On Sat, 18 Nov 2000 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> My favorite Robertson Davies novel is not part of any trilogy. It's about
> musicians and is called A MIXTURE of FRAILTIES. I have enjoyed several of
his
> works over the last 25 years.
> David Lahm
>
i had to check this with my sister, as my books are packed away and i was
too lazy to research it on line. A MIXTURE OF FRAILTIES actually is part of
a trilogy, the salterton trilogy, and it's the third one. his novels always
do stand alone beautifully, but i really like all three of the trilogies as
trilogies.
the salterton trilogy starts with 'tempest tost', about a amateur production
of the tempest. mentioned that earlier. the second book is called 'a
leaven of malice', about a fraudulent marriage announcement that is planted
in a local newspaper, and all the grief that the editor suffers as a result.
davies was a editor of a small-town newspaper in northern ontario, at one
point, and he draws on that experience.
'a mixture of frailties' is, as david said, about musicians. specifically,
it's about a local canadian girl who receives a generous amount of money to
go study voice in europe, and about her personal and musical growth their.
it's funny and sad, and at the end when davies writes about her triumphant
return recital in salterton, it's as moving a piece about music (and
humanity) as i've ever read.
david, if you feel a particular affinity for davies' writing about
musicians, read 'the lyre of orpheus', about a canadian college's attempt to
stage an unproduced offenbach opera. the dead spirit of offenbach is a
character, watching with fear, derision and finally a cautious hope as his
piece finally sees life. however, 'the lyre of orpheus' is also the third
of a trilogy (the 'cornish') and if you want to read all of that set, you'll
have to slog (kidding!) through 'what's bred in the bone', one of the best
novels i've ever read about painting. lucky you.
barbara wrote:
>i went from "widow" to that book. then read "cider
house rules", which made me want to read "david copperfield". i can
really see how influenced by dickens irving is.
irving is also, i think, very influenced by davies, and in fact he paid
homage to him in 'owen meany' when the narrator taught davies to canadian
high-schoolers. by the way, i haven't read irving's new 'widow', but i
place 'owen meany' very high in my list of books. not quite as high as
'hotel new hampshire'. unlike barbara and a lot of other listers, i reread
a lot a lot a lot. i often finish books and go back and reread chapters
that were particularly gorgeous. but 'hotel new hampshire' is the only book
i've ever finished, turned back to page 1, and read again. just a fantastic
book.
patrick, book freak
np - rickie lee jones in montreaux, 1982. fantastic!!
