Monthly Archives: November 2009

“Pigeons on the grass alas” Collecting photos of Gertrude Stein was an intense, year-long treasure hunt. It led to Paris libraries and private collections, to University Archives and Rare Books Libraries, press agencies and personal friends of Gertrude and Alice … Continue reading →

“If not why not.” I talked about the intriguing androgynous qualities of Gertrude and her “bearded Lady” before. In this photo Gert, Alice and a friend amuse themselves at a country fair near their country house (captured by Sam Steward). … Continue reading →

If you still think that Alice B. Toklas was Gertrude’s “maid”, just “Wifey” like in any old heterosexual marriage pattern, think again. Many of Stein’s friends and enemies (some of them changed back and forth as the years went on) … Continue reading →

After all the controversies we can settle back into what is “peaceful and exciting”: Gertrude’s passion for Alice and Alice’s for Gertrude. I have quoted Gertrude’s love notes to Alice. Among the few remaining love notes from Alice to Gertrude, … Continue reading →

The question was: How do you read Gertrude Stein’s writing? And how do you read her body language? There seems to be a lot of confusion. Do you think the woman with the head of an emperor, the body of … Continue reading →

ack to our “cliff-hanger” (an arch comment to post # 12). Back to Gertrude and Alice’s controversial relationship. Was Gertrude Stein frigid? Janet Malcolm (“Two Lives: Gertrude and Alice”) speculates that if there were orgasms it was only Alice who … Continue reading →

Post # 12. “I am really almost despairing, I have really in me a very very melancholy feeling, a very melancholy being, I am really then despairing.” (The Making of Americans) This describes Gertrude before she met Alice, when she … Continue reading →