Part 43 (1/2)
page 242 ”[P]lease don't start worrying about this”: ”[P]lease don't start worrying about this”: Roger Angell, letter to Donald Barthelme, June 9, 1964, Ma.n.u.scripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library. Roger Angell, letter to Donald Barthelme, June 9, 1964, Ma.n.u.scripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library.
page 242 ”a mighty strange and disturbing piece”: ”a mighty strange and disturbing piece”: Roger Angell, letter to Donald Barthelme, June 28, 1964, Ma.n.u.scripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library. Roger Angell, letter to Donald Barthelme, June 28, 1964, Ma.n.u.scripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library.
page 242 ”I spent a happy fifteen minutes”: ”I spent a happy fifteen minutes”: Roger Angell, letter to Donald Barthelme, August 18, 1964, Ma.n.u.scripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library. Roger Angell, letter to Donald Barthelme, August 18, 1964, Ma.n.u.scripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library.
page 242 ”Dear Reader”: ”Dear Reader”: Herman Gollob, letter accompanying the ”Advance Preview” of Herman Gollob, letter accompanying the ”Advance Preview” of Come Back, Dr. Caligari Come Back, Dr. Caligari, published by Little, Brown, April 1, 1964.
page 243 The book jacket, designed by Milton Glaser: The book jacket, designed by Milton Glaser: ”Milt baby is the best,” Don had written to Herman Gollob in an undated letter (1963); Special Collections, University of Delaware, Morris Library, Newark, Delaware. ”Milt baby is the best,” Don had written to Herman Gollob in an undated letter (1963); Special Collections, University of Delaware, Morris Library, Newark, Delaware.
page 243 Each story came densely layered: Each story came densely layered: Don had taken care to arrange the collection for ”[c]ontinuity of...mood and attack,” for ”tempo and change of pace and similar glittering abstractions.” He joked with Gollob, saying, ”I... majored in English” (letter to Herman Gollob, July 16, 1963, Special Collections, University of Delaware, Morris Library, Newark, Delaware). Don had taken care to arrange the collection for ”[c]ontinuity of...mood and attack,” for ”tempo and change of pace and similar glittering abstractions.” He joked with Gollob, saying, ”I... majored in English” (letter to Herman Gollob, July 16, 1963, Special Collections, University of Delaware, Morris Library, Newark, Delaware).
page 243 mere ”entertainment”; ”regiment...people”; whatever ”is not physiologically necessary”: mere ”entertainment”; ”regiment...people”; whatever ”is not physiologically necessary”: Henry Flynt, cited at henryflynt.org/aesthetics. Henry Flynt, cited at henryflynt.org/aesthetics.
page 244 ”MAN DIES!”: ”MAN DIES!”: This and subsequent quotes from ”Marie, Marie, Hold on Tight” are from Donald Barthelme, This and subsequent quotes from ”Marie, Marie, Hold on Tight” are from Donald Barthelme, Come Back, Dr. Caligari Come Back, Dr. Caligari (Boston: Little, Brown, 1964), 115122. (Boston: Little, Brown, 1964), 115122.
page 244 ”minor artist”: ”minor artist”: This and subsequent quotes from ”A Shower of Gold” are from Donald Barthelme, This and subsequent quotes from ”A Shower of Gold” are from Donald Barthelme, Come Back, Dr. Caligari Come Back, Dr. Caligari, 173183.
28. Old Fogey page 246 The New York Review of Books The New York Review of Books debuted: debuted: A useful source regarding New Yorkrelated cultural history is James Trager's A useful source regarding New Yorkrelated cultural history is James Trager's The New York Chronology The New York Chronology (New York: HarperResource, 2003). (New York: HarperResource, 2003).
page 247 ”very talented young writer”: ”very talented young writer”: Renata Adler, in an unsigned review of Renata Adler, in an unsigned review of Come Back, Dr. Caligari Come Back, Dr. Caligari, The New Yorker The New Yorker, June 13, 1964, 141.
