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Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

#SinisterArt Day 6
Leonora Carrington is one of my fave artists. I find most of her work poetic, inspiring & mysterious, but not nec unsettling. There are of course exceptions, such as Plain Chant.

Soubhiville Wow that‘s very cool. 2y

vivastory @Soubhiville Her art is fantastic! I also really enjoyed the tagged book 2y

BarbaraBB I‘ve never seen this or hears about the artist. Thanks for sharing. Also - I loved the book 🖤 2y

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batsy The work of such an intriguing mind! 💜 I like that I see echoes of her writing in her art, or vice versa. 2y

Reggie It looks like a section of a Hieronymus Bosch painting. So much going on. 2y

vivastory @Reggie I can def see that! I think you'd like the tagged book. It's about an elderly woman who is forced into a nursing home by her family & she strikes up a friendship with the other residents. It gets very strange & apocalyptic at the end. 2y

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The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

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What a charming book. Intellectual, yet completely irreverent. Funny, yet melancholic. There's something wonderfully subversive about the switch that occurs midway through, where the "eccentric ravings" of a bunch of old women, discarded and largely forgotten in their retirement home, herald the start of a new world order rooted in nature and love of life. Plus Marian Leatherby is one of the most quotable MC's around ?

batsy Great review! This book is so unique 😍 3y

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The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

At times I had thought of writing poetry myself but getting words to rhyme with each other is difficult, like trying to drive a herd of turkeys and kangaroos down a crowded thoroughfare and keep them neatly together without looking in shop windows. There are so many words, and they all mean something.

batsy This book is so quotable! 3y

The_Penniless_Author @batsy I know! For every one I posted here there are at least ten others I could have chosen. The ones I picked were just the last ones I happened to read before I decided I felt like posting something 🙂 3y

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The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

I never eat meat as I think it is wrong to deprive animals of their life when they are so difficult to chew anyway.

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The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

When Carmella gave me the present of a hearing trumpet she may have foreseen some of the consequences.

Liz_M the #nyrbbookclub just discussed this a couple months ago. Marian is quite a character. 😊 3y

The_Penniless_Author @Liz_M That's actually what led me to buy it, reading some of the reviews you all wrote. It sounds like something that would be right up my alley. 3y

Liz_M @The_Penniless_Author Yay! And you got the edition with the coolest cover, too. 3y

The_Penniless_Author @Liz_M Unfortunately, no. That's just the only version with a cover that popped up in Litsy's database when I typed it in. I got the NYRB version. 3y

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TiminCalifornia

The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

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Whimsical, weekend read. First book I've read told from the first person POV of a 92 year old. Marian Leatherby is absolutely delightful.Her life is quite rich and the adventures she has at the institute (the old folks home) to which her family consigns her are fantastical. Woven into the story (penned in the ‘60s) is cultural commentary. Psychiatry, organized religion and touchy-feely, new age mysticism get satirical treatment.

#doublespin

Leftcoastzen Wow what a great edition of that title! 3y

TiminCalifornia @Leftcoastzen I think it was the original English publication in the 70s. Still had a pocket for an old time library card on the front page! 3y

batsy Great review! I love this one. And that's a cool edition. 3y

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The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

#weekendreads @rachelsbrittain

1. Eye of the World (given its size, I think this will be a "current read" for quite some time) and Breakfast of Champions
2. The Hearing Trumpet
3. Coffee ☕

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merelybookish

The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

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I'm three weeks late but I finally finished this nutty March #NYRBbookclub selection. Any time the main character is 92 years old, things are bound to be odd. I could never have predicted just HOW odd! But I enjoyed so many of the details. A rogue nun. Postcards from Margreve. Plus who doesn't want a best friend like Carmella? No I didn't understand the ending but I can't help but love the sheer weird audacity of this book. Next level #spinsterlit

merelybookish @vivastory @daena 3y

BarbaraBB Great review! In hindsight I appreciate this novel more. Those details indeed, they‘ve stuck with me. And Carmella 🤍 3y

vivastory Fantastic review! Yes, Carmella was wonderful. I loved discovering that Carrington based her on Remedios Varo. I'm thrilled that NYRB brought her work back into print. 3y

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batsy Next level #spinsterlit is exactly what it is! 🙌🏽 And I loved the audacity of it, too. Nice review! 3y

merelybookish @BarbaraBB I think all those weird details make the book! 3y

merelybookish @vivastory I will have to read up on Varo. She sounds unflappable! 🙂 3y

merelybookish @batsy Thanks! It was fun to read something so unapologetic. 3y

vivastory @merelybookish She's fantastic! I recall you mentioning seeing Carrington's art work at an exhibit & enjoying it. You will def. dig Varo's paintings as well. Very similar! 3y

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The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

Hey, Carrington and Hearing Trumpet fans. Did you see? It‘s free. It came in today‘s NYRB email. Does anyone have the full list of the book club participants to tag? #NYRBbookclub

vivastory Awesome!! I will tag everyone in a bit. Thanks, friend! 3y

daena I just registered! 3y

Suet624 @vivastory great! Thanks!! 3y

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Suet624 @daena so fun! See you there! 3y

vivastory @barbarabb @catebutler @arubabookwoman @emilyhaldi @quietjenn @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @kvanread @leahbergen @liz_m @leftcoastzen @merelybookish @gatheringbooks @readordierachel @saresmoore @sarahbarnes @sisilia @reviewsbylola @batsy @Tanisha_A @Theaelizabet @billypar (edited) 3y

vivastory Here's the link:
https://www.bookpeople.com/event/virtual-event-author-panel-celebrating-leonora-... 3y

batsy That's very cool! It's unfortunately at a time where I can't join in but I'll check later to see if a recording has been uploaded. Thanks for sharing :) 3y

Suet624 Thanks Scott. For some reason I couldn‘t copy the link. @vivastory 3y

BarbaraBB Too late for me too, but I‘m sorry to miss that, seems a great zoom. Thanks for mentioning Sue! 3y

Suet624 @BarbaraBB @batsy If they send a follow-up link I'll be sure to send it along to you. 3y

Suet624 @barbaraBB @batsy Maybe this link will work? https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=292275295790983&ref=watch_permalink 3y

batsy @Suet624 Yes, I think it does! Thank you! I look forward to watching it 💜 3y

BarbaraBB Thanks Sue, it works! 3y

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batsy

The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

Happy birthday, Leonora Carrington!

This painting is called The Old Maids (1947) and it does feel like The Hearing Trumpet encapsulated in a painting 💜 #nyrbbookclub

sarahbarnes It really does! 😍 3y

KVanRead Perfect! 3y

LeahBergen It totally does! 3y

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Suet624 It does!! 3y

rubyslippersreads Those ladies on the upper right remind me of the three fairy godmothers in Disney‘s Sleeping Beauty. (I think it‘s their hats. 😊) 3y

batsy @sarahbarnes @KVanRead @LeahBergen @Suet624 😍 3y

batsy @rubyslippersreads It's the hats, isn't it? I thought the same 😁 3y

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KVanRead

The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

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Introducing the newest #LittenKitten our new baby, Apollo!! He‘s 💯 crazy and hard to keep up with, kinda like this book! Also like this book, he is freakin hilarious, pretty weird, but also clever, adventurous, and beautiful in a unique way. I think Leonora would dig his sorta one-eyed look too. (He is recovering from eye surgery and should mend well but will likely have a bit of a badass scar which is seeming all too appropriate 😂) #NYRBBC

KVanRead #catsoflitsy 3y

Megabooks What a cutie! 3y

Ruthiella Adorable! 😻😻😻 3y

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KVanRead @Ruthiella 😊💕 3y

vivastory Too adorable!! I'm fairly confident that Leonora would be a fan! 3y

KVanRead @Megabooks do you know much about symblepharon? That‘s what he had surgery for. SPCA said it was successful and it‘s unlikely but still possible he could develop chronic pain in which case they will cover surgery to remove the eye. He‘s in no pain right now and doesn‘t even complain about his eye drops, but just wondering if you‘ve had any experience with this. 3y

KVanRead @vivastory I can just picture how she‘d paint him 😂 3y

Tamra 😻 3y

Megabooks I‘ve seen the general severe conjunctival swelling that is common with feline viral infections, but I‘ve never had a patient that had it so severely that I had to refer for surgery. But what they told you is right...if it‘s not bothering your cat (pain-wise), don‘t let it bother you. I‘m glad he‘s doing well with the drops! 👍🏻 3y

KVanRead @Megabooks Thanks!! That‘s good to know. So far he‘s a happy little purr machine 😊 3y

KVanRead @Tamra ☺️❤️ 3y

Leftcoastzen Awww!😻 3y

HOTPock3tt 😻❤️🎉🙌🏽 3y

LiteraryinLawrence Welcome, Apollo! 3y

Crazeedi Apollo's adorable!! Congrats now I want to go adopt kitties, I miss mine so much 3y

