Double Lives

      "Of course, I live more than one life all the time anyway.  Don't we all, who read books?"
                                                                                                      -Mary Oliver

     Actually, I don't know who Mary Oliver might be, but she's right about living more than 1 life at a time if you are a reader.  Some people read 2 or 3 books at a time.  Do you think that gives them a "split personality?"  I often have two books going at the same time, but one must be fiction and the other nonfiction.   It's best if their topics aren't too similar either (like two books about women artists) or my brain will occasionally cross wire and I'm not sure which character - the real one or the make believe one - is doing what.

     Over the years I've tried to read some of the classics, and see a big difference between some of them and many of the books being written by contemporary authors.  One of my all-time favorite authors is Pearl Buck.  Her 70 or so books are set in China and are fascinating to me. John Steinbeck's East of Eden is another good book written with great style.  A few years ago, I reread The Great Gatsby  by F. Scott Fitzgerald.  I just can't see why this book is considered such a great one.  It wasn't by my standards.

     Once I bought a book of Fitzgerald's short stories because it had the most charming cover art.  My favorite story was called, "Bernice Bobbs Her Hair."  She bobbs her hair after being goaded into it by her cousin, Margorie.  Bernice regrets her hasty action and really wishes she hadn't let her nasty cousin push her so far.  How to get back at Margorie?  Bernice finds the perfect solution.

"Bernice Bobbs Her Hair" by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Art Journal Page
Creative Idea #9

     This journal page started with a watercolor wash before some paperdolls with bobbed hair were added.  Its a simple page, but a good reminder of  Fitzgerald's clever story.

     Smarty and I'll be back soon.

                        Carol