page 247 ”cratered landscape of the broken heart”: ”cratered landscape of the broken heart”: Jack Kroll (unsigned), ”Peers and Mutations,” Jack Kroll (unsigned), ”Peers and Mutations,” Newsweek Newsweek, April 13, 1964, 9798.
page 247 ” ”existentialism [into] as popular an American inst.i.tution”: R. V. Ca.s.sill, ”Don't Ignore a Vision,” R. V. Ca.s.sill, ”Don't Ignore a Vision,” New York Times Book Review New York Times Book Review, April 12, 1964, 36.
page 247 Robert M.Adams...claimed: Robert M.Adams...claimed: Robert M. Adams, ”New Short Stories,” Robert M. Adams, ”New Short Stories,” The New York Review of Books The New York Review of Books 2, no. 6 (1964). 2, no. 6 (1964).
page 247 ”a member of the advance guard”: ”a member of the advance guard”: Granville Hicks, ”Sad Secrets and Absurdities,” Granville Hicks, ”Sad Secrets and Absurdities,” The Sat.u.r.day Review The Sat.u.r.day Review, April 4, 1964, 2324.
page 247 ”Mr. Barthelme has regarded each construction”: ”Mr. Barthelme has regarded each construction”: Hilary Corke, ”Come Back, Mr. Barthelme,” Hilary Corke, ”Come Back, Mr. Barthelme,” The New Republic The New Republic, May 2, 1964, 1819.
page 247 ”sold well enough to earn out its modest advance”: ”sold well enough to earn out its modest advance”: Herman Gollob, Herman Gollob, Me and Shakespeare: Adventures with the Bard Me and Shakespeare: Adventures with the Bard (New York: Doubleday, 2002), 170. (New York: Doubleday, 2002), 170.
page 247 ”so personal and so elusive”: ”so personal and so elusive”: Roger Angell, letter to Donald Barthelme, August 18, 1964, Ma.n.u.scripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library. Roger Angell, letter to Donald Barthelme, August 18, 1964, Ma.n.u.scripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library.
page 247 ”With ”With The New Yorker, The New Yorker, Don found himself playing in the big leagues”: Don found himself playing in the big leagues”: Phillip Lopate, in a conversation with the author, October 29, 2004. Phillip Lopate, in a conversation with the author, October 29, 2004.
page 248 ”What helped Don the most hurt him the most”: ”What helped Don the most hurt him the most”: Jerome Charyn, in a conversation with the author, June 14, 2004. Jerome Charyn, in a conversation with the author, June 14, 2004.
page 248 ”Barthelme was a good example”: ”Barthelme was a good example”: Jerome Klinkowitz, Jerome Klinkowitz, Keeping Literary Company: Working with Writers Since the Sixties Keeping Literary Company: Working with Writers Since the Sixties (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1998), 196. (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1998), 196.
page 248 Don ”sold out by publis.h.i.+ng in Don ”sold out by publis.h.i.+ng in The New Yorker The New Yorker”: Roger Angell, in a conversation with the author, May 27, 2004. Roger Angell, in a conversation with the author, May 27, 2004.
page 248 ”Don was very aware of celebrity”: ”Don was very aware of celebrity”: Phillip Lopate, in a conversation with the author, October 29, 2004. Phillip Lopate, in a conversation with the author, October 29, 2004.
page 248 ”Q. Is purity quantifiable?”: ”Q. Is purity quantifiable?”: Donald Barthelme, Donald Barthelme, City Life City Life (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1970), 77. (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1970), 77.
page 249 ”Don perfectly matched ”Don perfectly matched The New Yorker The New Yorker tradition”: tradition”: Phillip Lopate, in a conversation with the author, October 29, 2004. Phillip Lopate, in a conversation with the author, October 29, 2004.
page 249 ”[The popular] notion of the avantgarde”: ”[The popular] notion of the avantgarde”: J. D. O'Hara, ”Donald Barthelme: The Art of Fiction LXVI,” J. D. O'Hara, ”Donald Barthelme: The Art of Fiction LXVI,” Paris Review Paris Review 80 (1981): 187. 80 (1981): 187.
page 249 ”Roger was (and still is)”: ”Roger was (and still is)”: Mark Mirsky, in his remembrance of Robert Creeley, posted at conjunctions.com/creeleytribute.htm. Mark Mirsky, in his remembrance of Robert Creeley, posted at conjunctions.com/creeleytribute.htm.
