The World Beyond BetterMost > The Culture Tent
In the New Yorker...
Jeff Wrangler:
Jill Lepore is another author I always read when she has an article in the magazine. Her article on the history of taxation in the Nov. 26 issue is amazing.
serious crayons:
Slightly OT, but I mysteriously started getting New York magazine in the mail for some reason. I must have received a magazine subscription with something I purchased, but I swear I don't remember ordering it.
I love New York too --- compared to the New Yorker, it's a little edgier and more risk-taking, though not generally as deep, and of course more pop-culture focused. Either way, though, there's a whole nother pile of weekly magazines to accumulate.
Jeff Wrangler:
For some reason, probably the fault of the postal service, I got the December 10 issue before the December 3 issue. ???
serious crayons:
I spent an hour this afternoon in the company of Calvin Trillin! He was in town to promote his latest book, and he stopped by the paper and talked to reporters, mostly about the New Yorker, where he became a staff writer in 1963. He talked a lot about his "U.S. Journal" series, which he wrote every three weeks, from the late '60s to the mid-'80s. He'd go through newspapers and find an interesting story somewhere in the country, travel to the place and spend a week there talking to folks, then return to NY and write a 3,000 word evocative charming memorable piece. Of course, that's not how he described them. He was low key, mild-mannered, non-assuming and pretty funny.
He name-dropped William Shawn and John McPhee, the latter of whom he said had a really elaborate writing system that involved bringing home his draft (typed on paper, in those days) and stuffing it into some niche in his house that he felt was unlikely to succumb in case of fire. "Is that neurotic?" McPhee asked Trillin. "Nah," Trillin told him. Not if that's what works for him.
Jeff Wrangler:
--- Quote from: serious crayons on December 07, 2012, 01:59:38 am ---I spent an hour this afternoon in the company of Calvin Trillin! He was in town to promote his latest book, and he stopped by the paper and talked to reporters, mostly about the New Yorker, where he became a staff writer in 1963. He talked a lot about his "U.S. Journal" series, which he wrote every three weeks, from the late '60s to the mid-'80s. He'd go through newspapers and find an interesting story somewhere in the country, travel to the place and spend a week there talking to folks, then return to NY and write a 3,000 word evocative charming memorable piece. Of course, that's not how he described them. He was low key, mild-mannered, non-assuming and pretty funny.
He name-dropped William Shawn and John McPhee, the latter of whom he said had a really elaborate writing system that involved bringing home his draft (typed on paper, in those days) and stuffing it into some niche in his house that he felt was unlikely to succumb in case of fire. "Is that neurotic?" McPhee asked Trillin. "Nah," Trillin told him. Not if that's what works for him.
--- End quote ---
Wow! Lucky you! :D
Of course, I spent some time with him yesterday, too--reading his piece on food in Oaxaca (sp?). ;D
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