Shannon gave me several Angela Carter books years ago and it's well past time I cracked them. It's clear she knows so many things I want to learn, and also I lately keep seeing her name everywhere. I even saw someone on a TV show watching Pandora's Box after I read the essay where she discusses it. The world is trying to teach me!

I thought the collection of journalism would be a good introduction to her voice, which is true, but actually I felt like it wasn't quite the right first choice. I wanted to see so many of her arguments through, to have her keep discussing a thesis, but they're all pieces written for magazines and newspapers so they don't do that. (I think I might read The Sadeian Women next, to indulge that interest.)

Her literary criticism is so famous for good reason, so it was great to read it. "Alison's Giggle" and "Love in a Cold Climate" will be read again, and made me want to reread or read the literature discussed. In general I wanted to learn more about what she's writing about. The other pieces I enjoyed most were the biographical ones, on the Wordsworths and Frida Kahlo and Colette. Her style really suits analysis of a famous life.

And I keep laughing at her joke about her neighborhood in Japan being so clean "You could eat your dinner off the children."

Thanks Shannon!

Also it is annoying me I can't find the right cover art on GoodReads. Mine has a cute photo of her in a hammock.