Banville Bits & Blunders

Surely you know that I couldn't possibly have my lengthy, multi-part, rambling rendering of the Banville reading up and ready to go first thing this morning. Right? (Right?)  Yet, this time I must compete with Sarvas who has video and who actually asked a question and whose previous interview with Banville was cited by Tara Ison during her interview with Banville.  So. You know, I'll be the fill-in. The comedic relief. The mise en scène. But to give you just a taste of the evening that was...I offer a few paltry asides before the Sarvas event takes place. I'll then drum up my musings later this week and early next.  (I've still got Jane Smiley to do and she is, as I've said, LONG in all sorts of ways.)

• The announcer (a Brooke Astor-esque woman in her Chanel suit and flowing scarf and diamond earrings) introduced him as John Banfield. Twice. (How one could possibly deign to screw that up, I really don't know. I still haven't recovered.)
• My green note-taking pen leaked all over me and the carpet at the Mark Taper Forum. Good thing the carpet at the Mark Taper Forum is also green.
• While getting greedy in the "popular library", I found I'd checked out far too many books and had to make a quick trip back to the car to drop them off before I attended the reading (more on these later).  Who pulled up in a silver Mercedes SUV right in front of the elevator?  None other than the man himself. And here's the thing...he wasn't the passenger. He was driving!
• He's delightfully funny. Really. After being introduced by Brooke Astor and Tara Ison, he said he felt like Krusty the Clown coming on stage after two such gracious introductions. Which was generous, because I found both intros to be snoozy. But that's just me.
• He is nothing else if not truly Irish: he mentioned sins and guilt over a dozen times - even referring to his past books as his past sins. Satirically yes, but with a tad of serious.
• Banville Gem #1: "Even at its darkest, life is hideously funny."
• Banville Gem #2: "We have to be wary of prizes (book or any other) as a measure of our work. The only judgment is the judgment of time."
• Tara Ison was very jumpy and quite nervous. It seemed. I could be wrong. But wouldn't you be?
• Banville Gem #3: "If you write honestly, you will not be sentimental."
• Banville Gem #4: "Of course all the characters are me, I'm the only material I have. You're the only material you have."
• The audience questions, for the most part, were at least not embarrassing or painful. But they could have been far more insightful. John Banville - astonishing writer - and you want to ask him dull questions? Ugh. Sarvas asked the only proper question of the evening. I'll leave it to him to share that first. I'll do the fill-in later.
• It is always fun, at these higher profile readings, to try and figure out who Sarvas is. I've never known. We've never met. At all author events, I try very hard to be invisible. To document what takes place, but not insert myself into the unfolding.  So I always leave wondering...was he here? Last night, Tara Ison made mention of him, then said his name when he was given the microphone to ask his questions. So, alas,the secret is out. I've now laid eyes on him.  At least I think it was him.  The dead giveaway, though, was the stalkeresque man who was gravely enamored with Mark.  As I passed by, I overheard "Congratulations on the marriage. Congratulations on your book..."  Who else could it possibly be but Mark?
• And so, now, over to Mark until I get my act together tomorrow or the next day or the next...

But I will say this - it was such a delight to see an author I've admired for years read his work and then discuss it. It was akin to what seeing The Clash would have been like for me when I was younger. Or even now.  While so many parts of it could have been better -- none of it mattered.  All the irritants fell away as soon as he appeared on stage and did his thing. Better still: I'm inspired to write at the highest level possible...even if it turns out not to be possible for me.  That is powerful stuff.

Update: Sarvas has his take up now.

Comments

[TEV]

Please do say hi next time. I promise I don't bite! And yes, the "Banfield" thing mortified me as well but I neglected to mention it, so thanks for posting that.

[callie]

Mark -- I know, I know, I should have. I just tend to slip out quietly and never stay for the signings...and you were being sort of bullied a bit already, I didn't think it fair. And I was nervous, truth be told.

I'll be covering the LA Times Book Festival for LAist, so I'm sure we'll have a chance to meet then. Thanks for the link, it isn't every day one is mentioned on TEV and I'm honored (I've even cleaned up all my typing-too-quickly typos for the occaison!)

[ed]

Wait a sec. Sarvas has stalkers?

[callie]

Yes, but they are very well dressed.