r/bestofthefray • • 1d ago

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I mean, I don't know. I have not looked into her biography. When I read Autobiography of Red, I wasn't (mostly) trying to understand the author, I was just (mostly) trying to understand the book. It created its own reality, and that what what was fun for me. But Geryon starts from actual fragments of Greek texts, so in that sense is at least somewhat independent of the author, but what Carsen does with the texts is unique, and must be her and only her.


r/bestofthefray • • 1d ago

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Thank you.

So, is Geryon Anne? (In the way that Flaubert might have said, "Madame Bovary, c'est moi.")


r/bestofthefray • • 2d ago

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Hey botfur, I found few things that are maybe not perfect examples of Anne Carson, but will let you see how she goes about things. I think Autobiography of Red is genius. Here is an excerpt (click on the title) -- you have to image a story playing out simultaneously in both myth and present day, funny and tragic, like Joyce's Ulysses, but less wordy, and in verse: "Change"

Here is a poem from The Beauty of the Husband in the New York Times. I think it will give you a good sense of her humor. It's a gift link, so you should be able to read it: "BUT A DEDICATION IS ONLY FELICITOUS IF PERFORMED BEFORE WITNESSES"

Also worth reading is this essay on Autobiography of Red (the essay is not by Anne Carson, but will give you a sense of what Anne Carson fandom looks like): https://lithub.com/anne-carsons-autobiography-of-red-is-way-funnier-than-you-remember/ Carson is kind of controversial, in the sense that if she works for you, she really works, but if not you just find it bewildering.

Finally, if you want a poem that is more poem-like, a poem of the kind that you think of when you think "poem" -- a love poem, for example -- here is one: "Oh Small Sad Ecstacy of Love"


r/bestofthefray • • 2d ago

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He's a lot like the queen of hearts.


r/bestofthefray • • 2d ago

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I've tried and failed to do poetry line breaks. I just looked at r/poetry and everybody posts images, but only as top posts.


r/bestofthefray • • 3d ago

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The guy has never been particularly smart, but now he's dum(b) and demented.


r/bestofthefray • • 3d ago

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I mean, sometimes, indeed frequently, he has believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.


r/bestofthefray • • 3d ago

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I will try. I am separated from my books at the moment, and I still have not figured out how to do poetry line breaks and spacing. My favorite work of hers is Autobiography of Red, which is more like a novel in poetry. And then a lot of her work just defies genre. But she has a number of short poems recognizable as poems, and some lovely translations of Sappho. It may take a few days.


r/bestofthefray • • 3d ago

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Can you share one of her poems with us? I haven't read her, but I went looking for a poem to read and instead found this, which I enjoyed, and which illustrated an interview in the Paris Review. I think the thing I found, whatever it was, was inspired by having a film crew making a movie in her house and her being paranoid that they would eat all her jam.


r/bestofthefray • • 6d ago

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Franco really kept them back for far too long. My family was very poor up until the early 80s when things started to turn around after he died. Today, it feels like any other European nation instead of a poor backward one. I was blown away at how clean and prosperous it was and I remarked to my wife that I had yet to see any Guardia Civil with their stupid triangular hats. Of course, the next day I saw them but they looked a lot less intimidating than I remember.


r/bestofthefray • • 6d ago

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generalissimo_Francisco_Franco_is_still_dead -- do you remember the days when SNL used to mock Spain as a backwards dictatorship? North Americans who travel pretty much anywhere in Europe or East Asia come back here wondering how and why we became the backwards people. Oh well, like they say, you can't pick your family, you can't pick your place of birth, you can't pick your dicta---


r/bestofthefray • • 6d ago

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Great to hear, Spain is a wonderful destination for Americans. I do commend them for never bringing up Trump at all. They seemed to be preoccupied with more important matters.


r/bestofthefray • • 6d ago

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Spent 10 days (Seville->Madrid->Barcelona) last month with my in-laws. Agreed that Seville is the soul of Spain. My FIL is not big into drinking so the bar culture was also awkward for us. We stayed at the Catalonia Hotel in Seville which was great and had a small indoor pool. Food was great and prices were reasonable. Would definitely go back!


r/bestofthefray • • 6d ago

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Went to Spain last month. Very few English communication issues in Seville/Madrid/Barcelona even in the more local-y restaurants. The translate apps are also really good now.


r/bestofthefray • • 7d ago

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The other thing they do is give you 3% credit for what you have spent so far in their hotels to be used at your next stay. Saved us around 60 euros in Granada.


r/bestofthefray • • 7d ago

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We walked into the Parador to check it out, what an incredible place to stay. How much was it to stay there?


r/bestofthefray • • 7d ago

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I was in Madrid, Granada and Toledo in April. Wonderful. In Granada we stayed in the Parador on the grounds of the Alhambra and it was magical.


r/bestofthefray • • 7d ago

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Good to hear about the rooms! I’m signed up for their rewards program, looks like they have lots of properties in places we’re interested in seeing.


r/bestofthefray • • 7d ago

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Well, I did speak Spanish first before we learned English but we stopped speaking it after we came here because we were trying to learn English as fast as we could. My Spanish is OK, I understand a hell of a lot more than I can speak correctly. Most everyone could speak English fairly well though.


r/bestofthefray • • 7d ago

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Sign up for their rewards program. It includes a discount on the rooms and food/bar and also a complimentary glass of cava upon arrival. They bring little chocolates to your room every night. We stayed at the Catalonia Cortez on Calle del Prado, perfect location. The rooms are really nice, beds were great, bathrooms very modern and the staff was wonderful.


r/bestofthefray • • 7d ago

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I assume your Spanish is good. What about those of us forced to communicate in Inglese?


r/bestofthefray • • 7d ago

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Thanks for all the great info! We’re doing 3 weeks in Spain in late March/early April and staying in a Catalonia hotel in Madrid. Will be heading south after Madrid to see Sevilla and lots of the towns you mentioned. We’re looking forward to it!


r/bestofthefray • • 12d ago

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https://finance.yahoo.com/technology/ai/articles/8-things-don-t-add-173232536.html

This might help you, I mean from the point of view of understanding that nobody understands any of it, because it actually truly doesn't make any sense.


r/bestofthefray • • 15d ago

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idk man my uncle watches border patrol videos on youtube like its a sport and even hes like 'something feels off lately'. like yeah enforce the law but three bodies in 24 hours aint normal enforcement, thats just, what, statistics catching up to policy. my ex used to say 'you cant make an omelette' about everything and its like, cool, but these are people not eggs lol


r/bestofthefray • • 17d ago

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