“I Love Lucy,” an essay by Stephen Akey appeared in Issue 27 and can be read here.
We’d love to hear a little more about this time with Lucy.
I think most of us tend to be a bit embarrassed by the ordinariness of our lives. What I’ve tried to do in this and my other memoirs is redeem and reclaim that ordinariness. It’s where we live.
What was the most difficult part in writing this essay?
Yes, I was a very great jackass when I was young. I hope that readers will recognize something of themselves in the youthful gaucheries that we all share.
Recommend a book for us which was published within the last decade.
The Kingdom by Emmanuel Carrère for its mix of erudition, spiritual autobiography, and sheer comedy. I’ve never read anything like it.
If you could have a drink with any living author, who would it be? Why?
Maybe Janet Malcolm or Joan Acocella for their ability to write intelligently, fluently, and without special pleading on virtually any topic – though I don’t drink and I wouldn’t know what to say.
What are you working on now? What’s next?
“I Love Lucy” forms a part of what I hope will be published as a full-length memoir titled Raccoon Love. I’m also working on a study of Philip Larkin with a working title of First Boredom, Then Fear: Philip Larkin’s Guide to Life.
Our thanks to Stephen for taking the time to answer a few questions and share his work. Read Stephen’s essay, “I Love Lucy,” here: https://www.sequestrum.org/nonfiction-i-love-lucy.
___________________________________
Stephen Akey is the author of two memoirs (College, 1996, and Library, 2002) and a collection of essays (Culture Fever, 2018), all published by Orchises Press. His essays have appeared in The New Republic, The New England Review, The Millions, and other publications.