Say Something Nice About The Books Of Janet Frame

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This thread on ILE made me really sad this morning.

I love her books so much. And she was one of the few writers where if someone asked me which one of her books they should read, i would say, "Any of them! You can't go wrong". And it's true. weirdness, beauty, grace, poetry, humor. Her books were worlds. Pick up a few if you get a chance. They are one of a kind. (i even love her short stories and her poetry and her children's book! And her memoirs are in a class of their own as well)

― scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 29 January 2004 13:24 (twenty-two years ago)

I fear I've not encountered her, but she sounds like maybe she's worth tracking down. Problem is it'll turn me into one of those guys who only reads books once the author has carked it.

― writingstatic (writingstatic), Thursday, 29 January 2004 22:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Perhaps someone could recommend a book to start with. I have heard great things about her, but she always remained on that "get around to it sometime" list.

― Jessa (Jessa), Friday, 30 January 2004 18:09 (twenty-two years ago)

You could start at the beginning with Owls Do Cry. She made her name with that book. They just get better from there.

― scott seward (scott seward), Friday, 30 January 2004 19:23 (twenty-two years ago)

one month passes...

She was a treasure...I almost burst into tears yesterday. I was buzy taking care of newborn twins when she died. Last night I picked up an Economist from early Feb and learned that she had died. I was shattered as she was my favorite writer. Start anywhere....but read her. I love them all...but my pick for a good start....is
The Carpathians, oh, crud....or Living in the Maniototo....

― Malvene E Collins, Friday, 19 March 2004 20:01 (twenty-two years ago)

I just saw the jane Campion film about janet frame the other day on IFC.

That red hair......

― Clellie, Friday, 19 March 2004 22:23 (twenty-two years ago)

I see she has a three volume autobiography which interests me. I love memoirs- do I need to read her work before I delve into the bio, or can I do it simultaneously?

― Rabin the Cat (Rabin the Cat), Sunday, 21 March 2004 05:39 (twenty-two years ago)

You can read the memoirs first. It might even make you want to read her fiction ever more. Or you could read Owls Do Cry and then the memoirs as Owls Do Cry is the most autobiographical of her fiction.

― scott seward (scott seward), Sunday, 21 March 2004 14:32 (twenty-two years ago)

seven years pass...

Start anywhere....but read her. I love them all...but my pick for a good start....is
The Carpathians,

just picked this up, pretty psyched, hope i love it as much as i expect to

― just sayin, Friday, 4 November 2011 16:19 (fourteen years ago)

I've never read her, though we share surnames.

― Glo-Vember (dog latin), Friday, 4 November 2011 16:22 (fourteen years ago)

i am a nzer so i feel i need to read at least one of her books

― just sayin, Friday, 4 November 2011 16:23 (fourteen years ago)

my mother spent an evening round at james k baxter's place sometime in the sixties when frame was visiting him and apparently she entertained everyone by providing impromptu dialogue to muted tv shows.
anyway, i liked 'living in the maniototo' for its depiction of new zealand unreality/nongeography and the appearance of various ghosts from nzlit.

― no lime tangier, Saturday, 5 November 2011 01:36 (fourteen years ago)

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