I saw my favorite American writer in the grocery store last night.
Annie Proulx was pushing a grocery cart and choosing salsa. I recognized her right away because just the night before i had watched a video of her being interviewed at the National Book festival.
She bought a house in Port Townsend, Washington - about 10 miles from where I live. How often she is in town, I do not know but I was downright star struck. I'm embarrassed to say that because I've grown to become justifiably cynical about the famous. At the same time, I'm grateful that I still have the capacity to be awed by talent. I was blown so well away that I had to sit down in the adjacent cafe to process Annie and the salsa.
I just love her writing. It is both unforgiving and strangely reassuring. Right now i am getting lost in "Barkskins" - her latest novel.
Here's the video interview. Starting at 44:00 Proulx talks about living in the Pacific Northwest. She waxes poetic about her respect for the Makah Tribe and says she is studying seaweed. I hope this combination is her next book.
And this quote from "Close Range", about the magic of live music, is one of my favorites:
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