Customer Reviews

Intrusions

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

It has been said that art often imitates life. For a writer, the difference between the two is a fine line of creativity, one that is often crossed without even realizing it. In Ursula Hegi's book INTRUSIONS, Hegi writes about the struggles of writing a novel while being invaded by the thoughts and opinions of the very characters she is trying to create.

There is a grown man riding in Hegi's shopping cart, freezing beneath frozen vegetables as he demands a re-write of his character. A soggy, distressed woman sits in a tub for three weeks while Hegi tries to come up with ideas over what to do with her next. An old professor demands hot and torrid sex of Hegi's characters, attempting to turn even the most delicate of chapters into lewd pornographic pulp.

This melting of reality into fiction has resulted in a fast reading, well written novel that will strike a familiar chord with writers everywhere. Since this is one of the first books Ursula Hegi wrote, it may be difficult to find. But keep looking. Just like Hegi's best selling novel STONES FROM THE RIVER, this book is well worth the search.

If you are a writer, a wife, a mother, or a woman, you must read this book. Ursula Hegi has done something amazing with Intrustions-interspersed in her story about a young wife and mother, Megan Stone, Hegi writes about her own life, as a writer, mother, and wife, and what intrusions each of these roles bring to her writing. It's somewhat choppy, and difficult to follow at first, because it's so unusual, but upon hitting Chapter Three, you won't be able to put it down. Not only do you get to explore the life of Megan-her childhood, her marriage, the birth of her son, her dreams, doubts and adventures-but we are allowed to follow the writing process in one extraordinary author's mind. Hegi has conversations with her characters, with other writers, and with her family, each peppered between the scenes of Megan's life.

As a writer myself, I was relieved and reassured to see someone else go through all the excitement, the disappointment, the discouragement, and triumph of writing a novel. And I found several of her methods highly effective in getting past writer's block.

Even if you're not a writer, you'll like this book. Following Megan's story and Hegi's progress is both fulfilling and inspirational. Don't miss this one.

The late and very great Erma Bombeck once compared the process of writing to being pregnant: one is "with book" in the same way that one is "with child." Anyone who has done any sort of serious writing of fiction more than 10 pages long will know this feeling. Stories about the writing process and books on how to write better are abundant (even as an elementary school teacher, I was required to take a course in which we intensely studied the whole process and history of writing from Plato to Derrida). No one is arguing that there isn't enough to read, but of the books written, especially fiction, rarely is there a glimpse of the whole world that goes on behind the writing itself.

Enter "Intrusions", a truly remarkable novel where we get into EVERYONE'S head, including the author's. "Intrusions" begins almost immediately with the unabashed acknowledgement that you (the person reading the book) is reading the book. That is, from the very beginning the author establishes early on that this is a book and the main character is a woman named Megan. The author is writing the book as it unfolds, NOW, with life going on around her all the time. Her children (the author's, not Megan's) interrupt her at her typewriter demanding attention, lunch, Popsicles, trips to the playground, etc.

Megan's children similarly intrude upon HER, demanding her time, her attention. Megan's husband has his own set of demands as well, mostly advice on what he should wear to work and what he wants for breakfast (Megan is not a big on fixing breakfast). Against this background of characters she's created who have their own lives unfolding we also see the author's unfold.

Soon, author and characters begin intruding on each other and each other's lives: one day the author (who is not identified and therefore might be Hegi or might be another character she's invented) strikes up a conversation with Megan. Megan, like so many female characters, has lived a sheltered life, and is beginning to think that there is more to life than what she's been getting. This leads the author into the first of a series of fascinating arguments/conversations with her own characters.

Soon, the author and her characters are with each other all the time, even when the author tries to leave them be. Megan's husband intermittently appears to the author demanding different treatment of Megan, rewrites of his chapters, nips and tucks in the plot. All the while the author is dealing with the very real intrusions of her own children, husband and life as well as the guilt-laden intrusions of her characters who want both for the author to give them autonomy and to script their lives in a favorable way.

For readers who are used to an even flow of text and plot, this book may seem chaotic, choppy or even poorly written-- the chapters are often short, everyone's talking to each other, and most of us are not used to authors who freely talk to their characters *in the book.* We may expect authors to privately "talk" to their characters while writing, but rarely does the author jump right into the narrative itself and tell us, the reader, what is going on in their private, authorly lives at the moment of writing.

But the act of intrusion is constant and in everything-- I myself have had intruded on my own writing for this review to do 2 loads of laundry, eat dinner and was *intruded upon* by a phone call. Just like majestic cathedrals or skyscrapers that are wonders to behold once they're finished but take a long time to build, great books take time to build. Where most books are like finished buildings that the reader tours and admires, "Intrusions" is like a masterpiece in the making-- we get to experience the author taking steps back to make sure that the building is going according to plan. At then end, then, is when we, the readers, can look both back at all that has been accomplished and admire what has been created.

I must admit that I bought this book on sale at a mark-down table. I had read Ursula's book,"Stones from the river" and enjoyed it and her style of writing. So when I happened upon this book I thought it would be a good filler. I didn't get to read for quite a while. I was a bit confused in the beginning but was soon found that I had found one of those treasures that you find every now and then. I have always said that a good writer can make you see what the character sees, hear what the character hears and feel all the emotion that the story brings. Ursula has taken it one step further. She brings the characters to life and winds her's around theirs. Even the thought of having a conversation with someone in the book while writing it is unheard of in any book I've read. In her "talks" with them she allows them to alter the story and even gives Megan, the title character a chance to write one of the chapters. The story doesn't lack because of this either. It is a great tale and very enjoyable reading. Originally written in 1981, it has been reprinted and should be enjoyed for years to come. This book would be a must if I were teaching a literary course.

