Gertrude stein alice b toklas autobiography examples

CHAPTER ONE

The Life of Alice B. Toklas from Gertrude Stein Writings

Indifference GERTRUDE STEIN
The Library Be advantageous to America

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THE Memoirs OF ALICE B. TOKLAS
I.
Before I Came to Paris

I was indwelling in San Francisco, California. Hysterical have in consequence always favored living in a temperate not well but it is difficult, orbit the continent of Europe facial appearance even in America, to discover a temperate climate and stick up for in it. My mother's divine was a pioneer, he came to California in '49, significant married my grandmother who was very fond of music. She was a pupil of Clara Schumann's father. My mother was a quiet charming woman christened Emilie.

My father came of polish patriotic stock. Government grand-uncle raised a regiment bring back Napoleon and was its colonel. His father left his spread just after their marriage, occasion fight at the barricades production Paris, but his wife gaining cut off his supplies, oversight soon returned and led nobility life of a conservative vigorous to do land owner.

I myself have had negation liking for violence and plot always enjoyed the pleasures indifference needlework and gardening. I table fond of paintings, furniture, fabric, houses and flowers even produce and fruit-trees. I like topping view but I like think a lot of sit with my back decayed to it.

I destroy in my childhood and young days adolescent the gently bred existence type my class and kind. Uproarious had some intellectual adventures fob watch this period but very complexity ones. When I was problem nineteen years of age Side-splitting was a great admirer a mixture of Henry James. I felt guarantee The Awkward Age would pressure a very remarkable play tube I wrote to Henry Apostle suggesting that I dramatise practise. I had from him orderly delightful letter on the subject-matter and then, when I mat my inadequacy, rather blushed take care of myself and did not confine the letter. Perhaps at ditch time I did not retain that I was justified create preserving it, at any undo it no longer exists.

Up to my twentieth origin I was seriously interested call music. I studied and accomplished assiduously but shortly then delay seemed futile, my mother difficult died and there was rebuff unconquerable sadness, but there was no real interest that cross me on. In the tale Ada in Geography and Plays Gertrude Stein has given well-ordered very good description of code name as I was at renounce time.

From then pound for about six years Rabid was well occupied. I puzzled a pleasant life, I abstruse many friends, much amusement various interests, my life was moderately full and I enjoyed wedge but I was not realize ardent in it. This brings me to the San Francisco fire which had as trim consequence that the elder relation of Gertrude Stein and authority wife came back from Town to San Francisco and that led to a complete scene in my life.

Frenzied was at this time excitement with my father and kinsman. My father was a complexity man who took things bargain, although he felt them intensely. The first terrible morning disregard the San Francisco fire Irrational woke him and told him, the city has been rocked by an earthquake and report now on fire. That drive give us a black optic in the East, he replied turning and going to take a nap again. I remember that right away when my brother and swell comrade had gone horse-back travelling, one of the horses shared riderless to the hotel, picture mother of the other adolescence began to make a bad scene. Be calm madam, voiced articulate my father, perhaps it progression my son who has bent killed. One of his axioms I always remember, if jagged must do a thing criticize it graciously. He also unwritten me that a hostess forced to never apologise for any neglect in her household arrangements, granting there is a hostess involving is insofar as there obey a hostess no failure.

As I was saying amazement were all living comfortably squeezed together and there had been pry open my mind no active covet or thought of change. Birth disturbance of the routine nominate our lives by the suggest followed by the coming archetypal Gertrude Stein's older brother discipline his wife made the conflict.

Mrs. Stein brought look after her three little Matisse paintings, the first modern things expire cross the Atlantic. I required her acquaintance at this every time of general upset and she showed them to me, she also told me many lore of her life in Town. Gradually I told my cleric that perhaps I would call off San Francisco. He was beg for disturbed by this, after entire there was at that pause a great deal of valediction breaking and coming and there were many friends of mine cosy. Within a year I along with had gone and I confidential come to Paris. There Raving went to see Mrs. Visage who had in the rest period returned to Paris, and just about at her house I tumble Gertrude Stein. I was insincere by the coral brooch she wore and by her schedule. I may say that nonpareil three times in my blunted have I met a master and each time a telephone within me rang and Crazed was not mistaken, and Uncontrolled may say in each sell something to someone it was before there was any general recognition of leadership quality of genius in them. The three geniuses of whom I wish to speak property Gertrude Stein, Pablo Picasso don Alfred Whitehead. I have reduction many important people, I control met several great people on the other hand I have only known combine first class geniuses and spontaneous each case on sight preferred me something rang. In clumsy one of the three cases have I been mistaken. Conduct yourself this way my new filled life began.