Donald Barthelme

Recently I won a lottery where I could choose a Classic Writers' card.
There were indeed plenty of writers to choose from which really put me in front of a tough decision, until while scrolling, I noticed this card had the name of Donald Barthelme, and I immediately knew this was going to be my lottery prize!

Frankly, I had no idea how he looked liked, so if it wasn't for the caption, I would have completely ignored this card.
An American short story writer and novelist known for his playful, postmodernist style of short fiction  (April 7, 1931 – July 23, 1989), that I first encountered while at university, when I had the chance to read his story The School. One of the best short-stories I have ever read! Unfortunately back then the internet didn't have as many things as today, so not that many stuff could be found online (though sparknotes existed, which made university life so easier :P) Anyways, as I said, not many things could be found online so I only managed to find just another story by him, called "The First Thing the Baby did wrong" - hilarious!
And somehow after that I just kinda forgot about him (yeah, shame on me), until I actually won this lottery, which made me google him back and forth, and of course, now way more stories have been published on the internet - making me realize what I have been missing all these years.
However, now I'm kinda saving money to order at least some of his books cos I'd really like to have them in my collection - will worry later about lack of space :)


If you would like to read both these stories, just click on the links below

The School
The First Thing the Baby did wrong

And totally unplanned, this post coincides with Donald's birthday, who would have turned 87 today... and also if my dearest grandmother was alive, today we would have been celebrating her 81st birthday! I really really miss her! ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

Franz Kafka, Czech Republic

Another GREAT GREAT card, sent as a real surprise from dear Janek...i do like cards with famous people...but not all famous people...but writers....oh yeah!! I absolutely LOVE those!! Esp. when it comes to such significant ones like Kafka, who had left such a great mark in the history of literature...

On this car you can see Franz Kafka along with Felice Bauer....Franz's fiancée....twice! Their relationship is said to have finally ended in 1917 (when this photo was also taken) after Franz was diagnosed with tuberculosis.
I dont feel like giving that dry matter of facts about his life and work...feels boring (and also, that was the part i always hated when having to study about a particular writer...esp, when i had to remeber in which year a certain work was published....lets say you have 10 writers, each with approx. 10-15 books....and you have to memorize the year when each of those books was published...). Just couldnt get into it..so thats why i dont feel like bringing that matter now.

Anyways, I think i should re-read the Kafka's works i had already read, like that most famous "The Trial" or "The Castle"...and find some of his short stories as well...and if possible, his letters, written to his father and as well Felice, and a few other people....well, I just feel like enlightening myself right now...

there is something interesting i read about Kafka's attitude towards love and sex...I think ill get into a in-depth reading about that later..

the stamp is an amazing one...dating back from 2001, from the series of "Works of Art on Stamp" if im not mistaken...presenting the work of Cyril Bouda (1901 - 1984): The Sans-Souci Bar in Nimes (1934), Ministry of Finance of the Czech Republic...hope you could figure it out...