Bookzombie 💕🐈‍⬛ 3y

BarbaraBB So cute! And I love that he looks like the winking abbess! 3y

LeahBergen He‘s adorable! 3y

batsy Hello Apollo! I hope he recovers just fine from the surgery. He does seem a very Marian+Carmella-esque cat 😻 3y

saresmoore I love the comparison! Such a cute little kitty-baby, too! 3y

KVanRead @Leftcoastzen @HOTPock3tt @LiteraryinLititz @Crazeedi @Bookzombie @LeahBergen @saresmoore Thanks! He really is a hoot! I‘d forgotten what pure joy a kitten can bring. @BarbaraBB I thought that too! He really does look like he‘s winking 😉 @batsy Yes he does! 😽 3y

Bette Hope he heals well, he‘s a beauty! 3y

KVanRead Aww thanks @Bette He‘s doing great so far😽 3y

Simona Black, mischievous cats are the best❣️ Hope he heals without any complications🤞 3y

KVanRead @Simona Thank you 😊 He‘s doing great so far. 3y

DaveGreen7777 Congratulations on your new fur baby! 😊🐱 3y

KVanRead @DaveGreen7777 Thanks!!😻 3y

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Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

#NYRBBookClub really welcomed spring in style with some colorful pics this month! (Clockwise from top @BarbaraBB @mklong @batsy )

BarbaraBB Lol, such a coincidence! Thanks for a great discussion again! You too @daena ! 3y

mklong What lovely company to be in! Thanks for keeping our club going @vivastory, it‘s a pleasure. 3y

LeahBergen That‘s true! 😆 3y

batsy Aww, flower power + Leonora! Lovely company to be in 🙂 3y

Reggie How lovely! 3y

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The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

The Hearing Trumpet ends with a literal Ice Age. Ali Smith called the book “a work of massive optimism”. What did you think of the ending? Did you find it satisfying? #nyrbbookclub

vivastory 🤔...my 25 year old self who spent literal hours at a surrealist exhibition at the Met wants to say absolutely, but if I'm honest I look for different elements in fiction now. I loved this reread, but I felt it went off the rails a bit too much at the end. 3y

LeahBergen I admit to wearing a “WTF face” for the last 50 pages or so. 😆 3y

Liz_M I liked the idea that if the old woman couldn't go to Lapland, Lapland will come to her. 3y

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readordierachel I suppose there is something optimistic about an ice age. It's a pause rather than a complete destruction. There's the possibility of thaw. 3y

Suet624 I'm with @Leahbergen. But I was laughing as I read the ending. For instance, I loved the idea that she ended up in Lapland. But I really had to set aside the idea that I had any idea as to how or why the ice age occurred. 3y

vivastory @LeahBergen 😂 Totally understandable 3y

vivastory @readordierachel I agree 3y

readordierachel @Liz_M Oh yes, I forgot that! Loved that part 3y

vivastory @Liz_M @Suet624 @readordierachel Although I had issues with the ending, the final sentence was perfect 3y

BarbaraBB I am completely with @LeahBergen 🤷🏻‍♀️ 3y

readordierachel @LeahBergen 😂😂 3y

KVanRead @LeahBergen 😂😂😂💯!! @Liz_M I loved that idea! @readordierachel I think you‘re right. Also a clean slate, a new start. Patriarchy = dinosaurs 🦖 😂 @vivastory @Suet624 @BarbaraBB I really like the concept and loved the humor but the overall execution was too much trippyness for me. Again I think I‘d have loved it as a painting. Maybe works better for me in a medium that‘s non-linear? (edited) 3y

GatheringBooks @readordierachel lovelovelove this: “There‘s the possibility of thaw.” 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 3y

GatheringBooks I think it was the Afterword that made me appreciate the story‘s nuance and many layers. Without it, I would have simply relegated it as “trippy” as @KVanRead aptly terms it. :) 3y

quietjenn It was for me and I do love the final line. I think my expectations of “this will be weird and I'm not going to get it“ ultimately helped me to feel free in the actual reading experience. 3y

arubabookwoman There were so many surreal elements before the Ice Age, that it really didn't bother me--I.e.the massive worldwide earthquakes, Sephira flying out of the tower, Carmella's uranium mine, jumping into the cauldron of boiling water, etc, etc. I saw the Ice Age as the death that must come before rebirth. And the final thought that if the old woman can't go to Lapland, Lapland will come to her resonated, and provided an upbeat ending. 3y

batsy What @arubabookwoman said! Something about that final line was so uplifting. But also the general spirit of the book was one of recognition of the many ways in which the world fails people, but to not be defeated by it...if that makes sense? I found the progression of events to be delightfully surprising. There was nothing predictable about any of it. 3y

batsy @readordierachel That's beautifully put! 3y

sisilia @LeahBergen Same here 😅 I rushed the last bit because I couldn‘t stand it anymore 3y

Suet624 @batsy I so appreciate what you wrote here about the recognition of the many ways in which the world fails people, but not to be defeated by it. That's a great way to look at the book. 3y

batsy @Suet624 Thanks, Sue! I am overfond of my doom and gloom and alienation novels but this one had a rousing sense of hope underlying it all, which is much needed 🙂 3y

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The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

In the afterword Tokarczuk writes, “The Hearing Trumpet forthrightly introduces eccentricity into the feminist debate as a perspective that‘s a legitimate alternative to the patriarchal one”. Do you agree with her interpretation? #nyrbbookclub

Billypar I thought the Afterword was excellent! Tokarczuk really captures how the feminine perspective exemplified by the Goddess exposes the simplistic logic of good and evil that traditional organized religion offers. The next paragraph after that quote is an excellent observation - the idea of eccentricity as an argument against phony binaries. 3y

Billypar This really sums up the dominant patriarchal religious perspective nicely: "Theirs is the simplest and crudest way of organizing a complicated world, of achieving power over it." 3y

vivastory @Billypar Honestly, the afterword blew my mind. I agree that Tokarczuk really makes a case for the need to include eccentricity in feminist considerations 3y

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Suet624 Hmmm... for some reason the use of the word “eccentric“ alongside the feminist perspective bugs me. I'm trying to think of another word that I would feel more comfortable with. Eccentric to me equates to “goofy“ or “quirky“. There's a wink involved. I suppose that fits with the book - considering there's a winking nun. But I would prefer a more matriarchal term. 3y

Liz_M I've been reading a handful of non-fiction works about social justice and, while I can't explain it very well, I agree that eccentricity is feminist -- too often patriarchy leans on “rational“ thinking and argument, ignoring other ways of knowing and demeaning intuition, without understanding/accepting that all decisions are emotion-based. So a celebration of eccentricity is a way of stepping outside the box and reframing the debate. 3y

vivastory @Liz_M I agree. 💯 3y

BarbaraBB I find this difficult. It may be because English is not my first language and we have a similar word in Dutch but to link eccentricity to a feminist perspective - I don‘t know. It sounds a bit patronizing to me. As if men can‘t be eccentric and as if it is tolerated for women. I‘m sorry I can‘t explain better what I mean. (edited) 3y

Liz_M @BarbaraBB I think the implication is that only women are seen as negatively eccentric -- if you are male or rich the oddness is accepted, but if you are poor and female, you are institutionalized. 3y

Suet624 @BarbaraBB I understand completely. I think that was what I was trying to say as well. 3y

BarbaraBB @Liz_M Exactly. Or tolerated - if men allow. 3y

BarbaraBB @Suet624 Thank you, I was relating to your post indeed! 3y

KVanRead @Billypar @vivastory I loved the afterward. It helped me a lot! Wow @Liz_M what a fabulous explanation. I think that‘s it exactly. @Suet624 @BarbaraBB I had that same reaction at first too, but I think maybe it‘s all about inclusivity. Patriarchy seeks to divide and control, true feminism is about equal rights for all and includes, allows for, celebrates human eccentricity instead of othering it. 3y

BarbaraBB @KVanRead That is a more positive explain indeed and might very well be what Carrington meant 3y

vivastory @BarbaraBB @KVanRead I really like that 👏👏 3y

GatheringBooks This question is so complex, i love it. Simple answer: Yes, I agree with Tokarczuk. 😆🤓🤓🤓 (edited) 3y

Liz_M @KVanRead your comment about celebrating rather than othering eccentricity is well said. 3y

GatheringBooks I do see @BarbaraBB ‘s point about eccentricity being perceived as potentially patronizing and @Suet624 ‘s unease with the term being trivialized somehow. Yet, i love the whole notion of the eccentric. I live for eccentric. Kind of reminds me of the theatrical/play version of Shrek with the song: Let your freak flag fly. Embracing one‘s inner outcast and going with it. 3y

BarbaraBB @GatheringBooks I completely agree too. With the concept and how you describe it. But is it just a female state of being? That‘s what‘s bothering me. As long as it isn‘t limited to gender I am all for celebrating too 😀 3y

GatheringBooks @BarbaraBB ahh. I see what you are getting at. The binary of gender and feminism as interpreted and summarily reduced to eccentricity. My take on it though is a discordant portrait of the divine female shaman goddess spouting off strangenesses clothing bitter truths unmasked by the hearing trumpet. There is flippancy yes providing a glossy exterior of the inner unspeakable truth of women silenced and marginalized, esp in old age. 3y

