Last spring, Richard Ford read Harold Brodkey's "The State Grace" for The New Yorker. Having read many of Ford's own stories, I can understand why he likes this story--although the setting is different from those I recognize from Ford's work--the protagonist is very familiar to me, very similar to those in Ford's stories, I think. (Ford gives his own reasons for choosing this particular story to feature.)
Anyway, the story is good, really good, but I also enjoyed the conversation had by Ford and Deborah Treisman after the reading--particularly the bit about titles:
Ford believes Brodkey just hung this title on the story for the purpose of giving it a good one, even though it didn't fit the story (I actually think it did fit--in the sense that in telling the story the narrator seemed to me to be seeking a state of grace)--and Ford says this is just fine. Hearing this on a day when my sense of accomplishment stems from nothing more than titling a piece, I've got to say, is a little disheartening.
Ford believes Brodkey just hung this title on the story for the purpose of giving it a good one, even though it didn't fit the story (I actually think it did fit--in the sense that in telling the story the narrator seemed to me to be seeking a state of grace)--and Ford says this is just fine. Hearing this on a day when my sense of accomplishment stems from nothing more than titling a piece, I've got to say, is a little disheartening.
The text:
The podcast:
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| Harold Brodkey |
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| Richard Ford |
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