Mary Karr, Convert
In the Oct. 23 issue of Commonweal, I reviewed Mary Karr’s third memoir, Lit. Karr, for those who don’t know, is a poet and a celebrated memoirist; her first two autobiographical books, The Liars’ Club (1995) and Cherry (2000), were bestsellers. They also set a high literary standard for memoirs of childhood and adolescence, respectively. Lit, to be published next week, is the story of her adult life: how she became a writer, how she overcame addiction, how she survived a divorce and, thanks to her relationship with her son, made peace with her own mother. What intrigued me most, however, was the story of her conversion to the Catholic faith. She first wrote about becoming a Catholic in Poetry magazine in 2005, in her irreverent and insightful essay “Facing Altars: Poetry and Prayer.” (Longtime dotCommonweal readers may recall that Fr. Imbelli wrote about it here in April 2006.) That essay is a compressed account of the journey she traces in Lit, with a particular emphasis on how her experiences with poetry inform her concept of prayer, and vice versa.
“Facing Altars” is included in Karr’s 2006 volume of poetry Sinners Welcome. The poems in that collection touch on many of the themes explored in Lit (and I see a paperback edition has been prepared to coincide with the publication of the new memoir). She returns again and again to the “carnality” of the Catholic faith, the Eucharist, and the Passion, and she meditates on the Blessed Mother from her own perspective as the mother of a son. There is much to admire in that collection — Fr. Imbelli has already quoted my favorite line, from “Disgraceland”: ” You are loved, someone said. Take that / and eat it.” Still, I find I like Karr best as a writer of prose, and the part of Lit that takes us through her path to conversion is rich and deep in a way the 2006 essay only hints at. I highly recommend it.
New Yorkers can catch Mary Karr reading from Lit at the Lincoln Triangle Barnes & Noble next Tuesday, November 3. I’d like to attend, but I have a prior commitment — to my parish’s RCIA group. I’m sure she’d understand!
UPDATE: A couple more places you can find Karr’s thoughts on her craft and her faith: First, a transcript, in PDF form, from a 2007 forum at Fordham (thanks to Peggy for the link). Reading that led me to this opinion piece Karr wrote for the New York Times in 2006, after the James Frey scandal.
on October 27th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
The “Poetry” magazine article was very interesting. Karr certainly writes with the poet’s sensibility for the precise word and for economy of expression. As she described how she sometimes felt fleeting but exhilarating moments of “joy” as her faith took root, I was reminded of C.S. Lewis’s “Surprised by Joy,” which relates his faith journey from atheism/agnosticism to Christianity. Someone as literate as Karr no doubt realizes she has something of a soul mate in Lewis.
In addition, in light of the thread below on litiurgical language, I thought her comments on the bonding function of “[u]ttering the same noises in unison” were interesting:
“Church language works that way among believers, I would wager—whether prayer or hymn. Uttering the same noises in unison is part of what consolidates a congregation (along with shared rituals like baptisms and weddings, which are mostly words). Like poetry, prayer often begins in torment, until the intensity of language forges a shape worthy of both labels: “true” and “beautiful.” (Only in my deepest prayers does language evaporate, and a wide and wordless silence takes over.)”
on October 27th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
I really loved her photo, which had been featured on your home page, but has now been replaced with a very grainy, low-resolution detail from a Vermeer painting.
on October 27th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Thanks for this Molly. Karr’s works from the beginning always had a sacred and profound aura to them. The word riveting is over used. But in Karr’s case it is appropo. Rarely have we encountered something more spiritual on thes pages. Especially her “Facing Altars”, She is just as great in person when she gave a lecture at Peggy and Richard’s culture series. Great description of the conversion process. Even people who have been apparently religious all their life go through the defining moment when the presence of God overshadows all and one is free to face God stripped of all egotism. It is that one moment when God seems more present than ever and the prodigal child swims in the mercies of the Lord.
Just a tremendous walk through by Karr how God stays with us even when we are most defiant. As long as we plead to keep the conversation going.
on October 28th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
Hi Bill, His name is Peter.
And Mary Karr is amazingly “present” in person. Brennan O’Donnell had a “coversation” with here at the Center on Religion and Culture’s forum: “The conscience of a writer.” Transcript here:
http://www.fordham.edu/images/undergraduate/centeronreligionculture/mar_20_07_karr_transcript.pdf
Bill Mazzella appears in the Q and A.
on October 28th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
Thanks for the link, Peggy. I’m sorry I missed that event. (I was wondering who “Richard” was!)
on October 28th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
Sorry about that, Peggy. The mixing of names I got from my mother who used to call me everyone one of her sister’s name till she got to mine.
As people here might imagine I am the one opening up the questions asking about Augustine. I loved Karr’s line: “Everyone’s authentic when you talk to them.”
Unlike most of Peter and Peggy’s conferences this one was open up to live questions, which Karr insisted on rather than written ones which is usually is the custom. I believe the written questions are too artificial and controlled.
on October 29th, 2009 at 10:03 am
I am not a great fan of written questions myself, but….when audience members (not you Bill) give speeches as long as the speaker on their way to asking a question, well contain and control becomes the policy.