Comments on: Benedictus: Thoughts on Being a Writer and Having Children http://levgrossman.com/2012/09/benedict/ This is Free Trader Beowulf, calling anyone ... Thu, 16 May 2013 12:54:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Frank http://levgrossman.com/2012/09/benedict/comment-page-1/#comment-315526 Frank Sun, 23 Dec 2012 05:12:29 +0000 http://levgrossman.com/?p=1606#comment-315526 I cannot believe how much hair he has. At only 4 hours yet! He's got more hair than my 8 month old daughter. Like you, I never thought I'd have kids. How will I write? Go to movies? See Stonehendge? I just finished my first semester of grad school with her in my life, and it was tough, no doubt, but, as cliche as it sounds, I wouldn't trade her smile for anything in the world. I'm reading "The Magician King" now, and can't turn the pages fast enough. Keep it up, sir, and best of luck with your new Baz. I cannot believe how much hair he has. At only 4 hours yet! He’s got more hair than my 8 month old daughter.

Like you, I never thought I’d have kids. How will I write? Go to movies? See Stonehendge? I just finished my first semester of grad school with her in my life, and it was tough, no doubt, but, as cliche as it sounds, I wouldn’t trade her smile for anything in the world.

I’m reading “The Magician King” now, and can’t turn the pages fast enough. Keep it up, sir, and best of luck with your new Baz.

]]> By: Heather Head http://levgrossman.com/2012/09/benedict/comment-page-1/#comment-276291 Heather Head Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:30:53 +0000 http://levgrossman.com/?p=1606#comment-276291 Touching up blond highlights indeed. And I love Codex almost as much as The Magicians, so it's not ALL about the kids. But I do agree about them being like Voyager probes. I wonder what they will see and learn? Touching up blond highlights indeed.

And I love Codex almost as much as The Magicians, so it’s not ALL about the kids.

But I do agree about them being like Voyager probes. I wonder what they will see and learn?

]]> By: Mark Waldo http://levgrossman.com/2012/09/benedict/comment-page-1/#comment-266758 Mark Waldo Sat, 20 Oct 2012 19:33:08 +0000 http://levgrossman.com/?p=1606#comment-266758 Hello Mr. Grossman, I Followed you here from a great article of yours in Time, "Literary Revolution in the Supermarket Aisle". Thank you for tagging "Basil Brush" Regards, -Mark Hello Mr. Grossman,

I Followed you here from a great article of yours in Time, “Literary Revolution in the Supermarket Aisle”.

Thank you for tagging “Basil Brush”

Regards,
-Mark

]]> By: Mor Shemesh http://levgrossman.com/2012/09/benedict/comment-page-1/#comment-266655 Mor Shemesh Sat, 20 Oct 2012 13:42:11 +0000 http://levgrossman.com/?p=1606#comment-266655 You know, that's a good reason to update your bio... your newborn might feel neglected. Kids these days have a surprisingly fast knack for technology :) Looks like a beautiful kid, congrads you cool, amazing, smart man. You know, that’s a good reason to update your bio… your newborn might feel neglected. Kids these days have a surprisingly fast knack for technology :)

Looks like a beautiful kid, congrads you cool, amazing, smart man.

]]> By: Mark Koltko-Rivera http://levgrossman.com/2012/09/benedict/comment-page-1/#comment-266482 Mark Koltko-Rivera Sat, 20 Oct 2012 04:56:18 +0000 http://levgrossman.com/?p=1606#comment-266482 I thought you wrote well on the subject. I say this as someone who had four young kids himself before he started writing seriously. (Two are now married, and my youngest is in his last year of college.) Yeah, you’ll write less because you have kids. But yes, what you do write really will be better—because you have taken upon yourself one of the ultimate adult responsibilities. It’s not only that kids ‘unfreeze the emotional caveman,’ although that certainly happens. Really trying to be decent parents requires people to reach down into themselves and bring out all sorts of qualities that they didn’t even know were in them. (Perhaps surprisingly, these are so very often good qualities.) You are the better human being for trying to do this. Yeah, you’ll continue to bitch, moan, and complain. And when the diapers are over—along with the macaroni art and the dance and music recitals and the school plays and sports games and, heaven help us, proms, and all the other paraphernalia and activities that go along with raising human beings pre-pre-K through 12—you will miss it more than anything. (Take heart. There are likely grandchildren ahead.) But your life will be deeper, and thus your writing deeper, for having put your heart and soul into this. Good for you, and your wife. Blessings on you all. As for me, I’m back to updating Faust. I think I’m about up to that, now. I thought you wrote well on the subject. I say this as someone who had four young kids himself before he started writing seriously. (Two are now married, and my youngest is in his last year of college.)

Yeah, you’ll write less because you have kids. But yes, what you do write really will be better—because you have taken upon yourself one of the ultimate adult responsibilities. It’s not only that kids ‘unfreeze the emotional caveman,’ although that certainly happens. Really trying to be decent parents requires people to reach down into themselves and bring out all sorts of qualities that they didn’t even know were in them. (Perhaps surprisingly, these are so very often good qualities.) You are the better human being for trying to do this.

