Kevin,
I'll have to admit that I don't know for sure that Vonnegut was never
offered. If true, it would be needfully kept confidential so as not to
embarrass the person who DID get the prize that year. I agree that of all
living writers, Keillor is the clear choice for next year's award. Here is
a crazy thought - since they mainly give it to entertainers, I nominate Hal
Holbrook, the man who has done more than anyone else ever to keep Twain in
the national consciousness.
On Mon, Nov 23, 2015 at 12:23 PM, Kevin Mac Donnell <
[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> The recipient must agree to accept the prize and appear at the event. How
> do
> you know that Kurt Vonnegut was never asked? I once tried to talk Mr
> Vonnegut into appearing at Elmira, staying at Quarry Farm, etc., but he
> declined due to his health, although he was a big fan of MT.
>
>
> Kevin
> @
> Mac Donnell Rare Books
> 9307 Glenlake Drive
> Austin TX 78730
> 512-345-4139
> Member: ABAA, ILAB
> *************************
> You may browse our books at:
> www.macdonnellrarebooks.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Terry Ballard
> Sent: Monday, November 23, 2015 10:40 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Twain Prize
>
> Since somebody asked, I'll state my views one more time. The organizers
> have passed on the man who came the closest to exemplifying Twain (Kurt
> Vonnegut) in exchange for giving it, year-by-year to the trendiest cast
> member of Saturday Night Live. Twain was not shy about explaining the
> difference between himself and the other humorists of the time, but all of
> this is completely lost on the people who honor the comedians who make us
> laugh and dress up the award with a familiar name from literature.
>
> I know when Arizona became a state - easy because I grew up in Arizona.
> When you read things like the War Prayer and Letters from the Earth, it is
> easy to see what he is satirizing. Just look around. Then look through the
> writings of past award winners and see who comes close.
>
> On Mon, Nov 23, 2015 at 10:22 AM, Susan Bailey <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
>
> > I believe the Twain prize is a good fund raiser for the Kennedy Center.
> > That's why it was created and it surely fulfills that purpose.
> >
> > As far as when New Mexico and Arizona became states, I had to look that
> > up. It's like those history test I took in school. I learned all the
> > facts for the test, aced it, and then promptly forgot it all the next
> day.
> > I haven't used algebra in a while either.
> >
> > I've read Twain's books since I was a child. It's only since I learned a
> > lot about his childhood and adult life that I could even begin to take a
> > guess as to what motivated his humor. I believe the average person in
> > America may just be trying to get along and, while they surely know Mark
> > Twain's name and that he was an author, they aren't into deep
> > psychological
> > evaluation of his motives.
> >
> > That's why this group is such a treasure!
> >
> > Best regards,
> > Susan
> >
> > Susan Bailey
> > Co author
> > The Twain Shall Meet
> > <
> >
> http://www.amazon.com/Twain-Shall-Meet-Granddaughter-Gabrilowitsch/dp/1499799497/ref=sr_1_1/191-7847938-3534132?ie=UTF8&qid=1415889321&sr=8-1&keywords=the+twain+shall+meet+susan+bailey
> > >
> > Twain Page <https://www.facebook.com/marktwainsgranddaughter>
> > www.marktwainonline.com
> > Greenville, SC
> >
> > On Mon, Nov 23, 2015 at 5:42 AM, DMD1937 <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
> >
> > > I'm curious to know how list members view the Twain Prize.
> > >
> > > Most Americans couldn't tell you when New Mexico and Arizona became =
> > > states, let alone what motivated Twain's humor over many decades.
> > >
> > > DMD
> > >
> > >
> > > Denis M. Donovan, M.D., M.Ed., F.A.P.S.
> > > Director, EOCT Institute
> > >
> > > Medical Director, 1983 - 2006
> > > The Children's Center for Developmental Psychiatry
> > > St. Petersburg, Florida
> > >
> > > P.O Box 47576
> > > St. Petersburg, FL 33743-7576
> > > Phone: 727-641-8905
> > > [log in to unmask]
> > > [log in to unmask]
> > >
> > > Please reply to: [log in to unmask]
> > >
> > > - - -
> > > =D0=92=D1=80=D0=B5=D0=BC=D0=B5=D0=BD=D0=B0
> > > =D1=81=D0=BB=D0=BE=D0=B6=D0=BD=D1=
> > > =8B=D0=B5, =D0=B4=D1=83=D1=80=D0=B0=D0=BA=D0=BE=D0=B2
> > > =D0=BC=D0=BD=D0=BE=D0=
> > > =B3=D0=BE.
> > > =E2=80=94 =D0=90=D0=BB=D0=B5=D0=BA=D1=81a=D0=BD=D0=B4=D1=80 =
> > > =D0=A0=D0=BE=D0=BC=D0=B0=D0=BD=D0=BE=D0=B2=D0=B8=D1=87
> > > =D0=9B=D1=83=D1=80=D0=
> > > =B8=D1=8F
> > >
> > > These are complex times, many fools around.
> > >
> > > Alexandr Romanovich Luria in:
> > > Goldberg, Elkhonon (2001). The Executive Brain: Frontal Lobes and the =
> > > Civilized Mind.
> > > New York: Oxford University Press, p. 16.
> > >
> > > Perhaps Goldberg should have listened to Luria . . .
> > >
> >
>
>
>
> --
>
>
> Terry Ballard
> Author and Leisure Studies Manager
> http://www.terryballard.org
> Author of the book "Google this" http://googlethis.com
> <http://googlethisforlibraries.com/>
>
> "My memory has a mind of its own."
>
--
Terry Ballard
Author and Leisure Studies Manager
http://www.terryballard.org
Author of the book "Google this" http://googlethis.com
<http://googlethisforlibraries.com/>
"My memory has a mind of its own."
|
