I wrote, a while ago, about all the babble that goes through my brain when a camera is pointed in my direction. I am not, within, what I am without. Do any of us achieve that perfect correspondence?
But for the recent
Pennsylvania Gazette story about the life I've lived through books, I was invited to a enter the cinematic world of
Chris Crisman, another Penn grad who has made it his business to appease and to ease and (somehow in the midst of it all) to make art. You would never know it, by looking at this shot, but the lens was so close to my face when this picture was made that I suspected Chris of doing a study on the tangle of my eyelashes. (
Lancome, next time, I was thinking to myself. And also:
I wish I'd gone to bed last night.)
Clearly, though, Chris knows what he is doing, and I share this outtake from the shoot today because Chris made Memorial Hall, a Centennial-era building, the true and deserving subject of his shot. It's a beautiful place, newly and justly restored, and can't you just picture it back in 1876—the crowds massing in the high heat of summer, eager for the art within?
The University of Pennsylvania has been extraordinarily good to me—inviting me to contribute to the pages of
The Pennsylvania Gazette and
Peregrine; trusting me to teach a small class of brilliant undergrads; putting me at the helm of an online book group; asking me to read with Alice Elliott Dark, or to sit on panels with Buzz Bissinger, or to join David Remnick for a Kelly Writers House dinner; and to come to know, even better, the likes of fellow teachers Jay Kirk and Karen Rile.
Earlier this summer, John Prendergast, the editor of
The Pennsylvania Gazette, wrote to say that he'd read
Dangerous Neighbors and that he looked forward to having a conversation. We had that conversation on a sunny day sitting on a row of skinny benches while a tennis match played out before us. I was my breathless, enthused, and sleep-starved self (as you'll read) and John was the thoughtful man he is. Several weeks later, the photographer Chris Crisman and his team met me at Memorial Hall and put up with me long enough to take my picture.
It is an
extraordinarily generous story, accompanied by one of my favorite scenes from the book. It will always be cherished. And Chris, thanks for pulling your camera lens back. You know what that means to me.
I love that picture!
Gorgeous, Beth! Simply gorgeous.
You look lovely!!!!!
You look really beautiful. :)
Love the whole photo, too!
Beeee-uuuuuu-teeee-full!
LOVE it!!!
Such exuberance!
You should try to use that photo on the back of the paperback version of Dangerous Neighbors. It's perfect.
And you look beautiful, which is always a plus. I second the motion for this picture on Dangerous Neighbors--or any book, really, whether it's yours or not. ;)
Having just read the interview in The Pennsylvania Gazette, I went to your blog site and was rewarded a wonderful photo of you and your father, who was an usher at my wedding. Yes, this is Chuck Sweeley writing. Tell Kep to let me know how he is doing. I look forward to reading Dangerous Neighbors. See Proc. Japan Academy Series B, Vol 86, pp 822-836 (2010) for my memoirs in science.
My goodness! Thanks to all of you. I was really thinking more about the building, but it's great to hear your kindnesses on other (old) facades as well. :)
And Mr. S. — I will tell my dad. He will be delighted. Thank you for letting me know. Does he know how to reach you?
Stunning!