over the holiday break i made bookmarks. two kinds.
these are two favorite quotes of mine, by two wonderful mavericks of the literary world: nelson algren and sinclair lewis. algren's quote on how the best books get here -- and at whose behest -- is a real shot in the arm. and i think it's nicely augmented by a can of split pea soup from canada.
i like to think that crappy writers around the world -- with three-book deals -- are sitting at their macs write now, maybe even eating canned split pea soup from canada, trying to drum up a book with which to pay the mortgage. shame on them. nelson algren knew far more than they did. i would make him an excellent split pea soup if ever i had the chance. (he's dead though.)
the sinclair lewis quote is taken from his famous "letter to the pulitzer prize committee." lewis had been awarded this prize and refused to accept it, and the reasons for that are right here in 10 pt modern italic and gold ink. augmented with vintage vines and insects recently cast by the also incredible writer/maverick/typecaster theo rehak.
by the way, after spurning the pulitzer, eight years later, lewis would, however, be the first american to win the nobel prize for literature. nelson algren, for his part, was the winner of the very first national book award, for the man with the golden arm.
two great guys, who wrote great books. i have this rather detailed fantasy of taking these bookmarks and sneaking them into really, really crappy books. like those awful marian keyes novels or whatever "professional women" are reading these days while they take the train into the city.