No Anna Karenina, We Read Short Stories Instead

The two secretaries, recording and corresponding, were again missing in action. Jacquie reprised her former position as corresponding secretary. The minutes are a compendium of emails and notes from Kathy, written up by Frances.

Jacquie's Email Hello Literary Ladies! FYI regarding tomorrow's program, our fearless leader and retired Hastings High School English teacher extraordinaire, Laura, writes, “In honor of Carla and our Russian afternoon, I would like to read two stories. The first, quite brief, is Three Hermits by Leo Tolstoy. It is direct and affecting. The second, Gooseberries by Anton Chekov, is more complicated, but rich for discussion. I will take care of having copies for everyone. I hope these choices meet your approval!”

Carla, we will all mis your presentation, but we will be in good hands, so not to fret. 

I hope everyone gets a chance to enjoy this beautiful day! x Jacquie

Minutes Christine, for the third time this year, welcomed us into her elegant 19th century house. Carla sent us an email the day before, full of regret, and also as wonderfully amusing as she is, explaining her absence and why she couldn't present: 

My presentation tomorrow was going to take a playbook from Jeff Spurgeon/WQXR’s 3 minute opera synopsis. Here goes!
Long ago, far away, a beautiful woman and handsome man fall in love. No happy ending in store. She was married, with pompous husband and a child. An affair follow, she is snubbed by her aristocratic peers. The pair leave their land, have a child together, she can’tget a divorce from her spouse, can’t be with her son. She begins to doubt her lover, becomes distraught and kills herself. He mourns and goes off to join his regiment! The End!
Yes. Much more to amplify! It’s Tolstoy!

And responses followed:

 

Carla, that is an EXCELLENT synopsis of Anna Karenina! I should do that for some of the books I've read but can't remember! Hope you're feeling better! — Diana

I always thought Anna Karenina would be so much more “fun” without all that stuff about farming! —  Jacquie

 

Carla, there is your wit and humor where I thought it would not tread! Thanks!  — Laura

 

Thank you, Carla. I love Jeff Sprugeon's opera synopses, and I love yours.   — Linda

At 1 PM, President Laura called the meeting to order.

Connie discussed a gift of books to Children's Village in Dobbs Ferry. Former member, Susan Meigs, taught reading there for many years. Susan passed away last month. In her memory, we are thinking of having a bookshelf dedicated to her at the Children's Village library. 

We read the two stories suggested by Laura. We have decided to continue short story or play readings at one or two of our meeting next year. 

This is the last meeting of the year. We will have our traditional summer meeting around Christine's pool, date TBD. Next year's topic will be New York: Writers, Novels, Stories.

Gita Presents James Joyce's Ulysses

A little change up here. Both secretaries, recording and corresponding, were unable to fulfill their duties. Frances was in Santa Fe; Carla had a health issue. Kathy replaced Frances. Carla is irreplaceable.

Kathy's Minutes Ten or so members and one associate attended. Jackie was a kind host who served an extraordinary breakfast-like meal. Her house’s interior is lush; with paintings, books and photographs, every which way you looked. It was the proper setting for what was about to come.

Around 1:00 PM the president rang the bell. The hostess was thanked. The minutes were read. The treasurer reported; our account is flush.

Members report:

Carla will participate next year as an associate member.

The club is interested in recruiting new members. The numbers are down. A near term consequence will be fewer meetings.

Presentation:

Gita introduced the members to James Joyce and his masterpiece Ulysses. She read it for the first time, and she found it very funny

Joyce was born on February 2nd, 1882, in Dublin, Ireland. His father’s drinking caused financial issues and Joyce had an interrupted early education. At one point, he just stayed home and read books. At University College in Dublin, he studied language. He read widely, in particular books that the Jesuits did not recommend.

Ulysses was thought to be pornographic by some and Joyce had difficulties publishing in the United States.

Gita threw us into the book.

Ulysses chronicles the experiences of three Dubliners over the course of a single day, 16 June 1904 (which its fans now celebrate annually as Bloomsday).

Jackie’s richly layered house was a backdrop to the tracing of memories in the stories. Gita directed the readings, introducing us to the different types of interior monologue and construction.

When asked where they should end a reading, Gita would reply: it makes no difference.

(Because it's an interior monologue, you are just keep on reading it—flies from place to place—from person to person—and there were two memorable points—two members were enraptured, for a time read back and forth to each other—were enjoying the language just enjoying what they read the to each other, what passages about these characters and we all listened to it—another member was asked by Gita to stop and then requested asked—well demanded very impatiently asked to continue until she finished saying all the G sounds that she was enjoying saying—it appeared very mediative.)

“Before Joyce, no writer of fiction had so foregrounded the process of thinking. Its stream of consciousness technique, careful structuring and prose of an experimental nature—replete with puns, parodies, epiphanies and allusions—as well as its rich characterization and broad humor have led it to be regarded as one of the greatest literary works.” — Declan Kiberd

The book’s ending is famously known for its lack of punctuation and using sentences of extended length.

Gita had us end with these words:

yes when I put the rose in my hair like the Andalusian girls used or shall I wear a red yes and how he kissed me under the Moorish wall and I thought well as well him as another and then I asked him with my eyes to ask again yes and then he asked me would I yes to say yes my mountain flower and first I put my arms around him yes and drew him down to me so he could feel my breasts all perfume yes and his heart was going like mad and yes I said yes I will Yes.

Respectfully submitted,
Kathy Sullivan

Acting Recording Secretary