Mozart and Leadbelly
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3.7 • 3 Ratings
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
The beloved author of the classic, best-selling novel A Lesson Before Dying shares the inspirations behind his books and his reasons for becoming a writer in this collection of stories and essays.
Told in the simple and powerful prose that is a hallmark of his craft, these writings by Ernest J. Gaines faithfully evoke the sorrows and joys of rustic Southern life.
From his depiction of his childhood move to California — a move that propelled him to find books that conjured the sights, smells, and locution of his native Louisiana home — to his description of the real-life murder case that gave him the idea for his masterpiece; this wonderful collection is a revelation of both man and writer.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The artist "must deal with both God and the Devil," notes Gaines in this illuminating collection of short stories and "talks" on literature. Born (1933) and raised on a Louisiana plantation, Gaines (A Lesson Before Dying) attended college in California and fell in love with the works of Chekhov, Turgenev and Joyce. When he began to write, he realized that "the Russian steppes sounded interesting, but they were not the swamps of Louisiana.... I wanted to smell that Louisiana earth,... sit under the shade of one of those Louisiana oaks," and, especially, write about "the true relationship between whites and blacks about the people I had known." And while Mozart and Haydn might inspire, "neither can... describe Louisiana State Prison at Angola as Leadbelly can." In his essays, Gaines shows how he explored his cultural influences like a jazz musician playing around a note until he achieved an appropriate artistic form for the truths he wanted to tell. The short stories, most published decades ago, further demonstrate that artistry. Fans of Gaines will appreciate these intimate glimpses into his literary methods, while readers yet to discover his art will find this a fine introduction. Author tour.
