Re: GG: Search for Petula Clark

[Daniel Vaiser <vaiser@AIRMAIL.NET>]

Hello fellow f minors,

I do not know if this was previously covered but "Search for Petula
Clark" -- I think -- was a radio program produced by GG inspired by a road
trip that engendered an essay by the same name.  In any event, if such a
program exists, is it currently available somewhere to be listened to or
does one have to go to the National Library of Canada for that one . . . be
well you all.

Daniel Vaiser


----- Original Message -----
From: "Anne M. Marble" <amarble@SFF.NET>
To: <F_MINOR@EMAIL.RUTGERS.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2001 7:37 AM
Subject: Re: GG: Search for Petula Clark


> From: junichi miyazawa <jmjmj@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
>
> > Hi f_minors,
>
> Hello!!!
> ...
>
> > The presentation will be a brief survery covering
> > GG's writing activities, but
> > I have been wondering if he could be called a novelist
> > or a playwright for some of his aritcles, such as "Mode
> > Harbor," for his self-interviews, and for radio documentaries,
> > including "A Glenn Gould Fantasy."
>
> I think some of those definitely dance around the essay/fiction line. Then
> again, perhaps many essays do that, especially in the field of humor.In
> many cases, it's accepted because it's not regular journalism. It's
> considered acceptable to change the story a little if it makes it funnier.
> I don't believe that Erma Bombeck's kid always said exactly what she said,
> nor do I believe that Dave Barry's life exactly follows what he has
written
> down.
>
> Still, "Maude Harbor" might go even beyond that thin borderline. Humorous
> essayists might exaggerate their lives to make a point, but in that one,
GG
> wasn't even writing about himself.
>
> > I stick to the point because there is an anthology
> > of short stories including one of GG's works:
> > _The Faber Book of Contemporary Canadian
> > Stories_, edited by Michael Ondaatje (London:
> > Fabor and Fabor, 1990).
> > You will find there "Search for Petula Clark."
> >
> > Do you regard it a fiction?  Does it deserve to be included
> > in such an anthology?
>
> Of course, now I can't remember that one enough to say. :-> From what I
> remember, that one is more an essay (perhaps an autobiographical statement
> disguised as an essay) than fiction. But then again, how much of literary
> fiction is autobiographical today? We count those stories as fiction, even
> if they are somewhat autobiographical.OK, now you've confused me...
>
> Anyway, how would be classify the Idea of North or the rest of the
Solitude
> trilogy? GG took the recordings he'd made from interviews and combined
them
> to make conversations and/or statements that had never existed. Some
people
> have complained that this made it somehow "wrong." But to me, that's like
> complaining that a collagist took pictures that weren't meant to be
> together and then combined to make a piece of art. The Solitude trilogy
> wasn't meant to be a documentary.
>
> OK, I haven't really answered your question. But maybe after I re-read the
> PC essay...