A short, interesting piece on audio recordings recently released by the British Library on several British writers including Joyce, Wodehouse and others. Most interesting are the comments from noted author of various farces, Joe Orton and his demise several days later: http://www.nationalpost.com/story-printer.html?id=7ab36fdb-78de-47eb-a856-5ed2207fad2d
A lot of poofs become writers and some of them are damn good at it. I picked up Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood" a couple of years ago and found it outstanding. BTW, if you ever see the original movie shot in black and white, the portrayl of one of the killers by Robert Blake is scary in the sense that he is a dead ringer in voice and image for the guy described by Capote and that he later did a little of the life imitating art stuff when he was somewhere in the vicinity of his nut job girlfriend when her head intercepted a couple of pistol slugs.
Writers do interest me. I've met several, and most are somewhat deficient in person. They are either a little lacking in social skills or at a point in life where their time seems to be better spent in pursuits other than talking to me. I've also found myself taking a liking to a certain author only to later read something about him that makes me think less of him. Probably similar to actors you have enjoyed then found annoying due to one of their political diatribes or other such silliness. There is a lesson here. Probably having to do with setting butterflies free or something. Or, drinking whiskey. Maybe shooting something. I don't know.
7 comments:
I haven't had the pleasure of meeting any author that I liked/respected (other than family members who have been published). I daresay that no matter how assinine an author may be I would prefer his company to that of an actress/actor whom I admired equally. First of all, I believe that most great writers could teach me a thing or two about drinking, and would probably feel right at home at any of my favorite watering holes. Secondly, the words that made them famous (infamous) are their own, not lines written by others. Their thoughts would be their own.
What you see is what you get, obnoxious prick or otherwise.
Did you say, "watering hole?"
They do that, don't they?
Remember when we saw W.E.B. Griffin at Barnes & Noble? He didn't seem like a particularly friendly or personable guy.
I saw Steve Doocy of Fox & Friends (morning show) at the LSU Bookstore before the Ole Miss game. He's just like on TV, friendly, nice fella. He was on a book tour, signing his new book.
Yeah, Griffin even thought that he rated a handler to stand behind him to shoo off more enthusiastic fans. He seemed to warm up a little when I told him the old man liked his "Corps" series--maybe praise from a WWII Marine meant something to him.
I used to run into Sarah Bird at parties--she's penned a lot of chick lit stuff and has a regular gig in Texas Monthly. Nice enough person and seemed interested when I replied to her question about what I was reading with Patrick O'Brien's Aubrey/Maturin series.
Where's you find that picture of Ralph dancing with Marilyn Monroe?
What?
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