from a movie. Incredible.
Hope you're taking the time to look after yourself and that Japan on the horizon is exciting.
Hi Nathan! Good to see you here, too (as well as your recent fiction). I was thinking about that recently. It's not a Substack issue (as some are discussing as of late). In fact, it was good to reflect that (for me at least) it's NOT a platform issue at all and just a life thing. I'm trying to just accept that's what it is and maybe I've said this before, but it makes me appreciate more how much I enjoy writing here and that I see purpose on several levels. One of these - a big one - is the connection with other writers, writer-friends, like yourself. I do think many in our circle are going through different time pulls now and maybe that makes it easier somehow. Even if it takes you longer to come back more fully, we will still be here. And yeah - perhaps the nadir leads to something even better. I'm feeling now like experimenting a lot to lead to 'what's next'. This might not look like a massive change on my newsletter. Rather, it's a way to use my/our voice(s).
Happy you liked Conclave. I found it so subtly amazing!
Enjoy 2666! Makes me want to go back to it. I borrowed it from someone many years ago now so don't have it on the shelf. Such a brilliant book.
And thank you so much for your lovely comments. It's especially meaningful because with this work thing, the biggest problem is not having enough time with my son. It's probably the first reason we are going to Japan. Although there are many other great things about it!!
Lovely reply, Kate. At some point, I'd really like to get all my thoughts together about the whole writing journey for me, and the influence and time here on Substack, but you're absolutely right about the connection and community and what that has made here. But yeah, it's always here and returning and nestling into the community here is so lovely.
I think one of my biggest issues and mental barriers is this: for every day that I'm pulled away by work and don't find time here, my inbox fills with posts and I begin to feel a deep sense of disappointment in myself for not making it to the posts in time, and this exacerbates day by day and it's like a giant mountain I can't climb and the presence of the mountain also prevents me from writing. It's like I can't write because my first priority should be to be reading all the posts I want to read. Vicious, silly circle, but such is my stupid brain.
Anyway, 2666. Adore it. It's so all over the place in the best possible way. I'm deep into the "Crimes" part now. It's going to be housed in the special part of my brain (and bookshelf) reserved for the likes of Solenoid, 1Q84...
I'm glad you found some quality time with your son and that the move to Japan will help that further. 🤗
Oh yes, you’ve identified part of the issue that actually is Substack — it is a pharmakon I guess 😉 Each newsletter is like its own community as well, so it’s reading and interacting which is great but also incredibly time consuming. Look forward to considering what it all might look like together…
Not finished yet, but have to pause to say "On the Calculation of Volume, by Solvej Balle (translated from the Danish by Barbara J. Haveland), is part of a five-part set about a time loop that Balle originally self-published despite previous ‘mainstream success’ to maintain full control and is in the process of being translated." -- OMG is this now actually in print? Yay. It's been on my list to read. The title alone is absolutely my thing.
So I finished it in just two 'breaths' - evening rests on the couch. So so good! And now of course I need volume 2! Apparently 1 & 2 are out in English and the rest are coming soon? It's a good marketing strategy from the author as she's about to get about 70 pounds from me when I get the whole set. Ha.
It is highly experimental as well as refreshingly simple in some ways. Think you would love it! We can discuss...
Ooo, even better to hear it's so easy to inhale the book. I'm hunting this down asap and probably bumping it up my TBR pile.
Definitely up for discussing down the track. I see there's a bit of a divide on Goodreads, although things are so subjective and it's not always the best place to find reviews.
I think I need to read more volumes to decide!
This piece glows with quiet magic as ever. Your cinematic eye and lyrical reflections are brilliant.
That's so kind, Jon!
I'm so behind on your work and look forward to getting to it more in depth soon. Hope you are well.
All good here sunbeam and I hope that you are back on the writing fun bus for sure 🤩
Daunt was my happy place when I studied at the Royal Academy of Music a few blocks away, just off the northern end of the high street. That "internationalist" room is just breathtaking! You and your son recreated many a weekday afternoon I spent reading over a coffee and croissant. 😃
Congrats on the move to Japan, and all the best for the rest of your term! 💙
What happy memories! This place is just larger than life, but the intimate anywhere exprience of the book + croissant after is just as wonderful.
Thank you, Michael! 💙💙
Enjoy the moments! They grow up so fast, and what better way to make them last than with words? Here's to The Boy on the Red Bicycle.
Aw, that's sweet. Thanks a lot, Alexander!
(see Nathan's comment if you haven't - I agree it's interesting about this pace and the 'season' we are all having together. hope you are well)
Most welcome, Kate. Yeah seems we’re all in a special season 😅 have to cancel that season soon! ;)
I'm glad that the light at the end of the tunnel is close for you, Kate! Good luck with the preparations for the move to Japan.
Thanks so much, Jeffrey. :) It's coming soon! See you in Tokyo...
“Orlando meets Murakami” —I’m in! Best wishes on your move!
Woohoo, thanks a lot! I'll keep you posted - on both the (YA?) book and the move.
You’re such a wonderful mom. What a special day. I could so clearly visualize the whole thing. That’s your magic.
Such a lovely comment, Ben. Thank you!
Look forward to getting back in the zone on here soon. Enjoyed your recent series on writing.
What a beautiful piece Kate. If anyone can find a new language for writing it's you. I found that last piece sparkly and moving at the same time and yes - very cinematic.
It's so good to get news of your plans. It sounds like it has been a gruelling year and I am so excited that you are headed for Japan. Best of luck with your plans.
Thanks for mentioning The Dialectic. That was a lovely surprise 😍
As for the books featured in this piece, it looks like Bunny vs Monkey may be just up my street. I hope you will be reviewing it in The Matterhorn🤓
What a lovely comment, Jules, thanks!
I'm also hoping to just have more head space for my friends both locally and the writers (you!).
Let's see how the rest of Bunny vs Monkey goes and you might just get your wish...
Lovely lovely post, Kathleen!
Thanks so much, George. Hope you're doing well. :)
That bookstore looks like a dream! Sorry I missed it when we were there. Next time . . . Good luck with your move!
First on the writing vibe -- I do get what you mean and I feel this tension, too. I look to Joyce and Mansfield short stories for the ability to do both. Woolf a bit as well, think it's a real modernist success. But still, I often think about moving to different perspectives solely for that reason of what you describe. I guess a film is unique because you can get the interiority through a character if they reveal themselves but the camera is not typically their view. Does that make sense??
Hyde is not far from Daunt...London parks are the best. Plus they are usually a stone's throw from some incredible culture of streets you can flaneurize as you wish.
Thanks for all the lovely comments and the share, Garrett! I also realize I didn't get back to our discussion in a different thread. I shall attempt to find it now...maybe continue on dm. So good to have you back here (know it's been a while but still).