“To tell her own story, a writer must make herself a character. To tell another person’s story, a writer must make that person some version of herself, must find a way to inhabit her.” This is the premise of Jenn Shapland’s book My Autobiography of Carson McCullers
Your essay on Mark Landis reminded me of a preacher I knew. He was a late bloomer, entering into ministry in his 40's. He gave powerful, emotional and productive sermons and was a good minister to his congregation. But his sermons were copies of other preachers. He asked for their permission to use them and would add his own anecdotes. He did this because he felt his education was lacking and it affected his confidence. Despite his passion and success as a minister, some in the congregation made it their goal to expose him as a plagiarist. and ruin him as a preacher. In the end, it was clear to me whose actions were most harmful to the people in the congregation.
Thanks for another well-written and thought-provoking article.
First of all, I want to say I agree with your decision to focus on writing. I quit my business job at 41, and I have never regretted the decision. You are exactly "midway in life's journey," so it's a good moment.
I wonder if you might define "late bloomers" more or less in the same way. Artists who only started working seriously (or working at all) after that point. You might consider Ralph Vaughan Williams who didn't become a serious composer until his late thirties. When he studied with Maurice Ravel, he was older than his teacher.
Another obvious great late bloomer is Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, who wrote only one novel, "The Leopard," at the end of his life--mostly spent in diplomatic service. It was published posthumously.
Good luck on your new life. It's not going to be easy but what great project is?
Charming and familiar; her relationship to medicine and recognition of it's absorbing one's life so completely. I do think that mistress medicine may be even more complete than she has expressed. "How To Be A Happy Former Smoker(Even if you don't want to)" and Sex and the 21st Century:AR-W/(P-I) x ATroc = Q" in 3 volumes, and "Pleasure Per Calorie" all were published after 50 years as a physician. Dykers.com
I have no idea what my comment ("Now" is the title) refers to.
With the impending loss of constitutional protection for abortion, I wonder if you share the concern of "God Made Men Too" now in its 3rd Edition. The only bright spot to me is the urgency this brings for improved access to contraception and the cooperative sex education in "God Made Men Too". This is volume l of "Sex and the 21st Century:AR-W/(P-I) x ATroc = Q". Have already started on the next edition and maybe will find some useful science about gender identity over and above the struggle with sports participation, that being difficult enough. My cousin critic always contended that the formula was a philosophical formula rather than a mathematical one. Hopefully our capacity to measure such massive numbers and concepts will continue to improve so our philosophy may be more mathematically managed. E=mc2 had to be imagined first.
How does Metaphysical Animals compare to The Women Are Up to Something: How Elizabeth Anscombe, Philippa Foot, Mary Midgley, and Iris Murdoch Revolutionized Ethics? Odd that both have appeared so closely in time.
Your essay on Mark Landis reminded me of a preacher I knew. He was a late bloomer, entering into ministry in his 40's. He gave powerful, emotional and productive sermons and was a good minister to his congregation. But his sermons were copies of other preachers. He asked for their permission to use them and would add his own anecdotes. He did this because he felt his education was lacking and it affected his confidence. Despite his passion and success as a minister, some in the congregation made it their goal to expose him as a plagiarist. and ruin him as a preacher. In the end, it was clear to me whose actions were most harmful to the people in the congregation.
Thanks for another well-written and thought-provoking article.
First of all, I want to say I agree with your decision to focus on writing. I quit my business job at 41, and I have never regretted the decision. You are exactly "midway in life's journey," so it's a good moment.
I wonder if you might define "late bloomers" more or less in the same way. Artists who only started working seriously (or working at all) after that point. You might consider Ralph Vaughan Williams who didn't become a serious composer until his late thirties. When he studied with Maurice Ravel, he was older than his teacher.
Another obvious great late bloomer is Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, who wrote only one novel, "The Leopard," at the end of his life--mostly spent in diplomatic service. It was published posthumously.
Good luck on your new life. It's not going to be easy but what great project is?
"Queen of the Andes" blooms after 80 years. Regardless of the title, I look forward to reading your book!
Charming and familiar; her relationship to medicine and recognition of it's absorbing one's life so completely. I do think that mistress medicine may be even more complete than she has expressed. "How To Be A Happy Former Smoker(Even if you don't want to)" and Sex and the 21st Century:AR-W/(P-I) x ATroc = Q" in 3 volumes, and "Pleasure Per Calorie" all were published after 50 years as a physician. Dykers.com
Min Jin Lee, thanks for your inspiration!
I have no idea what my comment ("Now" is the title) refers to.
With the impending loss of constitutional protection for abortion, I wonder if you share the concern of "God Made Men Too" now in its 3rd Edition. The only bright spot to me is the urgency this brings for improved access to contraception and the cooperative sex education in "God Made Men Too". This is volume l of "Sex and the 21st Century:AR-W/(P-I) x ATroc = Q". Have already started on the next edition and maybe will find some useful science about gender identity over and above the struggle with sports participation, that being difficult enough. My cousin critic always contended that the formula was a philosophical formula rather than a mathematical one. Hopefully our capacity to measure such massive numbers and concepts will continue to improve so our philosophy may be more mathematically managed. E=mc2 had to be imagined first.
How does Metaphysical Animals compare to The Women Are Up to Something: How Elizabeth Anscombe, Philippa Foot, Mary Midgley, and Iris Murdoch Revolutionized Ethics? Odd that both have appeared so closely in time.
"Now" is the title. Dykers.com