Comments on: The Hot New Mary Gaitskill Game Sweeping the Country http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/the-hot-new-mary-gaitskill-game-sweeping-the-country Seriously, this could not be more beta Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:14:51 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: vespavirgin http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/the-hot-new-mary-gaitskill-game-sweeping-the-country#comment-19598 vespavirgin Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:45:11 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=10820#comment-19598 The Mary/Gattino dream convos reminded me too much of when the dinosaurs show up at the window in "The Skin of Our Teeth," begging to come inside. The Mary/Gattino dream convos reminded me too much of when the dinosaurs show up at the window in "The Skin of Our Teeth," begging to come inside.

]]> By: zidaane http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/the-hot-new-mary-gaitskill-game-sweeping-the-country#comment-19585 zidaane Wed, 26 Aug 2009 04:48:03 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=10820#comment-19585 My mother used to yell at me through the heating ducts. When I get a my first message from the other side I'm expecting it to come from a return vent. My mother used to yell at me through the heating ducts. When I get a my first message from the other side I'm expecting it to come from a return vent.

]]> By: Grillin Ferengi http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/the-hot-new-mary-gaitskill-game-sweeping-the-country#comment-19580 Grillin Ferengi Wed, 26 Aug 2009 01:59:51 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=10820#comment-19580 oh no! she looked something up in the dictionary! oh no! she looked something up in the dictionary!

]]> By: skybarn http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/the-hot-new-mary-gaitskill-game-sweeping-the-country#comment-19525 skybarn Tue, 25 Aug 2009 19:38:43 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=10820#comment-19525 Is this story the new "Little Nell?" Is this story the new "Little Nell?"

]]> By: Emily http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/the-hot-new-mary-gaitskill-game-sweeping-the-country#comment-19512 Emily Tue, 25 Aug 2009 18:41:03 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=10820#comment-19512 Ok well I had slept 9 hours, and I started crying when the cat started speaking to her via their psilink -- "I'm afraid," "I'm lonely" etc -- and did not stop until the final message which, oh god, I might start crying again just thinking about it. RAFFLES! COME TO ME! Ok well I had slept 9 hours, and I started crying when the cat started speaking to her via their psilink — "I'm afraid," "I'm lonely" etc — and did not stop until the final message which, oh god, I might start crying again just thinking about it. RAFFLES! COME TO ME!

]]> By: bennimaddi http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/the-hot-new-mary-gaitskill-game-sweeping-the-country#comment-19484 bennimaddi Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:14:36 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=10820#comment-19484 this is probably revealing way too much of myself (and keep in mind that i had basically not slept for 24 hours before reading the thing) but for me the line was: "If gentleness can be brutish, cruelty can sometimes be so closely wound in with sensitivity and gentleness that the cruel one winds up deforming and humiliating his own soul. :'( this is probably revealing way too much of myself (and keep in mind that i had basically not slept for 24 hours before reading the thing) but for me the line was: "If gentleness can be brutish, cruelty can sometimes be so closely wound in with sensitivity and gentleness that the cruel one winds up deforming and humiliating his own soul.
:'(

]]> By: jennie http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/the-hot-new-mary-gaitskill-game-sweeping-the-country#comment-19457 jennie Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:42:16 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=10820#comment-19457 oh, good god. that destroyed me, oh, good god. that destroyed me,

]]> By: berthamason http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/the-hot-new-mary-gaitskill-game-sweeping-the-country#comment-19455 berthamason Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:35:41 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=10820#comment-19455 Here is sort of the quick digest version of the same piece: http://www.oprah.com/article/omagazine/200810_omag_love_gaitskill Here is sort of the quick digest version of the same piece:

http://www.oprah.com/article/omagazine/200810_omag_love_gaitskill

]]> By: zidaane http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/the-hot-new-mary-gaitskill-game-sweeping-the-country#comment-19454 zidaane Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:22:18 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=10820#comment-19454 purgatory- "When I die I want to be reborn as Mary's cat" purgatory- "When I die I want to be reborn as Mary's cat"

]]> By: grandpa27 http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/the-hot-new-mary-gaitskill-game-sweeping-the-country#comment-19448 grandpa27 Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:13:14 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=10820#comment-19448 One reason to keep pets is to experience death up close. To harden us to the reality. Sorrow is not easily overcome. One reason to keep pets is to experience death up close. To harden us to the reality. Sorrow is not easily overcome.

]]> By: formerly it takes a lot etc. http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/the-hot-new-mary-gaitskill-game-sweeping-the-country#comment-19444 formerly it takes a lot etc. Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:53:52 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=10820#comment-19444 Nothing will ever match Gina Gershon's concept album on her search for her missing cat. Nothing. Nothing will ever match Gina Gershon's concept album on her search for her missing cat. Nothing.

]]> By: sigerson http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/the-hot-new-mary-gaitskill-game-sweeping-the-country#comment-19442 sigerson Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:46:19 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=10820#comment-19442 Yes! I did give her rides in Houston. I recall that now that you mention it. Very Blance Dubois is Mary, always relying on the kindness of strangers. Did I mention I love her? Did she awaken in me a love that was unnatural and perhaps too big for me? Yes! I did give her rides in Houston. I recall that now that you mention it. Very Blance Dubois is Mary, always relying on the kindness of strangers. Did I mention I love her? Did she awaken in me a love that was unnatural and perhaps too big for me?