GatheringBooks I think carrington‘s irreverent approach appealed to me mainly because sometimes it‘s the only way to dismantle patriarchy head-on. Laugh in its face by elevating absurdity to veritable art. Weapons of the weak, yes, but often effective too. 3y

quietjenn All of these comments are so smart, I don't feel like I can add much but to agree 😃 But on the topic of eccentricity, I keep thinking about it in relation to age, as well. I've often joked that one of the things I'm most looking forward to about aging is that being weird and eccentric are more tolerated and expected of older people. Just centering this story on an older woman, who don't often get to play the lead, challenges convention. 3y

Suet624 @BarbaraBB Yes, that what I was having issues with was that eccentricity was characterized as a female state of being. This discussion has been interesting to follow and I love everyone's opinion about it. 3y

arubabookwoman I really liked the Afterword. It made many things so much clearer to me. I agree that there is/can be a connect between feminism & eccentricity. In particular, I see eccentricity as the ultimate in acceptance of self & others. It is conducive to looking at people & issues in an unconventional way, in a non-patriarchal, non-Manichaean way. 3y

arubabookwoman Can't remember which book it was that was attempting to address Hillary's loss to Trump, but one of the points made, or advice given to female politicians was: don't approach a political run as a man would; don't adopt positions from a male viewpoint; in other words embrace feminism. In other words eccentrics, not patriarchy. Ignore this if it sounds too silly. 3y

Billypar @quietjenn Very good points - I think Tocarczuk goes on to talk about eccentricity in relation to age even more than with femininity. Anyone might be eccentric, but a marginalized group like older women may be more likely to embrace that way of being since there are less social costs. It's a more honest perspective, yet it's strange to think how few books have elderly women as their protagonists. 3y

vivastory @Billypar @quietjenn The protagonist's age is definitely one of the immediately striking things about it & it's sad that nearly 50 yrs later it's just as true with a book like Drive Your Plow etc 3y

Billypar @arubabookwoman The angle about eccentricity and self-acceptance is interesting. I think a lot of times we think of an eccentric as someone who was always a little strange and doesn't care about what others think. I like the idea of striving to be more eccentric, in the sense that it takes practice not to censor yourself to meet societal standards. 3y

batsy I agree with @Liz_M and I do also agree with the points made that women have been marginalised and demeaned as being "eccentric"—especially elderly ladies—and this book was maybe an attempt to reclaim eccentricity and use it as a source of unexpected power. Also agreed @Billypar and the rest, the beautifully-written afterword by Tokarczuk managed to distill so many ideas in such a clear and accessible manner. 3y

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The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

Did the fantastical vivid world Carrington paints in her visual art come across for you in her written word?
#nyrbbookclub

vivastory Yes!! I think this would have been a much weaker book without her experience as a painter. She based Carmella on Remedias Varo, another fantastic painter. 3y

LeahBergen Yes! Her descriptions were remarkably visual to me. 3y

Liz_M I am not always able to visualize stories in actual pictures, but the description of the chanting/dancing around the first bonfire and the manifestation of the queen bee out of many bees was phenomenal. 3y

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BarbaraBB I am not one to visualize much but I think Carrington did such a good job here. I can actually visualize the surroundings of where she lived, those weird buildings. Also I loved the illustrations and am glad you are using them here again @daena (edited) 3y

KVanRead @daena I agree with @BarbaraBB thanks so much for using the illustrations here! I have not explored Carrington‘s art yet, but definitely plan to, now. @vivastory her descriptive writing is fabulous and you can definitely see the visual artist at work in them. At times though they actually detracted from the story for me and I wished she had gone on a bit less. Like in the Abbess section describing all the details of the carriages, etc. I got ⤵️ 3y

KVanRead ...pretty impatient with that at times, but again I‘m not great with surrealism. I think I‘d feel differently looking at all that detail in a painting though instead of in so much wordiness. For me maybe surrealism works better on canvas. Anyone else feel that way? @LeahBergen @Liz_M 3y

vivastory @KVanRead I always appreciated Surrealist art (esp paintings) & poetry the most. There are a few surrealist narratives, but the associative logic of narrative is really difficult to maintain for a full length work 3y

vivastory @KVanRead I think that's why magical realism took off the way it did. It managed to have the realism of the traditional novel with occasional fantastic inflections, rather than sustained dream like logic 3y

GatheringBooks @vivastory i think the fact that the “associative logic” is “difficult to maintain” (looove your terminologies) is what makes surrealism such a delight for me. I love the way the plot goes off tangent in strange directions and the fact that it does not make sense add to my enjoyment and just go with it vibe, because hey why not. It is like being handheld by Carrington to strange dimensions with playful art besides as scaffold. 3y

vivastory @GatheringBooks Absolutely. For some reason I've always had trouble remaining in those strange dimensions when it's a novel. Not sure if it's bc of the amount of time invested or what 3y

Liz_M In not really a fan of surrealism in art either. I love some of Magrite's work, but that is because it is the most realistic of the surrealism works. 3y

GatheringBooks The first artist i fell in love with was hieronymus bosch. That was the first time I truly appreciated art and all it can do. Carrington‘s novel reminded me somewhat of Bosch‘s whimsy, doomsday scenarios, and strange bacchanalia of sorts. (edited) 3y

vivastory @GatheringBooks The first part of Hearing Trumpet def felt like it was out of a Bosch painting, especially the bizarre buildings 3y

KVanRead @vivastory that‘s it exactly for me. I think I remember learning at some point that linear thought is a byproduct of writing, ie that pre-writing humans didn‘t think in a linear way. Don‘t know if that‘s true or not but it is for me as a writer and reader so I really struggle with that ‘associative logic‘ approach, but I also don‘t love magical realism as it triggers too much cognitive dissonance for me😂 I guess I‘m just too uptight 🤷🏻‍♀️ 3y

KVanRead @GatheringBooks and my control freak nature gets totally panicked by that, lol. Like you commented on the cauldron post there is a huge sense of ‘why not?‘ here, just following the inner artist in a ‘yes, and‘ way that I really love in principle but struggle with in practice 3y

vivastory @KVanRead 😂 I can understand your point & until recently thought that magical realism was over but I can def understand the ongoing appeal. Especially in trying to portray a period of crisis. If I try to imagine portraying the last 2 years in this country from a strictly traditional approach, it's a little maddening. The only way that I don't pull my hair out would be to think how Rushdie or similar author might approach it. 3y

quietjenn @GatheringBooks This is such a good take and my own ability to “just go with it“ has been very liberating when it comes to literature! It's definitely not something that I was often willing to do when I was younger and probably not in real life but in art and literature, *shrug* why not? 3y

quietjenn I did super appreciate her descriptions and I can only assume that her ability to construct them is influenced by her experiences as an artist. I can't say I love many of the examples of her art that I've seen, although I've yet to delve into it too deeply. I am super curious to check Remedias Varo as I loved Carmella as a character! 3y

mklong @quietjenn I loved Carmella too! Her loyalty and creativity were wonderful. I think it‘s also important to note that none of her crazy schemes would have worked if she hadn‘t ended up with money. 3y

arubabookwoman I am not familiar with her art, but I will definitely be exploring it soon. I enjoyed the pen and ink illustrations, but as I read this on Kindle, they were not especially prominent, so I'm glad to see them in a bigger size as backdrop for the questions. That said, I think she is a masterful prose artist--I highlighted many, many original and greatly descriptive phrases. Her prose and descriptions are what engaged me with the book, since 👇🏻👇🏻 3y

arubabookwoman as I said surrealism is not usually my thing. 3y

quietjenn @mklong a very good point. Money makes possible lots and forgives even more. 3y

KVanRead @vivastory True that!! Rushdie all the way 💯 I would read that. 3y

batsy Am I correct in that the illustrations are credited to Pablo Weisz Carrington, her son? I found thar quite fascinating, actually, and wondered about the collaborative process. And that her son could capture his mother's utterly unique book with his art. 3y

batsy I'm not too familiar with her art but what little I've seen is pretty amazing. It's hard to talk about both her book and her art because it just seems outside of language, in a way. I think her facility as a visual artist helped with how she wrote this book—she doesn't typically dwell on descriptive passages; she "paints" a scene with words and the reader is immediately dropped into that visual space/environment. 3y

Billypar @batsy Yeah, they're by her son - I thought that was pretty cool. I only discovered Carrington last year, but since I did I've gone on so many Google search rabbit holes hopping from one painting to another. I think they're amazing, and I was definitely reminded of her artistic style in her descriptive passages. 3y

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The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

When the postman Taliessin speaks to Marian & the women he tells them about witches who reside in a cavern on Hampstead Heath. Do you get a sense that Marian and the women of the institute have become a coven of sorts themselves? #nyrbbookclub

