Listening to Maynard

Last night I went to the reading featuring Joyce Maynard as apart of the River City Writers program. It was a really interesting experience...not as boring as I expected. I have to say that she really compelled me to go and get her book At Home in the World.

The most interesting thing that Maynard talked about, though, was her relationship with writer J.D. Salinger. I was really shocked when she revealed the fact that she was only eighteen and Salinger was 53 when they began their relationship--a sexual one at that. I could never even imagine being attracted to someone so much older than me. I mean Salinger was nearly old enough to be her grandfather. It was so wierd. But the way she talked about how they wrote to each other and how he was so supportive, I guess she fell for him before they even met in person. It was also a shock to hear about what an ass he ended up being. Their relationship only lasted a year, Joyce said, and then Salinger dismissed her very coldly telling her she would never amount to anything. It is crazy how a person can seem so loving and supportive at one point and then turn out to be this bitter, hateful person not long after.

Joyce not only talked about her relationship with Salinger, but she also did a reading from her book. Well, actually, the part she read from her book dealt with Salinger also. It depicted a scene of Joyce some years later, after she had grown and had children of her own, going back to visit J.D. Salinger again. She showed up at his door and asked him what was her purpose in his life when they were together. Basically, Salinger proceeded to tear her down and never answered her question. The way Joyce read the scene made it so interesting. She read with so much feeling and emphasis. My eyes and ears were really focused on her the whole evening. She probably thought I was crazy because I was staring at her so hard. But that is just how intriguing and interesting the whole thing was to me.

Well my experience was a good one. And it makes me eager to go to other readings featuring other authors that may come up in the future. I never thought I would be so interested in something like that. But I guess you never know until you see for yourself...