a small but profound luxury

My favourite female author, Isabelle Allende, interviewed by my favourite Australian TV person, Andrew Denton.

I think that when I was around 5 I realised that my mother was a victim and I didn't want to be like her. My mother was a beautiful woman who was victimised by the society. My mother had no rights, no money, no power of any kind and the only way she could get attention was by being very sick. So she was sick all the time. And I wanted to be like my grandfather, I wanted to be in control. I think I was a feminist before the word was invented. By the time I came across feminist books by eh by American or European writers, I realised that there was [noise in background] an articulate way or a language to express all these feelings that I had had for years and years and so I became a raging feminist as a young woman". - Isabelle Allende.

Interesting how those we admire turn out to be, after all this time, quite like ourselves.

Enough Rope June 30 2008

 

Comments

[phd in yogurtry]

I read one Allende book, damn, forget which one. But I wasn't a fan. I liked the theme, the storyline not the style of writing. I want to like her, have another of her books on my shelf. But can't seem to make myself pick it up. Maybe it was the mystical quality? I can't remember now.

[Alison]

I say ditch the idea of trying to like her style. It's too late for that biznezz!