Summertime and the livin' is...

Well...Summer is here and so are the vast array of events in almost every city and town in Canada as well as summer rituals.

On of those rituals for me is reading books. Last summer I posted a number of book reviews as this time of year I find conducive to settle into some good reading - either under the shade of a maple tree, in a cafe sipping a glass of wine or relaxing in a hot bath - which I'll probably be doing more of lately since the arthritis is effecting me so badly over the last couple of days I'm having difficulty walking.

This means also, it is too painful to sit and write and post on the blog until I'm able bear it - and for now, I'm not even though there is so much political news to comment on or interesting stories to write about.

I just finished the Tennessee Williams play 'A Streetcar Named Desire'. The most enjoyable part of Tennessee Williams is reading Tennessee Williams writing about Tennessee Williams, which is what I did before commencing this little Signet book containing the script that also included an essay by T.W originally published in the New York Times drama section on November 30, 1947.

I picked the script up because of my fascination with Marlon Brando. After seeing the movie version directed by Elia Kazan an number of times I didn't quite get why Blanche was picked up by a psychiatric nurse and doctor at the end of the movie. I knew there was a rape involved but I didn't quite get where it occurred because in the movie version of the play it was removed.

It turns out that Stanley Kowalski raped his wife's sister but the wife didn't believe Blanche when she told her so she had the state institution come and pick her up because her sister thought she was delusional. Everyone played along with the game wanting to believe that Blanche was crazy enough to be institutionalized because of her alleged immorality but Stanley gets away with his abuse as it is used against her. There are also issues of inter-cultural marriages and friendships in New Orleans, which at that time in the United States was pretty well still taboo.

I could continue here but I won't for various reasons and one of them is that this short story has inspired me to write my own essay or script based on the fact I think Blanche and Stanley are missing some nuances of psychology and the familial relationship between the two sisters is interesting to explore.

Another book I'm on the verge of finishing is 'What looks like Crazy on an ordinary day' by Pearl Cleage - an Oprah's Book Club find in a second hand clothing/furniture shoppe.

I'm back home in Windsor and Detroit in my imagination with this book since the characters tell their story in a rural setting in Michigan. The main character Ava, who has sold her hair salon in Atlanta, Georgia due to complications from her recent HIV positive diagnosis, returns there to stay with her sister - what is supposed to be temporarily. It's the language that reminds me of home, even Windsor is written about in the book as is the inevitabilities of Detroit.

So, with more good books in mind I'm off from posting for awhile. I wish everyone to thoroughly enjoy the beginnings of summer festivals, picnics, swims and of course and the rest of vacations. Until, I remain, your

HR