Part 45 (1/2)
page 317 ”I'd often hear Don typing”: ”I'd often hear Don typing”: This and subsequent Sale quotes are from an E-mail to the author, May 16, 2004. This and subsequent Sale quotes are from an E-mail to the author, May 16, 2004.
page 318 ”H. and S. came for supper”: ”H. and S. came for supper”: Barthelme, Barthelme, Sixty Stories Sixty Stories, 160.
page 318 ”Sunday. We took the baby”: ”Sunday. We took the baby”: Barthelme, Barthelme, Sixty Stories Sixty Stories, 161.
page 318 ”sort of, partly”: ”sort of, partly”: Roger Angell, letter to Donald Barthelme, January 14, 1969, Ma.n.u.scripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library. Roger Angell, letter to Donald Barthelme, January 14, 1969, Ma.n.u.scripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library.
page 318 ”I... enclose an invitation”: ”I... enclose an invitation”: Roger Angell, letter to Donald Barthelme, May 29, 1969, Ma.n.u.scripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library. Roger Angell, letter to Donald Barthelme, May 29, 1969, Ma.n.u.scripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library.
page 319 ”The wax is gone from the floor”: ”The wax is gone from the floor”: Donald Barthelme, ”Blushes,” Ma.n.u.scripts and Archivess Division, New York Public Library. Donald Barthelme, ”Blushes,” Ma.n.u.scripts and Archivess Division, New York Public Library.
page 319 The version of ”The Falling Dog”: The version of ”The Falling Dog”: All quotes from the first version of the story are from Donald Barthelme, ”The Falling Dog,” All quotes from the first version of the story are from Donald Barthelme, ”The Falling Dog,” The New Yorker The New Yorker, August 3, 1968, 2829.
page 319 As it appeared two years later: As it appeared two years later: Quotes from the revised version of ”The Falling Dog” are from Donald Barthelme, Quotes from the revised version of ”The Falling Dog” are from Donald Barthelme, City Life City Life (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1970), 4148. (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1970), 4148.
pages 319320 ”The world enters [our] work”: ”The world enters [our] work”: Donald Barthelme, ”Not-Knowing,” in Donald Barthelme, ”Not-Knowing,” in Not-Knowing: The Essays and Interviews Not-Knowing: The Essays and Interviews, ed. Kim Herzinger (New York: Random House, 1997), 21.
page 320 ”dynamic instability”: ”dynamic instability”: This and subsequent Ehrenzweig quotes are from Anton Ehrenzweig, This and subsequent Ehrenzweig quotes are from Anton Ehrenzweig, The Hidden Order of Art The Hidden Order of Art (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1967), 59, 102103, 172173, 179, 182, 186, 260. (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1967), 59, 102103, 172173, 179, 182, 186, 260.
page 320 ”under the control of his unconscious”: ”under the control of his unconscious”: This and subsequent quotes from ”Dostoevsky and Parricide” are from Sigmund Freud, This and subsequent quotes from ”Dostoevsky and Parricide” are from Sigmund Freud, Character and Culture Character and Culture, ed. Philip Rieff (New York: Collier, 1963), 274293.
page 321 ”Don would drink himself into some state of inebriation”: ”Don would drink himself into some state of inebriation”: Karen Kennerly, in a conversation with the author, May 29, 2004. Karen Kennerly, in a conversation with the author, May 29, 2004.
page 321 ”Why do I desire with all my heart”: ”Why do I desire with all my heart”: Barthelme, Barthelme, Sixty Stories Sixty Stories, 114115.
page 321 As the critic Michael Zeitlin points out: As the critic Michael Zeitlin points out: Michael Zeitlin, ”Father-Murder and Father-Rescue: The Post-Freudian Allegories of Donald Barthelme,” posted at Michael Zeitlin, ”Father-Murder and Father-Rescue: The Post-Freudian Allegories of Donald Barthelme,” posted at /barth/freud.html.
page 322 ”There can be no doubt that a birth fantasy”: ”There can be no doubt that a birth fantasy”: Karl Abraham, ”Father-Murder and Father-Rescue in the Fantasies of Neurotics,” in Karl Abraham, ”Father-Murder and Father-Rescue in the Fantasies of Neurotics,” in The Psychoa.n.a.lytic Reader: An Anthology of Essential Papers with Critical Introductions The Psychoa.n.a.lytic Reader: An Anthology of Essential Papers with Critical Introductions, ed. Robert Fleiss (London: Hogarth Press, 1950), 303304.
page 322 ”not unlike my own name”: ”not unlike my own name”: Barthelme, Barthelme, Sixty Stories Sixty Stories, 115.
page 322 ”[T]he son kills the father in fantasy”: ”[T]he son kills the father in fantasy”: Zeitlin, ”Father-Murder and Father-Rescue.” page 322 Zeitlin, ”Father-Murder and Father-Rescue.” page 322 ”All [the son's] instincts”: ”All [the son's] instincts”: Sigmund Freud, ”A Special Type of Object Choice Made By Men,” in Sigmund Freud, ”A Special Type of Object Choice Made By Men,” in The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud, trans. and ed. James Strachey, vol. 11 (London: Hogarth Press, 1957), 173.
