Kevin,
Thanks for letting me read this. It brought smiles.
Sam Sackett
-----Original Message-----
From: Kevin Mac Donnell <[log in to unmask]>
To: TWAIN-L <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thu, Jul 7, 2011 6:47 pm
Subject: Re: The COMPLETE article on Twain's autobiography by Michael Lewis.
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
Member: ABAA, ILAB
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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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