Posts Tagged ‘James Agee’
A Refuge for the Broken-Hearted – How is it we were caught?
Every morning now, I find myself asking, How is it we were caught? This is a quote from “Let Us Now Praise Famous Men,” written by James Agee, with photos by Walker Evans, a book that has been my touchstone for the past fifty years (as it was for President Carter, interestingly). This is what…
Read MoreA Third Possibility
People frequently ask me, “Where did you go to college?” and some look as though I’ve just walloped them in the face with a flounder when I reply, “I didn’t go to college.” How can that be, I see them thinking, you’re a published author. Yeah. And in this era of nearly mandatory MFAs, I…
Read MoreWriting & Reading about The Big Questions
I’ve been reading a lot of obituaries and tributes to David Foster Wallace since I wrote last, and I’m struck by how deeply touched people are by his work, and in some cases how puzzled they are by their deep reaction to his death. What is it about this man that moved us so? For…
Read More