Weyburn and Back

Last night I drove Robert Kroetsch to Weyburn and back for his reading. On the way home, he admitted that he'd rather write than speak. No wonder he'd deflected some his post-reading questions onto me. It's part of his generous nature--valuing the knowledge of everyone in the room. Part of his reluctance to talk, too. A quality I share with him. Nevertheless, I tried to offer some observations about what to do with history, about nonfiction and truth. I'd rather listen to Kroetsch anytime.

He says he's found that the last 6 days in Saskatchewan, including trips to St. Peter's Abbey and the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, have made him want to write again. "I've been going through a dry spell," he says. He's writing another novel.

Meanwhile, his Seed Catalogue continues to be required reading, I'd say, for anyone who wants to learn ways of butting heads with one's language and one's stories.