I think I’ve found a new favorite author and what’s funny is that I’ve only read one of her books and am just now a few chapters into another of her novels but read this and tell me you aren’t intrigued?

“Dr. Weiss, at forty, knew that her life had been ruined by literature. In her thoughtful and academic way, she put it down to her faulty moral education, which dictated, through her conflicting but in this one instance united agencies of her mother and father, that she ponder the careers of Anna Karenina and Emma Bovary, but that she emulate those of David Copperfield and Little Dorrit.

But really it had started much earlier than that, when, at a faintly remembered moment in her early childhood, she had fallen asleep, enraptured, as her nurse breathed the words ‘Cinderella shall go to the ball.’ The ball had never materialized.”

Dr. Weiss is the main character of The Debut by Anita Brookner. From what I’ve read so far, her parents were sort of there in the background as she was growing up but they were more concentrated on themselves so she grew up escaping into the world of books.

I’m at the part now where she’s moved on to college and out of her parent’s house and she’s trying to be an independent woman. It’s interesting how her parents react to her newfound freedom. They want to hold her back and somehow they still manage to manipulate her. I’m very curious to see how Ruth will break free of what she believes has held her back and how she will “grow up” in this story.

Last year I read Hotel Du Lac and loved it and it appears that The Debut will also be a keeper for me, at least I hope so. I’ve been jotting down sentences I like and am just taking my time with this book.

How about you, have you found a new favorite author? Tell me about them.

“What is an archive? It’s a memory trail, like those old Victorian photos – is that a ghost? But here, it’s a ghost of your work, a ghost of yourself… When I was looking at it today, rising around me were the walls and people I was surrounded by when I wrote it. It’s a haunted river, a long river.” ~ Sebastian Barry

Aside from doing a bit of book shopping this weekend we also went to the Harry Ransom Center to see The Mystique of the Archive exhibit. The exhibit focused on what makes an archive and showcased anything from bits of notes and photos to full manuscripts and first edition books of literary luminaries such as Umberto Eco, Julian Barnes, Samuel Beckett, and many others.

To me archives definitely have an aura of mystery about them. What might you find in those scribbled notes or what ephemera did someone hang onto and why? Was it actually important or just something that never got thrown out?

I’m fascinated by this probably because I tend to be a bit of a packrat and wonder about my stuff and what will happen to it. Will anyone care about it or centuries down will some of my photos be found in a box at a flea market? I know I love to look through old photographs. I’ve even bought some just because I’d like to give those lost relatives a home (or maybe use them for one of my collage projects).

Anyway, some of the exhibit highlights for me were:

• A corrected manuscript from Sebastian Barry and a watercolor drawing that he had on his desk. Don’t know if he drew that or where it came from.
• An framed organizational chart for Harlot’s Ghost by Norman Mailer. Very interesting to see the connections of his characters.
• An uncorrected advanced page proof of J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye.
• A folder with the first draft of The Magus by John Fowles. Interestingly enough, the original title was The Magos. I wonder why that was changed? I loved that book. Maybe I should pull out my copy and see if there’s any mention of that in my edition.

A fascinating exhibit. It goes on for a while longer so I may have to go back for more. If you want to read more about the books featured in the exhibit or books that feature archivists check out The Mystique of the Archive Reading List.