Life against Death

Della, Everything you say makes me feel you will enjoy LIFE AGAINST DEATH all the more when you finally do have a read! It is not what you think, and as for the "psychoanalytical meaning of history" and all those heavyweights, don't worry, Brown is very articulate and quite down to earth about EVERYTHING. That's one of the book's many appeals, at least to me. A suggest once you find a copy, you needn't read it straight through, just look at the chapter titles and start with one you find interesting. That's the way I read it last Spring, and it worked better than previous attempts where I started on page one. I hope my enthusiastic recommendations do not have the adverse affect of making you expect too much and be too easily dismissive of what he writes before having a chance to absorb it. Anyway, even to search for a book can be an adventure! Keep me posted. I'm rereading it at present so we can talk about whatever whenever. I finally have a few days off but extra energy did not arrive with the holiday I'm afraid. If you send me an address where you'll be I can mail off a copy of WORDSWORLD to you in Vancouver and you can read it down by English Bay or in Stanley Park! Enjoy. Allen

September in Chengdu

Della! FINALLY am once again online, first time since returning a month ago. ANYTIME you want to come to Chengdu will be great, I'd love to see you. I'd also like to visit you sometime in Brisbane, I'm getting the "see other places" itch pretty seriously. Of course China itself is a world I have not yet seen much of, strange to say, so I'll begin HERE, but definitely would like to travel 'Down Under'. Now that my computer is again "connected" I hope to get back into my own work and to explore with you some of those "latencies" suggested at various times last winter Did I send you a copy of WORDSWORLD? (My chapbook, most recent?) I think not, so I'll send it too... What about your own writing and your own blog aspirations? Let's RESUME somehow, despite the many lapses and interruptions and impossibilities! I'll start, by sending you something shortly. I'm planning on inviting one of my classes here October 8 for a Thanksgiving party, we meet on Monday afternoons anyway. My best class, this term. I have lots of things it would be interesting to talk with you about, if we ever can resume any regular exchanging. Did you look for Brown's LIFE AGAINST DEATH…?

And please check on this disturbing report for me: someone told me the May Wah had burned or been burned to the ground. I'd like to know, sad though any confirmation would be. If you're at Main and Hastings, go into The Golden Horse (also known as the Marilyn Restaurant) and say hello to Eva, who'll be at the cash, one of my best friends (she and her whole family) if you say Hello for me she'll give you a Hong Kong tea free, I betcha! Wish I could visit Vancouver with you… Allen