Suet624 Definitely! I really enjoyed that aspect of the book - the work that the women did to deal with the Gambits and the women who seemed to be in charge (the ones who made the poisonous desert). 3y

readordierachel Yes, absolutely. I was confused actually (by a lot of things 😆) and assumed he was talking about them as the coven. I didn't realize it was a different one. 3y

KVanRead @Suet624 @readordierachel Yes! And to being confused too 😂 I also feel like she‘s making a connection here between witchcraft and paganism/celebration of the goddess, something I‘m not well versed in, but that what patriarchy condemns as evil witchcraft was in fact celebrating the goddess/divine feminine? 3y

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GatheringBooks Yes to the old women being a coven with the chanting and the rituals and the sharing of smuggled chocolates (that was a lot of fun). 3y

youneverarrived Yeah definitely. The rituals and the way the women became kind of like a little clique had me thinking of the film The Craft 😂 3y

vivastory @youneverarrived 😂😂 I love this comparison 3y

quietjenn Yes - first got those coven vibes when they meet to discuss the killing plot/share the chocolates and then it just built up more as events played out. I was totally unfamiliar with Taliessin as an actual figure of myth but, thanks again to the afterwards, am very curious to learn more about him. 3y

mklong Like @readordierachel I also assumed he was talking about them, or some previous version of them, as a coven. I love the idea of these forgotten old ladies banding together. Georgiana made an excellent point when she finally stood up to Dr. Gambit, that even when they were young, given the constraints of the time, they were never really free, and they were mad as hell and not going to take it any more! 3y

arubabookwoman Oh definitely! In my art history group, as we studied early Christian art we learned a lot about the early conflicts between paganism and Christianity. And it's interesting how in this book, Christianity, in contrast to paganism, is strictly patriarchal and authoritarian. 3y

arubabookwoman And on a totally unrelated note, did anyone else (any SF readers here?) think immediately of David Brin's The Postman when Taliesen arrived with mail and news of the rest of the world? 3y

vivastory @arubabookwoman I don't read much SF, but I did think of that 👍 3y

batsy Yes, I did feel like Marian and co. were a little coven themselves, and that is what made me think of Sylvia Townsend Warner's similarly witchy Lolly Willowes 🙂 3y

22 likes12 comments

mklong

The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

pick

A perfect book for a rainy, chilly morning. I always love a book that transports me and, strange as it is, I loved where this one took me. Looking forward to the #NYRBBookClub discussion!

Not sure how well you can see them, but I have a bird family in my planter again this year. The babies are getting almost big enough to fly away.

vivastory What a perfect pic for spring! I'm glad you enjoyed the book 3y

Suet624 Oh! I see those birds! How sweet! 3y

LeahBergen I can see a bird! ❤️ 3y

mklong @suet624 @leahbergen It's been fun watching them out there. I named the babies Lodie and Goober and they were practicing flapping their wings a few minutes ago. It won't be long before the little guys fly away. 3y

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The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

What did you make of Marian‘s encounter with herself at the bottom of the tower towards the end of the book?
#nyrbbookclub

vivastory As I mentioned this was a reread, strangely enough I didn't recall this part. At first it had a sinister killing your doppelganger tone, but it definitely assumed the theme of rebirth 3y

Billypar I wasn't sure what to make of it, but I agree with @vivastory that it began as deeply sinister and ended up taking on a more positive quality. It matched the idea of this particular 'hell' being antithetical to the prevailing Christian and patriarchal value system but actually being benevolent. But I need to think more about the idea of rebirth as a theme - it makes a lot of sense. 3y

LeahBergen I‘ll just chime in here that I was loving the first half of the book (the characters! ❤️) and then it rapidly became too weird for me. I knew going into this one that I don‘t always do well with surrealism but I‘m glad I gave it a go. The afterword was great, though, and really helped me see what I was missing. 3y

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Suet624 Well... I'm embarrassed to say this went right over my head. I'm going to have to go back and look at this part again. 3y

readordierachel I got a "rebirth" vibe from it as well. Or maybe a reconciliation with all sides of the self? The way she immediately switched perspectives into the her that is stirring the soup, watching herself be cooked, feeling no more fear. It felt like she was achieving some kind of ultimate knowledge. 3y

vivastory @LeahBergen I agree about the afterword! I don't feel quite as enthused for surrealism as I once did, but I really enjoyed the first 80% of the book. I can definitely see it as a significant influence on Drive Your Plow etc 3y

vivastory @readordierachel I *really* like that interpretation! 3y

vivastory @readordierachel Like it was an assimilation of her whole self, rather than just certain aspects (eccentric etc) 3y

readordierachel @vivastory Yes, exactly! You could also say that the eccentricity is how other people, specifically her family, perceive her and she's shedding that, the constraint 3y

readordierachel @vivastory Or I guess she's literally boiling it away 😆 3y

vivastory @readordierachel 😂It was such a memorable scene 3y

BarbaraBB I love your explanation @readordierachel. It was too weird for me to think much of it but you can very well be right. 3y

BarbaraBB @vivastory I agree I was thinking of Drive Your Plow too although I liked that book much more. 3y

vivastory @BarbaraBB I definitely liked Drive Your Plow more 👏 3y

Liz_M @Suet624 Same! I was too stuck on associating it with Hell, and also maybe too many sci-fi plots about the usurpation if identities to think of rebirth. 😆 3y

KVanRead @vivastory @Billypar @readordierachel @Liz_M I think rebirth for sure as we‘re told it‘s actually a womb space so if she‘s reentering the womb, must be to get reborn...but I also really love this idea of reconciliation with all parts of the self, the soul maybe? @LeahBergen @Suet624 @BarbaraBB I also struggled a lot with the surrealism and wasn‘t sure if I was going to make it at some points! 3y

KVanRead After reading the afterward, I think she‘s making a strong feminist point here about goddess vs. christianity/patriarchy: what the christians refer to as hell is in fact the womb, the source of all creation. In returning here she sheds the patriarchy‘s definition of her as a useless old woman and assumes her full feminine self (edited) 3y

vivastory @KVanRead Yes, the afterword was really illuminating. There was also the comments about the clergy sprinkled throughout the book 3y

Suet624 @KVanRead Beautiful and powerful explanation. Thank you! That's really helpful to me. 3y

GatheringBooks Love all the brilliant thoughts here esp @KVanRead ‘s point and @readordierachel ‘s rebirth - i simply thought that she inserted herself there because why not? Hehe. It appeals to the playfulness of Carrington‘s entire vibe - It is very meta and solipsistic and adheres to the ultimate desire to confront one‘s self and make peace with one‘s choices, at the end of the day. 3y

readordierachel @KVanRead Oh, I love that! Let's all shed the patriarchy's definitions 🎉. I wasn't cluing into the cavern as a womb, but that makes so much sense. 3y

youneverarrived @readordierachel brilliant interpretation! I have to admit this part (and a lot of the latter half tbh) was lost on me. I liked the twists and turns but no idea on the meaning behind what was going on. The afterword definitely helped with that! 3y

vivastory @youneverarrived I have the Exact Change edition of HT but decided to buy the NYRB edition for the afterword & am so happy that I did 3y

quietjenn @readordierachel yes! Reconciliation is a great way to read it. She comes face-to-face with herself and realizes that she was this person all along and letting go of any fear or hesitation to actually be who she is and want what she wants. 3y

quietjenn @LeahBergen the afterwards was super helpful, although it also clued me in to how much I didn't get/don't know (like *anything* about the Gnostics) 😆 3y

readordierachel @youneverarrived Full disclosure, I did not have this insight until I thought about it in light of this question. When I was reading the book I was just along for the ride and frequently lost 😂 3y

Suet624 @quietjenn Does the afterword make you want to read the book again? :) I felt like I should try it one more time. (Even though I have a zillion books waiting for me to pick up.) 3y

arubabookwoman I was actually dreading reading this book b/c it was described as surreal & I don't usually like surreal. But I decided to just go with the flow. I saw this scene as her confronting her "real" self--Did she want to be her real self, or the version society wanted her to be. It's a dangerous & difficult choice. Becoming your real self is like jumping into a cauldron of boiling water.???? 3y

arubabookwoman Even though this was presented here as an actual event in the narrative, a similar scene could be included in a more conventional novel as a dream sequence and make the same point. 3y

quietjenn @Suet624 ha, in the "fleeting thought that I know I won't actually do" sense ? 3y

Suet624 @quietjenn Exactly. Hahaha. These discussions have shed such an interesting light into some of the areas that were a bit gray for me that I do kind of, sort of, maybe, want to skim/reread it. 3y

sisilia Lol I didn‘t digest anything at all when things started to get so weird 3y

batsy I stumbled a bit here, so it's interesting to see the other comments. It was almost a rebirth plus self-cannibalism, which sounds awful, but in the book was in fact an empowering thing. I don't think it's necessarily about making a broth of one's self lol but maybe about erasing boundaries and limits. Also, the bit about facing oneself made me think of Le Guin's A Wizard of Earthsea, just because of the similar themes there. 3y

