tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632542.post115452296418208959..comments2023-11-01T00:38:49.400+11:00Comments on Ampersand Duck: Dear HelenAmpersand Duckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12245377686193859488noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632542.post-1154753774895353562006-08-05T14:56:00.000+10:002006-08-05T14:56:00.000+10:00Well, you're on, Pav. I bought a copy of The Chil...Well, you're on, Pav. I bought a copy of The Children's Bach today as part of my own quiet "I love Helen because she's a great effing writer" campaign ;) <BR/><BR/>And Jelly fish, we see that "jolly" and we know you've been watching David on Big Brother. Which is also fine.<BR/><BR/>(Duck, your doorbitch is nasty - xeoqajpj!)Zoehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01546885088503890394noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632542.post-1154699817653848722006-08-04T23:56:00.000+10:002006-08-04T23:56:00.000+10:00Here. ' ... has said here'.Sheesh.Here. ' ... has said here'.<BR/><BR/>Sheesh.Kerryn Goldsworthyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11270814460793882309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632542.post-1154699745995276642006-08-04T23:55:00.000+10:002006-08-04T23:55:00.000+10:00Well, I know her and she would be really, really h...Well, I know her and she would be really, really happy to see what everyone has said her. And she would laugh herself stupid when she got to 'Oh fuck off, you irritating tit.'<BR/><BR/>The writer has not yet been born who wasn't really pleased to get an appreciative letter. I think you should <I>all</I> write to her.Kerryn Goldsworthyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11270814460793882309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632542.post-1154672300948953732006-08-04T16:18:00.000+10:002006-08-04T16:18:00.000+10:00Thanks Jelly. You make me feel better too, having ...Thanks Jelly. You make me feel better too, having read all the in-depth analysis thingies people are writing about HG this week. I just wanted to spill my uncool guts about her, not realising that I was joining into a HG mosh.<BR/><BR/>BTW sorry peoples, for whatever I have done to my comments section in a hung-over braindead tweak this morning. I will try to resolve it tomorrow, after a good night's sleep. My eyeballs hurt today, and I'm supposed to be on duty as a Responsible Person in the printing workshop. Responsible Person with very few braincells, me.<BR/><BR/>And I've stuffed up three doorbitch attempts trying to write this :{Ampersand Duckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12245377686193859488noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632542.post-1154670837079486892006-08-04T15:53:00.000+10:002006-08-04T15:53:00.000+10:00I have noticed that amongst people my age, it is i...I have noticed that amongst people my age, it is incredibly uncool to like Helen Garner. For example, I was once in a university tutorial where one girl introduced herself on the first day with something like, 'I'm Gemma, I love Bret Easton Ellis* and I'm proud to be a Helen Hater!' Someone else once laughed when I quoted Helen and said, 'God Jelly, you're so <I> middle-aged.</I>' I was like, Oh, fuck off, you irritating tit.<BR/><BR/>Maybe this is a carry-over from the First Stone controversy which seemed to turn women my age or a bit older vehemently against her, or maybe it's just sulky twenty-something rebellion against authors that are always prescribed in first-year creative writing classes - whatever the reason, it really bothers me that liking Helen is seen as being unimaginative or 'establishment' or whatever. <BR/><BR/>I have read 'True Stories' about 100 times, I can quote large chunks of it off my heart, and 'The Feel of Steel' is on my bed-head to provide the perfect company for epsiodes of insomnia. I read 'Joe Cinque's Consolation' at a time when I was faced with a similarly tragic situation at work and I found it incredibly cathartic. <BR/><BR/>A few years ago I became friendly through work with a someone upon whom Helen had based one of her characters, and when I mentioned it to my Mum, she said, 'That's funny - did I ever tell you I named you after that same character?' <BR/><BR/>I loved your post because it made me feel better about my apparently nerdy and 'middle'aged' love of this incredible writer's work. Thankyou for writing it, Ms Duck. You rock. So does Helen.<BR/><BR/>I love Helen Garner - I'm out and I'm proud!<BR/><BR/>And any irritating tit who has a problem with that can just jolly well keep their mouth shut.<BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/>*or equally try-hard coolsie authorJellyfishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16623436371729176163noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632542.post-1154604877122696532006-08-03T21:34:00.000+10:002006-08-03T21:34:00.000+10:00Ooh... have come home from a freind's birthday cel...Ooh... have come home from a freind's birthday celebration very drun k and tempted to try it... but still very shy. I'll think about it in the morning.<BR/><BR/>Goodness I love blogging.Ampersand Duckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12245377686193859488noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632542.post-1154598143149067992006-08-03T19:42:00.000+10:002006-08-03T19:42:00.000+10:00oooh - or send her a handmade print postcard - she...oooh - or send her a handmade print postcard - she wouldn't get a lot of those.<BR/> - then later on it can be the frontispiece for 'postcards from helen'.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632542.post-1154590729015394832006-08-03T17:38:00.000+10:002006-08-03T17:38:00.000+10:00What I know of Garner, and it's secondhand, but on...What I know of Garner, and it's secondhand, but only a few degrees of separation, is that she is most likely to love such a response. Do it!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632542.post-1154581673744857902006-08-03T15:07:00.000+10:002006-08-03T15:07:00.000+10:00Very much enjoying the Garner-fest today.I actuall...Very much enjoying the Garner-fest today.<BR/><BR/>I actually did once write a letter to Garner, it was after the First Stone was published. She actually replied on a small card, like a catalogue card. Star-struck youngster that I was, I have kept it ever since. Write the letter AD!Georg Hibberdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17042823932172668960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632542.post-1154579050776857802006-08-03T14:24:00.000+10:002006-08-03T14:24:00.000+10:00Yep, she totally rocks. it's that window into her ...Yep, she totally rocks. it's that window into her brain thing that really works for me too. The Feel of Steel is just like a blog, random little essays on what's been happening in her head (actually didn't she write them for theAge or SMH or something?) She was speaking at a dinner a Manning Clark house a few years ago, which I was lucky enough to be able to gatecrash, and she was great, told stories about being a grandmother...Mummy/Crithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08353892248492164501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8632542.post-1154566778431773272006-08-03T10:59:00.000+10:002006-08-03T10:59:00.000+10:00What writer wouldn't love a letter like that? (An...What writer wouldn't love a letter like that? <BR/><BR/>(And weathergirl has got her copy of The Monthly and posted about Garner <A HREF="http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/08/03/loving-and-hating-helen-garner/#comments" REL="nofollow">too</A>.Zoehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01546885088503890394noreply@blogger.com