My two cents...

I rather enjoy reading pieces written by folks unencumbered by scholarship 
or conventional wisdom about a topic. The fresh viewpoints can be 
thought-provoking, and this piece had some of that. But my enjoyment is 
negated when a writer is also unencumbered by a basic knowledge of the 
subject, and there was some biographical ignorance on display as well. This 
fellow would have done well to have read a good biography of Twain before 
tackling the autobiography. At the very least he would have enjoyed it more, 
and he would have written a better review.

Two of his notions galled me, and they were presented early in the review, 
so this may have tempered my enthusiasm for the rest of what I he wrote. He 
said that great writers are not meant to write bad books, much less publish 
them. Is he kidding? Would he like a long list of bad novels by great 
novelists? Bad poems by great poets?  Bad music by great composers? Can he 
name a great writer who wrote nothing but great books? His second dubious 
notion is that great writers are supposed to be all about ideas and not 
about material things. Again, is he kidding? Great writers like creature 
comforts, food, and sex. If they did not understand and live in the human 
condition themselves how could they ever be great writers? Can he name any 
skinny monks out there who became great writers?

I wonder if this reviewer lives up to his own high standards and lives a 
pure life of the mind. If so, it did not result in a great review.

I attribute any tone of crankiness to my youthful exposure to lead, mercury, 
and higher education.

Kevin
@
Mac Donnell Rare Books
9307 Glenlake Drive
Austin TX 78730
512-345-4139
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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Arianne" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, July 06, 2011 9:05 PM
Subject: The COMPLETE article on Twain's autobiography by Michael Lewis.


> This link provides all pages of the Lewis article in the New Republic.
>
>
> www.tnr.com/article/books-and-arts/magazine/90498/mark-twain-autobiography?passthru=MDcwYzg0MDAxMjQ3YzZhNjNhYTNjNjM3YmZlMGFmZGI
>
>
> Always interesting to hear various views.
>
> Arianne Laidlaw
> -- 
> Arianne Laidlaw A '58
>
>
>
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