101 - The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector

Welcome all and sundry to the first episode of Season 2: Control.
Join us, David and Nathan, as we start this new season dancing to the beautifully strange rhythms of Clarice Lispector's The Hour of the Star.
In between quoting and praising this novella, we discuss narrative techniques, metaphysical implications, symbolic deaths, co-existing interpretations, and a fall from grace.
Listen in, tag us online to discuss the book, and call in to share your thoughts: (331) BOSS-BOT / [phone].
Nothing lasts, but a good book lasts longer.
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From publisher New Directions:
The Hour of the Star
by Clarice Lispector
Translated by Benjamin Moser
With a contribution by Colm Tóibín
The Hour of the Star, Clarice Lispector’s consummate final novel, may well be her masterpiece. Narrated by the cosmopolitan Rodrigo S.M., this brief, strange, and haunting tale is the story of Macabéa, one of life’s unfortunates. Living in the slums of Rio and eking out a poor living as a typist, Macabéa loves movies, Coca-Cola, and her rat of a boyfriend; she would like to be like Marilyn Monroe, but she is ugly, underfed, sickly, and unloved. Rodrigo recoils from her wretchedness, and yet he cannot avoid the realization that for all her outward misery, Macabéa is inwardly free. She doesn’t seem to know how unhappy she should be. As Macabéa heads toward her absurd death, Lispector employs her pathetic heroine against her urbane, empty narrator-edge of despair to edge of despair-and, working them like a pair of scissors, she cuts away the reader’s preconceived notions about poverty, identity, love, and the art of fiction. In her last book she takes readers close to the true mystery of life and leaves us deep in Lispector territory indeed.

[@speedracer2841]

You must read The Posthumous Memoirs of Bras Cubas, by Machado de Assis, another great novelist in Brazilian literature.

[@booksosubstance]

Cool. Will have to check that out. Thank you.

[@thomasholbritter7617]

I am having the best time with this book club. so appreciated.

[@booksosubstance]

Thank you so much! We appreciate you!

[@andrzejbernat6959]

Sadly my favorite comment was the off the cuff suggestion that the Mercedes represented the threshold between social classes. She got quite the warm welcome. Also really liked the bit about the Maccabees, it never came to mind. Great video.

[@antonyreyn]

Great video, Clarice Respect her.

[@booksosubstance]

Mad respect for Clarice. She's amazing.

[@jandocherty5834]

Ah man I have to read some Lispector now, it's been way too long! Good stuff guys.

[@booksosubstance]

Cheers! You definitely need to read some Lispector!

[@TheCollidescopePodcast]

Good to see your beautiful faces.

[@booksosubstance]

Hahaha…apologies.

[@AleksandarBloom]

What do you think about her short stories? good place to start?

[@booksosubstance]

Sadly have not read any yet. Yourself? Thoughts?

[@AleksandarBloom]

@@booksosubstance About to!

[@booksosubstance]

@@AleksandarBloom happy reading !

[@limiarfeminino]

I love Clarice ❤

[@booksosubstance]

So do we! She's slowly becoming a favorite!

[@marcocosta4064]

Great analysis. I highly recommend you read her tales, especially the ones in Family Ties and the Egg and The Chicken.

[@andrzejbernat6959]

Family Ties is an epic collection.

[@booksosubstance]

Thank you both! Need to pick up that brick of collected stories.

[@samuelhumphrey5908]

Wonderful words ❤

[@booksosubstance]

Thanks!