Dear Friends who Enjoy Garrison Keillor,
If I'm the only Garrison Keillor fan on the
Bookshare Lists, then please delete now, but there
is encouraging evidence that some of you may be
interested in my news.
First off, there are 5 books by this mellow voiced,
very shy, champion of Midwestern culture and folk,
gospel, Celtic, jazz and blues music in the
Bookshare collection. They are, in case you don't
already have enough to read,
Happy To Be Here
Lake Wobegon Days
Leaving Home
Love Me
and
Me: Jimmy (Big Boy) Valente
This afternoon I saw the new movie, "A Prairie Home
Companion." Don't miss it! Yes, some of it is
visual, but the dialogue is so engrossing and the
music so heartfelt with hilarious and tender lyrics,
you won't feel you are missing anything by not
seeing the screen.
I expected it to be nostalgic, warm and fuzzy. I
expected it to celebrate Keillor's enormous success
in bringing grass roots humor and music to a portion
of the American population, including myself, who
were hungry for the companionship and talent Keillor
orchestrated so brilliantly. I expected that,
reailistically, the dear man was beyond his creative
prime.
The movie delivered dashes of what I expected on the
first and second counts, but I was completely wrong
on the third. It was no rehash of Keller's career
and personal highlights. It was an ingenious
interpretation of the truth, "To Every thing there
is a season." Keillor went beyond collecting and
cleverly presenting anecdotes on the colorful
characters he has known. All of his jokes, tall
tales, and music making and appreciation have taught
him wisdom far greater than the sum of its
inspirations.
The appeal of The Prairie Home Companion is fading
as American culture has made sweeping, fundamental,
lightning fast changes. Baby Boomers are beginning
to believe in their mortality and Keillor accepts
the passing of his brain child. He has written a
grand metaphor for death and change, understanding
he can't be the one to write the metaphor for
rebirth. He prepares us for his demise and the
demise of the Prairie Home he made for us, with
humor, grace and a personal detachment no one, no
matter how much they love him, have been able to
fathom.
My friend, who'd heard his name and never heard his
radio show or read his books, laughed and laughed
during the movie, and liked the characters. The
acting and music was wonderful. I laughed, too, but
I also cried. Keillor touched my soul in unexpected
ways. The Prairie Home Companion, the radio show
many scheduled their weekends so as never to miss,
is a cultural phenomenon of decades.This movie, is a
theatrical creation which will touch and inform
humanity for centuries.
Garrison, I feel wrenchingly wistful, but so very
proud of you.
Always with love,
Lissi
