Sex and the River Styx

By Edward Hoagland, Chelsea Green Publishing, Vermont, 2011

I must admit I am not a deep thinker or reader of demanding prose or poetry. Philosophy may have been an interesting college course but I think I missed a lot of the nuances of the great thinkers of the world.

With that said, I will discuss Sex and the River Styx. This book of essays, many previously published, covers a period spanning more than five decades of Edward Hoagland’s life. Beginning with childhood memories in rural Connecticut, the book ends with thoughts on sex in the seventies (age of 70’s, not the ‘70’s decade).

An essay is defined at dictionary.com as, “a short literary composition on a particular theme or subject, usually in prose and generally analytic, speculative, or interpretive.” I would characterize most of Hoagland’s essays as interpretive. It becomes apparent the writer idolizes his youth in rural Connecticut. His close relationship with nature defines his life. He decries civilization’s move away from nature, the destruction of the environment that characterizes the second half of the twentieth century, and man's maliciousness and immorality toward each other.

I have to admit the first essay scared me. Small Silences contains extremely long sentences and paragraphs. I was not sure I would be able to complete the book if it was entirely written in the same style, but found the other essays more readable. If you attempt to read this book and find the first chapter difficult, skip to the second essay, Visiting Nora. You will not regret it.

The reader learns various details about Hoagland’s life, such as the fact that he had a severe stuttering problem when young. He worked two years in a circus (Circus Music), acquiring an affinity for Africa’s animals. He laments decades later the destruction of Africa's wildlife and the African continent. Visiting Nora describes Hoagland’s visit to Uganda in the early 2000's, detailing the people he met, the poverty, the AIDS epidemic.

Last Call examines the vagaries of old age. He says, “Old age is like being posted to a foreign country…” (page 69) an interesting analogy I never would have thought of, but like. Curtain Calls considers advantages of growing old. As Hoagland ages he ponders his personal morality – or lack thereof. Was he a good person, were his motives positive, especially in his personal relationships? Are we happy, or rather, who is happy (A Country for Old Men)?

Endgame discusses the country’s economic situation and the juxtaposition of so many people, not enough space, yet the overwhelming loneliness permeating society.

I found East of Everest one of the most interesting essays. It recounts a trip deep into the Himalayas visiting isolated Indian tribes.

The last essay and title of the book, Sex and the River Styx is about sex and the inevitability of growing old. The River Styx is a mythological river – according to Greek and Roman mythology – that serves as a boundary between Earth and the underworld. The dead must be carried over the river to the other side. Hoagland again reverts to long sentences, long words, long paragraphs and flowing prose; a stream of consciousness composition. Women, May-December relationships, trophy wives and girlfriends, and the preservation of the species all come under his lens. I am not sure what to think of the essay; I need to reread it.

I was unfamiliar with Edward Hoagland before reading this book. He is an interesting guy, provocative writer and thinker. He is also a prolific writer, publishing several books of essays, three travelogues, five books of fiction and a memoir. He will celebrate his 80th birthday in 2012. Born in New York City, raised in rural Connecticut, he lived most of his adult life in New York City and Vermont. He currently calls Northern Vermont and Martha's Vineyard home. Hoagland is worth a visit. Spend some time immersed in Hoagland’s world.