page 323 ”The holdings of the Tolstoy Museum”: ”The holdings of the Tolstoy Museum”: Donald Barthelme, Donald Barthelme, Forty Stories Forty Stories (New York: Putnam, 1987), 109. (New York: Putnam, 1987), 109.
page 324 ”there is a Tolstoy Museum somewhere in Russia”: ”there is a Tolstoy Museum somewhere in Russia”: Roger Angell, letter to Mrs. William McCutcheon, June 11, 1969, Ma.n.u.scripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library. Roger Angell, letter to Mrs. William McCutcheon, June 11, 1969, Ma.n.u.scripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library.
page 324 ”Donald Barthelme's absurd article”: ”Donald Barthelme's absurd article”: Alexandra L. Tolstoy, letter to Alexandra L. Tolstoy, letter to The New Yorker The New Yorker, June 9, 1969, Ma.n.u.scripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library.
page 324 ”I can a.s.sure you”: ”I can a.s.sure you”: Roger Angell, letter to Alexandra L. Tolstoy, June 25, 1969, Ma.n.u.scripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library. Roger Angell, letter to Alexandra L. Tolstoy, June 25, 1969, Ma.n.u.scripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library.
page 324 ”reinvent[ed] the harpsichord”; ”One of the most remarkable accomplishments”: ”reinvent[ed] the harpsichord”; ”One of the most remarkable accomplishments”: Thomas Hess, ”A Tale of Two Cities,” Thomas Hess, ”A Tale of Two Cities,” Location Location 1, no. 2 (1964): 40. 1, no. 2 (1964): 40.
36. City Life (II) page 325 ”At the Tolstoy Museum we sat and wept”: ”At the Tolstoy Museum we sat and wept”: Donald Barthelme, Donald Barthelme, City Life City Life (New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1970), 49. (New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1970), 49.
page 326 ”Do you believe that this machine”: ”Do you believe that this machine”: This and subsequent quotes from ”The Explanation” are from ibid., 7587. This and subsequent quotes from ”The Explanation” are from ibid., 7587.
page 326 ”a common journalistic device”: ”a common journalistic device”: Jerome Klinkowitz, Jerome Klinkowitz, Donald Barthelme: An Exhibition Donald Barthelme: An Exhibition (Durham, North Carolina: Duke University Press, 1991), 62. (Durham, North Carolina: Duke University Press, 1991), 62.
page 326 ”pure feeling”: ”pure feeling”: Kasemir Malevich quoted in David S. Rubin, Kasemir Malevich quoted in David S. Rubin, Black and White Are Colors: Paintings of the 1950s1970s Black and White Are Colors: Paintings of the 1950s1970s (Claremont, California: Galleries of the Claremont Colleges, 1979), 8. (Claremont, California: Galleries of the Claremont Colleges, 1979), 8.
page 327 ”relation appears”: ”relation appears”: Wallace Stevens, Wallace Stevens, The Collected Poems of Wallace Stevens The Collected Poems of Wallace Stevens (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1975), 215. (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1975), 215.
page 327 Schlegel's ”very obscene book”: Schlegel's ”very obscene book”: This and subsequent Kierkegaard quotes are from Sren Kierkegaard, This and subsequent Kierkegaard quotes are from Sren Kierkegaard, The Concept of Irony The Concept of Irony, trans. Lee M. Capel (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1965), 302316.
page 327 ”I love my irony”: ”I love my irony”: This and subsequent quotes from ”Kierkegaard Unfair to Schlegel” are from Barthelme, This and subsequent quotes from ”Kierkegaard Unfair to Schlegel” are from Barthelme, City Life City Life, 89100.
page 328 ”These / Two things are one”: ”These / Two things are one”: Stevens, Stevens, The Collected Poems of Wallace Stevens The Collected Poems of Wallace Stevens, 215.
page 329 a lingering and mysterious emotional power: a lingering and mysterious emotional power: In the early 1970s, Harrison Starr tried to make a film of ”The Explanation.” Roger Angell, dressed in a suit, represented the ”voice” of order, and Starr represented the forces of freedom. Trestles were laid beneath the surface of a small boat pond in Central Park. Angell and Starr rowed out to the trestles, where they shot a scene in which they appeared to be walking on water. Angell recalls being spotted by Lillian Ross, who called out to him, ”Roger? Is that you? I didn't know you had a film career!” Afterward, Starr proclaimed the film a failure, and tucked the footage away in a box. In the early 1970s, Harrison Starr tried to make a film of ”The Explanation.” Roger Angell, dressed in a suit, represented the ”voice” of order, and Starr represented the forces of freedom. Trestles were laid beneath the surface of a small boat pond in Central Park. Angell and Starr rowed out to the trestles, where they shot a scene in which they appeared to be walking on water. Angell recalls being spotted by Lillian Ross, who called out to him, ”Roger? Is that you? I didn't know you had a film career!” Afterward, Starr proclaimed the film a failure, and tucked the footage away in a box.