Yeah, you’ll continue to bitch, moan, and complain. And when the diapers are over—along with the macaroni art and the dance and music recitals and the school plays and sports games and, heaven help us, proms, and all the other paraphernalia and activities that go along with raising human beings pre-pre-K through 12—you will miss it more than anything. (Take heart. There are likely grandchildren ahead.) But your life will be deeper, and thus your writing deeper, for having put your heart and soul into this. Good for you, and your wife. Blessings on you all.

As for me, I’m back to updating Faust. I think I’m about up to that, now.

]]> By: Mark Koltko-Rivera http://levgrossman.com/2012/09/benedict/comment-page-1/#comment-266446 Mark Koltko-Rivera Sat, 20 Oct 2012 03:57:50 +0000 http://levgrossman.com/?p=1606#comment-266446 Am I the _only_ person who thinks Baz looks like a tiny Sting? Am I the _only_ person who thinks Baz looks like a tiny Sting?

]]> By: Terri Feinstein http://levgrossman.com/2012/09/benedict/comment-page-1/#comment-263894 Terri Feinstein Tue, 16 Oct 2012 01:04:46 +0000 http://levgrossman.com/?p=1606#comment-263894 I just finished rereading "The Magicians" and started rereading "The Magician King". And I thought, "Hey, it's been awhile, where's the next one?" Thought I might have missed the release, so I checked Amazon. Here I am and now I know why there isn't another (yet). You are kinda busy. (And he is beautiful!) I've had two of my own, both girls, and one of them turned me on to Harry Potter, so now we are all Potter Heads together. Yet another benefit of kids.(She's in college now and also is waiting for the next Magician book. No pressure.) OK, so you've got a good excuse. I guess I'll have to be patient. Good luck, enjoy your three and try to get some sleep! P.S. You are absolutely right--American society does suck at the child rearing thing. How can this NOT be a priority! I just finished rereading “The Magicians” and started rereading “The Magician King”. And I thought, “Hey, it’s been awhile, where’s the next one?” Thought I might have missed the release, so I checked Amazon. Here I am and now I know why there isn’t another (yet). You are kinda busy. (And he is beautiful!) I’ve had two of my own, both girls, and one of them turned me on to Harry Potter, so now we are all Potter Heads together. Yet another benefit of kids.(She’s in college now and also is waiting for the next Magician book. No pressure.) OK, so you’ve got a good excuse. I guess I’ll have to be patient. Good luck, enjoy your three and try to get some sleep!
P.S. You are absolutely right–American society does suck at the child rearing thing. How can this NOT be a priority!

]]> By: Christopher Wallace http://levgrossman.com/2012/09/benedict/comment-page-1/#comment-259649 Christopher Wallace Sat, 06 Oct 2012 05:42:49 +0000 http://levgrossman.com/?p=1606#comment-259649 Every time I think you couldn't be a bigger hero to me, you go and write something like this. Every time I think you couldn’t be a bigger hero to me, you go and write something like this.

]]> By: Elissa Field http://levgrossman.com/2012/09/benedict/comment-page-1/#comment-256271 Elissa Field Fri, 28 Sep 2012 14:00:32 +0000 http://levgrossman.com/?p=1606#comment-256271 I laughed and nodded all the way through this. I remember meeting with a prof when I was a know it all undergrad, commenting that I didn't think successful writers had kids. These years later, I still remember the dazed look she gave me. You said it perfectly: it's not that you'd suggest having kids "as a writing tip," but they genuinely challenge you to experience life fully, in the ways writers always seek to do. My crazy boys (and students) sap my energy, yet I see so much more deeply and empathetically into the details of life around me than I did before them. Enjoy your new son! I laughed and nodded all the way through this. I remember meeting with a prof when I was a know it all undergrad, commenting that I didn’t think successful writers had kids. These years later, I still remember the dazed look she gave me. You said it perfectly: it’s not that you’d suggest having kids “as a writing tip,” but they genuinely challenge you to experience life fully, in the ways writers always seek to do. My crazy boys (and students) sap my energy, yet I see so much more deeply and empathetically into the details of life around me than I did before them. Enjoy your new son!

]]> By: toni http://levgrossman.com/2012/09/benedict/comment-page-1/#comment-254679 toni Tue, 25 Sep 2012 10:51:45 +0000 http://levgrossman.com/?p=1606#comment-254679 congratulations on the new addition, what a gorgeous wee boy! I like what you say about having children thawing you out emotionally. I am constantly in flux, bewildered at my life, in doubt about everything, especially feelings. would love kids, but first maybe I just need to start taking chances on people. anyway interesting post, congrats again :) congratulations on the new addition, what a gorgeous wee boy! I like what you say about having children thawing you out emotionally. I am constantly in flux, bewildered at my life, in doubt about everything, especially feelings. would love kids, but first maybe I just need to start taking chances on people.

anyway interesting post, congrats again :)

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