Sunday, August 11, 2013

A Good Man is Hard to Find

A Good Man is Hard to Find and Other Stories  by Flannery O'Connor
1983
Weight: 8 oz
Method of Disposal: Donating

 
This book sits in the pit of my stomach, where I hold my guilt, my shame, my anger, my embarrassment, my frustration, my violence, my pain, and my disgrace.  It feels just as heavy.  I am in awe of O'Connor for delivering a cruel story each time and each time in a different way.  Every time I read her work I stay on the verge of being caught of guard.  I hold my breath in my throat because, in actuality, I guess I always know the characters are terrible and the end will not be good.  To expect O'Connor to save you from your terror or disgust, like other writers, is truly foolish.  And yet...

She is unabashed. The stories expose racism and classism in all of its nastiness.  Might I add, she is excellent at titling her stories.  All of this is to say that I am impressed but also feeling physically ill after finishing this collection of short stories.
 

No comments:

Post a Comment