Billypar @batsy It does have a kind of a snake eating its tail feel to it, doesn't it? I realized I don't really know the philosophy behind the ourobouros symbol (except that it refers 'eternity'), but I think the Wikipedia page confused me more, lol. Maybe the references I found to alchemy get to your point about breaking boundaries and limits: we shouldn't be able to grow and change just by looking inward, but somehow we do anyway. 3y

batsy @Billypar Great point about alchemy in that scene. I didn't look up the ouroboros symbol but there's plenty to mull over on the Wikipedia page; I'm pretty sure a lot of it is going to go over my head, too 😆 3y

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The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

Marian tells her son early on: “I suffer from the idea that my loneliness might be taken away from me by a lot of mercilessly well meaning people”. How does this relate to the treatment of the women by both family members and those at the institute? #nyrbbookclub

The Adventures of China Iron

vivastory Looking forward to your thoughts @BarbaraBB @catebutler @arubabookwoman @emilyhaldi @quietjenn @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @Liz_M @merelybookish @GatheringBooks @KVanRead @readordierachel @saresmoore @sarahbarnes @sisilia @Reviewsbylola @Suet624 @batsy @Tanisha_A @Theaelizabet @Billypar 3y

vivastory This was one of my favorite quotes in the book. I agree with what Tokarczuk wrote in the afterrword, "The Gambits are the hypocritical, pretentious representatives of an equally hypocritical society, & their methods are summed up by the expression for their own good" 3y

LeahBergen I really felt this quote (and had a moment of existential worry that it might be my own future 😆😆). 3y

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Suet624 This quote was particularly poignant to me. I was shocked by the treatment Marian received at the beginning of the story - here we had a delightful woman and her family was so cruel and selfish. Completely unaware of the joy she took in her everyday life and assuming she was senile. The time at the institute wasn't as shocking to me because I'm always nervous that's just how old folks homes are. 3y

vivastory @Suet624 Very well said! I also liked how Tokarczuk points out in the afterword that eccentricity is tolerated if you have the money 3y

BarbaraBB I loved this quote too. Sometimes it felt as if I Marian‘s hearing trumpet is an instrument to read people‘s mind instead of hearing what they say. (edited) 3y

vivastory @BarbaraBB Yes! I think it was a very clever plot device that worked well for the first part of the book that felt like a strange murder mystery 3y

KVanRead @LeahBergen Me too😂 @vivastory that was a good point about money. That was one of my first thoughts — please don‘t let me be at the mercy of society when I‘m old!! @Suet624 @BarbaraBB I think this first part of the book was actually my favorite, where it was still more obviously tethered to reality. Found a lot of it relevant. Brought to mind the hell of elders in long term care in the time of COVID. My 93 year old mom gives thanks daily that⤵️ 3y

KVanRead she‘s still living in her own home. And I loved the way she uses her hearing trumpet. Very funny too! I wish it had remained more pivotal to the story. 3y

Liz_M I actually liked how the author gives both perspectives. The reader, of course, emphasizes with Marian because we only see her perspective. But the words she overhears, her grandson's description of her behavior, although skewed, can't be dismissed out of hand. It is a reminder (both Marian's and the grandson's attitudes) of how hard it is to step outside our own experience of the world.
3y

vivastory @Liz_M I also thought that was really well done. I also appreciated that Carrington didn't overuse the hearing trumpet. I think a few writers would have been tempted to 3y

GatheringBooks I initially thought the novel would just be funny and flippant and delightfully strange - yet what the hearing trumpet surfaced with the mean-spiritedness of the grandson, the erasure of Marian because of her age - revealed how Carrington can cleverly twist a narrative in unpredictable directions. 3y

GatheringBooks @vivastory really a solid point about carrington not overusing the hearing trumpet throughout the story. Just like wescott‘s pilgrim hawk: everpresent but never overbearing. 3y

vivastory @GatheringBooks Great comparison with Pilgrim Hawk! 3y

youneverarrived I loved this quote. I agree @LizM that was really well done being able to hear both sides. 3y

quietjenn @LeahBergen you are not alone in that, my friend! 3y

quietjenn @Suet624 yes - the son especially made me so angry 😡 3y

quietjenn It's such a good quote and we see as events play out that it's an entirely justified fear. 3y

arubabookwoman I think the quote also resonates with a lot of us who are members of the introvert tribe. I have been an introvert my entire life, and have had well-meaning people try to make me more "sociable." Now that I can now longer consider myself "middle-aged," & I have to recognize that at 70 I am at least approaching elderhood, this novel really spoke to me, and said, "Be yourself. Accept others. Be kind to Mother Earth." 3y

Suet624 @BarbaraBB Holy cow! Your idea that the hearing trumpet was an instrument used to read people's minds just blew my mind.
3y

Reviewsbylola I never got to read this one. 😭 My library doesn‘t carry it. 3y

Suet624 @gatheringbooks I love the tie-in to Pilgram Hawk. 3y

Suet624 @arubabookwoman I could echo everything you just said. Brilliant. 3y

Liz_M @quietjenn “It's such a good quote and we see as events play out that it's an entirely justified fear. “ Actually, I wonder. This question made me think about this some more. Is Marian happier at the beginning of the book or at the end? In the beginning she has chosen a life of loneliness where she can't hear anything said to her and isn't understood by those around her. Yes, she did go through a bad patch, but at the end is she still lonely? 3y

Liz_M In other words, her loneliness has been taken away by a lot of mercilessly well meaning people, but is she better or worse off because of this? 3y

Billypar @Liz_M It is interesting to consider her progression. She may have started the novel lonely, only being around her unsympathetic family and then was temporarily worse-off given the Institution's terrible treatment. But I think it was a happy ending since she found a social group with a better set of values. 3y

vivastory @Liz_M I'd say that at the end she is in a better place. She has more agency in her life, even if it's now in an ice age 3y

quietjenn @Liz_M that‘s fair! I was thinking more of the Gambits/when she was in the home, not so much at the end. I don‘t think she‘s lonely at the end and overall what she finds is better. Indeed, it‘s sort of everyone she wanted - semi-apocalypse notwithstanding. (edited) 3y

sisilia @arubabookwoman I totally agree with you. It feels that it‘s directed to us introverts @vivastory The money part is so true! Everything is tolerated if you are old but with lots of money. It‘s sad (and I‘ve seen this in the society), but with money you kinda buy your independence, and others can‘t decide your life for you 3y

batsy @GatheringBooks ooh, nice comparison to The Pilgrim Hawk! 3y

batsy Like others have said, the first half of the book was particularly good & this quote was poignant/relatable. I live with my elderly mum as do a number of my female friends and relatives who are single and who have widowed mothers; everything described in the first half of the book hit close to home and made me think of what was likely in store for me, as well. Society doesn't look too kindly upon the Marians! Good point @vivastory re: having money 3y

batsy @arubabookwoman Beautifully put! 3y

Leftcoastzen Sorry I was MIA book club , got my shot! I thought a lot about the senior situation w/ this character. I have thought for a long time single friends that really get along should make a pact to form their own community to take care of each other .work it out for themselves as long as they can. My uncle was in independent living and had a pretty good set up , he was very shy so didn‘t take advantage of the social elements available to him. 3y

Suet624 @Liz_M Your question surprised me because I didn't remember her being lonely at the beginning. She had her friend that she went to visit and she had cats and chickens. She seemed pretty happy to me. 3y

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batsy

The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

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Björk's blurb sums it up best: "Free-flowing, spiky imagination. I love its freedom, its humour, & how it invents its own laws." Pure joyful, anarchic avant-gardism. I love that Leonora invaded the masculine domain of surrealism with abundant jaunty feminine energy. At times, this book read like a quest narrative, or a picaresque, featuring nonconformist old ladies. In spirit, it reminded me of Lolly Willowes. No one gives a hoot about the rules.

batsy No one gives a hoot about propriety or social norms. In fact, despite many things that went over my head, this book is a critique of society as we know it. Its absurd, campy fabulism imagines a better world. I love that with her wonderful assortment of winking, bearded, bewigged goddesses, Leonora gives the world the finger. I enjoyed abandoning myself to this novel's madcap logic. I don't know if I can tell you the whys & hows, but I felt it.

