Rare Photos of Karen Blixen (Isak Dinesen)

I've noticed on my blog stats lots of people who find this blog do so because they're looking for Karen Blixen, which makes me quite happy as she well deserves the attention, but on the other hand I don't have so much posted about her - a few pictures, quotes, and a few stories about my own personal discovery of Dinesen as an author.

Here are some other posts for Karen Blixen in case you weren't able to find them:

http://lafemmeflaneuse.blogspot.com/2011/06/updates-karen-blixen.html
http://lafemmeflaneuse.blogspot.com/2010/07/isak-dinesen-africa-and-lions.html
http://lafemmeflaneuse.blogspot.com/2009/02/on-pain.html

Now the pictures I'm posting today are all from a little book I found at a library sale printed by Phoenix, an imprint of the University of Chicago press. At one point Dinesen and the University of Chicago must have had an agreement because aside from my first editions, I have reading copies of all of Dinesen's works from the UC press, but "The Life and Destiny of Isak Dinesen" was a seriously wonderful find.

It contains more than two hundred photographs from Karen's artistocratic ancestors to the very last days of her life. I chose a few I thought might be the most interesting and convinced Monsieur Redacteur to scan them for me because I hate scanning.

Unknown to many, Karen was a very gifted artist as you can see from the portrait she painted of her manservant Farah (whom she treated with great respect and affection).

Karen with her sketchbook in Kullen, July 15, 1907. She was at this time studying at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts.

Karen at her desk and her bedroom in Kenya.

Karen and Bror in the study.

Karen with her pet owl that met a sad end as it tried to eat the cord on a curtain.

Now one of the best parts of the book? Well since it was used it came with an inscription -

Barbara,

No matter what happens in our lives it's good. Everything is for our benefit. Some things are better than others. You are one of the best. Thank for sharing your laughter and love with me!

Mark

And then just a page afterwards, a quote from Karen herself; a facsimile of her own writing and signature and the English translation of the words -

We must leave our mark on life while we have it in our power, lest it should close up, when we leave it, without a trace

Karen Blixen

When I give a book as a present I always inscribe it unless it's a rare or first edition book (then I write the inscription on a beautiful card and give the receiver the choice of having me inscribe the words into the book if they would like) and I could never imagine giving away a book that had been inscribed to me, but here it's quite a touching glimpse because it fits.

Karen Blixen was a woman who trials and tribulations managed still to live an excitingly beautiful and vivid life. She also wrote great books. I can say without reservation I have never read her words without pleasure.

She has been a great inspiration to me and if she's a great inspiration to you, I hope you enjoy the pictures and check out the book.

Read more >>

The Artful Darger

I fell in love with the art of Henry Darger at first sight. It was what the French call a coupe de foudre, a lightning bolt. I had to see more. The more I saw and the more I scoured for information on Darger, a janitor who upon his death left behind a cave of wonders; the more I yearned like I have never yearned before for a book perhaps I will never have, the complete manuscript of his "In the Realms of the Unreal".

It is one of the longest books ever written at 15,145 single spaced pages. Its full title, often shortened to In the Realms of the Unreal is: The Story of the Vivian Girls, in What is Known as the Realms of the Unreal, of the Glandeco-Angelinnian War Storm, Caused by the Child Slave Rebellion. Given the title and the page count it's no surprise that the story is composed of 9,000,000 words in 15 immense volumes.

In my search I got the impression that people are either more fascinated by his art or his life. Darger was orphaned, considered feeble minded, and scraped together a living working as a janitor in a Catholic hospital in Chicago, Illinois. There is a documentary about Henry and his life told by his former landlord and neighbours who knew him while he lived in his room at 851 Webster Street and wandered around collecting garbage pretty much all alone in the world. When he died his landlords the Lerners discovered what Henry was doing with his time; why they heard him often talking to himself; and what all those newspapers and magazines were being made into - perhaps one of the greatest examples of outsider art the world has ever known.

But what about the manuscript? What about the story Henry spent his entire life telling? Not only the story of the Vivian Girls but his own autobiography. Henry is one of the most collectible outsider artists. His former landlords have made money off his art (which is its own story) and yet Henry's story remains untold.

What can you find on Henry Darger's amazing manuscript? The aforementioned documentary by Jessica Yu, "In the Realms of the Unreal" is a good source of information. I've captured some stills including the impressive records and accounting ledgers Henry kept of everything in his world from goods to property and a sort of census of characters.

I want this to be published so badly I even tried to write letters to the Henry Darger Foundation and Kiyoko Lerner, Henry's former landlord who holds the "rights" to whether or not the manuscript might ever be printed whether in part or in full.

In the meantime sadly the only book I can find that has more text from The Story of the Vivian Girls is

a book written by John M. MacGregor that goes for $450 - $700 used.

Please universe, publish an affordable version of Henry's work. It seems ridiculous to not tell his story in a way that everyone can afford.

Read more >>

Help Julian Gough Become a Contender for The "Not" Booker Prize

Today on Twitter Julian Gough tweeted a link to his blog post titled "Save Civilization by Reading a Funny Book". I was immediately enchanted by this writer's generousity. He's willing to have faith in people and send out a perfect PDF of his book "Jude in London" given that people will read it and write a 150 word review and if they like it, to recommend to a friend that they pick up a copy.

It seems like a slightly crazy thing to do doesn't it, but is it? My immediate response to Gough's post was to implore him to send it to me and a promise to promote it amongst the English speaking expatriate community here in Paris. I wouldn't have done that before maybe. The point is no one ever asked. And so charmingly to boot.

So I say to you Mr. Julian Gough, he of much faith, send me your book "Jude in London" because I am both a lady of leisure and a lady of my word (including an invitation to lunch should you ever find yourself in my neck of the literally woods, the Fontainebleau Forest).

My email is lafemmeflaneuse@gmail.com.

If you want to participate in Julian's little experiment either follow him on Twitter @juliangough or comment on his blog post with your information.

Read more >>