Falling for Banville

Listen to this, a description of a hangover: "His eyes scalded, they felt as if they had been boiled; he closed them, and shivered as the lids touched, imparting to each other along their inflamed edges a tiny, horrible kiss."
Isn't it great? (And, speaking from experience, quite accurate...)That's John Banville -- from his latest book, Christine Falls. I swear, I think he might be the greatest living writer. (And not just because he's Irish.) Each of his words is perfect for its place.
When the babies were in the NICU, I also read Banville's The Sea. That was more lush. (Lusher? Sounds like a drunk.) I think it was depressing, but it might have been my state of mind then -- which wasn't great. The girls were stuck in their isolettes, like those novelties in ice cubes, and Margaret looked on the verge of limbo. You know how chests are always heaving in a certain kind of book? Well, her chest really was heaving and it's nothing like those books.
I told my friend Alain that I was enjoying Banville again and he found this fabulous quote from Banville's wife. She described him during the writing process as being like "a murderer who's just come back from a particularly bloody killing."
And, in other news: George the bald eagle at the Wilson bridge -- the poor guy who lost his wife Martha last year -- has a new love. If you might remember, some wacko eagle attacked Martha and sent her to the hospital for weeks. And then, while not yet fully recovered, she flew into some high-tension wires and died. Anyway, it's nice that George has found love again -- except that he's hooked up with the crazy bird who attacked Martha!
And, in other, other news: The babies are six weeks old today!
Okay, one last Banville: "He had a nose like a mildewed potato."