This being my 5th Ursula Hegi book, I'm a bit biased. Ironically,it was the first I purchased.
Having read one chapter of this book I realized I liked the author's thought process and went out and bought her earlier works. Then I read them first. Odd, but there it is.

MANY VOICES:
This is a most unusual book. Not so much in the sense that the author addresses the reader and discusses plot lines and possiblities but that she also chronicles the "intrusions" of her own life into the writing process. As a Mom of teenagers, I remember the days of being thankful to go to work to eat lunch in peace. This is why young moms eat alone when given the opporturnity... But, I digress. Needless to say it is very much as story about Moms with young children trying to remember who they were before the kids.

YOU GET CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT FROM ALL DIRECTIONS:
Not only do you get character development for the characters by Ms. Hegi, the characters pitch in as well. It is an interesting dialogue when a character is arguing for his personality and winning. I found this unique book treatment and the lessons within it captivating. Anyone who has pondered their motivations and who they are can empathize with not only the characters in this book, but the author herself.

IF THIS WERE A MOVIE:
If this book were to be made into a movie, it would remind you of many of the situation dramas where multiple story lines intersect. However, this book has alternative story lines as well and even would-be pushy alternative writers!

BRAVO ONCE AGAIN TO MS. HEGI:
You have a convert. If you will write it, I will read it. Once again, she fills the pages with the information we all can relate to, wonder about and notice in the corner of our mind. A truly inspired book about an ordinary life.

I highly recommend it! Hegi assures the reader it's OK to take a risk. Intrusions is the most realistic, amusing and creative piece of literature I have ever read. The plot of her "story" fades into the background as Hegi's life enters the foreground, giving the reader a connection to the author.

I am a writer.

I am a mother of two young boys.

I am trying to be both in my life right now - and no one has ever captured what it means to try to marry these two things into a life as Ms. Hegi has in this book!! I have actually found myself highlighting passages (I never do that in a novel) and reading parts out loud to my husband as a way to help him understand what my life feels like at times.

My children intrude on my writing time. My characters intrude on my family (and sleeping!) time. I can get so turned around over the course of a day that I dont know what I am doing or what still needs to be done. Ms. Hegi has given me an opportunity to look at the craziness of my life with beauty and wonder.

Now if only I could remember where I left my brain....

Hegi's work is often praised for the depth and variety of her characters. With Intrusions she provides a window into the processes that produce those characterizations.

The book revolves around an "unnamed" authors engagement in writing a new novel and how that process affects her life-as well as how living her life affects the development of her characters.

Her book characters are as much a part of her family life as are her husband and children; she has frequent interactions with them-at the grocery, while making dinner, and so on. The ongoing "conversations" are the basis not only for the development of the characters but also for the development of the story itself.

There has been some harsh criticism of this book based primarily, I suppose, on the somewhat mystical aspects of the interaction of the author and characters. Some fine this too surrealistic and some find it too contrived. One should remember, this is itself a work of fiction-not a memoir-and take it for what it is-literary device.

I found the book insightful. My only disappointment is that Hegi has never written the story in question. Having gotten to know the characters so well, I feel somewhat deprived not knowing how their story actually turned out!

If you ever even marginally contemplated the life of a writer, you'd enjoy this novel.

A cleaver mix of two stories: the novel that Ursula is writing and the interruptions as she writes. She is distracted by family (husband and two children) as well as the characters of the novel. These interruptions show the proces of writing as the characters question and argue with the writer.

There is a story told---Megan, the young mother is bored and/or overwhelmed by her life. She walks away from it for a rest, a re-examination. There is no great conclusion reached though. It is the intrusions that carry the story. The intrusions are life, because life does not proceed along a well-defined track. Things always obstruct the track. And Megan learns that no matter how well she plans ahead and imagines outcomes, intrusions will alwaus change and direct the outcome.

A perfect book to read immediately post-partum when life has changed dramatically and you know that intrusions- no matter how sweet- are going to be a part of life for quite awhile. It's gets even better because one of the characters gives birth, and the author is "intruded upon" by her young children.

Like some of the other reviewers, I found the seemingly "plotlessness" disturbing at first, but decided I would give Ursula some time to show me what she was up to. Her idea fell into place as I was ushered into her mind just a little and shown the process of writing. It wasn't as blatant as "Bird by Bird" by Anne Lamott, but the technique was equally effective and inspiring.

I really enjoyed the backpedaling Ursula did when she had to "admit" to us that she had lied or was mortified that she had written Chapter 27. I loved seeing Nick in the shopping cart with the frozen spinach. I wanted to see more of their plump friend with his cowboy boots and see Jill "solve" her stealth eating problem. The chapter in German, followed by the same thing in English was a very nice touch.

If you're not a writer, or interested in writing, and if you want a book that sticks with you for a long time, read "Stones from the River" by the same author. If you write or are looking for a quick, nice read, this is a good book to pick up.