]]> By: Choire http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/the-hot-new-mary-gaitskill-game-sweeping-the-country#comment-19436 Choire Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:36:07 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=10820#comment-19436 Let's snack together then. Let's snack together then.

]]> By: Choire http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/the-hot-new-mary-gaitskill-game-sweeping-the-country#comment-19435 Choire Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:35:42 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=10820#comment-19435 OH MAN.I sort of love her helpless shtick? Which is also alternately TOTALLY annoying. OH MAN.I sort of love her helpless shtick? Which is also alternately TOTALLY annoying.

]]> By: skybarn http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/the-hot-new-mary-gaitskill-game-sweeping-the-country#comment-19433 skybarn Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:27:15 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=10820#comment-19433 I have never told the world this. I feel naked and alone. Also, hungry. I have never told the world this. I feel naked and alone. Also, hungry.

]]> By: skybarn http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/the-hot-new-mary-gaitskill-game-sweeping-the-country#comment-19432 skybarn Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:25:44 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=10820#comment-19432 I think sigerson is pretty precise when saying it was like a performance art piece which is possibly the worst thing in the world to be subjected to when you're just trying to get feedback for one of your crappy little stories. I was a pretty shitty writer then, but her feedback on stories was ridiculously not helpful. This was in Houston, and she didn't have a car, which would be fine in any other fucking city, but meant that she needed to bum rides from students. I actually heard a verbatim speech from her Charlie Rose appearance. She actually wrote me a rec for grad school but made me pay by calling my house and asking if I was leaving threatening phone calls for her. None of this has anything to do with her writing by the way, which is objectively great but gives me anti-Proustian flashbacks. I think sigerson is pretty precise when saying it was like a performance art piece which is possibly the worst thing in the world to be subjected to when you're just trying to get feedback for one of your crappy little stories. I was a pretty shitty writer then, but her feedback on stories was ridiculously not helpful. This was in Houston, and she didn't have a car, which would be fine in any other fucking city, but meant that she needed to bum rides from students. I actually heard a verbatim speech from her Charlie Rose appearance. She actually wrote me a rec for grad school but made me pay by calling my house and asking if I was leaving threatening phone calls for her. None of this has anything to do with her writing by the way, which is objectively great but gives me anti-Proustian flashbacks.

]]> By: BlinkyMcChuck http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/the-hot-new-mary-gaitskill-game-sweeping-the-country#comment-19431 BlinkyMcChuck Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:21:15 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=10820#comment-19431 I loved this slavishly and unreservedly. Things like this: "...on receiving a photo he said that yes, he definitely had my cat. He went on to say that, like me, he had fallen in love with Gattino and taken him home to Nigeria, but if only I would send the airfare, he would return my darling. Upon Googling the first few lines of ‘Samuel’s’ note, I found an outraged warning about him from someone who had paid the fee and never saw her cat." I loved this slavishly and unreservedly. Things like this: "…on receiving a photo he said that yes, he definitely had my cat. He went on to say that, like me, he had fallen in love with Gattino and taken him home to Nigeria, but if only I would send the airfare, he would return my darling. Upon Googling the first few lines of ‘Samuel’s’ note, I found an outraged warning about him from someone who had paid the fee and never saw her cat."

]]> By: BlinkyMcChuck http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/the-hot-new-mary-gaitskill-game-sweeping-the-country#comment-19429 BlinkyMcChuck Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:12:50 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=10820#comment-19429 That is the Escape to Witch Mountain part! Go back! Read it! That is the Escape to Witch Mountain part! Go back! Read it!

]]> By: sigerson http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/the-hot-new-mary-gaitskill-game-sweeping-the-country#comment-19426 sigerson Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:05:42 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=10820#comment-19426 When I was getting my MFA, I took a seminar from Mary and loved it. It was like a performance art piece or an avant-garde rendition of "teaching" from a personal stance. I love her slavishly and unreservedly. When I was getting my MFA, I took a seminar from Mary and loved it. It was like a performance art piece or an avant-garde rendition of "teaching" from a personal stance. I love her slavishly and unreservedly.

]]> By: Choire http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/the-hot-new-mary-gaitskill-game-sweeping-the-country#comment-19423 Choire Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:41:36 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=10820#comment-19423 OMG. I BET. I cannot imagine actually! TELL. OMG. I BET. I cannot imagine actually! TELL.

]]> By: skybarn http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/the-hot-new-mary-gaitskill-game-sweeping-the-country#comment-19422 skybarn Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:40:45 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=10820#comment-19422 Try sitting in a classroom with her as a teacher for four months. If she didn't like a story, she would turn you into a frustrated accountant. Try sitting in a classroom with her as a teacher for four months. If she didn't like a story, she would turn you into a frustrated accountant.

]]> By: televisionarie http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/the-hot-new-mary-gaitskill-game-sweeping-the-country#comment-19421 televisionarie Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:35:02 +0000 http://www.theawl.com/?p=10820#comment-19421 I don't know, I was sad until she went to the pet psychic and (to use a phrase) that was when I clicked close tab. I don't know, I was sad until she went to the pet psychic and (to use a phrase) that was when I clicked close tab.

]]>