3y

batsy #nyrbbookclub @vivastory @daena 3y

rachelm I keep hearing about this one! 3y

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youneverarrived Amazing review 🙌 3y

batsy @rachelm It's a tough one to recommend, but if you're in for a book that constantly surprises you & eschews realism, this is one fabulous example 🙂 3y

batsy @youneverarrived Thank you! ❤️ 3y

Suet624 Damn! You write a great review. I wish I could have been able to say half of what you just said about the book. :) 😍 3y

LeahBergen Great review! 😍 3y

nathandrake1997 Brilliant review ❤️ 3y

KVanRead Fantastic review! You highlighted all the things I liked about this one. 3y

batsy @Suet624 @LeahBergen @nathandrake1997 @KVanRead Thank you! ❤️❤️ 3y

Lindy Sounds like a book I would like. Your description reminds me of

3y

batsy @Lindy I think there are aspects of this book that you'll definitely appreciate 🙂 And China Iron is on my TBR! 3y

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Leftcoastzen

Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

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#NYRBBookclub I have read surrealist novels before & was familiar w/Carringtons paintings.I borrowed her short stories from the library , but it quickly turned into a DNF. I was intrigued by this fanciful tale , it‘s quite a ride !I felt the idea of the cast off elders, that the people running the place dress it up w/ religious rigors while just wanting to make the coin.I swear I must have been hallucinating the last quarter of this one.

vivastory 😂Yes, the last bit of it does feel like a fever dream, or like stepping in one of her paintings 3y

youneverarrived 😂😂 3y

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quietjenn

The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

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Not having much experience with surrealist literature, I sort of expected this one to be super weird from the get-go. So an eccentric but pretty conventional beginning was a nice surprise and by the time the real off kilter kicked off, I was already all in. I'm sure they I didn't totally get it, but I very much enjoyed it. #nyrbbookclub

vivastory Great review! 3y

Suet624 Great review. Exactly how I felt. In for the ride and I'm sure a good college course would inform me of what I might have missed at the end. 3y

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youneverarrived

The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

so-so

One of the most strangest novels I‘ve ever read. Impossible to sum up. I have to admit it lost me more times than it had me gripped but I‘m glad I read the afterword as it did make me see the book in a better light, and made me appreciate the originality and ideas within it. #nyrbbookclub ⭐️⭐️

BarbaraBB I felt that way too after reading the afterword 3y

vivastory Definitely one of the strangest I've read. Looking forward to your thoughts tomorrow. Hope your kiddo is doing well! 3y

youneverarrived @BarbaraBB it definitely added to the novel. 3y

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youneverarrived @vivastory I‘ll be there 😁 will make for a good discussion for sure. Thank you, he‘s 1 in a few days 🙊 hope you‘re well too! 3y

Suet624 I loved it right up until the 15 pages or so. The afterword definitely helped me to see some of the ideas in a different light. 3y

youneverarrived @Suet624 it lost me when the abbess started playing a big part in it. I loved the beginning. 3y

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Billypar

The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

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There's a kind of older novel about mental institutions that muses over who is more 'insane', the residents or the doctors. This novel began in a similar vein, but morphed into something that might have been written by Umberto Eco on hallucinogenics. I liked seeing the fantastic imagery from her canvasses come to life and how the bizarre events are observed with a deadpan humor, even if I was mystified by the ultra-weird, apocalyptic ending.

Billypar I think this should make for an interesting discussion tomorrow - looking forward to it! #nyrbbookclub @daena @vivastory 3y

vivastory Eco on hallucinogenics. Perfect! I'm still not sure what to make of the ending, but I can't stop thinking about it. Really looking forward to the discussion 3y

batsy Great review. A lot of the hidden meanings or playful intertextual experimentations went over my head, I'm sure, but I loved it. So refreshing and the deadpan humour was top notch. 3y

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Cathythoughts Great picture 💫 3y

BarbaraBB Agree with @batsy regarding the humour. In the end it went over my head but I had a good time with it too! 3y

Billypar @vivastory From reading the reviews, it seemed like there was a point where things got a little too weird, but where that was maybe differed for everyone? But even the weirdest sections were nothing if not entertaining. I'm eager to hear everyone's takes on it! 3y

Billypar @batsy Thanks! I couldn't decide whether it was a book with lots of hidden meanings/ symbolism, or whether Carrington just liked following her imagination wherever it took her. I think the humor did hold things together - it was the perfect light touch that it needed. 3y

Billypar @Cathythoughts If you Google Leonora Carrington and look at the image results, there are so many wonderful, dreamlike paintings. I've lost track of time sifting through them. 3y

Billypar @BarbaraBB It's nice when you can enjoy a book even when you're not understanding what's going on - definitely the case for this one! 3y

Suet624 Eco on hallucinogenics! That had me cackling for a while. 3y

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sisilia

The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

so-so

2⭐️ 🤨 What have I just read? The start of the novel was quite promising. It‘s witty and funny; and I was looking forward to finding out more about this cute grandma heading to the house for senile old ladies. And then it switched gear to weird surrealism - a bird with six great wings, a trip down to hell, etc 😓 Surrealism and I have never been best buddies, so yeah... this is not for me

LeahBergen Ha!! I just finished it and gave it 2 ⭐️s, as well. 3y

BarbaraBB Just three for me. For the first half! 3y

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Awesome photo ❤️ 3y

59 likes3 comments

The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

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This book was delightful & then rather suddenly turned into a confusing phantasmagorical experience. I loved following the MC, 92 years of age, who had no teeth and a big hearing trumpet. She is relegated to an old folks home by her daughter-in-law. Rebellion, an apocalypse, & a journey to Lapland are just part of this story. I would love to think I‘ll have the gumption the character had at that age and a friend as reliable. #Vermont #NYRBbookclub

Hooked_on_books Beautiful picture! 3y

daena Love this photo 🖤 3y

Suet624 @daena @Hooked_on_books thank you! 3y

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ValerieAndBooks Are there jokes made at her expense because of her deafness and/or misunderstandings 🤔? Lovely photo!! 3y

BarbaraBB @ValerieAndBooks I don‘t think it‘s insulting. She uses the instrument just to decide who she wants to listen to, because she‘s not interested in what many people have to say. It is funny in that way. 3y

BarbaraBB Great review @Suet624. Happy you enjoyed it that much. I lost it a bit towards the end though appreciate what Carrington did, considering who she was. 3y

Suet624 @ValerieAndBooks Not at all. The hearing device was given to her as a gift and she is in control of when she uses it. 3y

Suet624 @BarbaraBB I enjoyed the first 3/4 of the book a lot. That last 1/4 was definitely off putting but intriguing and I think I need to reread the end to see what I can get out of it. I think I missed some hidden references. 3y

BarbaraBB I definitely missed them. I grew impatient 🤷🏻‍♀️ 3y

ValerieAndBooks @BarbaraBB @Suet624 Good to know. It does look interesting. And I know sometimes I turn off my aids when I want quiet 🙂. Not during conversations but most often when we are in the car for long drives — the radio is just noise to me after a while but hubby likes listening to it. 3y

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BarbaraBB

The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

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This is a wild tale about an eccentric old lady living in an eccentric home for the elderly with a bunch of eccentric people. Marian with her hearing trumpet is hilarious, as are her best friend Carmella and the winking Abbess. I could have spend hours with them but suddenly there was the apocalypse!
I am aware of Carrington‘s love for absurdity and surrealism but personally I preferred the first half of the book. #NYRBBookClub

Suet624 Yes, exactly! I really started to slump during the last quarter of the book. 3y

Liz_M I should probably start reading this.... 3y

merelybookish Lovely pic! Springy and bright. Makes me jealous as it snowed again here. 3y

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BarbaraBB @Liz_M You better hurry 😀, on Sunday we‘re having our book club! 3y

BarbaraBB @merelybookish It is still cold here too but at least Spring is coming! You‘re having snow again? Colorado, right? 3y

vivastory Great review! I really enjoyed the reread & I agree. I enjoyed the first part a bit more 3y

sisilia I‘m halfway and struggling ... 🙈 Surrealism is not my best friend 3y

BarbaraBB @sisilia To be honest, it doesn‘t get better. The first half really is much better imo 3y

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The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

This book just took a jump into the truly weird. Don‘t want to be a spoiler, but WTF??? #NYRBBookclub

BarbaraBB I just finished it! And indeed. WTF?! 3y

Suet624 Right? I just have a few pages left. 😃 3y

BookwormM You had me at WTF 🤣🤣 3y

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saresmoore

The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

“I am never lonely, Galahad. Or rather I never suffer from loneliness. I suffer much from the idea that my loneliness might be taken away from me by a lot of mercilessly well-meaning people...”

#NYRBBookClub

Not sure how to feel about how much I‘m relating to Marian. 🤨 This book is endlessly quotable!

vivastory Yes! "Mercilessly well-meaning people". So perfectly stated! 3y

batsy Same, Sara. So much same. 3y

BarbaraBB I know what you mean. And indeed so quotable 🤍 3y

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BookwormM I soooo relate to that quote 3y

KVanRead Same! 3y

Suet624 Yup. I nodded my head when I read this. 3y

saresmoore @vivastory @batsy @BarbaraBB @BookwormM @KVanRead @Suet624 I‘m glad to know I‘m not alone. 😆 3y

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BarbaraBB

The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

#NYRBBookClub

The illustrations in this book are as hilarious as the story itself 🤣

daena Agreed! 3y

rockpools OK, I‘m intrigued! 3y

vivastory They def add to the experience! 3y

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batsy Yes! I love the one where her son's family is discussing her and you see the hearing trumpet creeping in from behind the wall 😆 3y

BarbaraBB @batsy That one is hilarious too. The hearing trumpet is enormous 🤣 3y

BarbaraBB @rockpools It‘s a fun read about an old woman put in a ‘home for senile women‘ by her family 3y

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LeahBergen

The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

It‘s that time again!

