Merwin, W.S., The Lost Upland: Stories of Southwest France.New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1992.
Reason read: Who doesn’t remember the song, “April in Paris”?
Merwin has combined three stories about the Dordogne/Languedoc region of southern France and combined them in a book called The Lost Upland. I use the term “stories” loosely as there no definitive plot to speak of in any one of them. Instead, readers will find a lyrical portrait of place and people. Merwin is a poet, after all. Community members like Fatty and Blackbird may dominate the pages but it’s the landscape itself that takes center stage. Be prepared to be transported to a place time forgot where magic is in the weather.
Confessional: this just wasn’t my cup of tea or coffee or anything. I tried to read it last year (in July) and failed then, too. Oh well.
Author fact: the list of works published by Merwin is extensive but I am only reading The Lost Upland.
Book trivia: As mentioned before, The Lost Upland is separated into three stories: “Foie Gras”, “Shepherds”, and “Blackbird’s Summer”.
Nancy said: she was “quite taken” with Merwin’s story. Which one?
BookLust Twist: from Book Lust to Go in the chapter called “Provence and the South of France” (p 188).
~*LunaSea*~ 