29. Copenhagen page 250 ”get [his] money for the day”: ”get [his] money for the day”: This and subsequent quotes from ”Can We Talk” are from Donald Barthelme, This and subsequent quotes from ”Can We Talk” are from Donald Barthelme, Unspeakable Practices, Unnatural Acts Unspeakable Practices, Unnatural Acts (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1968), 103106. (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1968), 103106.
pages 250251 ”Now I would know better” ”Now I would know better” to to ”One of the things that makes good fiction”: ”One of the things that makes good fiction”: Lynn Nesbit, in a conversation with the author, July 30, 2007. Lynn Nesbit, in a conversation with the author, July 30, 2007.
page 251 ”He called and invited me for a drink” ”He called and invited me for a drink” to to ”Either he would cook”: ”Either he would cook”: Renata Adler, Renata Adler, Gone: The Last Days of The New Yorker Gone: The Last Days of The New Yorker (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999), 78. (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999), 78.
page 251 ”triumph”: ”triumph”: This and subsequent quotes from ”The Police Band” are from Barthelme, This and subsequent quotes from ”The Police Band” are from Barthelme, Unspeakable Practices, Unnatural Acts Unspeakable Practices, Unnatural Acts, 7376.
page 252 ”gigantic with gin”: ”gigantic with gin”: This and subsequent quotes from ”A Picture History of the War” are from ibid., 131144. This and subsequent quotes from ”A Picture History of the War” are from ibid., 131144.
page 252 ”an angry man dragg[ing] his father along the ground”: ”an angry man dragg[ing] his father along the ground”: Gertrude Stein, Gertrude Stein, The Making of Americans The Making of Americans, in Selected Writings of Gertrude Stein Selected Writings of Gertrude Stein, ed. Carl Van Vechten (New York: Vintage Books, 1972), 261.
page 253 commas that ”tiptoed into 'The Police Band' ”: commas that ”tiptoed into 'The Police Band' ”: Roger Angell, letter to Donald Barthelme, August 26, 1964, Ma.n.u.scripts and Archive Division, New York Public Library. Roger Angell, letter to Donald Barthelme, August 26, 1964, Ma.n.u.scripts and Archive Division, New York Public Library.
page 253 ”travel because he 'had not been anywhere' ”: ”travel because he 'had not been anywhere' ”: Helen Moore Barthelme, Helen Moore Barthelme, Donald Barthelme: The Genesis of a Cool Sound Donald Barthelme: The Genesis of a Cool Sound (College Station: Texas A & M University Press, 2001), 151. (College Station: Texas A & M University Press, 2001), 151.
page 253 ”get away from Lynn”: ”get away from Lynn”: Roger Angell, in a conversation with the author, December 6, 2006. Roger Angell, in a conversation with the author, December 6, 2006.
page 253 ”I was ready to have children” ”I was ready to have children” to to ”Anyway, he and my friend Carol”: ”Anyway, he and my friend Carol”: Lynn Nesbit, in a conversation with the author, July 30, 2007. Lynn Nesbit, in a conversation with the author, July 30, 2007.
page 254 ”He was vacationing in Europe”: ”He was vacationing in Europe”: Anne Barthelme, in a conversation with the author, June 19, 2004. Anne Barthelme, in a conversation with the author, June 19, 2004.
pages 254255 ”small but pleasant flat” ”small but pleasant flat” to to ”a girl named Birgit”: ”a girl named Birgit”: Helen Moore Barthelme, Helen Moore Barthelme, Donald Barthelme Donald Barthelme, 153155.
page 255 ”I've met this crazy Danish lady” ”I've met this crazy Danish lady” to to ”ethereal, she was beautiful”: ”ethereal, she was beautiful”: Anne Barthelme, in a conversation with the author, June 19, 2004. Anne Barthelme, in a conversation with the author, June 19, 2004.
page 256 ”I got letters from him”: ”I got letters from him”: Lynn Nesbit, in a conversation with the author, July 30, 2007. Lynn Nesbit, in a conversation with the author, July 30, 2007.