page 329 ”our best writers” ”our best writers” to to he ”undertakes larger, more positive projects”: he ”undertakes larger, more positive projects”: Morris d.i.c.kstein, review of Morris d.i.c.kstein, review of City Life, New York Times Book Review City Life, New York Times Book Review, April 27, 1970, 1.
page 330 ”Barthelme's subject in ”Barthelme's subject in City Life City Life”: Peter Berek, ”Disenchanted Symbols,” Peter Berek, ”Disenchanted Symbols,” The Nation The Nation, May 25, 1970, 630.
page 330 ”Mr. Barthelme has accepted”: ”Mr. Barthelme has accepted”: Richard Schickel, review of Richard Schickel, review of City Life, Harper's City Life, Harper's, May 1970, 130.
page 330 ”it will be a while yet”: ”it will be a while yet”: Guy Davenport, ”A Master of Unstuck Prose,” Guy Davenport, ”A Master of Unstuck Prose,” Life Life, May 8, 1970, 19.
page 330 ”Year's Best books”: Time ”Year's Best books”: Time, January 4, 1971, 76.
page 330 ”Barthelme is a genius”: ”Barthelme is a genius”: Unsigned article, Unsigned article, Time Time, May 25, 1970, 108.
page 330 ”campaign”; ”For all the acclaim”; ”I will...tell Mr. Barthelme”: ”campaign”; ”For all the acclaim”; ”I will...tell Mr. Barthelme”: Roger Angell, letters to Henry T. Bla.s.so, July 11, 1969, and July 28, 1969, Ma.n.u.scripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library. Roger Angell, letters to Henry T. Bla.s.so, July 11, 1969, and July 28, 1969, Ma.n.u.scripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library.
page 331 ”What I like about 'Paraguay' ”: ”What I like about 'Paraguay' ”: Donald Barthelme, ”On 'Paraguay,' ” in Donald Barthelme, ”On 'Paraguay,' ” in Not-Knowing: The Essays and Interviews Not-Knowing: The Essays and Interviews, ed. Kim Herzinger (New York: Random House, 1997), 5657.
page 331 ”[T]he sentence is”: ”[T]he sentence is”: Barthelme, Barthelme, City Life City Life, 118.
page 331 ”Elsa and Ramona entered the complicated city”: ”Elsa and Ramona entered the complicated city”: This and subsequent quotes from ”City Life” are from ibid., 151173. This and subsequent quotes from ”City Life” are from ibid., 151173.
page 332 ”systematic refusal”: ”systematic refusal”: See Andre Breton's texts on Surrealism in Charles Harrison and Paul Wood, ed., See Andre Breton's texts on Surrealism in Charles Harrison and Paul Wood, ed., Art in Theory: 19001990 Art in Theory: 19001990 (Oxford: Blackwell, 1992), 432439, 440450, 526529. (Oxford: Blackwell, 1992), 432439, 440450, 526529.
37. Freaked Out page 334 ”Donald Barthelme will quit writing”: ”Donald Barthelme will quit writing”: This and subsequent quotes from Schickel's article are from Richard Schickel, ”Freaked Out on Barthelme,” This and subsequent quotes from Schickel's article are from Richard Schickel, ”Freaked Out on Barthelme,” New York Times Magazine New York Times Magazine, August 16, 1970, 14.
page 335 ”It is not true that Kafka wanted Brod”: ”It is not true that Kafka wanted Brod”: Donald Barthelme, draft of ”Kierkegaard Unfair to Schlegel,” Special Collections and Archives, University of Houston Libraries. Donald Barthelme, draft of ”Kierkegaard Unfair to Schlegel,” Special Collections and Archives, University of Houston Libraries.
page 336 ”I often think not enough attention is paid to dead writers”: ”I often think not enough attention is paid to dead writers”: Donald Barthelme, unt.i.tled speech, 1974, Special Collections and Archives, University of Houston Libraries. Donald Barthelme, unt.i.tled speech, 1974, Special Collections and Archives, University of Houston Libraries.
page 336 ”I've asked for a new black square” ”I've asked for a new black square” to to ”33 lines”: ”33 lines”: Donald Barthelme, note to Henry Robbins, undated, Farrar, Straus and Giroux records, Ma.n.u.scripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library. Donald Barthelme, note to Henry Robbins, undated, Farrar, Straus and Giroux records, Ma.n.u.scripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library.
page 337 ”Why didn't we think of pricing it at 50 cents”: ”Why didn't we think of pricing it at 50 cents”: Donald Barthelme, note to Farrar, Straus and Giroux, undated Farrar, Straus and Giroux records, Ma.n.u.scripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library. Donald Barthelme, note to Farrar, Straus and Giroux, undated Farrar, Straus and Giroux records, Ma.n.u.scripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library.
page 337 ”sheet art”: ”sheet art”: Donald Barthelme, Donald Barthelme, City Life City Life (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1970), 23. (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1970), 23.
page 338 ”How is my car?”: ”How is my car?”: ibid., 86. ibid., 86.