I’ve never understood why writers must literally wall themselves in with books. As if you must be surrounded by knowledge to write with knowledge. I’m surprised they don’t have text etched into their clothes.
Ebert recently made fat jokes about Rush Limbaugh. Too bad Ebert doesn’t have much empathy for humans who have gone through some difficult health issues.
As I read the piece it sounded like a systematic destruction of a man by radiation over a thirty month period. When faced with cancer, at what point does a person decide to opt for quality of life instead?
regardless of his politics, a remarkable story about the human will to live, and to remain productive and engaged.
Stepehn Hawking is another.
I was watching a war correspondent video yesterday where he talked about meeting (and photographed) in Iraq, a 12 yr old Kurdish girl climbing over boulders, down a mountain, covered in freezing mud. And carrying on her back, her unconscious 4 yr old sister- she had carried the child 90 MILES seeking safety and help. Some people just go on and on. While others quit and die.
I went to college w/Ebert. He was 2 years ahead of me. He was the head of ADA and a girlfriend who had a massive crush on him dragged me to a couple of their weekly luncheons as a beard.
He was, then, totally full of himself and obnoxious. I begged off the forced forays into boredom after a month. I never understood her fascination and when I asked, she just said it was because he was *brilliant*. Ah, well, she and I were just 19.
However, I find myself sympathetic to his physical problems.
Ebert gained money and power and is, in his late life, alone with them and likely in massive discomfort all the time. I agree with him on nothing, but I will offer up a prayer for him, anyway.
Steak and Shake, back in the 60s, had great fast food. In the 90s, we made a detour to eat at the one I remembered from HS. Either they deteriorated badly or my memories were false. The food was terrible and I had heartburn for a couple of days afterward. But, I suppose for someone who can no longer eat real food, the memory is of ambrosia.
Poor Roger.
Mr. Ebert and I don’t agree on much politically (if anything), but I admire the way he continues to plow ahead and refuses to be defeated by adversity.
I just lost someone dear to stomach cancer, and she never gave up, either, until her poor body couldn’t go any further.
God bless, Mr. Ebert - may you find eternal joy in Him.
He has my prayers.
He’s someone who actually deserved his Pulitzer.
Thank you for posting this.
I’ve never heard any of this before.
Wow.
When he stays off politics, he’s a great read. When he gets into, it’s like listening to Trotsky. It’s sometimes difficult to keep them seperate, but I usually try.