Scenes of Passion and Despair is a 1972 short story from the collection Marriages and Infidelities by Joyce Carol Oates. You can read it online here. It begins,
Walking quickly. The path become mud. She walked in the weeds at the edge of the path — then, her good luck, some planks had been put down in the mud, for cattle to walk on. She walked on the planks.
A hill leading down to the river, bumpy and desolate. Ragged weeds, bushes, piles of debris. No DUMPING ALLOWED. The Hudson River: she stared at the wild gray water and its shapelessness. Familiar sight. She’d been seeing it from this path, hurrying along this path, for weeks. Weeks? It was only the end of June and it seemed to her the summer had lasted years already. How to survive the summer?
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I've heard the name, but don't think I've read anything by her.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read much by her myself.
DeleteI wasn't necessarily fond of the writing. I'm not sure this one is worth reading. But thanks for the link, just in case I change my mind.
ReplyDeleteI read it because of the author. As this was available free online I jumped at it lol
DeleteI like Joyce Carol Oates. I've read a few of her stories, but nothing recently. Maybe it is time to pick up another of her novels or stories.
ReplyDeleteI bought a couple of hers back in the day, but I'm not buying books these days and haven't been to the library. Finding things free online is such a good way for me to read a variety :)
DeleteNot read anything by this author, so will take a look 😀. Wishing you a great new week! Jo x
ReplyDeleteFinding short works free online is such an easy way to test out new authors. I hope you like her.
DeleteI'm not familiar with this author, but the snippet you included does draw me in especially to a question of how to survive summer. Already I image that someone is going to get dumped near the No dumping sign ...
ReplyDeleteIt's not a title that would've drawn me, but being able to test it like this makes me more willing to dip my toe in.
DeleteOh, I like what I've read by her I will have to come back and read this! :)
ReplyDeleteIt's fun finding free stuff :)
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