Time to pour a glass of wine and start this month‘s #NYRBBookClub book. 🍷

vivastory Looking forward to your thoughts on it! 3y

rubyslippersreads Just don‘t make a snack from any of her recipes. 🤢🤣 3y

Michael_Gee What a gorgeous picture 3y

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batsy Lovely! 🍷 I just started today. There's a bit of a deadpan humour running through that I like. 3y

Cathythoughts Lovely picture 3y

BarbaraBB I also just started it. Without wine however. I try to not drink alcohol during the week because of all those Corona kilo‘s... 3y

Reviewsbylola I don‘t think I‘m going to get to this one. 😭 My library doesn‘t have it (they‘re so hit and miss with NYRB titles), and this one didn‘t strike me as one I wanted to purchase. 3y

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The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

Discussion Date Correction: The discussion will be Sun 3/28. Not Saturday 3/27. Same time though! (12 EST) This was my fault. Looking forward to another great discussion on a wild book! @daena
@BarbaraBB @catebutler @arubabookwoman @emilyhaldi @quietjenn @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @KVanRead @LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @Liz_M @merelybookish @GatheringBooks @readordierachel @saresmoore @sarahbarnes @sisilia @Reviewsbylola @Suet624

vivastory @batsy @Tanisha_A @Theaelizabet @Billypar #NYRBBookClub 3y

saresmoore 👍 3y

LeahBergen Got it. 👌 3y

quietjenn Gotcha! 3y

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merelybookish

Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

Grateful that @sarahbarnes lent me her copy of The Hearing Trumpet for #nyrbbookclub. Best of all, it gave us an excuse to meet up for a little visit (with 😷 on).
@vivastory

vivastory I love that you are visiting! Looking forward to your thoughts. 3y

LeahBergen Oh, that‘s nice! I‘ll have to get a start on it soon , too. 3y

KVanRead Lovely! 👏 3y

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sarahbarnes It was so good to see you!! 😃 3y

Trashcanman So bright, like the moon. 3y

merelybookish @vivastory @LeahBergen @KVanRead It's fun having a Litsy friend I can meet in person! 3y

merelybookish @sarahbarnes Ditto!! 3y

Cathythoughts Sounds good to be able to meet up ❤️ 3y

BarbaraBB You met in person? How wonderful 🤍 3y

Suet624 That‘s wonderful! 3y

sarahbarnes It‘s very cool that Litsy brought us together! 3y

merelybookish @BarbaraBB Yes. We became friends through Litsy a few years ago! But we haven't been able to hang out in a while, so it was a treat to see each other in person! 3y

merelybookish @sarahbarnes Very cool! ❤️ 3y

readordierachel That's awesome. This post makes me happy 😊 3y

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The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

I am enjoying this book so much and knew nothing about the author, Leonora Carrington. Goodness! The Wikipedia information was a surprise. Sometimes I wonder how after all these years I have missed so much info about so many interesting people. #NYRBbookclub

The Surreal Life of Leonora Carrington: A Surreal Life

Bookwomble If you want to know more about her, this is an excellent biography by her cousin, who for to know Leonora in the last five years of her life.

3y

underground_bks My husband over at @HillsAndHamletsBookshop is reading and raving about an ARC of a historical novel about her called

Leonora in the Morning Light

3y

Suet624 @Bookwomble Well guess who had no intention of buying any books today and just ran to Book Depository to order the book you've tagged. Thank you!!! Now I'm a bit obsessed by her. 3y

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Suet624 @underground_bks OOOOHHH, thank you! And of course now I have to follow the bookshop on Litsy. 3y

Bookwomble @Suet624 I am too, a bit (can you be "a bit" obsessed ?). There was a fantastic exhibition of her art at Tate Liverpool a few years ago, which was magical ? 3y

BarbaraBB I didn‘t know her either. She sounds so interesting. I‘ll try to read the book soon too. Love your new pic by the way 🤍 3y

vivastory She was always one of the more fascinating Surrealist figures 3y

vivastory I agree with @BarbaraBB Love the new profile pics! @saresmoore 3y

Suet624 @BarbaraBB @vivastory Thank you! I am a once-in-a-very-great-while (would prefer to hide) photo changer. That photo was actually last summer. My hair is now much longer now and my grandson suggests I may want to cut it fairly soon. 3y

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KVanRead

The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

Found the #audiobook for our current #NYRBBookClub read on Hoopla and it is outstanding. What a wild, weird, hysterical ride this is!

Come-read-with-me What a spectacular cover! 3y

BarbaraBB I‘ll start soon too. Hearing good things! 3y

KVanRead @Come-read-with-me it really is fantastic! 3y

KVanRead @BarbaraBB can‘t wait to hear what you think! 3y

50 likes4 comments

saresmoore

The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

I have laughed out loud three times in the span of reading the first five pages. #NYRBBookClub

“Indeed I do have a short grey beard which conventional people would find repulsive. Personally I find it rather gallant.”

vivastory 😂😂Such a great book. I'm so thrilled that NYRB has brought her back into print. She was always one of my favorite figures associated with the surrealist movement 3y

saresmoore @vivastory I feel a deep dive coming on! 3y

vivastory @saresmoore I remember also enjoying

Down Below

3y

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GingerAntics 🤣😂🤣 3y

daena Ha! Loved that line. It‘s one of so many... 3y

daena @vivastory I plan on moving right to that one after this! 3y

BarbaraBB Sounds good! I had never even heard of her before our vote...🤦🏻‍♀️ 3y

vivastory @daena I look forward to your thoughts on it! @batsy just gave it a very thoughtful review 👍 3y

LeahBergen Oh, good!! You‘ve made me look forward to starting now. 👏🏻👏🏻 3y

batsy I haven't started but I'm looking forward! That impish humour comes through in Down Below, too, in lines like, "I wondered who would help someone, dressed in a bed sheet and a pencil, to get to Madrid". @vivastory @daena 3y

Cathythoughts Sounds good. Lovely picture 💫 3y

youneverarrived Same 😂 I‘ve only read a few pages but I hope the humour continues 3y

KVanRead Me too! I‘m loving the humor so far!! 3y

Suet624 Getting ready to start this one today. Glad to hear it‘ll make me chuckle. 3y

Suet624 Ahh!! You neglected to mention it was a quote from a woman! LOL. 3y

saresmoore @Suet624 Right? Marian is a hoot! 3y

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vivastory #NYRBBookClub @BarbaraBB @catebutler @arubabookwoman @emilyhaldi @quietjenn @sprainedbrain @KVanRead @mklong @youneverarrived @LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @Liz_M @merelybookish @GatheringBooks @readordierachel @saresmoore @sarahbarnes @sisilia @Reviewsbylola @Suet624 @batsy @Tanisha_A @Theaelizabet @Billypar 3y

Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

Join @daena & I on 3/27 @ 12 EST/4 GMT as we discuss Carrington's book.
There are several videos about Carrington on YouTube. The following two seem to be especially interesting.
A documentary featuring footage of Carrington herself:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4aooKLEHQg
A panel on Carrington's works feat. Kathryn Davis, Merve Emre, Chloe Aridjis, and Danielle Dutton.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS_yrLasgHQ

LeahBergen Thanks, Scott! 3y

saresmoore Thanks for sharing those! I‘m looking forward to this. 3y

youneverarrived Thanks for these 👍 3y

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The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

Figured some of you might be interested in this article:
https://lithub.com/how-leonora-carrington-used-tarot-to-reach-self-enlightenment...
@BarbaraBB @catebutler @daena @arubabookwoman @emilyhaldi @quietjenn @sprainedbrain @KVanRead @mklong @youneverarrived @LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @Liz_M @merelybookish @GatheringBooks @readordierachel @saresmoore @sarahbarnes @sisilia @Reviewsbylola @Suet624 @batsy @Tanisha_A @Theaelizabet @Billypar

vivastory #NYRBBookClub 3y

merelybookish I saw this headline and couldn't decide whether to read it now or after I read the book. 3y

vivastory @merelybookish I just browsed it. I'm going to read it in depth after I read the book I think 3y

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merelybookish @vivastory I like to go in blind and wasn't sure how much this might sway my reading. 3y

vivastory @merelybookish That's why I always read the introduction afterwards 3y

Suet624 I‘m with you. Those intros reveal way too much. 3y

BarbaraBB Thanks! I come back to it when I‘ve finished the book! 3y

batsy Thanks for this! 3y

GatheringBooks Thank you for sharing! I can safely read this as I finished reading the novel. Yay! 3y

LeahBergen I‘ll save this for after my read. Thank you! 3y

65 likes10 comments

GatheringBooks

The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

#WindsOfMarch Day 4: Here is my #MarchTBR including our #NYRBBookClub - three of my self-selected novels are perfect for our upcoming quarterly theme on refugees, migrants, exiles - and our annual theme to decolonize our libraries. :)

