Whatever happened to understatement?

I don’t know, but it’s nowhere in sight these days. Radio interviewers, with CBC headliners leading the way, just gush and gush. There is no superlative they do not bring out when they interview musicians, writers and anyone from the arts. Politicians, on the other hand, are treated like liars and cheats. (Well, some of them are, of course.) But I personally think things have gone too far. It’s the journalistic equivalent of the Standing O when none is deserved.

Here’s hoping journalists start to rein themselves in a bit. Not everyone they interview is Shakespeare or Ray Charles.

I just finished Alissa York’s Fauna, which One Book NS picked as the book all Nova Scotians should read this year. I was extremely impressed by the book. The writing is so good. The characters and story-lines are intriguing and there are many, many thoughtful observations, and about subjects I don’t often give a second thought. I’m sorry I missed York when she was in the province doing readings from and talking about the book.

I’m thinking particularly of those in the public domain. Certain disgraced Canadian Senators come to mind, or Toronto’s Mayor Ford. Or Lance Armstrong in the world of sports. Each of us has our own list.

What I’m wondering if we should not take the names of those who anger and disappoint and turn their very names into swear words? It works for me. One element of swearing is found in the tone of voice, the way the curse is muttered or said aloud. Try it. Mutter Mike Duffy or Rob Ford and shake your head or raise your fist.

In English Canada we have long tended to curse with terms that relate to the body in some way, some of which go back to Anglo-Saxon roots. In French Canada the swear words often come from a religious context. But why not from contemporary events?

With swearing now practically everywhere — films, TV, office and the street — words that once shocked or gave vent have lost their power. So just select someone who has annoyed you or let you down and use their name as a curse.

I’ve just finished Anne Marie MacDonald’s Fall on Your Knees and I’m incredibly impressed by the terrific writer that she is. It reminded me many times of the great 19th century classics because it’s a sweeping saga across a great stage. And there is so much inventive imagery and clever word use, more than in any book I’ve read in a long time. And yet, and yet, what a Gothic tale. There are a few happy moments, but they are few and far between. Mostly it’s an unrelenting tale of woe, mishap and suffering of one kind or another. In that regard, the novel recalled Terence Malick’s film of a few years back, Tree of Life. In that film there was not even a hint that there could be joy and pleasure in life. At least MacDonald offers a few hints. Yet, it’s the tragedies where the emphasis is placed, and they do pile up. So much Canadian literature and so many films explore similar themes. Life is frustration and despair, and then you’re dead. Something Gothic in the air, soil and water of this land? It seems so. I’d like to think that there can also be serious literature without everyone being miserable or killed off.

I greatly enjoyed listening to the much celebrated author at the Cyril Byrne event at SMU last evening. I’ve not yet read anything he’s written — a terrible confession I suppose — yet I will in the months ahead. (I can’t right now. When I’m creating my own fictional world for Thomas, Hélène and others, I simply can’t go into any other fictional world. So I’m reading non-fiction at the moment.) Richards read with a completely different voice than the one he speaks with. It was almost mesmerizing at times. The lyrical cadences of the work he read from were strong and striking. I also very much liked to hear him talk of his one meeting with Ernest Buckler, his admiration of Tolstoy and Dostoyevski, his transition from how he wrote when he was in his twenties to how he writes now, and much more. The evening’s host, Alexander MacLeod, was as eloquent as he always is, which rounded off the evening nicely.

It’s a challenge for any book coming out of a small regional press to get reviewed in any major media outlet. Their nearly exclusive focus is on the books that come out of the large publishing houses based in Toronto or in the USA, books that have budgets for promotion. Novels like Thomas, A Secret Life are rarely given any profile at all. As a result, people generally only find out about books put out by Atlantic region publishers by word of mouth. So … if anyone reading this note happens to have read and enjoyed Thomas — or any other Atlantic Canadian book — maybe you’d be willing offer a review or thumb’s up on any of the Amazon, Chapters-Indigo, Goodreads or other web sites that feature books? Or on Facebook? It’s still word of mouth, but it’s a whisper (sort of) that can reach a lot of ears many times over. Thank you, should you feel so inclined.