Day out of Days by Sam Shepard

I have had a crush on Sam Shepard since I saw him in the movie Frances in 1982. Then I fell in love when he played Chuck Yeager in The Right Stuff. So, when I discovered his books, full of prose and poetry, I became a die-hard reading fan as well. I’m pretty sure you don’t want me gushing all over the blog about an old heart throb of mine, so, on to the book - Day out of Days by Sam Shepard.

Just know this - Sam Shepard is one of the most honest writers I have ever read. I will compare him to one of my all time favourite authors and successful short story writers Annie Proulx. Shepard is a little rougher but there is a sincerity in that roughness that makes his stories all the more authentic. I like my men, writers and otherwise, rugged and flawed. Sam Shepard fits the bill. I think that most short story writers polish a piece to within an inch of its life. Shepard lets the scuffs and scratches lay where they are.

It is not really fair to call this collection a book of short stories. Shepard has written pieces – 4 or 5 page stories, 2 page essays, 1 page thoughts, and poems. I can picture him sitting in a rundown cafe out the back of nowhere writing a thought on a napkin or a scrap of paper and sticking it in his flannel shirt pocket, which then became a short piece in this collection of thoughts. I’m sure there was some editing, but the magic of that original writing, the rawness of a first draft, still flavours these pieces.

Something I love about Shepard’s writing is that it causes a physical response from me. I smile, I frown, my eyes widen and my mouth twists. I love the fact that I feel I am part of each little story, mentally and physically, and that he has invited me in so thoughtfully.

I am smitten enough to read all of his pieces and I know, that if he was with me while I read, that he would start off by offering me a cup of coffee and we would get down to a good whiskey by the end. And because I know his voice and gestures so well from the movies I can hear him talking to me as I read. I’m sure that you don’t need Shepard’s actual voice in your ear while you read this to fall in love, just like me.

I have lived in the places he writes about and I can feel the bleakness and the richness of his sets. I have met people who have lived on the land in a small country town all their lives and I can hear their voices in his writing. I have walked along the same rivers and driven the same long stretches of road. He assumes we are there with him right from the beginning of each piece whether you have lived there or not, and he’s right. I could feel the cold, smell the coffee, taste the dust and the tears as I read.

I have read all of his collections and plays and Day out of Days is one of his best. If you haven’t read any of Shepard’s works this is a good place to start.