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Aug 9 - Fog
Aug 9 - Fog | Kathryn Scanlan
7 posts | 11 read | 12 to read
One of The A.V. Club's 15 Most Anticipated Books of 2019 A stark, elegiac account of unexpected pleasures and the progress of seasons Fifteen years ago, Kathryn Scanlan found a strangers five-year diary at an estate auction in a small town in Illinois. The owner of the diary was eighty-six years old when she began recording the details of her life in the small book, a gift from her daughter and son-in-law. The diary was falling apartwater-stained and illegible in placesbut magnetic to Scanlan nonetheless. After reading and rereading the diary, studying and dissecting it, for the next fifteen years she played with the sentences that caught her attention, cutting, editing, arranging, and rearranging them into the composition that became Aug 9Fog (she chose the title from a note that was tucked into the diary). Sure grand out, the diarist writes. That puzzle a humdinger, she says, followed by, A letter from Lloyd saying John died the 16th. An entire state of mourning reveals itself in 2 canned hams. The result of Scanlans collaging is an utterly compelling, deeply moving meditation on life and death. In Aug 9Fog, Scanlans spare, minimalist approach has a maximal emotional effect, remaining with the reader long after the book ends. It is an unclassifiable work from a visionary young writer and artista singular portrait of a life revealed by revision and restraint.
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Coffeymuse
Aug 9 - Fog | Kathryn Scanlan
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I have this book at home from the library to read first of August.

#CoverLove
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
@Eggs

Eggs Great choice 🩶🩶 4mo
20 likes2 comments
blurb
IndoorDame
Aug 9--Fog | Kathryn Scanlan
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#FogCover #NewYearNewBook @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks From my TBR. I‘m fascinated with this project. The author found an old 1 line a day diary, became consumed with carrying it around and re-reading it, and eventually cut it up and rearranged the lines to make this short, poetic novel of reflections on life.

tpixie Very interesting! 10mo
rockpools It sounds fascinating! I was reading about a similar book just last week: 10mo
IndoorDame @rockpools very cool! 10mo
Eggs I love this!! 10mo
44 likes1 stack add4 comments
review
TieDyeDude
Aug 9--Fog | Kathryn Scanlan
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Mehso-so

This is an interesting project, but I don't think I got much from it. Slice of life type stuff. It would have been cool to include some of the original pages.

Suet624 I have no idea what this book is about, but when my Dad died I found years worth of weather reports in journals. It made me question why I even keep a journal. I have no idea what it meant to him. Sadly it meant very little to me. 1y
38 likes1 comment
review
Chelsea.Poole
Aug 9 - Fog | Kathryn Scanlan
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Pickpick

I have a diary called “One Line A Day” which has 5 sections for each day of the year. It‘s a very low-pressure way to record what‘s been going on in our hectic lives and I hope to continue the practice for all my days. This concept has been around for some time, and this small book was pieced together from a similar type of journal belonging to a woman in her 80s in rural Illinois from 68-72. The author snipped bits to form this meditative⬇️

Chelsea.Poole little book. It‘s life affirming, sad, but also mundane with splashes of joy. Could be read in 15 minutes, but could be read over and over. I found this on a list from #bookriot and I love their hidden gem selections. 2y
jlhammar I really liked this one. Cool concept and unique reading experience. 2y
merelybookish I also loved this when I read this! I meant to buy a copy. 2y
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batsy Great review! Scanlan sounds like an intriguing author. I have this and Kick the Latch on my TBR. 2y
TieDyeDude Ooo, that's my birthday 😅 Might have to read it just because of that 2y
Chelsea.Poole @TieDyeDude oh yeah, you gotta get ahold of this one. 2y
86 likes5 stack adds6 comments
review
wellreadredhead
Aug 9--Fog | Kathryn Scanlan
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Pickpick

This found diary was cut and rearranged by Scanlan to create the most lyrical and poetic little book I‘ve ever read. The melancholy that permeates the short bits of prose is just beautiful. You can read this one in about a half hour and you won‘t be disappointed. This is much more than the words on the page. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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merelybookish
Aug 9--Fog | Kathryn Scanlan
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Pickpick

Page one of this funny, wise little book.
Scanlon found a diary by an 86 year-old woman at an estate sale. Then she refashioned it, keeping the writer's word but cutting and rearranging her sentences. The diarist notes changes in the weather, illnesses, meals prepared, and a humdinger of a jigsaw puzzle. It is sparse and short, simple and wise. It attests to the complex beauty of life. It made me smile and tear up. Buying a copy for my nightstand

readordierachel What a clever idea! 5y
batsy Lovely review! I've been curious about this one and you've convinced me. 5y
LeahBergen This sounds great! 5y
merelybookish @readordierachel Agreed! The prologue describes her relationship with the diary and how she came to 'refashion' it after 15 years. It was intriguing! 5y
merelybookish @batsy @leahbergen Thanks! It really is a short book (you can easily read it in a 1/2 hour). But it also feels like a book you could read over and over again! 5y
46 likes2 stack adds5 comments
review
decembersveryown
Aug 9--Fog | Kathryn Scanlan
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Mehso-so

I wanted to like this book. I really did. I like the writer‘s original work - I‘m still totally anticipating her short story collection, The Dominant Animal - but I felt I was missing something with this short book. Maybe it‘s the style, the sparse content that is given in each page? I‘m going to revisit this one and hopefully it‘s just a mood thing and a rereading of it will do the trick. I‘m hopeful. 🤞🏽