I've always liked Latin Composers. Heitor Villa-Lobos was a Brazilian composer who wrote some marvelous pieces for the piano. He also wrote a ballet. If you'd like to listen to it, here is Overture for Dawn in a Rain Forest.
Fierce: A Memoir by Barbara Robinette MossMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Barbara Robinette Moss grew up dirt poor in rural Alabama. Here in Texas there is an un-compassionate term for people like her and her family: white trash. She was the fourth of eight children who found their strength in their long-suffering mother who threw herself in between her children and her hard-drinking, abusive husband. This is Moss' personal memoir and also perhaps a therapeutic exercise to make sense of her life and put her demons to rest.
There is much to commend about this book. For all its tragedy, it lacks bitterness. Moss writes about her family members with compassion. She sometimes questions God, but neither is she bitter towards him.
She gives a engaging, colorful account of her upbringing and the early years of her adulthood. She describes her fight to survive an alcoholic father and two abusive marriages. Her life as a single mom, going to school, raising her son the best she can is the best part. You feel their struggle through the poverty, going to college and then graduate school.
But there are gaps. She is living on the edge of financial straits. Then she's not. Where was the transition and how did it happen? She endures relationships with crazy boyfriends and then she's happily married to a stable man with a good job. Where did he come from? How did they meet?
She hops and skips. Where she focuses the story, the reading is quite vivid. But there are too many loose ends. Raising her young son, we see a Mama Bear with her arms wrapped around her baby cub. Then he's a teenager and sidelined. Was she too involved with her psychopathic lovers to notice her son anymore?
In all, we see a woman's story of how she unraveled and put herself back together again. Very good. But she could have connected more of the dots and tied up the loose ends. Too many gaps intrude upon the overflow.
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12 comments:
It certainly sounds like this memoir was filled with memorable, perhaps great, moments. Too bad the gaps marred her reminiscence.
Hi Sharon- The gaps that you describe sound puzzling and frustrating. It is too bad as the book sounds like it has s lot to recamend it. It is good that the author is not bitter. Too much bitterness can eat someone up and hurt those around a person.
a coal-black panther's head looming green-eyed thru the foliage; one of those giant luminescent blue morpho butterflies flitting thru the sunshine; rain storm like Niagara falls and a tornado blowing the trees about, a few falling... very pictorial music... i tried the Paul Creston but it was a little thumpy: surprising because i remember playing one of his pieces in the orchestra and it was mesmerizing... tx for the listening opportunity... the Louisville orchestra sounds really good; i think musicians now are quite a bit better than they were when i was playing...
Hi James.
It was interesting especially since I lived in Alabama and many years in the south. Her story is unfortunately a common one.
Hi Brian.
Yes, and I should have mentioned that she became a successful artist after all those years.
Hi Mudpuddle. I also associate visual scenes with music. Not everyone does, I've learned.
I have enjoyed learning works by Creston but he is a beast to play and some of it is lovely and others leave me cold.
Interesting remark about the quality of musician ship. We here about the 19th century legends like Liszt or Chopin or any of them and I wish we could hear them because I do wonder if they were so wonderful or just the first of their kind and musicianship has come a long way. I wouldn't be surprised.
some of the Liszt i've heard is fantastically technical; i recall reading about audience reactions and he was regarded somewhat the same way as Paganini: a touch of sorcery...
Sorry to delay responding. I need to check the spam folder more often.
I was just reading that Paganini may have had Marfan Syndrome which would account for his unusually long fingers and big hands.
I do wish we could have heard Liszt and Paganini.
Hi Sharon, I've been overwhelmed trying to keep up with social media lately, but wanted to let you know I always enjoy popping in to see your music and book choices. :)
Hi Marcia. I fully understand. I'm just happy whenever you're able to stop by. :)
Aunt Barbara told her memoir the way she lived her life. All over the place. She finally settled and was able to have a more consistent life. Sadly she lost her life to cancer at the age of 54 in 2009. Her son, is married with two beautiful daughters. Her husband is still a very amazing man. She's lost one brother since her death. The rest are alive and for the most part well, considering they are all aging. Aunt Barbara was an amazing soul who would tell you exactly how it is. I will be forever grateful for her influence on my life. :)
Hello Kelly,
Thanks so much for commenting on my blog. I'm glad to know how her son turned out and that he is doing so well. I'm also glad that she had such a positive influence on your life. We never know who we are impacting.
Her life is indeed a testimony that humans can thrive in spite of adversity and rise above it.
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