Matt, if you haven’t already, check out Yeti’s new “All That is Sacred” film on YouTube. Something tells me you will enjoy it. Let me know when you’re down in FL and let’s fly fish.
Thanks for flagging me, Jacob. I think I'd heard about this coming out around the time Jimmy Buffet died, but lost track. Glad Yeti picked it up and put it out. Was wonderful. Great to get McGuane's look back on the subject. Especially now that he's the last man standing, and all the others are gone. Harrison, Chatham, et al.
If you liked that, you might dig this other Yeti short that came out on JT Van Zandt, Townes's kid. Who is an obsessive fly fisher, and also a builder of beautiful wooden kayaks that he fishes out of. He looks and sings just like his old man. But there's great observations on fatherhood and the like -- for which his dad wasn't the model. But he doesn't seem the least bit bitter. It's a nice little piece: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KadKx5k6XoY
I saw Jim Harrison on the Montana episode of Parts Unknown years ago but I neglected to search out any of his books. Been fixing that the last few weeks.
Matt, we have talked about Jim previously. I sure miss his writing. To think we will never hear another word about Brown Dog makes me sad. One of the truly original characters in American fiction. The greatest lovable nitwit ever put on the page. And, we'll never again see another perfect bottom in blue panties. He was such a wonderful old lech.
Wonderful essay. Happily I stumbled upon Harrison when LOTF was still a book only, so I'm on your wavelength, Matt. Recently I've been reading "The Raw and the Cooked" a little nibble at a time. Similar to your approach (He won't be writing more of these and they are such gems), but perhaps restrained nibbling is hostile to the Harrison spirit?
I suppose I saw his name as author of Legends of the Fall but I knew nothing of him otherwise. Fascinating. Did he consider the movie a fair treatment? I enjoyed it, although the narrator was a tad annoying.
"Because how to escape the bad news that besieges us, each and every day, is news in itself. News of how not to lose what we know is true in a sea of falseness, and lies, and algorithms eager to feed our cynicism and paranoia of how it’s all gone wrong, which in fairness to the algorithms, it largely has."
In this one sentence, I think you did Jim Harrison proud.
I don't know Jim Harrison works apart from their appearance in these letters. I have little to no concern for understanding the reality of anything beyond my own experiences and those are befuddling enough for a lifetime. For instance, my wife is a truly wonderful person. Beautiful, smart, caring, a lover of all living things (except snakes) and the best companion and friend I could have. Yet the dogs prefer me. All three are laying a short arms distance away as a winter storm rages around our home. Why? Male and female alike, big and small. It has always been this way with only one rare exception - Schaeffer. When I was learning to hang glide, I practiced on a small hill outside Albuquerque. Schaeffer jumped out of a moving car on the road nearby as I watched, and ran up the hill I had been flying from. He hid behind a clump of sagebrush. The car folks called for a bit then drove off and left him. I enticed him to come to me. He and I went home to Patti. She was not amused. He had a dog door and two lab friends but spent most of a cold snowy winter outdoors. This until the night Patti awakened to discover a six inch snowfall cover everything including Schaeffer. She collected that fur bearing piece of cardboard, brought him in to the place beside her bed. He never left her after that incident. He tolerated me, but he never left her. He saw her plainly as she actually really is. He understood the reality of her as the rest of us only do superficially I fear. So much of my life is like this. Unexplainable events and outcomes. The comment about most people on the subway having better stories than the writer striving to find one simply because they are engaged in reality, is crap. Mostly they are engaged in the same mundane soul crushing work, family troubles, money worries, medical issues as the vast majority of the not 1%. Reality of existence? Not even on the discussion board.
Well with that kind of attitude, no wonder he wanted to hang out with Patti!
My wife and I argue a lot about who the dog loves more. I tend to win when she needs me to call him into the car. Because when I load him in the car, it usually means he's going some place fun - for a walk, somewhere. When she does, he's usually going to the vet or to get groomed, both of which he hates. So he hides behind a bush when she calls until I come out and he figures the coast is clear. Even odds I end up divorced if she reads this.
Wonderful tribute to one of my favorite writers. I always remember his cure for heartbreak, which I used once (in stages and only once, thank god): “broiling a two- to three-pound porterhouse, eating it with your hands, followed by a hot bath in which you consume the best bourbon you can buy until the bottle is empty.”
Matt, if you haven’t already, check out Yeti’s new “All That is Sacred” film on YouTube. Something tells me you will enjoy it. Let me know when you’re down in FL and let’s fly fish.
Thanks for flagging me, Jacob. I think I'd heard about this coming out around the time Jimmy Buffet died, but lost track. Glad Yeti picked it up and put it out. Was wonderful. Great to get McGuane's look back on the subject. Especially now that he's the last man standing, and all the others are gone. Harrison, Chatham, et al.
