I finally found it in the book. The first time Frida Kahlo says it, precisely:
The most important thing about a person is always the thing you don't know.
The context is double-barreled. First, she has just pulled back her full length, Indian dress to show her butchered up leg to our protagonist for the first time. Shepherd had commented innocently on her extravagant and famous manner of dressing. She then showed him the primary reason for that manner of dressing.
Second, the other subject of the conversation was her very personal paintings and some nasty reviews in New York and Paris. All great paintings portray something hidden in the subject. (My theory, not Ms. Kingsolver's, although I am sure that I picked that up somewhere else.) In Frida Kahlo's case the subject is herself.
Showing posts with label kingsolver. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kingsolver. Show all posts
25 January 2010
The Gospel According to Kahlo
From The Lacuna and attributed to Frida Kahlo:
The most important thing about any person is what you don't know.
I continue to ponder that. There is much truth in that, I think.
24 January 2010
I must be careful.
I must be careful. I could get so immersed in this Frida Kahlo/Diego Rivera/Leon Trotsky thing that I could go off the deep end and become a total bore.
It reminds me of when Don Imus, the radio jock whom I favored, got obsessed with the whole Whittaker Chambers/Alger Hiss story about twelve years ago after reading Whittaker Chambers: A Biography by Sam Tanenhaus.
It reminds me of when Don Imus, the radio jock whom I favored, got obsessed with the whole Whittaker Chambers/Alger Hiss story about twelve years ago after reading Whittaker Chambers: A Biography by Sam Tanenhaus.
Siqueiros and Trotsky
For anyone considering reading this novel, here is a paragraph on The Lacuna from The New Yorker, which does not contain spoilers. The extended and glowing review from The New York Times certainly does contain spoilers.
On that score if one is a spoiler freak to the extent that one considers any discussion of the fall of Moscow to Napolean's army to be a spoiler of War and Peace, then probably one should not read on here.
I am at the half way point. Trotsky has been assassinated, and the diarist is about to return to the United States for the second half of the book. The novel is a good read through the middle.
Ms. Kingsolver presents Leon Trotsky in a very favorable light. An understatement actually. It is as if she has never shed a 1968 infatuation with Trotsky that other old leftists long since have. Robert Service's recent book Trotsky probably presents a more accurate picture of this ruthless, egotistical revolutionary. But I wrote that off with the thought that an author of historical fiction is free to portray historical figures in whatever manner he or she wishes.
Nevertheless, her two acknowledged sources concerning Trotsky are Alain Dugrand's book, now out of print, Trotsky, Mexico 1937-1940, about which I can find nothing, and Trotsky's own autobiography, the aptly named My Life: An Attempt at an Autobiography, which I have read. Questionable fare for coming to a true understanding of the man.
But then I must say that I have learned something from Ms. Kingsolver. The great muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros personally participated in the first failed attempt on Trotsky's life in Mexico City. This was the attempt when home invaders sprayed the place with machine gun fire and threw incendiary bombs, but succeeded only in wounding Trotsky's only grandchild. (Trotsky's four children had all previously died or been hunted down and murdered by Stalin's minions.)
I was rocked back on my heels a bit by this. It is quite apparently true. Siqueiros himself apparently bragged about his participation in the attempt later after charges against him were dropped for lack of evidence.
How did I miss this tidbit before? It just goes to show you. You can try to pay attention, but you can still miss things.
On that score if one is a spoiler freak to the extent that one considers any discussion of the fall of Moscow to Napolean's army to be a spoiler of War and Peace, then probably one should not read on here.
I am at the half way point. Trotsky has been assassinated, and the diarist is about to return to the United States for the second half of the book. The novel is a good read through the middle.
Ms. Kingsolver presents Leon Trotsky in a very favorable light. An understatement actually. It is as if she has never shed a 1968 infatuation with Trotsky that other old leftists long since have. Robert Service's recent book Trotsky probably presents a more accurate picture of this ruthless, egotistical revolutionary. But I wrote that off with the thought that an author of historical fiction is free to portray historical figures in whatever manner he or she wishes.Nevertheless, her two acknowledged sources concerning Trotsky are Alain Dugrand's book, now out of print, Trotsky, Mexico 1937-1940, about which I can find nothing, and Trotsky's own autobiography, the aptly named My Life: An Attempt at an Autobiography, which I have read. Questionable fare for coming to a true understanding of the man.