30. Uprisings page 257 ”Edward put his hands on Pia's b.r.e.a.s.t.s”: ”Edward put his hands on Pia's b.r.e.a.s.t.s”: This and subsequent quotes from ”Edward and Pia” are from Donald Barthelme, This and subsequent quotes from ”Edward and Pia” are from Donald Barthelme, Unspeakable Practices, Unnatural Acts Unspeakable Practices, Unnatural Acts (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1968), 7788. (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1968), 7788.
page 257 ”Please do not confuse my fiction with my life”: ”Please do not confuse my fiction with my life”: This and all subsequent quotes in this chapter from the correspondence between Donald Barthelme and Roger Angell in December 1964 and during 1965 are from the letters in the Ma.n.u.scripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library. This and all subsequent quotes in this chapter from the correspondence between Donald Barthelme and Roger Angell in December 1964 and during 1965 are from the letters in the Ma.n.u.scripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library.
page 257 ”gray and dismal”; ”hordes of Indians and Frenchmen and Italians”: ”gray and dismal”; ”hordes of Indians and Frenchmen and Italians”: Helen Moore Barthelme, Helen Moore Barthelme, Donald Barthelme: The Genesis of a Cool Sound Donald Barthelme: The Genesis of a Cool Sound (College Station: Texas A & M University Press, 2001), 154. (College Station: Texas A & M University Press, 2001), 154.
pages 258259 ”soft-footed in” ”soft-footed in” to to ”no other Intelligence”: ”no other Intelligence”: ibid. ibid.
page 261 ”long struggles”: ”long struggles”: Roger Angell, letter to Lynn Nesbit, February 10, 1965, Ma.n.u.scripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library. Roger Angell, letter to Lynn Nesbit, February 10, 1965, Ma.n.u.scripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library.
page 262 ”emotionally important”: ”emotionally important”: ”Interview with Charles Ruas and Judith Sherman, 1975,” in ”Interview with Charles Ruas and Judith Sherman, 1975,” in Not-Knowing: The Essays and Interviews Not-Knowing: The Essays and Interviews, ed. Kim Herzinger (New York: Random House, 1997), 231.
page 262 ”We defended the city as best we could”: ”We defended the city as best we could”: This and subsequent quotes from the ”The Indian Uprising” are from Barthelme, This and subsequent quotes from the ”The Indian Uprising” are from Barthelme, Unspeakable Practices, Unnatural Acts Unspeakable Practices, Unnatural Acts, 312.
page 263 ”civilization” fighting ”savages”: ”civilization” fighting ”savages”: See, for example, Walter Evans, ”Comanches and Civilization in Donald Barthelme's 'The Indian Uprising,' ” See, for example, Walter Evans, ”Comanches and Civilization in Donald Barthelme's 'The Indian Uprising,' ” Arizona Quarterly Arizona Quarterly 42, no. 1 (1986): 45. 42, no. 1 (1986): 45.
page 263 Other critics read the story: Other critics read the story: See, for example, Maclin Boc.o.c.k, ” 'The Indian Uprising' or Donald Barthelme's Strange Object Covered with Fur,” See, for example, Maclin Boc.o.c.k, ” 'The Indian Uprising' or Donald Barthelme's Strange Object Covered with Fur,” Fiction International Fiction International 4, no. 5 (1975): 134145. 4, no. 5 (1975): 134145.
page 263 Other readers have noted: Other readers have noted: See, for example, John Domini, ”Donald Barthelme: The Modernist Uprising,” See, for example, John Domini, ”Donald Barthelme: The Modernist Uprising,” Southwest Review Southwest Review 75, no. 2 (1990): 95112. 75, no. 2 (1990): 95112.