If you liked that, you might dig this other Yeti short that came out on JT Van Zandt, Townes's kid. Who is an obsessive fly fisher, and also a builder of beautiful wooden kayaks that he fishes out of. He looks and sings just like his old man. But there's great observations on fatherhood and the like -- for which his dad wasn't the model. But he doesn't seem the least bit bitter. It's a nice little piece: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KadKx5k6XoY
I saw Jim Harrison on the Montana episode of Parts Unknown years ago but I neglected to search out any of his books. Been fixing that the last few weeks.
Matt, we have talked about Jim previously. I sure miss his writing. To think we will never hear another word about Brown Dog makes me sad. One of the truly original characters in American fiction. The greatest lovable nitwit ever put on the page. And, we'll never again see another perfect bottom in blue panties. He was such a wonderful old lech.
Thus does poesy proceed to fact by implication;
Says I,
Whistling unevenly.
Thnx, Matt. That would be a wonderful day for a lot of us. Tight lines to you.
Thanks for the introduction to Jim Harrison. My ignorance is my fault for not knowing of works! Getting on it!
Thank you Matt. You gave me a thoughtful and thought-filled morning.
Wonderful essay. Happily I stumbled upon Harrison when LOTF was still a book only, so I'm on your wavelength, Matt. Recently I've been reading "The Raw and the Cooked" a little nibble at a time. Similar to your approach (He won't be writing more of these and they are such gems), but perhaps restrained nibbling is hostile to the Harrison spirit?
I suppose I saw his name as author of Legends of the Fall but I knew nothing of him otherwise. Fascinating. Did he consider the movie a fair treatment? I enjoyed it, although the narrator was a tad annoying.
Not sure, Brad. He did complain about Hollywood ragging him out considerably. And didn't seem to much miss it.
"Because how to escape the bad news that besieges us, each and every day, is news in itself. News of how not to lose what we know is true in a sea of falseness, and lies, and algorithms eager to feed our cynicism and paranoia of how it’s all gone wrong, which in fairness to the algorithms, it largely has."
In this one sentence, I think you did Jim Harrison proud.
I like the songs you make of your life, as well. Good work.
Thanks, Sandra. And your son sent me his new fly fishing mag. Wonderful! Be proud.
I don't know Jim Harrison works apart from their appearance in these letters. I have little to no concern for understanding the reality of anything beyond my own experiences and those are befuddling enough for a lifetime. For instance, my wife is a truly wonderful person. Beautiful, smart, caring, a lover of all living things (except snakes) and the best companion and friend I could have. Yet the dogs prefer me. All three are laying a short arms distance away as a winter storm rages around our home. Why? Male and female alike, big and small. It has always been this way with only one rare exception - Schaeffer. When I was learning to hang glide, I practiced on a small hill outside Albuquerque. Schaeffer jumped out of a moving car on the road nearby as I watched, and ran up the hill I had been flying from. He hid behind a clump of sagebrush. The car folks called for a bit then drove off and left him. I enticed him to come to me. He and I went home to Patti. She was not amused. He had a dog door and two lab friends but spent most of a cold snowy winter outdoors. This until the night Patti awakened to discover a six inch snowfall cover everything including Schaeffer. She collected that fur bearing piece of cardboard, brought him in to the place beside her bed. He never left her after that incident. He tolerated me, but he never left her. He saw her plainly as she actually really is. He understood the reality of her as the rest of us only do superficially I fear. So much of my life is like this. Unexplainable events and outcomes. The comment about most people on the subway having better stories than the writer striving to find one simply because they are engaged in reality, is crap. Mostly they are engaged in the same mundane soul crushing work, family troubles, money worries, medical issues as the vast majority of the not 1%. Reality of existence? Not even on the discussion board.
Well with that kind of attitude, no wonder he wanted to hang out with Patti!
My wife and I argue a lot about who the dog loves more. I tend to win when she needs me to call him into the car. Because when I load him in the car, it usually means he's going some place fun - for a walk, somewhere. When she does, he's usually going to the vet or to get groomed, both of which he hates. So he hides behind a bush when she calls until I come out and he figures the coast is clear. Even odds I end up divorced if she reads this.
God bless Schaeffer.
"He saw her plainly
as she actually really is.
He understood the reality of her
as the rest of us
only do superficially
I fear."
Ah, but YOU see
and understand
And your tribute to her here
is sublime
Matt, I just love when you wax poetical about life, death, sorrow and the little pleasures in life., even when riffing on someone else's life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuP1kMRyKOY
The sound of my house in the seventies, Mike. Gone too soon!
Awesome piece Matt! Hope you all are well!
Thanks, Bradley. And sorry about your family's loss up there.......
Wonderful tribute to one of my favorite writers. I always remember his cure for heartbreak, which I used once (in stages and only once, thank god): “broiling a two- to three-pound porterhouse, eating it with your hands, followed by a hot bath in which you consume the best bourbon you can buy until the bottle is empty.”
Psalms & Proverbs, Music & Wisdom, your tribute pieces and videos shine