Post #73 – Women’s Memoirs, Book & Video Raves – Kendra Bonnett and Matilda Butler
By the time you read this, it will be Christmas Day. Around the world, families and friends are gathering to exchange gifts and good cheer. But for me, it’s Christmas Eve, and that has always carried the greatest magic.
As a child, my stomach practically churned with excitement as I went through the day’s activities. As children of the early television era, my sister, brother and I spent the day tracking Santa’s progress through special news reports from the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). These days, kids just go to NORADSanta.com. We were limited to a few precious alerts during the day.
Of course, there were other things to do. We listened to carols, wrapped packages, finished trimming the tree and like children everywhere we were on our best behavior. Somehow my sister, brother and I got through dinner. I don’t know how we ate, let alone kept our food down. Then just before going to bed, we put out cookies, eggnog and a note for Santa.
But who could sleep? The three of us talked and giggled into the wee hours. Eventually we did sleep with visions of new bikes, giant Raggedy Ann dolls, sleds, teddy bears, electric trains, books, bongo drums, Tinker Toys, Erector sets, Satellite Jumping Shoes, teepee tent forts, Aurora auto racing sets, and hockey games danced in our heads—the 1950s and 60s equivalent of sugar plums.
Now I stay up late for a very different reason. To listen to the animals talk. You didn’t know that the animals talk at midnight on Christmas Eve? Oh, yes, and the stories of such miracles date back centuries. Some reports say the origin lies in pagan superstition.
I stay up, not because I’ve never heard an animal talk. My cats talk to me every day, and I’ve lived with these creatures long enough to understand most everything they say. But I’m still curious about what makes the talking at midnight on Christmas Eve different. I’m hoping they’ll speak to me in English and we can have an enlightened conversation.
Each year, as the hour nears, I gather around me the kitties (these days) and dogs (when I’m lucky enough to have one). I don’t want to miss a moment of the discussion, and I’m not sure just how long the magic is supposed to last. Seconds after midnight, I turn to each:
“Angus, talk.”
“Eyow. Eyow.” He talks on command, but not in English.
“Sabrina, talk to me.”
“Meowwww. Yow. Yow.” Being the most talkative one, she yowls on for several minutes. If I say, “What?” She’ll repeat herself. I’ll say, “What?” again and she repeats. It becomes a sort of game. Of course, I understood her the first time.
Only one more chance. “Samantha, please speak to me.”
“Eek, eek. Yew.” She does her best talking in the kitchen while urging me to put a treat in her food bowl.
It’s about 10:30 PM now, so I have a little time to write before the magic moment. Maybe this will be the year I hear English. In the meantime, let me tell you about a book I read–well, listened to–last night. Each year for Christmas I give myself a gift of an Audible.com Platinum membership. It’s a terrific deal that gives me the most audiobooks for the money.
I was looking for a special book to download. I try to limit myself to business and marketing books, but I do buy a few histories and mysteries. I wanted to see if Rita Mae Brown had a new Mrs. Murphy mystery that I hadn’t heard. What I found instead was Brown’s memoir, Animal Magnetism: My Life with Creatures Great and Small. I’ll tell you a little about it while I wait for midnight.
Rita Mae Brown’s Memoir Animal Magnetism
If you’ve read Brown’s entertaining Mrs. Murphy mysteries, you’ll be quick to appreciate her affinity for animals. And she’s likewise quick to say that animals–feathered, furred and hoofed–are her best friends. Her perspective comes from a very unique relationship with animals. We might say that animals imprinted on her heart and soul early.
Brown’s first memory is that of listening to the purr of the long-haired tiger cat named Mickey that shared her cradle. To her delight, as a youngster visiting her grandfather PopPop, Brown ate and slept alongside a pack of American Foxhounds. She grew up living, playing and working with animals on equal terms. Her respect for them is profound. I don’t think you can come away from this memoir without greater awe and admiration for all creatures great and small.
The writing is first-class Rita Mae Brown. She always tells a good story, is generous with her insight, brings her characters (human and animal) to life, fills her scenes with vivid detail and choses her words for their strength, simplicity and clarity. After reading Animal Magnetism, you can’t help but recognize what’s missing from so many of the memoirs on the market today…classical training in language and literature. I’d advise anyone serious about memoir writing to take a good course in fiction writing.
I wouldn’t call the animal stories a memoir device. Not the way Julie Powell uses Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking as her device. Nor like Alison Houtte’s focus on clothes in Alligators, Old Mink & New Money: One Woman’s Adventures in Vintage Clothing.
The animals and their stories are inextricably woven into Brown’s life and memories. In truth, she couldn’t write her memoir without them any more than she could explain her life without the parade of fascinating, often eccentric, characters that are her family, friends and acquaintances. What she does do is give respect to a noble menagerie of dogs, cats, horses, foxes, and birds she feels privileged to have known. She credits them for teaching her communication, loyalty, love, spirit, strength, gratitude, compassion and understanding.
Animal Magnetism is a beautifully crafted memoir filled with stories that will have you crying for joy one minute and for sadness the next. This classically trained writer can give us all a lesson in memoir writing. And along the way, you’ll meet Sneaky Pie, Franklin, R.C., Suzie Q, Baby Jesus to say nothing of the wily foxes, nasty barnyard hen, owls, coyotes, and more.
The Cats Speak
It’s 1 AM as I close this review. I’m surrounded by Angus, Sabrina and Samantha. At midnight we communicated as well as we always do. They told me that if they had to be up, they’d like a little Christmas treat. They spoke no English, but I understood completely, and we all padded to the kitchen.
Yes, there was a miracle. But I’m saving that story for early January. Suffice to say, they shared their collective wisdom. I’ll pass along their message as part of a New Year’s series Matilda and I will be posting.
Merry Christmas…oh, I found this little interview with Rita Mae Brown that you might enjoy.
