History Is Like Gravity
Jul. 17th, 2025 08:17 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mallorys_cameraFinished Heat and Light.
Such an ambitious novel!
Has at least 15 POV characters who are rotated through the novel in 10-page bursts, giving the reader a multi-dimensional view of a dying town. None of the views are particularly sympathetic.
The town was modeled after the author's hometown of Barnesboro.
Barnesboro is a prime example of one of those places that if you end up in it (somehow), you think, Why is this here?
It's the fundamental question in economic geography.
Well. It's here because of its history. History is like gravity: You can't see it, you're mostly unaware of it, but it glues people to particular places. When they're young, they want to leave. But then they forget why they want to leave, and they stay.
###
Other than that, I did very little, though I did tromp—early in the morning, but not early enough to beat the heat. It's 80° here by 8 a.m. and very, very humid. This quashes any interest I might have in vacating the air-conditioned, kiska-and-plant-filled Patrizia-torium. (And let's not forget the Italian masks! Woo-woo!)
I'm still trying to come up with some kind of plot for the Neversink story.
But today, I really must Remunerate.
Such an ambitious novel!
Has at least 15 POV characters who are rotated through the novel in 10-page bursts, giving the reader a multi-dimensional view of a dying town. None of the views are particularly sympathetic.
The town was modeled after the author's hometown of Barnesboro.
Barnesboro is a prime example of one of those places that if you end up in it (somehow), you think, Why is this here?
It's the fundamental question in economic geography.
Well. It's here because of its history. History is like gravity: You can't see it, you're mostly unaware of it, but it glues people to particular places. When they're young, they want to leave. But then they forget why they want to leave, and they stay.
###
Other than that, I did very little, though I did tromp—early in the morning, but not early enough to beat the heat. It's 80° here by 8 a.m. and very, very humid. This quashes any interest I might have in vacating the air-conditioned, kiska-and-plant-filled Patrizia-torium. (And let's not forget the Italian masks! Woo-woo!)
I'm still trying to come up with some kind of plot for the Neversink story.
But today, I really must Remunerate.
