How Should A Person Be?

If you read this blog with any regularity you know how seldom it is that I actually pick up a book to read. I guess I always assume that it's going to take forever for me to read - and I look around and I see how much content there is, and I figure that in the time it takes me to read a book that I could easily read several graphic novels, or watch that many films, etc... But I'm trying to rectify that, especially when it comes to local authors that I dig, and Ms. Heti is in that camp.

Sheila first came to my attention with my, now, wife gave me The Middle Stories to read and I fell in love with it. I even e-mailed her to tell her so, at the time I thought about turning one of them into a bravoFACT, we were going to meet for coffee and chat about it, but then it just never happened. Probably my fault. Alas.

This is an interesting book because it's more of a memorial of a time in Sheila's life, unless it's a complete work of absolute non-fiction (and if so, then even more kudos). Reading this book one would imagine that Sheila has a pretty lovely bohemian-esque lifestyle, surrounded by artists and art and living for passion. The way she describes it, it makes you want to live it too. At it's heart the book is about her relationship with her friend Margaux Williamson, an artist. It's about how it's difficult to be friends with like-minded people, especially artistic types, because you're always going to be influenced by one another, but when does that become harmful? When do you start exposing something in them that's really only for them to expose?

Sheila writes with such a flair and an honesty that strips the reader down. She has a pretty emotionally and physically graphic relationship with a man, Israel, that is written in a way that should be sexual and attractive, but she handles it perfectly, making it a bit repulsive in a way that's really quite nice to experience. The form, if it has one, is one that evolves over the course of the book - and for reasons that make sense by it's end. It never bothered me one bit, and I actually quite enjoyed the variety of styles that she wrote in.

Clearly this book is a meditation on a period of Sheila's life, but it also serves as a meditation for all of us in the creative class. I'd be surprised if this didn't strike a chord with most, if not all, creative types.

It's books like this that make me realize I need to read more books.