Search
An association of writers working to advance literature, defend free expression, and to foster international literary fellowship.
Pen Blogs
Recent Posts
PEN Blogroll
Browse by Subject
View by Post Title
World Voices Blogs
PEN Member Profiles
FAQ
Sign In
spacer
Newsletter

Home > Browse Member Blog Tags



MEMBER BLOG TAG: dwight garner

Friday, May 1, 2009 7:26AM
 
Original Inspiration - James Agee
Tags: James Agee, Let Us Know Praise Famous Men, Dwight Garner, David Denby, inspiration, Walker Evans
 
I was, I think, fourteen, perhaps fifteen when someone I can't recall handed me a book, called Let Us Now Praise Famous Men. The 'someone' was a woman, older than I, and I vaguely recall we were sitting in a kitchen, drinking tea. I have an image of wooden floors, a pot-bellied stove, sagging bookshelves, and a red and white checkered plastic table cloth. I can't for the life of me imagine where this might have been, or who this woman might have been and I suspect I am superimposing the scenes and settings of the book onto the moment when I discovered it. Nonetheless, it was a moment that changed my life.

Up until then I had hoped to be a...
 
More | 1 Comment | Add a Comment
 
Home | Site Map | Copyright / Privacy Policy | Contact Us © 2004-2012 PEN American Center. All rights reserved.