Eggs

SamAnne Oh I loved Exit West. 3y

Eggs Books + Food = Serenity ❣️🥰 3y

53 likes2 comments

vivastory @BarbaraBB @emilyhaldi @quietjenn @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @KVanRead @LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @Liz_M @merelybookish @GatheringBooks @readordierachel @saresmoore @sarahbarnes @sisilia @Reviewsbylola @Suet624 @batsy @Tanisha_A @Theaelizabet @Billypar 3y

The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

Thanks once again to @catebutler for co-hosting the February selection of #NYRBBookClub The discussion yesterday was informed, lively, & full of humor as always. Join @daena & I later this month as we read & discuss painter & author Leonora Carrington's The Hearing Trumpet. I look forward to your nominations for the April selection @arubabookwoman

KVanRead Great discussions yesterday and looking forward to reading this one! Thanks again for hosting. 3y

vivastory @KVanRead Wonderful comments yesterday! It's been a few years since I've read this one, but from what I recall I enjoyed it quite a bit. Looking forward to a reread, 3y

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arubabookwoman I will have my nominations up by tomorrow am. One question, @vivastory , has Transit by Anna Seghers been done? 3y

vivastory @arubabookwoman Sounds good! No, that one hasn't. 3y

vivastory @arubabookwoman https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/53745996-scott?ref=nav_mybooks&shelf=nyrbb... (This is my GR shelf of all of the titles that we have read) 3y

quietjenn Thanks for yesterday. Am excited to dive into this one! 3y

sarahbarnes Thanks @catebutler and @vivastory for a great book and discussion! Looking forward to the next one. 3y

BarbaraBB I didn‘t have the time to reread the book but have no doubt I missed a great discussion again. Looking forward to the next! 3y

vivastory @BarbaraBB Looking forward to your thoughts on it! 3y

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GatheringBooks

The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

#LovePrevails Day 28: #ItHadToBeYou lemon macarons and our #NYRBBookClub pick for the month of March.

Eggs

Nute Awesome photo! 3y

kspenmoll Lovely photo, book cover, drooling for your lemon macaroons! (edited) 3y

Bookwomble If that's gin with a twist of lime, then that's a perfect table top 📖🍸🍪💗 3y

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GatheringBooks @Bookwomble hahahhaa! Sadly, my gin days are over. This is vodka! Joke! Plain ole boring water, i‘m afraid. 😂😭🤣 3y

GatheringBooks @kspenmoll we have loads of flavours here, but lemon is our absolute fave. 3y

GatheringBooks @Nute thank youuu!! 💕💕🥰🥰 3y

Bookwomble @GatheringBooks Ha, ha! Never mind - 95% of perfect is still a good day 😊 3y

Eggs Perfection 🥳😍 3y

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Beautiful photo ❤️ 2y

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sisilia

The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

My copy arrived today. It smells soooooo good 🤪

Elizabeth2 Love that mug! 😂 3y

sarahbarnes Your mug is perfect! 😂 3y

CoverToCoverGirl Your mug speaks truth! 3y

sisilia @Milara @Elizabeth2 @sarahbarnes @CoverToCoverGirl 😆 I work so that I can buy more books 3y

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sprainedbrain

The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

Hey, @suvata @HOTPock3tt and @Bits ☺️

Getting ahead of myself, but I‘m super excited to read some magical realism with you all for #LMPBC round 11, so can you help me pick my book?

Do any of these look interesting to you? Any you‘ve already read or definitely wouldn‘t want to?

suvata I just read where the forest meets the stars but the other 3 sound great 3y

Ashley31 I really enjoyed The Cottingley Secret. Hazel Gaynor is one of my favs. 3y

HOTPock3tt I have literally never heard of any of these! so it‘s safe to say I haven‘t read them! Lol! 😂they all look good to me! @sprainedbrain 3y

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MittenGirlPeach I really enjoyed The Cottingley Secret too! 3y

sprainedbrain @Ashley31 @MittenGirlPeach I‘m definitely leaning towards that one now! 😉 3y

Ashley31 @sprainedbrain yay!!! Enjoy! 3y

sprainedbrain @Bits have you read

The Cottingley Secret: A Novel

3y

Bits Nope! Sounds good! 😁 3y

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vivastory @BarbaraBB @catebutler @arubabookwoman @emilyhaldi @quietjenn @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @kvanearwage @LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @Liz_M @merelybookish @GatheringBooks @readordierachel @saresmoore @sarahbarnes @sisilia @Reviewsbylola @batsy @Suet624 @Tanisha_A @Theaelizabet @Billypar 3y

The Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

A few members have not yet voted, but having reviewed the votes several times, I can confidently say that Carrington's The Hearing Trumpet will be the #NYRBBookClub March selection. Join @daena & I next month as we read & discuss. There are quite a few supplementary materials that I will be posting as we get closer. Carrington & her circle were fascinating!

BarbaraBB It sounds like quite a unique book! Nice! 3y

vivastory @BarbaraBB I read it years and years ago, but have never forgotten it. I'm really looking forward to rereading & seeing what I think, especially with the Tokarczuk introduction. 3y

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BarbaraBB Her name made me vote for this one! 3y

sarahbarnes Yay! Excited for this one! And yes, the intro! 🎉 3y

Leftcoastzen I‘m very skeptical, I love her art , her circle, surrealist writing, biography about her but this was a hard DNF for me & I was so disappointed to feel that way

The Complete Stories of Leonora Carrington

3y

Leftcoastzen Sorry to be a 💩but I may try in the spirit of the club 😂 3y

emilyhaldi Sorry I missed the vote!! But excited about this selection 🤗 3y

vivastory @sarahbarnes Plus, what a cover!! 3y

vivastory @Leftcoastzen I haven't read her stories so I can't really say. Like you I am a huge admirer of her art etc. I also read her memoir (also pub by NYRB) & thought it was great. If I recall HT is sort of light surrealism, more magical realism. When I read HT was when I was heavily into surrealism, so I might feel a bit diff now. 3y

Liz_M It's a popular title at the library -- an 11 week wait for the ebook and at least 6 weeks for a paper copy. 😣 3y

vivastory @Liz_M I'm planning on buying the NYRB edition. I should have the Exact Change edition lying around somewhere. If you send me your address I'd be happy to send it your way. 3y

LeahBergen I‘m looking forward to trying this author. I‘ve always had a sneaking suspicion that I won‘t like her (and yet I voted for this book 😂). 3y

sarahbarnes I know!! 😍😍 3y

vivastory @LeahBergen Hmmm...I'm honestly not sure if I'm going to like it the second time. I always had a pref for surrealist poetry over the novels, but I do remember HT being closer to a kind of folkloric/magical realist story. Good stuff. At least, from what I recall 😂 (edited) 3y

Suet624 Strangely I just found that this one is already on my bookshelf. I must have purchased it from NYRB. Also strange that I did not vote for this one. 🤣🤣 3y

vivastory @Suet624 It's a pretty recent release from them. I think within the past few months. I'm pleasantly surprised by the success it's enjoying 3y

batsy Yay! I'm so glad because I already ordered it yesterday 😂 3y

batsy @vivastory By memoir do you mean Down Below? I have that one on my shelf and I probably should read it before we start Hearing Trumpet. 3y

vivastory @batsy That's the one! 3y

quietjenn I don't really think of surrealism as my thing, but I have been fascinated by this book ever since I first heard about it. Looking forward to finally giving it a go. 3y

vivastory @quietjenn Glad to hear it! From what I remember Carrington's brand of surrealism was definitely different from the usual 3y

Tanisha_A Hiiii Scott! I am so sorry, been so busyyy (getting married in a few days 😶)! I did see the selection, and i was conflicted between this one and The Big Fat Englishman. Yayyy, glad this got picked. Waiting for my reading to get back on track. 3y

vivastory @Tanisha_A Congrats, Tanisha 👏🎉🎊🍾 Getting married is extremely time consuming, I can imagine how much more so in the middle of a pandemic. Hopefully you manage to squeeze in a book or two 3y

Liz_M @vivastory Sorry for the delay in responding to your generous offer -- I wanted to take some time to check various NYC bookstores since I thought I had seen some of Carrington's books on sale the weekend before we voted. And I was able to find a copy at a used bookstore nominally within walking distance today! 3y

vivastory @Liz_M Great find!! 📚 3y

rubyslippersreads @LeahBergen I have that feeling too, and I think it has something to do with an unfortunate digestive practice she had. 3y

LeahBergen @rubyslippersreads I had to look that up. Do you mean the “hair omelettes” she served?? 🤮 🤮 3y

rubyslippersreads @LeahBergen She did a lot of weird things with food, but she also forced herself to vomit as a form of protest. I feel 🤢 even thinking about it. 3y

rubyslippersreads Here‘s a link for @LeahBergen and anyone else who‘s interested. It made me queasy enough that I could only skim it, so there may be spoilers. http://c-j-l-c.org/portfolio/her-stomach-is-society-digestive-trouble-and-real-m... 3y

LeahBergen @rubyslippersreads Ewwww! 3y

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TiminCalifornia

Hearing Trumpet | Leonora Carrington

February list for #bookspin #doublespin #bookspinbingo

TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Yay!!! 3y

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