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June 27, 2008 8:32 AM- sycophant's hero makes good!

Many of you know about my unflagging devotion to a certain old hag.

QUESTION: How is it that this woman would be invited to my private party whose other two guests are Jon Stewart and Ira Glass when her very presence would mean these fine gentlemen wouldn't give me a second look as by inviting her I ruin my chances to try and cast a spell on them?

ANSWER: Because she is fucking funny, so smart she makes my brain blister and-- and this is the crucial part--- she can do the girly thing without losing an iota of the scathing wit.

Some time ago, she began a weekly column at Jezebel that wraps these three elements around a discussion of something only girls can get: YA lit.

I know I'm not the only one who revels in Lizzie's treatments of those stories so deeply buried in my developing consciousness I thought they were mine alone (seriously, check the comments)-- in fact, some of them, I remember only certain details but not the title, or author and then when I rediscover them chez Fine Lines it's like Proust with his goddamned Madeline! Oh the memories that pour in-- I can see the red hip huggers* I was wearing and how piles of clothes spilled out of my closet across the floor, or if it was a volume I read in the stacks of the library, I remember exactly the color of the carpeting and what particular stage of war I was waging on my hair at that time.

In short-- the vault to all memories of my elementary school years has been split open. Not so much with the YA (which I always think of as 13-15), but dead center on the 8 - 12 years.

So imagine my thrill to learn this mother lode of American female pre-pubescent experience will be gathered and developed into a book.

Oh happy day! Seriously-- this is a fucking miracle day in my world. When I think of that girl I was and how I grew into a world that progressively stripped me of personal power and did its macho best to make sure I knew that as a female I had no place in the literary world--- in four years of high school the ONLY female author in the curriculum was Emily Dickinson and we read two (TWO!) of her poems (we shall not discuss the college years-- no, we shall not)-- and to make me feel that stories that spoke to my experience were tripe, well, oh happy day.

This probably makes no sense to anyone-- I'm not going to go back and try to make sense of it--- I'm just thrilled for Lizzie and pleased beyond measure about the subject matter of her book.

Oh and, you ARE aware that one of the three classes she is teaching at SAW is on YA lit, yes?

What you couldn't know is T is taking her poetry class and please, of course I won't be peeking in through the window to try and listen in, no I surely won't-- that would be a scene from some Judy Blume novel, non?

______________________________

*that's what we called them then, "hip huggers"-- today? They would be low-rise jeans.

got 2 cents?



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Colleen in Candia says:
Gee BP, I don't think 'Muffin Top' was a term in use back then either and what about a mirror? Why don't we wear what fits instead of whats fad. I know strange post, but that's what comes to mind! 44 days (I think) and I hope this rainy nonsense can get over itself......
posted on: June 27

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lizardek says:
There, you did it, you just went and killed me dead. A class on poetry AND a class on YA Lit at SAW (and a class on short stories) and I can't go. My world lies in tatters. *cries*
posted on: June 27

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Heather says:
OMG - I'm going to have to get that book! On my shelves still today are the entire Harriett the Spy trilogy (I had two complete sets at one point actually), Westing Game, Mixed Up Files, Wrinkle in Time, etc. It was DEFINITELY the best time to read in my life and I still go back and re-read my favorites!
posted on: June 27

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Neil says:
That book sounds interesting to a guy, too. And I hate to sound like a nagging mother, but I've been begging for an RSS feed for Blue Poppy for years now. Do you really want to have protest groups at SAW about this issue?
posted on: June 28

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bp says:
oh Neil . . . an RSS feed? Really? Must I?
posted on: June 28

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bella says:
Having already ventured away on an *I need an alone trip* sadly, I can't attend SAW. But I would so join that RSS protest! I've been enjoying some great new YALit myself. ::feels silly as hell:: The Stephanie Meyer books have robbed me of whatever little bits of free time I have during the day. Even better? My young nieces (ages 12 & 13) have decided to allow me to create a summer reading list for them. I love that they consider me the cool aunt who reads stories about vampire & werewolves that walk amongst the living. I'll take it, as long as they go home feeling inspired to read. I'll have to check some of the linkage you've provided. I need to get started on those lists ASAP. Have a good weekend, my dear!!! xo
posted on: June 28

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Tracey says:
Miracles abound in BP-land. This week you've provided us with invisible puppies, double rainbows, unicorns, now THIS!
posted on: June 28

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lizardek says:
I second the request for the RSS feed!! :D
posted on: June 28

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Sorry, comments are now closed.




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