On T-shirts

If T-shirts are called T-Shirts because of the short cut of the sleeves, then surely a "long-sleeved T-shirt" is an oxymoron?  Shouldn't this be called an "M-shirt" instead, or simply a "shirt"?

More on Carson McCullers

Following on from my last post about Carson McCullers' wonderful The Member of the Wedding, I received a comment from Cathy Fussell, director of the Carson McCullers Center for Writers and Musicians in Columbus, Georgia (USA).  Cathy thought visitors to my blog might like to know about the forthcoming Carson McCullers conference that takes place 17-19th February on what would be the great lady's 94th birthday.  There are plenty of details at the website: www.mccullerscenter.org 

What I thought might also be of interest to other writers is the opportunity to apply for a Fellowship (the chance to live and work in Carson McCullers' house in Columbus for a semester) and for musicians to apply for a Composer Residency.  *I'm not sure whether applications are limited to American residents or nationals, but it sounds like a tremendous opportunity and is supported by Columbus State University.

*Have since learned  that the invitation to apply is extended to non-U.S. citizens, so good news for all on that score - see Cathy's  note under Comments.

If this is the sort of thing you might be interested in - or you'd simply like more information about Carson McCullers herself - the website is well worth a visit.

The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers

Heard mixed responses about Carson McCullers' The Member of the Wedding, but the negative views suggested it was too slow, introspective and the key character wasn't engaging.  So I approached it with some anxiety, especially as I was a fan of McCullers' superbly titled The Ballad of the Sad Cafe when I read it at uni many years ago (although I can't remember much about it). 

Anyway, I have to say not only did I enjoy every page (despite it being inward-looking in many respects), but her use of language is so rich I was hanging on every sentence  - it's stunning.  Although it's a little pointless to take phrases out of context, without the rhythm of preceding lines, voices, insights, there are startlingly visual sentences like:

"At last the summer was like a green sick dream, or like a silent crazy jungle under glass" and "the minutes of the afternoon were like bright mirrors."

Not only that, but I did engage with Frankie, the central character, and couldn't help but get caught up in the flow of words and ideas so that the pages turned very well indeed.   So much so, that I've dug out my copy of The Ballad of the Sad Cafe (dusty and page-darkened) and placed it on my pile of books waiting to be read.