But then I must say that I have learned something from Ms. Kingsolver. The great muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros personally participated in the first failed attempt on Trotsky's life in Mexico City. This was the attempt when home invaders sprayed the place with machine gun fire and threw incendiary bombs, but succeeded only in wounding Trotsky's only grandchild. (Trotsky's four children had all previously died or been hunted down and murdered by Stalin's minions.)
I was rocked back on my heels a bit by this. It is quite apparently true. Siqueiros himself apparently bragged about his participation in the attempt later after charges against him were dropped for lack of evidence.
How did I miss this tidbit before? It just goes to show you. You can try to pay attention, but you can still miss things.
23 January 2010
Reading Project
The Lacuna is Barbara Kingsolver's newest novel, which is set in México. I have launched into this novel in anticipation of her appearance here at the San Miguel International Writers' Conference next month. I will be attending that, including the question and answer session with her regarding this book. If anyone happens to be reading this one and wishes to pose some piercing question to her by proxy, let me know. I will hold her feet to the fire and get an answer for you.
There is the end of the substance of this posting. Read on only if you have time on your hands.
I have not read one single thing by Ms. Kingsolver. Never been tempted. Perhaps I am the only one hereabouts who has not read The Poisonwood Bible. She has her avid fan base, she does.
Book club members all over town are also reading The Lacuna in anticipation of her appearance. This phenomenon is primarily at the encouragement of The San Miguel Literary Sala. I note this statement at their site:
I cannot figure out what that “online” business means. Moreover, I am not a member of any book club here wherein I might ask since I prefer my own online discussion group, Constant Reader. It is so difficult to get up in the middle of an “in person” book club meeting and leave. Anyway, for what that is worth.
Lastly, I was amused to note this in the billing for the conference:
Some time ago, one of my online friends wrote that upon reading The Bean Trees, she found Ms. Kingsolver to be preachy. This view was further supported in October 17, 2007, when another online friend wrote that while she accepted the premise of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, she wanted to hit Ms. Kingsolver over the head with a shoe just as she had wished to do with John Robbins, the author of Diet for a New America: How Your Food Choices Affect Your Health, Happiness and the Future of Life on Earth. In view of the fact alone that he came up with a title like that, I could understand her sentiments concerning Mr. Robbins.
I am going to assume that Ms. Kingsolver's alleged preachiness is limited to her non-fiction work until I learn otherwise.
There is the end of the substance of this posting. Read on only if you have time on your hands.
I have not read one single thing by Ms. Kingsolver. Never been tempted. Perhaps I am the only one hereabouts who has not read The Poisonwood Bible. She has her avid fan base, she does.
Book club members all over town are also reading The Lacuna in anticipation of her appearance. This phenomenon is primarily at the encouragement of The San Miguel Literary Sala. I note this statement at their site:
No matter where you live, or where you'll be in February when Barbara Kingsolver is in San Miguel, you can be in the literary vortex, right here, online (though you know we'd rather meet you in San Miguel!).
I cannot figure out what that “online” business means. Moreover, I am not a member of any book club here wherein I might ask since I prefer my own online discussion group, Constant Reader. It is so difficult to get up in the middle of an “in person” book club meeting and leave. Anyway, for what that is worth.
Lastly, I was amused to note this in the billing for the conference:
In celebration of Kingsolver's persuasive defense of eating local, organic food in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, your meals will be local, organic, and gourmet - hosted by international culinary master planners & chefs, Michael Coon & Kim Thomas.
Some time ago, one of my online friends wrote that upon reading The Bean Trees, she found Ms. Kingsolver to be preachy. This view was further supported in October 17, 2007, when another online friend wrote that while she accepted the premise of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, she wanted to hit Ms. Kingsolver over the head with a shoe just as she had wished to do with John Robbins, the author of Diet for a New America: How Your Food Choices Affect Your Health, Happiness and the Future of Life on Earth. In view of the fact alone that he came up with a title like that, I could understand her sentiments concerning Mr. Robbins.
I am going to assume that Ms. Kingsolver's alleged preachiness is limited to her non-fiction work until I learn otherwise.
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